Hifi Resources / Advice

[RevTadd]

I've been interested in getting a hifi set-up for my apartment, but am very much new to the game. Does anyone have any advice / resources to look into for figuring out a good system. My key initial questions relate to (a) media choice, I'm not particularly into physical media and so want to know what's the best digital source (e.g. streaming or digital purchase) for high-quality / lossless audio and (b) what equipment I should look into for a high quality set-up (and at what price range does the marginal benefit of better gear start to phase out)?

[Stahlmann]

As for streaming, Amazon Music HD is the best choice for a huge lossless Hi-Fi library. Spotify Hi-Fi is also due to release by the end of this year, also claiming to offer "millions of songs in lossless quality". If Spotify Hi-Fi really is lossless and what format they use remains to be seen.

 

Depending on what you want to get, Soundbars could also come into play. I got the Samsung HW-Q80R after it was praised into oblivion by many reviewers as one of the best sound bars, and it has been perfect for me since i bought it. Sadly it's not produced anymore and the succesors aren't as good from what i've heard. And the HW-Q80R was sold anywhere between $500 and $1000, so a good quality soundbar will also cost some serious money.

[Colty]

If you're space constrained, RTings has a list of the best soundbars.

https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/best/soundbar

If you're not space constrained, a good AVR and a good set of used speakers will be best.

These will be craigslist deals and FB marketplace items. You can typically search "Brand+Model AVSForums" and find a review for a specific speaker/AVR and get a gauge for the value/quality offered. You could also make a post on those forums with the available options near you and prices so users can recommend things specifically. 

It isn't the easiest way, but it is a good way to ensure you get a great system. 

I know a lot of people like Tidal for lossless streaming. I don't have it so I can't comment further than that. 

[Stagea]

20 hours ago, RevTadd said:

I've been interested in getting a hifi set-up for my apartment, but am very much new to the game. Does anyone have any advice / resources to look into for figuring out a good system. My key initial questions relate to (a) media choice, I'm not particularly into physical media and so want to know what's the best digital source (e.g. streaming or digital purchase) for high-quality / lossless audio and (b) what equipment I should look into for a high quality set-up (and at what price range does the marginal benefit of better gear start to phase out)?

a) Digital purchase of studio master recordings offer the highest technical resolution (upto DSD2048 at the moment) if you're picky, but HD Audio from online streaming platforms is good enough that the difference should no longer matter. For the streaming providers, I suggest looking at Amazon Music HD (their Ultra HD streams are comparable to high-res downloads from the likes of HD Tracks). Qobuz Hi-Res offers the same resolution, so it can be another option. 

 

b) This is really relative to your expectations, listening level, listening environment, material being played, etc. Based on my experience setting up hi-fi systems for myself and other people, it tapers off at a price beyond most budgets ($20k or so for smaller rooms and $50k or so for larger domestic spaces if you're looking for a high level of linearity and realistic dynamics). That being said, you can build very good sounding systems at most price points as long as you're aware of the compromises that you'd have to make. If you have decent acoustics in your room, even just a good pair of large active monitors or a basic HiFi set may do the job (again depending on your expectations). 

 

Think about your goals for the system (pleasant-sounding music system for low level listening? life-like live music reproduction?), your available budget, your room size and the music that you enjoy. Listening to other systems may be a great way to experience the differences. 

[Home Theater Dummy]

I'd also recommend looking into Powered Monitors.  usually blow the pants off a soundbar for basically the same price and feature set.

I do have a full AVR and Surround set up in my movie/family room

 but I keep a set of Klipsch The Fives that double as the "family" speakers for music outside of that room.
They even support ARC connection through HDMI, but also  optical, 3.5 mm, or stero RCA/Phono inputs, not to mention bluetooth, so you really have a ton of options. and can of course connect multiple devices as long as you select one of those inputs.

With one set of those you could connect:
A TV or similar device through HDMI ARC (and your consoles/media streamers to the TV)
A smart speaker like an echo dot through the 3.5 mm jack
A record player thru the phono input,
your Phone through bluetooth.
And maybe a CD player or even streaming music box (if you care about that sort of thing) through optical.

[RevTadd]

Thanks all, it seems like Amazon Music HD is the preferred option for hi-fi streaming, so I'll give it a try. I had heard the Spotify Hifi announcement earlier this year, but it seems like Spotify has gone radio silent on it ever since so it remains to be seen what the service will actually be like.

 

As far as equipment set-up, my goal is to have a quality set-up for music listening for my study / home-office (about a 3m x 3m sized room, so small but not overly space constrained). In the back of my mind, I've been tossing around a price range of something like US$5,000 - US$7,000, but that's not based on any actual knowledge of what I may be able to get for that amount.

[Stagea]

16 hours ago, RevTadd said:

Thanks all, it seems like Amazon Music HD is the preferred option for hi-fi streaming, so I'll give it a try. I had heard the Spotify Hifi announcement earlier this year, but it seems like Spotify has gone radio silent on it ever since so it remains to be seen what the service will actually be like.

 

As far as equipment set-up, my goal is to have a quality set-up for music listening for my study / home-office (about a 3m x 3m sized room, so small but not overly space constrained). In the back of my mind, I've been tossing around a price range of something like US$5,000 - US$7,000, but that's not based on any actual knowledge of what I may be able to get for that amount.

 

I'd say Tidal is the most popular streaming provider among people in the HiFi circle, but Tidal MQA is not lossless. Amazon and Qobuz send lossless high resolution streams, so I prefer them over Tidal.

 

That's a very good range and you'd have a lot of options open to you. Set aside part of the amount for improving room acoustics, as that would have a tremendous impact to your listening pleasure. Having a square room, you may also come across some prominent resonance peaks that you'd have to consider when building and tuning your system. 

 

After planning out your room's layout and acoustics, consider your preferences:

1. Do you like seeing your gear or do you prefer the boxes to be stowed out of sight? How much of the budget are you allocating to HiFi furniture (racks, stands, etc.)?

2. What sort of music do you normally play? How loud do you play?

3. Are you fond of certain system colorations (warm and round, fast and dynamic, crisp and clear, etc.) or do you prefer a technically accurate system?

4. Are there brand and form factor preferences? Separate components or integrated? Bookshelf speakers and subwoofer or tower speakers?

 

Take time in planning your system as it can save you money in the long term. Buying twice is extra costly as the resale value of used gear isn't very good (I've lost quite some amount over time by swapping gear frequently).

[Stagea]

Aside from the Audiophile marketing, Tidal's main draw is the support from streaming devices. Right now there are fewer devices that support high res streaming from other platforms (unless you plan to use a PC as a source).

 

For Amazon Music HD and your room issues, the NAD M10 V2 looks like a good option for a source and amplifier unit. Though NAD isn't always my first choice these days, they are one of the few that offer room correction and bass management in the HiFi market (making this particular model easier to integrate in less ideal listening environments).

 

There are a lot of good speaker options that you can consider. If there are local dealers near you, I suggest visiting them to decide if there is a sonic signature and/or look/finish that you'd prefer. Bring some media with your preferred tracks when you go. 

[RevTadd]

@Stagea, Thanks, that's all really helpful.

 

As far as your points above:

1. I'm generally a fan of a clean and uncluttered set-up, with everything that can be out-of-sight. In terms of room acoustics, that's on definitely on my list of things for the space, I'm planning to set aside some separate budget for room acoustics and furniture, but I'm still figuring out some of my aesthetic plans there at the moment.

2. My music taste is a bit eclectic (or perhaps tasteless rather) with everything from blues to german gansta rap. I usually cycle between new genres on about a monthly basis. I rarely play loud music, think more relaxing to music in the evenings with a gin in hand rather than a house party 

3. I'm more looking for a good reference sound given the mix of things I generally listen to

4. I don't have any brand preferences, in terms of form factor, I was thinking likely integrated as opposed to separate components given preference for a cleaner / less cluttered set-up with bookshelf speakers, but I'm not wedded to this and would consider a range of options

 

I think something like the NAD M10 V2 was probably about what I had in (my very uninformed) mind so I'll look into it. I had also been reading up on the Cambridge EVO 75 / EVO 150, but wasn't sure how those my fit with my use case. In terms of speakers, there are a couple of good specialist audio shops near me, which I was going to check out for sound preference once I had a better understanding of what I am wanting. 

 

I definitely agree on planning upfront and avoiding buying twice. I generally like the mentality of buying once and for life wherever possible, though that's sometimes easier said then done.

 

[Stagea]

@RevTadd

 

Great to hear that you have plans to improve the room's acoustics. That would be the largest performance determinant in a setup like this.

 

The Evo 150 is a very good product. I've owned tons of CA gear and have had my share of ups and downs with them (generally a good mainstream brand like NAD, Marantz, Rotel, etc.). That being said, I don't think CA products have native Amazon integration at the moment (Amazon Music would only work down-sampled via the Chromecast/Airplay functionality). The best streaming source for CA products would be Qobuz (followed by Tidal). Like most products in this class, the Evo line lacks proper bass management (HPF / LPF) and isn't equipped with a room correction EQ. You can surely make it sound great with proper matching and playing around with positioning (like how traditional HiFi people have been doing it for a long time), but the built in features of the M10 V2 should make setup and tuning much easier.

 

I generally prefer larger floor-standing speakers for integration and simplicity, but bookshelf speakers and a sub can offer greater extension and may be easier to position. Almost all major brands make good speakers, thanks to the robust design tools, testing equipment and parts that are available today. We all hear a little differently and prefer some things over others, so trust your ears when it comes to this.

 

A popular practice in my country is bringing your chosen amp to stores to mix and match with their speakers. Once you're able to narrow down your choices, you can purchase a speaker set to see how it integrates with your room with the option to swap it out with another set that the dealer carries as needed.