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I am loving this new show! What's its name? "Queer Eye for the Audiophile Guy"? seriously great video and some interesting and good looking choices/ideas for AV furniture.
Not only am I impressed with your audio equipment but, wow, your living room is so bright and elegant and warm, the epitome of Scandinavian modern. You and Kristi have excellent taste.
We do need someone to review more home aesthetic hi-fi/home cinema reviews. Some of your fellow reviewers, are total nerds in cable filled, sound proof bunkers. You're onto something here. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I have definitely fallen into the loop trying to find furniture for my system. And the prices almost made me jump out my window. So I decided to build my own, out of butcher blocks. It looks exactly how I wanted, it’s got tons of ventilation and is built better then most out there and it all cost less then $500. Totally understand this topic and totally agree. The whole vibration, specialty feet and all that stuff is blown way out of proportion with claims that are just plain stupid or misleading all together. Great video!
Custom butcher block cabinet sounds chic! Yeah, I love my IsoAcoustic feet (because we have concrete floors) but their marketing is out of control with the "promises" they make --or others make on their behalf --about how their feet change the sound of anything. Nope 😂 Still love 'em though! Hope you're having a good start to the year and I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you know who.
Lol so I'm not the only one who picked up carpentry so I could actually have the furniture I want for my system. I was at the point I either couldn't find what i wanted, or I couldn't afford it, so I just decided to make it.
You are definitely not alone 😜, after I figured that almost ever DIY-store can even cut the wood according to your blueprint, put the vinyl wrap of choice ... and this with gr8 precision and for a fraction of the price of pre-build furniture 💰💰💰
Happy new year. I actually had to get my 805 d4 serviced. Distortion in the heard from the diamond tweeter. Could be the crossover I’m crossing fingers it gets repaired. Brand new speakers. It happens but I don’t even run full reference level 75 db probably 65 db. Hope you and your family having a great new year
Not alone. It lets me combine two hobbies: woodworking and music. Just built out a closet into vinyl & CD storage in solid oak to match my speakers. Good excuse to buy a sawstop cabinet saw. Equipment spacers were turned on the lathe.
I love this, I hope you do more of these design videos. I see a lot of setups on social media and forums that look like a 15 year old boys bedroom. I want a more harmonious existence and some of these pieces of furniture are very inspiring, thank you Andrew and Kristi!
I'm Still rocking really old hardwood media cabinet from the '80s designed for books/VHS storage with a space for a small tube TV and I love it. I painted it black, put a computer where the TV supposed to go, a center speaker on top, and I mounted my TV way up high above it so my eyes line up with the TV when reclined. Feels really cool to be able to reuse furniture from when I was a kid.
I was thinking about a BDI cabinet but bought a Salamander on sale. Added two fan backs, coasters, etc and am very happy with the result, don't understand people whose room looks like a Radio Shack blew up.
Thanks! Loved the concept of the show but wished you had covered speaker stands. My wife is coming around to the idea of bookshelf speakers but the stands are currently the sticking point. Either too contemporary or too expensive (SolidSteel). Thanks for another great show!
About 7 or 8 years ago, I made my own A/V rack-TV stand from stock pine from a home center, and scratch build it. The A/V portion houses a Denon Home Theater Receiver, a Sony DVD player (purchased 25 years ago and used as a CD player), and a Sony Blu-Ray player. Place on top is a rough prototype of a DVD storage system I planned on building, but never came to fruition. And to top it all off, I have a Vizio 55" HDTV. It may be rough, but I am happy with it.
I think the approach really is everything. My wife is full in when it comes to our Audio and TV setups. Even more surprising is she wanted to have a 2nd listening area in addition to our main tv one with my late father's technics SP-10 as the main focal point. I appreciate her and try to make sure the space is reflected in that... Keeping it clean and appealing while functional.
Yeh wish my wife had the same interest as yours; the whole AV thing is completely viewed with contempt and should be confined to a pair of headphones and your phone as far as she’s concerned ! 🤨
@@Jack-ur4in I was lucky that my wife started off being very into video games. She, however, knew nothing and didn't really care about HD/4k or high-end audio. Initially, the only thing she wanted was a soundbar for the tv so it didn't look cluttered. I was able to steer her toward a nice Klipsch one. It wasn't top-tier by any stretch but it was a great start. What I started to do from there was pick something she really liked, E.g. Tori Amos and VGM. It all sounded pretty good on the soundbar but I had recently acquired a nice set of Klipsch tower speakers (also from my father)(Just happened to be Klipsch, I'm definitely not a fanboy, I promise). With the addition of a Sub, I started by just hooking them up and saying stuff like "Oh, I just wanted to watch this one thing with them and I'll put them away". ...They never got put away. I'll never forget the moment she heard Tori Amos out of anything of quality for the first time. It was like time stood still for her. The vocal clarity just blew her away. This really was the best thing I could hope for. From there I'd suggest she play her favorite Nintendo switch games with the sound system hooked up and she just loved it. I recall her saying it felt like there was a whole separate side of the coin she just didn't realize was there. This is definitely the sped-up version but once I got her to appreciate the difference and how the sound affects things that SHE likes, not just my own interests, that really was the game changer.
@@steventhibaudeau601 Your approach to getting a significant other interested and in harmony with your own interests is what I call delightfully cagey. Touche' Steven. I don't have a significant other per say at the moment but you can rest assured that I have noted the captivating way you used in keeping the balance of power truly balanced. Very smooth to say the least.
My girlfriend is slowly coming around. I recently added sound panels. Not crazy about looks but she likes the sound. I asked her to describe the sound. She said. It’s quieter. Sounds great. Lol.
I always love the transactional exchange between the husband and wife in the videos. I like the insight brainstorm, speaking speed and tone of you 2! God Bless.
Thank you for this video. As an Interior Architect, I love your channel cause of the wholistic approach to not just the audio and visual components but also the room setting. I love that you take time to style and set up your living room for every video to match the system being reviewed. I really do appreciate the effort. I really hate the reviewers/channels with the garage look with a thousand speakers all around when doing speaker reviews. If you are going to talk about the speaker build and finish quality then please also make sure the space it is being used is also up to par...
I Love this B track video. A lot of people only consider the function of an object, completely neglecting that emotion can be a function too. And emotion can absolutely be created by visual appearance! I’m just about to pick up a new turn table, not because it’s a better one - it’s about the same - but just because that one matches my furniture and speakers visually. I mean, to be honest, 90% of the time I’m “experiencing” my gear is just by looking at it, cause it stands in the living room. So I want them to create a nice experience even while been turned off. That easy.
This video is perfect. I’m moving in with my gf, and she is very supportive of my audio persists, but I want her to have a say in what the space is visually and sonically. This gives us a lot of great ideas! Thanks!
This is yet another example of why I enjoy and appreciate your channel. It's not just reviews of equipment but all the related and enjoyable aspects of this hobby. I'm grateful of my dad for allowing me to play, touch and explore his stereo system when I was a kid. I'm in my seventies and I still enjoy spinning my vinyl records.
Loved the video! Thanks... I love audio gear but I don't really change gear that often so seeing this type of content "around" the subject but not a review is awesome because it gives ideas on how to improve the setup without changing gear. Thanks, guys, have a great 2023!!
Geez guys! Another home run! I’ve been looking at sideboards for my system and have found an amazing amount of options that are really reasonable in price (thank you Amazon) and style. My wife is a big contributor to the selection process but is not a hifi enthusiast. She likes style but isn’t wed to sound 😢. Happy wife, happy life! The crazy thing about sideboards is the array of styles and price. We love mid century modern and have an amazing amount of product in the $150 to $500 range. As you pointed out, some hole drilling may be required. Thanks for another out-of-the-box video 😊
Great video and needed. I love your approach to styling your interior space. When watching your videos, I look to see how you incorporate the products you review into your home just to get some insight on things I may incorporate in my own space. Every time I see something, Kristi has responded to my comments. I still remember the video you did on how you were able to hide your cables from our view in your videos. Impressive is the word for your living space. Cheers.
I love an aesthetically pleasing setup, but I most appreciated your comment that audio equipment is ready to operate to specifications straight out of the box. No tweaks or upgrades required.
you guys should make more interior design videos this year im currently trying to design a lounge space with my hifi as a centerpiece but im at a loss for decoration
This discussion is way overdue, Andrew. So many people with great gear simply don’t know what to do when it comes to setting it up and displaying it in their homes, myself included. I’ve gone through many different media stands - walking miles through furniture stores and logging hours and hours online searching for the right puzzle piece. I’ve even submitted to wandering the endless maze of IKEA (which, if you have the patience, does have a few decent looking media stands). Oh, and finding something that your significant other likes it too - Mission Impossible. I truly appreciate the options you’ve shown here - this is the year I get my set up right.
Bro communication is so important and I totally didn't see that last section coming and I ate up every bit of it. I'm looking through all your suggestions. Buffets, sideboards, keywords I definitely didn't know but was looking for.
Great video - I’ll be honest, wish you mentioned IKEA, may not be the classiest but some of their contemporary pieces so work with a modern style - I bought Obegransad shelving units, called a pair of speaker stands to the big unit, rugs and chair for my setup as my home is more modern contemporary. Added some large felt floor protectors to the bottom for the hard wood floor.
Yes, as a sound consultant and also a designer I have built furniture that incorporates sound absorption and diffusers on the front panel of the console. Form and function should always look good.
Happily, my wifes grandfather owned multiple av stores. Now we have his massive, imposing, ludicrous kef 107s, and my wife doesn't even think it's weird. Such great suggestions here. No reason to have one of these sweaty on the floor setups with wires anywhere. Hifi can be pretty. Your setup certainly is. Plus, pretty hifi is kid friendly.
Maybe it's because I work at a place that sells them, but I'm really personally in love with Salamander Designs A/V cabinets, and they have a slew of good price points too!
I also am a fan of Salamander Designs. I just purchased an AV cabinet, and not only is it functional, it is a stunning piece of furniture. Expensive purchase, but you get what you pay for.
Concrete and plywood gang here lol, more for when I was living alone and really needed all the budget for gear. I’ll add that Pinterest is a great space for inspiration and cataloging ideas, has helped me for years. Great video guys this is something often not talked about.
Great video again, guys! Lots of great memories hanging out with my Dad and his new MCS (Modular Component System) stereo system purchased from JC Penneys in late 1980. Spinning records from old 78s of the Everly Brothers to his (then) new favorite band ABBA. I can recall the Voulez Vouz album cover even today. Can you hear the drums, Fernando? lol On the a/v furniture subject I also feel being inclusive is a great thing. If only one person gets to decide then that person is probably going to be occupying that space alone, and that's no fun at all! I remember Thomas J. Norton (name drop, Andrew!) introducing me to the term SAF (Spousal Acceptance Factor) in the mid 90s. Honestly most guys that are into audio need a more stylish partner to reign them in. We haven't lived in a dorm room for years, so it's time to dump the patio table covered with the velour curtain... That wasn't me. It was a friend of mine. Really.
Your thoughts on this issue are great. I've used "common" furniture for home entertainment. If you're comfortable with woodworking, take an old non-working stereo console or an old credenza (like I did), gut it, put shelves in it and make a home entertainment rack out of it.
Good afternoon, we're back home in the Midwest. I had to stay home sick from work, and I'm binging some of my favorite videos (of yours) from last year. I couldn't ask for a better distraction. Hope all is well with you, and we're looking forward to more content on these topics!
First pardon my English it's not my first language. I have given up on standard AV furniture a long time ago. I own full size amps etc. And the standard furniture often is just lacking the space to accommodate my equipment sufficiently . Especially the depth is a problem. So I started building my own AV furniture. I like to build with massive wood like American cherry. For my last AV rack I roamed the thrift shops looking for second hand dining room tables with a top of massive wood. I got the needed wood for a song by acquiring two (big) tables. I am amazed about the good quality furniture that end op at those shops. But good for me of course.
I absolutely agree with your viewpoints on beautifying audio/ home theatre equipment with functional and complementing furniture. It makes a beautiful presentation and best of all it provides organization for av wiring and equipment organization. I really hate when we watch other reviewers with messy setups . Thanks for bringing this topic into discussion
Thanks for making this video. It has been difficult finding a sub 50" cabinet that is either deep enough or strong enough without spending a fair amount of money. I hadn't thought about looking at non-AV furniture as an option.
90 percent of the houses I look at while shopping have either NO place to put a TV console so they stage the living room with no TV, or, they mounted the TV above the fireplace. Is it too much to ask that a living room have 3 walls with nothing on them? No fireplace, no doors, no windows? Yes, yes it is. I think what I want is a basement. Hard to achieve in Dallas, TX. Lol.
@@KristiWright Kristi, you nailed it. A listening place is nothing like a war room thing, it is a place to relax, sit down and enjoy the most important thing, MUSIC !
Love this video, I have my two channel setups in the dining/living room, and I looked up carefully for cable management, good looking speaker stands and modern shelfs, as well as cable management using amazon boxes, tides, etc. But at the end I consider the result as Art, the sinergy gives me peace and I have beatiful aesthetics while I listend to my music.
What is the center-of-screen height of your TV? Also, do you offer a remote paid consulting service for assisting with design? Thank you for all the great content over the years!!
The center of the screen is roughly 3'8" from the floor which is where our eyes rest when seated on our sofa. RE: the consulting service - we do not offer private consulting at this time. Thank you so much for the support!
My wife of 47 years shares my love of A/V and stereo and she leaves all the technical side to me. Her BIG contribution is the aniline leather sofa that is designed to ride on a one inch rail with a hollow seat area and a curved engineered board front that reverbs at 80db and down.
I have been using the Salamander Designs av cabinet for 15 years. It is beautiful, built like a tank and will hold just about anything. It is pricy however.
Great video. In my opinion one of the best things you can do is wall mount your tv. At a minimum put all the cables behind a cable management cover and paint it to match the wall. Even better, spend the money to but a kit to route the power and hdmi cables in the wall. It is subtle, but makes all the difference in the world for me.
I'd like to add make sure one routes the HDMI and power cable separately. I was picking up high frequency interference! It was only when I cut a groove in my masonry wall and routed my HDMI separately did the interference finally disappear. 🥳
I agree, best thing I ever did was mount the TV on the wall and pay someone to donor properly. I have complete confidence having that above my audio gear and it looks neat while it sits turned off most of the time!
Hi. Do you have a turntable of the year? A CD player of the year? For classical music, would you still recommend the b&w 805 d4’s over the Mission M770’s? Thanks!
Great video! Post more like this please! There is no better feeling than finding a quality item that you can repurpose to solve a problem or fill a need. Well done!
It’s very important to make the plugs immediately accessible so you can pull the plug quickly when the unit goes on fire or when you see the smoke leaking out. Make sure to label them so you know which is which.
Great video. Especially at the end. Your partner gave some great gems around how to make spaces more inviting and make passions, like audio and media consumption, more inclusive in a home
Great topic! Keep going please! Audiophiles have wives too and in some families it's a huge problem to make both sides happy... A hi-fi system doesn't have to be ugly. I think there is a lot to cover on this subject. Thanks a lot!
We redid our A/V setup several years ago, and we ended up purchasing the Stockholm Tv cabernet from Ikea. It was low lying and fitted all our equipment, other than modifying the rear to accommodate the wiring for the receiver, its may have been the best single purchase for our loungeroom ever....
It's funny. I will say I kept a screenshot of something you posted in your stories a while back and I actually got in touch with the guy. His setup is absolutely gorgeous. I asked him what he used and he used to work benches so I'm in the process of trying to find something similar to that style at a decent price.. I also have a shelving unit that I'm going to buy and I have a really cool concept for all of my physical media movies cuz as you know I collect physical media.. I think it is awesome that you put this together and opened people's eyes to something different than your cheap normal standard TV stand.. P.S... HI Kristi
Great release! Would love a sneaky peak at how you are dealing with cables behind the concrete benches. I realize that is almost like asking to see your laundry … 🙂
Nice! Lol my basement home theater definitely has some cindar blocks keeping some gear up high in fear of floods. It could certainly use a designers flare. Cheers!
@@KristiWright my house has never flooded, but my moms did when i lived there many times, and its like ptsd. Would i like nicer stuff to put the gear on? Sure. In my current house? Not gonna happen. My stereo and audio gear needs a nicer house to live, not just proper furniture. But one day. Cheers!
Apropos topic and could not agree more. As I have gotten older it has been more important to integrate gear into our home with an emphasis on aesthetics and quality visually.
Switching from complicated separates & countless inputs, ugly design, etc. to a simple Naim Uniti Atom and a pair of KEF R11s in the stunning Walnut & Pink Champagne gold driver is exactly what transformed my fiancé into someone who loves and appreciates it. The massive RELs she’s still working up toward 😂
Nice ideas. I am a DIYer and build my own media centers. I prefer to have equipment and media storage incorporated in a media cabinet. I prefer to displayed in the open my turntable, center channel speaker, and AVR receiver. The TV is always wall mounted. I build my media cabinet to store Media like BRD, CD, and Vinyl within the cabinet as well as store additional amps, CD/BRD, and phone pres or DACS tucked away inside the cabinet. But the ideas you presented are very stylish and cool as well. I am actually going to build a new cabinet of a mixture of wood and metal which should be fun.
i had a 'Do not touch my stereo' dad.. I was sad about it BUT it fuled me only more to get into the hobby.. So eventhough i was sad about it im 'kinda' gratefull now... Kinda.. 😅
I couldn’t agree more with Kristi about the kids. My 10 year old has been in charge of the turntable since he received his first album as a gift at 7 years old. My 5 year old has no problem figuring out how to choose a movie with the Apple TV or Roku. When it comes to moving gear, most recently the 76” tv, I knew I could rely on my 9 year old. Sometimes it takes longer to get things done with the kids in charge but was I ever proud when I found out my boys were called out of class to help the teachers trouble shoot the new Yorkville PA speakers for the Christmas concert. My son determined it was a faulty cable.
Yes! Two thumbs up on this video. Very glad you guys are looking into these things (design and stuff). To me it should be about making our audio systems sound good, look good, and feel good 😊. Can't think of anybody else out there that can do this the way you guys can. The stuff you guys put out there is very 'designy' and great-quality-looking so I think quite a few people will appreciate these type of videos. 👍
I’ve been in a/v business for 27 yrs. I’ve had 2 ladies as main client. I’ve had several dozen broken deals because the wife or fiancée did not want: -speakers - noise!! - wires -big amps!! -etc, etc. Ask my wife! Not kidding. I would love to see more women involved and I do continously work with interior designers, most of which are women around here. Even in custom, we go very far to be unobtrusive and stealthy. But this is maybe too much for this forum. Thanks for the video.
Love your channel and what a great video. I went to great lengths to incorporate a 7.1.4 atmos system in my living room. It has been a challenge to show of equipment without it being in your face, keeping as close as possible to dolby placement specs and maintaining the actual function of the room. I found it impossible finding good looking and affordable furniture deep enough for a nad t778 avr and sport a center speaker at the correct distance below the tv as well as low enough to allow the projection screen to drop down in front of the tv. It also needs to keep the equipment safe from the dog😊 Went the diy route, no cable in sight, including the speaker cables, and couldn’t be happier how it turned out.
I personally think going the Active speakers route is a good way to have a balance between great sound quality and a clutter-free setup for family rooms or heck even for semi-open backyard spaces. There are tons of good options like the Adams, Genelecs, Dynaudio, KEF, Buchardt etc., and almost every company makes active versions of their speakers.
It does help (and I have owned Actives from most of the brands you indicated, especially Adam and Genelec) but most speakers are too pro-like in appearance to be used in a hifi or ht context. With the exception of the Buchardts.
@@mohamedahmed1023 Dynaudio has the Focus series for that lifestyle product appearance. Genelec has 6040R which IMO looks sick with the Scandinavian style.
@@varunu4176 I agree with the Dynaudio and the Genelec but I think the Genelec is overpriced relative to their other products and I suspect most folks won't agree with us looks wise. What are your thoughts on the Dali Callisto, KEF LS60, or Dutch & Dutch 8C?
@@mohamedahmed1023 Sorry mate, I haven't listened to a lot of these systems, I'm a beginner to this hobby. I love the looks of the Dutch & Dutch and some of the sound demos sound lovely. I wasn't much into the looks of the super sleek ls60, I loved the LS50 wireless II and the KC62 combo.
This actually the perfect video for me I’ve not found a traditional furniture option that fits my needs. So seeing these options is super helpful I’m now off to google sideboards (you know what it’s like if you don’t google the right combination of words you can totally miss great options). I can confirm that at the very least girls being into technology isn’t as rare as made out I have several gamer friends, admittedly I’m the only one of our group into hifi but I think that’s more lack of opportunity. I think the rise of lifestyle products may be helping to get a wider range of people into good audio.
My whole family is into music, sound, and listening. We're each different in our approach, and that's good. You're more likely to loop people in when you actively seek that, accounting for each in their own way. I love showing my thrifted LPs to my wife, who remembers all those old bands, and loves it when I share my recent purchases. Find the parts that connect and you'll connect.
My Lockdown project was to design an av cabinet that could house a Klipsch rc 64 III centre, as well as an av receiver and power amp and also some legacy gear. I hope to finish it any day now 😏. The only way is custom.
Good video Kristie and Andrew! I only want to diverge with you on one point: You are correct about isolation devices except I really do believe that some isolation is necessary for a turntable, at least until we quit building dwellings with suspended floors. The ultra solution for a turntable is a wall shelf (that can be mounted high enough to discourage the kiddies and kittys). It will make a huge difference in your rig’s sound quality and feedback resistance, unless, of course, you are lucky enough to own an upper end SME table…
I’ve never owned any expensive Hi-Fi furniture. For many years I used a bench which matched my other living room furniture. When I’ve bought a AVR it became to small. So I bought a glued wood panel and can of matching wood paint and replaced the boards on top. Everything is fine again. That same bench works also fine as a coffee table. Perfect size when friends come over🤷🏼♂️
Awesome video! Love your style and aesthetic so it’s nice to get some specific insights into how you achieve your “look”. Looking forward to more of these sorts of videos in the future! ❤
agree, furniture has to look good and thats pretty much it, if you think the furniture is affecting the soud of your amp then its either poorly designed or you`ve been smoking something good
🎯 bit.ly/3Gk6UKL AV Furniture Ideas on a budget
🎯 bit.ly/3X6SzYU High End HiFi Furniture Ideas
☝ CLICK THANKS to highlight your question &/or support the channel!
✅ *IF IT’S IN THE VIDEO, IT’S IN THE DESX ☝CLICK “MORE”*
✅ *RULES: NO OUTSIDE LINKS OR PERSONAL INFO. PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC AND BE RESPECTFUL*
I am loving this new show! What's its name? "Queer Eye for the Audiophile Guy"?
seriously great video and some interesting and good looking choices/ideas for AV furniture.
Not only am I impressed with your audio equipment but, wow, your living room is so bright and elegant and warm, the epitome of Scandinavian modern. You and Kristi have excellent taste.
@@davidhunternyc1 thank you!
Have you checked out Salamander?
@@bradbortner2601 Yes. Not a fan of their designs.
We do need someone to review more home aesthetic hi-fi/home cinema reviews. Some of your fellow reviewers, are total nerds in cable filled, sound proof bunkers. You're onto something here. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I have definitely fallen into the loop trying to find furniture for my system. And the prices almost made me jump out my window. So I decided to build my own, out of butcher blocks. It looks exactly how I wanted, it’s got tons of ventilation and is built better then most out there and it all cost less then $500. Totally understand this topic and totally agree. The whole vibration, specialty feet and all that stuff is blown way out of proportion with claims that are just plain stupid or misleading all together. Great video!
Custom butcher block cabinet sounds chic! Yeah, I love my IsoAcoustic feet (because we have concrete floors) but their marketing is out of control with the "promises" they make --or others make on their behalf --about how their feet change the sound of anything. Nope 😂 Still love 'em though! Hope you're having a good start to the year and I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you know who.
Lol so I'm not the only one who picked up carpentry so I could actually have the furniture I want for my system. I was at the point I either couldn't find what i wanted, or I couldn't afford it, so I just decided to make it.
You are definitely not alone 😜, after I figured that almost ever DIY-store can even cut the wood according to your blueprint, put the vinyl wrap of choice ... and this with gr8 precision and for a fraction of the price of pre-build furniture 💰💰💰
Happy new year. I actually had to get my 805 d4 serviced. Distortion in the heard from the diamond tweeter. Could be the crossover I’m crossing fingers it gets repaired. Brand new speakers. It happens but I don’t even run full reference level 75 db probably 65 db. Hope you and your family having a great new year
Not alone. It lets me combine two hobbies: woodworking and music. Just built out a closet into vinyl & CD storage in solid oak to match my speakers. Good excuse to buy a sawstop cabinet saw. Equipment spacers were turned on the lathe.
I love this, I hope you do more of these design videos. I see a lot of setups on social media and forums that look like a 15 year old boys bedroom. I want a more harmonious existence and some of these pieces of furniture are very inspiring, thank you Andrew and Kristi!
I'm Still rocking really old hardwood media cabinet from the '80s designed for books/VHS storage with a space for a small tube TV and I love it. I painted it black, put a computer where the TV supposed to go, a center speaker on top, and I mounted my TV way up high above it so my eyes line up with the TV when reclined. Feels really cool to be able to reuse furniture from when I was a kid.
I was thinking about a BDI cabinet but bought a Salamander on sale. Added two fan backs, coasters, etc and am very happy with the result, don't understand people whose room looks like a Radio Shack blew up.
Thanks! Loved the concept of the show but wished you had covered speaker stands. My wife is coming around to the idea of bookshelf speakers but the stands are currently the sticking point. Either too contemporary or too expensive (SolidSteel). Thanks for another great show!
Appreciate the support! We also like these bit.ly/3lqYtny which are a little less than the SS stands.
My wife and I always say that you and Kristy’s taste with regards to your sitting areas is absolutely incredible. So happy to see a video like this!!!
About 7 or 8 years ago, I made my own A/V rack-TV stand from stock pine from a home center, and scratch build it. The A/V portion houses a Denon Home Theater Receiver, a Sony DVD player (purchased 25 years ago and used as a CD player), and a Sony Blu-Ray player. Place on top is a rough prototype of a DVD storage system I planned on building, but never came to fruition. And to top it all off, I have a Vizio 55" HDTV. It may be rough, but I am happy with it.
That is a great video. That is the kind of content that has value and moves the hobby forward. Terrific!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I think the approach really is everything. My wife is full in when it comes to our Audio and TV setups. Even more surprising is she wanted to have a 2nd listening area in addition to our main tv one with my late father's technics SP-10 as the main focal point. I appreciate her and try to make sure the space is reflected in that... Keeping it clean and appealing while functional.
Love this!!
Yeh wish my wife had the same interest as yours; the whole AV thing is completely viewed with contempt and should be confined to a pair of headphones and your phone as far as she’s concerned ! 🤨
@@Jack-ur4in 07:24 in case you missed it
@@Jack-ur4in I was lucky that my wife started off being very into video games. She, however, knew nothing and didn't really care about HD/4k or high-end audio. Initially, the only thing she wanted was a soundbar for the tv so it didn't look cluttered. I was able to steer her toward a nice Klipsch one. It wasn't top-tier by any stretch but it was a great start. What I started to do from there was pick something she really liked, E.g. Tori Amos and VGM. It all sounded pretty good on the soundbar but I had recently acquired a nice set of Klipsch tower speakers (also from my father)(Just happened to be Klipsch, I'm definitely not a fanboy, I promise). With the addition of a Sub, I started by just hooking them up and saying stuff like "Oh, I just wanted to watch this one thing with them and I'll put them away". ...They never got put away. I'll never forget the moment she heard Tori Amos out of anything of quality for the first time. It was like time stood still for her. The vocal clarity just blew her away. This really was the best thing I could hope for. From there I'd suggest she play her favorite Nintendo switch games with the sound system hooked up and she just loved it. I recall her saying it felt like there was a whole separate side of the coin she just didn't realize was there. This is definitely the sped-up version but once I got her to appreciate the difference and how the sound affects things that SHE likes, not just my own interests, that really was the game changer.
@@steventhibaudeau601 Your approach to getting a significant other interested and in harmony with your own interests is what I call delightfully cagey. Touche' Steven. I don't have a significant other per say at the moment but you can rest assured that I have noted the captivating way you used in keeping the balance of power truly balanced. Very smooth to say the least.
My girlfriend is slowly coming around. I recently added sound panels. Not crazy about looks but she likes the sound. I asked her to describe the sound. She said. It’s quieter. Sounds great. Lol.
I always love the transactional exchange between the husband and wife in the videos. I like the insight brainstorm, speaking speed and tone of you 2! God Bless.
Thank you for this video. As an Interior Architect, I love your channel cause of the wholistic approach to not just the audio and visual components but also the room setting.
I love that you take time to style and set up your living room for every video to match the system being reviewed. I really do appreciate the effort.
I really hate the reviewers/channels with the garage look with a thousand speakers all around when doing speaker reviews. If you are going to talk about the speaker build and finish quality then please also make sure the space it is being used is also up to par...
I Love this B track video. A lot of people only consider the function of an object, completely neglecting that emotion can be a function too. And emotion can absolutely be created by visual appearance!
I’m just about to pick up a new turn table, not because it’s a better one - it’s about the same - but just because that one matches my furniture and speakers visually.
I mean, to be honest, 90% of the time I’m “experiencing” my gear is just by looking at it, cause it stands in the living room. So I want them to create a nice experience even while been turned off. That easy.
OMG! You actually made it. I ask for a video like this last week and now it's here. THANK YOU!!!
🎉 Thanks for watching!
Love that y'all keep it upbeat but also don't take anyone's crap. Keep it up!
You setup looks super clean, interested to see how the cable management looks behind to see how you managed to keep it clean.
This video is perfect. I’m moving in with my gf, and she is very supportive of my audio persists, but I want her to have a say in what the space is visually and sonically. This gives us a lot of great ideas! Thanks!
I lucked out in getting a BDI Corridor 8177 for literally 1/3 of the retail price. Greatest find I've found in ages.
This is yet another example of why I enjoy and appreciate your channel. It's not just reviews of equipment but all the related and enjoyable aspects of this hobby. I'm grateful of my dad for allowing me to play, touch and explore his stereo system when I was a kid. I'm in my seventies and I still enjoy spinning my vinyl records.
I appreciate that!
Loved the video! Thanks... I love audio gear but I don't really change gear that often so seeing this type of content "around" the subject but not a review is awesome because it gives ideas on how to improve the setup without changing gear. Thanks, guys, have a great 2023!!
Andrew, thank you, thank you, thank you for some honesty in this audio business
Seriously, this is one of the best videos you've made and it isn't even about the tech and toys! Do a few more!!
We will!
So glad you’re doing this. Love sound but aesthetics is part of the experience, not separate.
Agreed
Geez guys! Another home run! I’ve been looking at sideboards for my system and have found an amazing amount of options that are really reasonable in price (thank you Amazon) and style. My wife is a big contributor to the selection process but is not a hifi enthusiast. She likes style but isn’t wed to sound 😢. Happy wife, happy life!
The crazy thing about sideboards is the array of styles and price. We love mid century modern and have an amazing amount of product in the $150 to $500 range. As you pointed out, some hole drilling may be required.
Thanks for another out-of-the-box video 😊
Great video and needed. I love your approach to styling your interior space. When watching your videos, I look to see how you incorporate the products you review into your home just to get some insight on things I may incorporate in my own space. Every time I see something, Kristi has responded to my comments. I still remember the video you did on how you were able to hide your cables from our view in your videos. Impressive is the word for your living space. Cheers.
❤
I love an aesthetically pleasing setup, but I most appreciated your comment that audio equipment is ready to operate to specifications straight out of the box. No tweaks or upgrades required.
you guys should make more interior design videos this year
im currently trying to design a lounge space with my hifi as a centerpiece but im at a loss for decoration
Happy New Year. It's great to hear Christy's input 👍
This discussion is way overdue, Andrew. So many people with great gear simply don’t know what to do when it comes to setting it up and displaying it in their homes, myself included. I’ve gone through many different media stands - walking miles through furniture stores and logging hours and hours online searching for the right puzzle piece. I’ve even submitted to wandering the endless maze of IKEA (which, if you have the patience, does have a few decent looking media stands). Oh, and finding something that your significant other likes it too - Mission Impossible. I truly appreciate the options you’ve shown here - this is the year I get my set up right.
Bro communication is so important and I totally didn't see that last section coming and I ate up every bit of it. I'm looking through all your suggestions. Buffets, sideboards, keywords I definitely didn't know but was looking for.
Very cool video. More of these please!
Great video - I’ll be honest, wish you mentioned IKEA, may not be the classiest but some of their contemporary pieces so work with a modern style - I bought Obegransad shelving units, called a pair of speaker stands to the big unit, rugs and chair for my setup as my home is more modern contemporary. Added some large felt floor protectors to the bottom for the hard wood floor.
Yes, as a sound consultant and also a designer I have built furniture that incorporates sound absorption and diffusers on the front panel of the console. Form and function should always look good.
Happily, my wifes grandfather owned multiple av stores. Now we have his massive, imposing, ludicrous kef 107s, and my wife doesn't even think it's weird. Such great suggestions here. No reason to have one of these sweaty on the floor setups with wires anywhere. Hifi can be pretty. Your setup certainly is. Plus, pretty hifi is kid friendly.
Pretty hifi is everyone friendly! Thanks so much for watching!
Maybe it's because I work at a place that sells them, but I'm really personally in love with Salamander Designs A/V cabinets, and they have a slew of good price points too!
I also am a fan of Salamander Designs. I just purchased an AV cabinet, and not only is it functional, it is a stunning piece of furniture. Expensive purchase, but you get what you pay for.
Have a great 2023 Andrew and Kristi😉😉
Same to you!
Decor was very important when doing my setups in my new home. Makes you appreciate it on a whole other level.
Current building a new home and looking for av furniture for my listening room. This video came at such a good time for me. Thank you 🙏🏼!
Glad you're finding it helpful!
I think this is the best video about hifi I have ever watched. Thanks guys ❤️
Concrete and plywood gang here lol, more for when I was living alone and really needed all the budget for gear. I’ll add that Pinterest is a great space for inspiration and cataloging ideas, has helped me for years. Great video guys this is something often not talked about.
Great video again, guys!
Lots of great memories hanging out with my Dad and his new MCS (Modular Component System) stereo system purchased from JC Penneys in late 1980. Spinning records from old 78s of the Everly Brothers to his (then) new favorite band ABBA. I can recall the Voulez Vouz album cover even today. Can you hear the drums, Fernando? lol
On the a/v furniture subject I also feel being inclusive is a great thing. If only one person gets to decide then that person is probably going to be occupying that space alone, and that's no fun at all! I remember Thomas J. Norton (name drop, Andrew!) introducing me to the term SAF (Spousal Acceptance Factor) in the mid 90s. Honestly most guys that are into audio need a more stylish partner to reign them in. We haven't lived in a dorm room for years, so it's time to dump the patio table covered with the velour curtain... That wasn't me. It was a friend of mine. Really.
I sit and listen on my hifi with my son and daughter..... it's a great way to introduce kids to "your music".
Thank you both for this. I have always liked the sense of style that you show on your videos. Good info to know!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Your thoughts on this issue are great. I've used "common" furniture for home entertainment. If you're comfortable with woodworking, take an old non-working stereo console or an old credenza (like I did), gut it, put shelves in it and make a home entertainment rack out of it.
Good afternoon, we're back home in the Midwest. I had to stay home sick from work, and I'm binging some of my favorite videos (of yours) from last year. I couldn't ask for a better distraction. Hope all is well with you, and we're looking forward to more content on these topics!
I would love a video and the comment section around bringing new people into the hobby!
First pardon my English it's not my first language. I have given up on standard AV furniture a long time ago. I own full size amps etc. And the standard furniture often is just lacking the space to accommodate my equipment sufficiently . Especially the depth is a problem. So I started building my own AV furniture. I like to build with massive wood like American cherry. For my last AV rack I roamed the thrift shops looking for second hand dining room tables with a top of massive wood. I got the needed wood for a song by acquiring two (big) tables. I am amazed about the good quality furniture that end op at those shops. But good for me of course.
We recently purchased an A/V cabinet from Salimander Designs and I would recommend them😊
This is a great video - caused me to take a moment and look at my spaces and think about what would make me love them more.
Thanks so much for adressing this important issue. You have me excited to think differently about my gear image!
I absolutely agree with your viewpoints on beautifying audio/ home theatre equipment with functional and complementing furniture. It makes a beautiful presentation and best of all it provides organization for av wiring and equipment organization. I really hate when we watch other reviewers with messy setups . Thanks for bringing this topic into discussion
Thanks for making this video. It has been difficult finding a sub 50" cabinet that is either deep enough or strong enough without spending a fair amount of money. I hadn't thought about looking at non-AV furniture as an option.
So glad you enjoyed it! There are links to everything in the video in the description should you want to explore more!
90 percent of the houses I look at while shopping have either NO place to put a TV console so they stage the living room with no TV, or, they mounted the TV above the fireplace.
Is it too much to ask that a living room have 3 walls with nothing on them? No fireplace, no doors, no windows? Yes, yes it is.
I think what I want is a basement. Hard to achieve in Dallas, TX. Lol.
Another fun and informative video, bravo and well done
This one is really nice video at the start of 2023 👍
😍
@@KristiWright Kristi, you nailed it.
A listening place is nothing like a war room thing, it is a place to relax, sit down and enjoy the most important thing, MUSIC !
Love this video, I have my two channel setups in the dining/living room, and I looked up carefully for cable management, good looking speaker stands and modern shelfs, as well as cable management using amazon boxes, tides, etc. But at the end I consider the result as Art, the sinergy gives me peace and I have beatiful aesthetics while I listend to my music.
What is the center-of-screen height of your TV? Also, do you offer a remote paid consulting service for assisting with design? Thank you for all the great content over the years!!
The center of the screen is roughly 3'8" from the floor which is where our eyes rest when seated on our sofa.
RE: the consulting service - we do not offer private consulting at this time.
Thank you so much for the support!
My wife of 47 years shares my love of A/V and stereo and she leaves all the technical side to me. Her BIG contribution is the aniline leather sofa that is designed to ride on a one inch rail with a hollow seat area and a curved engineered board front that reverbs at 80db and down.
I have been using the Salamander Designs av cabinet for 15 years. It is beautiful, built like a tank and will hold just about anything. It is pricy however.
Great video. In my opinion one of the best things you can do is wall mount your tv. At a minimum put all the cables behind a cable management cover and paint it to match the wall. Even better, spend the money to but a kit to route the power and hdmi cables in the wall. It is subtle, but makes all the difference in the world for me.
I'd like to add make sure one routes the HDMI and power cable separately. I was picking up high frequency interference! It was only when I cut a groove in my masonry wall and routed my HDMI separately did the interference finally disappear. 🥳
I agree, best thing I ever did was mount the TV on the wall and pay someone to donor properly. I have complete confidence having that above my audio gear and it looks neat while it sits turned off most of the time!
Hi. Do you have a turntable of the year? A CD player of the year? For classical music, would you still recommend the b&w 805 d4’s over the Mission M770’s? Thanks!
Great video! Post more like this please! There is no better feeling than finding a quality item that you can repurpose to solve a problem or fill a need. Well done!
Thank you! Will do!
It’s very important to make the plugs immediately accessible so you can pull the plug quickly when the unit goes on fire or when you see the smoke leaking out. Make sure to label them so you know which is which.
Good tip. These are great for labeling cables - amzn.to/3GJtf5C
@@andrewrobinsonreviews and these are great hiding ugly wires - amzn.to/3OMsxpH
I picked up the BDI Media Console and it's the best purchase. Buy Once and I don't have to buy again. Looks great and functional.
Great video. Especially at the end. Your partner gave some great gems around how to make spaces more inviting and make passions, like audio and media consumption, more inclusive in a home
recently got into home audio. This channel is amazing... Great information and idea's.. Things I would of never imagined or thought of myself...
great advice on the furniture! Any tips on practical acoustic treatment for the living room?
Great topic! Keep going please! Audiophiles have wives too and in some families it's a huge problem to make both sides happy... A hi-fi system doesn't have to be ugly. I think there is a lot to cover on this subject. Thanks a lot!
We redid our A/V setup several years ago, and we ended up purchasing the Stockholm Tv cabernet from Ikea. It was low lying and fitted all our equipment, other than modifying the rear to accommodate the wiring for the receiver, its may have been the best single purchase for our loungeroom ever....
It's funny. I will say I kept a screenshot of something you posted in your stories a while back and I actually got in touch with the guy. His setup is absolutely gorgeous. I asked him what he used and he used to work benches so I'm in the process of trying to find something similar to that style at a decent price.. I also have a shelving unit that I'm going to buy and I have a really cool concept for all of my physical media movies cuz as you know I collect physical media.. I think it is awesome that you put this together and opened people's eyes to something different than your cheap normal standard TV stand.. P.S... HI Kristi
Good morning!
@@KristiWright good morning these are some really great ideas. It's awesome to know you can turn regular stuff into something beautiful..
Totally agree that spending hundreds or thousands on isolating feet for an amp is madness!
Great release! Would love a sneaky peak at how you are dealing with cables behind the concrete benches.
I realize that is almost like asking to see your laundry … 🙂
We tackle cable management in this older video ua-cam.com/video/_LDrQaIOz5Y/v-deo.html. These amzn.to/3ZcunWP are a great way to keep cables tidy.
These also help to hide ugly wires - amzn.to/3OMsxpH
I have a low profile BDI corridor 8173 in natural walnut. Pairs perfectly with an 85” TV width wise.
Nice! Lol my basement home theater definitely has some cindar blocks keeping some gear up high in fear of floods. It could certainly use a designers flare. Cheers!
Maybe you can wrap them in wood?? Flooding hazards do present serious challenges!
@@KristiWright my house has never flooded, but my moms did when i lived there many times, and its like ptsd. Would i like nicer stuff to put the gear on? Sure. In my current house? Not gonna happen. My stereo and audio gear needs a nicer house to live, not just proper furniture. But one day. Cheers!
Thanks for the video. I've been drooling over the cabinetry in your videos for a long time.
Apropos topic and could not agree more. As I have gotten older it has been more important to integrate gear into our home with an emphasis on aesthetics and quality visually.
We went with a Blu Dot Dang Media Stand for the living room setup! Got it on sale and aesthetically we are super happy with it!
Blu Dot makes great stuff!
I want more things like this
Noted!
Me too
Great video! Another route for this is vintage credenzas. Plenty of space for equipment in them and they can look great.
Switching from complicated separates & countless inputs, ugly design, etc. to a simple Naim Uniti Atom and a pair of KEF R11s in the stunning Walnut & Pink Champagne gold driver is exactly what transformed my fiancé into someone who loves and appreciates it. The massive RELs she’s still working up toward 😂
Nice ideas. I am a DIYer and build my own media centers. I prefer to have equipment and media storage incorporated in a media cabinet. I prefer to displayed in the open my turntable, center channel speaker, and AVR receiver. The TV is always wall mounted. I build my media cabinet to store Media like BRD, CD, and Vinyl within the cabinet as well as store additional amps, CD/BRD, and phone pres or DACS tucked away inside the cabinet. But the ideas you presented are very stylish and cool as well. I am actually going to build a new cabinet of a mixture of wood and metal which should be fun.
i had a 'Do not touch my stereo' dad.. I was sad about it BUT it fuled me only more to get into the hobby.. So eventhough i was sad about it im 'kinda' gratefull now... Kinda.. 😅
I couldn’t agree more with Kristi about the kids. My 10 year old has been in charge of the turntable since he received his first album as a gift at 7 years old. My 5 year old has no problem figuring out how to choose a movie with the Apple TV or Roku. When it comes to moving gear, most recently the 76” tv, I knew I could rely on my 9 year old. Sometimes it takes longer to get things done with the kids in charge but was I ever proud when I found out my boys were called out of class to help the teachers trouble shoot the new Yorkville PA speakers for the Christmas concert. My son determined it was a faulty cable.
Yes! Two thumbs up on this video. Very glad you guys are looking into these things (design and stuff). To me it should be about making our audio systems sound good, look good, and feel good 😊. Can't think of anybody else out there that can do this the way you guys can. The stuff you guys put out there is very 'designy' and great-quality-looking so I think quite a few people will appreciate these type of videos. 👍
If you’re able to design and build your own custom cabinet, that’s a fun project too. That’s what I did and plan to again.
I’ve been in a/v business for 27 yrs.
I’ve had 2 ladies as main client.
I’ve had several dozen broken deals because the wife or fiancée did not want:
-speakers
- noise!!
- wires
-big amps!!
-etc, etc.
Ask my wife! Not kidding. I would love to see more women involved and I do continously work with interior designers, most of which are women around here.
Even in custom, we go very far to be unobtrusive and stealthy.
But this is maybe too much for this forum.
Thanks for the video.
Love your channel and what a great video.
I went to great lengths to incorporate a 7.1.4 atmos system in my living room. It has been a challenge to show of equipment without it being in your face, keeping as close as possible to dolby placement specs and maintaining the actual function of the room.
I found it impossible finding good looking and affordable furniture deep enough for a nad t778 avr and sport a center speaker at the correct distance below the tv as well as low enough to allow the projection screen to drop down in front of the tv. It also needs to keep the equipment safe from the dog😊
Went the diy route, no cable in sight, including the speaker cables, and couldn’t be happier how it turned out.
I personally think going the Active speakers route is a good way to have a balance between great sound quality and a clutter-free setup for family rooms or heck even for semi-open backyard spaces. There are tons of good options like the Adams, Genelecs, Dynaudio, KEF, Buchardt etc., and almost every company makes active versions of their speakers.
It does help (and I have owned Actives from most of the brands you indicated, especially Adam and Genelec) but most speakers are too pro-like in appearance to be used in a hifi or ht context. With the exception of the Buchardts.
@@mohamedahmed1023 Dynaudio has the Focus series for that lifestyle product appearance. Genelec has 6040R which IMO looks sick with the Scandinavian style.
@@varunu4176 I agree with the Dynaudio and the Genelec but I think the Genelec is overpriced relative to their other products and I suspect most folks won't agree with us looks wise. What are your thoughts on the Dali Callisto, KEF LS60, or Dutch & Dutch 8C?
@@mohamedahmed1023 Sorry mate, I haven't listened to a lot of these systems, I'm a beginner to this hobby. I love the looks of the Dutch & Dutch and some of the sound demos sound lovely. I wasn't much into the looks of the super sleek ls60, I loved the LS50 wireless II and the KC62 combo.
Couldn't agree more..i enjoy looking at my equipment just as much as using it
This actually the perfect video for me I’ve not found a traditional furniture option that fits my needs. So seeing these options is super helpful I’m now off to google sideboards (you know what it’s like if you don’t google the right combination of words you can totally miss great options). I can confirm that at the very least girls being into technology isn’t as rare as made out I have several gamer friends, admittedly I’m the only one of our group into hifi but I think that’s more lack of opportunity. I think the rise of lifestyle products may be helping to get a wider range of people into good audio.
best video so far....I'm 100% into av-furniture. Great Channel all in all, love the show.
Thank you so much!
My whole family is into music, sound, and listening. We're each different in our approach, and that's good. You're more likely to loop people in when you actively seek that, accounting for each in their own way. I love showing my thrifted LPs to my wife, who remembers all those old bands, and loves it when I share my recent purchases. Find the parts that connect and you'll connect.
My Lockdown project was to design an av cabinet that could house a Klipsch rc 64 III centre, as well as an av receiver and power amp and also some legacy gear.
I hope to finish it any day now 😏. The only way is custom.
I love this type of content - gives me ideas for my space. #notificationsquad
Good video Kristie and Andrew! I only want to diverge with you on one point: You are correct about isolation devices except I really do believe that some isolation is necessary for a turntable, at least until we quit building dwellings with suspended floors. The ultra solution for a turntable is a wall shelf (that can be mounted high enough to discourage the kiddies and kittys). It will make a huge difference in your rig’s sound quality and feedback resistance, unless, of course, you are lucky enough to own an upper end SME table…
I’ve never owned any expensive Hi-Fi furniture. For many years I used a bench which matched my other living room furniture. When I’ve bought a AVR it became to small. So I bought a glued wood panel and can of matching wood paint and replaced the boards on top. Everything is fine again.
That same bench works also fine as a coffee table. Perfect size when friends come over🤷🏼♂️
Awesome video! Love your style and aesthetic so it’s nice to get some specific insights into how you achieve your “look”. Looking forward to more of these sorts of videos in the future! ❤
agree, furniture has to look good and thats pretty much it, if you think the furniture is affecting the soud of your amp then its either poorly designed or you`ve been smoking something good