Top 3 Advice

[sandeeprao]

Thanks for pointing this out.

A beginner is easily impressed by sound that is eager/ forward/ sparkling. Attributes like tonal purity, imaging, soundstage, separation etc takes quite a bit of time to understand.

Most importantly, before one listens to the sound of piano on a system, one should listen to a lot of piano (or sitar/tabla/Zildjian/Fender Stratocaster through Mesa_Boogie amp etc....), sitting in front of an artist.

Attend classical concerts in halls, rock shows in stadiums, Jazz in a smoky bar, khayal/ thumri in an intimate durbar. That is the way you create a reference sound in mind.

On the other hand, one can totally avoid walking down this rocky road and buy anything flashy/ popular/ expensive. Chances are one will be 50% right and 100% happy

I would say trust your ears but have a benchmark to compare your potential setup with - this is important coz you might not always be in a position to buy the setup you like the most - but can you get similar output in your budget could be a goal.

Sometimes the "best" for me and someone else could be different - so if you like it keep it

 

[sandeeprao]

My top 3 learning
- Don't buy without demo - Decent/No discount with DEMO is always better than Great Discount and blind buy.
- 2 great products won't guarantee you the best output - make sure all components in your chain compliments each other.
- If your room is 200-250sqft do think twice before getting big speakers.



Additionally
- There is no speaker in the market which are not space-sensitive - Planning to buy bigger speakers make sure you have room for them to breathe.
- If you have a budget of less than 1.5 lacs for a new chain - don't invest more than 50% on speaker.
- Do not stretch the budget with the hope of getting jaw-dropping sound with every extra penny you are spending.

 

[raghupb]

Nice. If you have not settled on a stereo good luck on your hunt.
May you find one that suits your needs and budget.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[sandeeprao]

Nice. If you have not settled on a stereo good luck on your hunt.
May you find one that suits your needs and budget.
Cheers,
Raghu

I already have a setup .... but I feel the hunt has just begun

 

[jls001]

2. Time and patience required to get good output from equipment

Great point!

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

I would say trust your ears

A smart choice.

- If your room is 200-250sqft do think twice before getting big speakers.



Additionally
- There is no speaker in the market which are not space-sensitive - Planning to buy bigger speakers make sure you have room for them to breathe.

IMO this is an audiophile myth. In the end it all boils down to directivity and reflections. I think many people talk about breathing room because the speakers might have a bloated frequency response in room, also larger speakers may not combine coherently at short distances. Both of these can be alleviated with DSP and choosing the right speakers, even though they may be large. Point source speakers are ideal for short distances.

 

[Vishram karande]

Great point!

Thanks, it’s own experience

 

[sandeeprao]

A smart choice.



IMO this is an audiophile myth. In the end it all boils down to directivity and reflections. I think many people talk about breathing room because the speakers might have a bloated frequency response in room, also larger speakers may not combine coherently at short distances. Both of these can be alleviated with DSP and choosing the right speakers, even though they may be large. Point source speakers are ideal for short distances.

Agree with you - it’s just that for a lot of people it is late realisation ( just like me ).

 

[crowdme2]

1. If you can get it 50% sound as good as the demo in your house, you'll be lucky. Room treatment, speaker placement, cables all add up.
2. Try to get the dealer setup your Speakers.
3. Overall, wife kids will enjoy a 5.1 system more. This is only for you. I probably wouldn't do it again, if I knew all this.