Where does all this leave the first time hifi buyer?

[beck]

It is all very nice that we on this forum can tweek and listen and sometimes! buy the right equipment to get a very tuneful experience when listening to music at home but where does all this leave the ordinary man/woman buying hifi?
If this forum shows anything is it not that it is very tricky to get to the point where ones hifi system truely can deliver tuneful music to the listener?

[sunbeamgls]

Its a fair observation beck.

All percentages to illustrate the point - not scientific nor researched.

I suspect the vast majority of buying decisions (in the UK at least) are made on the basis of the number of stars given in What Caravan magazine or online reviews at the retailers' websites. In volume terms, probably at least 80% of anything better than a bluetooth / docking speaker are made this way. In value per component terms, its probably a different ratio.

Beyond that 80% of volume, there are the "better quality" hifi mags and beyond that there are the forums - the bigger ones perhaps viewed by 10% by purchasing volume and then there will be a subset of that 10% who will search out more specialist forums like this one.

So its probably addressing the right audience already :)

[Spannko]

Actually Beck, I think it's getting easier for new entrants to the world of "musical" HiFi, and I think it's forums like Lejonklou and "celery" which are making the journey more fruitful.

There's only a handful of manufacturers in the whole world who are able to consistently produce genuinely musical HiFi (with Lejonklou being one of them). I would hazard a guess that generally less than 10% of owners of musical HiFi are getting the best out of their systems (which is your point, I know), but I would also guess that the majority of members of this forum are getting at least 80% of what their systems can deliver. I believe this is due to all the musically related conversations, sharing of musically related ideas and experiments. As a result, I believe that the task of putting together a really musical system which performs as intended is getting easier.

The best HiFi designers burn the midnight oil perfecting their designs, only for the majority of owners to totally screw things up. However, we know that if owners followed the advice given on the forum they could achieve so much more. The sort of things that come to mind are: using the recommended mains cables, supports, interconnects, and general setup etc. This way, setting up a great HiFi system is really easy (other people have already done the hard work!) - apart from speaker positioning using a musically related method, which I accept is still very difficult for most people.

[donuk]

I agree with all you say Spannko.

However in an ideal world manufacturers would be able to produce hifi that did not need special attention. Imagine hifi that worked straight from the box - no special stands, cables, burn in, tweaks.

Just perfect hifi that sounded its best however you set it up. And speakers that were not room/stand/spike/cable dependent!

It does seem reasonable from the purchasers point of view it does seem reasonable that you should be able to buy a world class system and have it produce a world class sound without having to read forums.

This should be every manufacturer's goal of course. That perhaps is the LP12's weakness: if you read some forums only a handful of people know how to set it up properly.......

Donuk sunny downtown York

[hoolamonster]

I'm a newb. This forum has been helpful, no doubt. Now, I didn't go the direction others here have but reading and noting contributors input is very helpful. The principles are important.

donuk, "HiFi" could get to that point. With that said, people tend to find more emotional attachment to something with a degree of human nature to it, meaning imperfection. Those characteristics are the elements of character we bond with and create moments with.

In reality whats more fulfilling, lay a strip of speakers out designed for perfect fidelity that works every time, or moving your speakers all over the place until you find that tone you want (until you start moving again)? Additionally, making your woman sit down and listen to the difference you just made! Thats the love and the hate of it. Thats what keeps places like this alive.

I find it interesting all the tweaking you can do to change tone but also overwhelming for someone like me who can research to no end.

Here is one thing I wish was more easily found. I see this on other forums (non-music related). People compile threads, with the 1st post always being updated, that rank, class, sort brands, products etc...

For Example;
Top low cost ways to improve your HiFi: 1 Move your speakers around, Try interconnects...
Best Streamers
Best DACs or DACs and Streamers
Speaker Rankings

If it wasn't for post like the above I would be buying and wearing cheap suits and looking sloppy!

I know HiFi is totally subjective on personal preference but these can be done and should be done.

I am the ordinary man buying HiFi right now haha ; )

[lindsayt]

...There's only a handful of manufacturers in the whole world who are able to consistently produce genuinely musical HiFi (with Lejonklou being one of them)...

Who are these manufacturers? In other words, can you please name names?

[Spannko]

...There's only a handful of manufacturers in the whole world who are able to consistently produce genuinely musical HiFi (with Lejonklou being one of them)...

Who are these manufacturers? In other words, can you please name names?

Certainly! Lejonklou, Linn, Dynavector NZ (amplifiers), Shahinian. These are the only manufacturers I know of who consistently produce the most musical HiFi. Of course, there may be others, but I've not come across them.