CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K --Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS ----Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH -----apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P -------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 --------Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 ----------Tidal Deal bit.ly/3AneK2F --------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
Hello Randy, enjoying your content as always. I have a question sir. You're a DIY guy do you know where to buy speaker grill frames or custom grills for monitors/bookshelf's? Thx 4 your time.
Randy, I need a DAC/amp that will be for my desk but portable enough to put in a backpack. Something similar size to the Fiio K3 but my budget is £200 so was thinking iFi Hip Flask or Earmen Sparrow, what do you think? I’ve got pairs of Grado SR80x and Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250ohm so something that won’t amplify the treble too much on these would be ideal Thanks
Nobody came into this world knowing how to build a hifi system, but most of us take the winding path to middle-age just to figure out quality audio is a thing.
@@Wagoogusjuniorrrr My best set of headphones is the HD650’s and I love them. I remember the first time they revealed something in audio to me that I never knew was there. Mind = blown.
Fantastic video. In the UK we have a famous chef. About two decades ago she had a television series on how to cook. People were critical that she devoted one programme on basics such as how to boil an egg. "Everyone knows how to boil an egg!" said some critics. No - everyone doesn't. I knew a guy in his twenties who couldn't make a cup of tea and relied on his mother. Videos such as yours are invaluable.
St. Randy of Audiophilla, Thou art just in he eyes of the Stereo Gods. May they bless you, your children, and your children’s children. They will bestow you with rains in the appropriate season and correct speaker polarity. May they provide you with good health, bless you with great reviews, and smite malicious commentators.
Let's doth dost speaker placement be impervious to room modes. May thou listening sessions, void of fatigue in your mid-band sensitive hearing, stretch on for millenia into the sweet buttery goodness of soundstage and thou imaging
I used to go balls to the walls with expensive audio gear. None of them surprised me like the ilouds did to the point where it made me question why all the gear I bought were so expensive when these crappy looking speakers can give me such an impressive sound for just $300. I mean, $300 is not affordable by any stretch of the imagination but holy crap. I downsized soon after. And when I say downsized, I meant sold everything except my ilouds.
Having 80's stereo knowledge, this clarified a few things that I was a little fuzzy on. My setup was complicated by running everything through an old digital Akai equalizer, which sweetens everything. Thanks for the video!
in the 70s I had records, in the 80s I had a car, walkman and boom box and switched to cassette tapes, in the 90s I bought all my music a 3rd time on CD. Then had a child. 21 years of no music for me except on my phone. In 2022 I was confused as hell. Thanks for making it easier for me to understand how to play 50 years of music from record to cell phones on a set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers.
Hi Randy, Just here to let you know that i really appreciate your videos and replies to a few questions i had. Based on your advice i now have my PC feeding tidal mqa to the Aiyima T8 dac/pre amp to the wharfedale wh-d10 sub to Aiyima A07 and on to the wharfedale 12.2 speakers. And it sounds AMAZING. I find myself forgetting time and listening to entire albums of music - never mind the sound of movies! For anyone curious about the appr. cost (T8=130, A07=90, D10=300, 12.2=320 and misc medium quality cables=60) Thank you cheapaudioman!
That sounds like a really good setup, probably maximizing your $ for best sound. I have the t8 a07 as well for a bedroom system and have been getting some noise on the t8. Have you noticed this too or is it just my setup? It's minimal but if you put your face in front of speakers you will hear faint noise/hum
@@erics.4113 Thank you:) yes i have actually! I found, that the A07 is the cause of the humming sound. If i adjust it to ~60% wattage it disappears entirely, but i left it at ~80% when it's barely noticeable for me. For this to make sense, I only adjust volume level on the t8 on regular use :)
@@dr3ss3 I was doing that too with volume. I notice it more on Klipsch rp600m than my ELAC as the Klipsch are more sensitive so they will amplify even smaller signals and wattage. I put my 07 around 12oclock position on volume as that's all I really need. If I power amp on first there is noticeable noise, then when the t8 switches on it nearly kills all of it, except for very faint trace. It doesn't really bother me, but if there was an inexpensive power supply option that killed it I would try. Or mains filter (if they even work). I may go for an inexpensive power supply upgrade to see if I can kill it completely, but the more I've explored, it seems like this noise could be generated from inside the device itself. In that case, no amount of 'clean' power is going to completely solve the issue. Listen, for $200 that combo far exceeded any expectations. It sounds really dam good. And if anything, knowing what it costs and hearing it play makes me love it even more. I've got 3grand worth of another amp streamer DAC as separates and it's not like that totally embarrasses the aiyima combo
@@wwertyuio1843 I'm still using Spotify lol.. not holding my breath but their lossless is supposedly coming. I've made serious upgrades to the system and if/when I check out lossless and it's a decent step up I'll be happy. I saw tidal has the trial now. But I suppose that's mostly MQA or is that qobuz using that (among other formats they offer?)
As a 70's analog guy this helped so much. I took the "extremely cheap" road ... probably not for everybody but works fine for these aging ears. Already had some Klipsch RB 61's, old BluRay player , an iPad and subscribe to Amazon Music. Wound up buying Aiyima D05 ($170) and Apple lighting to camera adapter ($30). Hooked up the iPad to camera adapter to PC USB cable into the Aiyima (24/192 output) . Also have optical connections between the BluRay and the Aiyima. Will be adding my powered sub soon to complete 2.1 system. Leaves me with RCA inputs for Turntable if I decide to add that. I wasn't looking for perfection but this is totally fine for my ears. Would have never considered Aiyima until Randy's review of the Aiyima D03. Thanks Randy!!!
It’s almost to the point that I hate the term audiophile. Maybe we need a new term for people that love music, and are willing to spend reasonable amounts of money on equipment, but won’t mortgage their house, or sell their first born to buy some Caboniumtriglyceridedeoxigenated speaker cables that make it sound like the singer is breathing into your ear.
Thank you for wearing a Metallica shirt! I've always felt rather discouraged from the audiophile community because of my music taste which focuses more on heft and energy instead of crispness or whatever. Yknow it's like Talk Talk vs. Pustulated. But regardless, I want to listen to both in absolute musical purity.
I like the way you talk and teach. Straight to the point, you allude to relevant material but don't get stuck on it, and there's none of this 'play it up for the camera' disingenuous persona-ing. It's refreshing.
Very good review. I have been to other audio sites that when a question is asked or you just want to join in , out comes the snobby or sarcastic responses. I see a lot of your speakers are junk or your equipment isn’t up to our standards type attitudes. I don’t really get that vibe from your channel. Thank you for trying to help people out. That’s cool,
Randy, you should check out the album “From Hell with Love” from Beast in Black. It’s like if Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Europe had a love child! 🤘🤘
How about the same kind of video about an audiophile system with headphones as front end instead of speakers? Audiophile headphones have packed a lot of heat in the last few years...
This is good info, as always, well presented in a laid back way. I'd like to see some visual representations of this, all the various ways to go from source to speaker, but I know that's a bit of a pain to create.
Hey Randy Love all your content. Been looking at B1+ for a medium sized room 2 channel system but their price has recently went up. Also being in Canada need to pay for shipping. Kef Q150 are currently on sale and would be about $30 more compared to the total cost for the B1+ to get to my door. Are the Q150 worth spending a bit more?
Any beginner that wants better than junk, no fiddling with components, and reasonable cost should just buy Emotiva. If you want to play with stuff as a hobby, that’s cool and what I do, then play with other stuff. But if you want it good and simple at a reasonable price? That’s my thought and it’s worth what you paid for it.
I was thinking about doing a total Emotiva system, but how does their Top of the Line Tower speakers sound as compared to other speakers that you know that definitely sound great? Most of my music genre consists of: Classic Rock-Zeppelin etc, Rock-80’s Whitesnake etc, and some Metal-Metallica… I enjoy a lot of other music as well… but this is the basis of it. So what might be your thoughts or opinions on Emotiva as my beginners system?
@@jeffhanson664 you’ll be more than pleased even with the T1+ towers. Get a pt1 preamp and an A2 amp and you’re looking at a killer system for around $1700.
@@splaff79 Thanks man for your quick response and for your recommendation. I was up last night until 3:30 a.m. watching UA-cam videos on Speakers, Amp’s, Streamers, Dac’s, etc… Lol, thanks again…you have no idea how much this has helped me in making a decision and giving me a solid direction.
Thanks for your advice! I picked up a $120 set of the Sony speakers that you recommended, along side the Aiyima D05. I will be upgrading my turntable as well next month to probably a Fluance RT83 and use the Fluance preamp along side it. Thanks for the suggestions!
Ahahaha yah brother. I had some old advent bookshelves from the 90s laying around that I refoamed (fun project and turned out great), went on UA-cam June of last year looking for some inexpensive streaming options for them and found Randy, and the aiyima 07 t8 combo for them. I'm so smart and economical I thought. I got this killer setup for $200 and it sounds great and does everything and look at that tiny little amp go! All that power and just this tiny little box. And the t8 with it's tube glowing away mostly doing nothing but looking cool and tone controls it's bad ass! And then what's this reasonably priced Klipsch rp600m sound like? On sale for $377 brand new? Why not let's try it! 8 months later.... I''m into 5 pairs of speakers, 3 subs, 3 amps, streamer, and DAC. About $9500 on last tally. (I don't like to tally though but I do need to remind my frontal lobe about reality occasionally.)
@@MrDabulls73 she sure do bite haha. My hifi addiction is on par with a mid-level substance abuse issue. I'm trying to maintain that. I really do feel like I've reached a point in my setup where additional gains would be so far out of my budget that it may not be necessary or advised in my financial situation. The setup is really great as is. Maybe another integrated up market a bit but I should sell off some of my duplicates first. Maybe .. lol
The beauty of this hobby is that any one of us can be simultaneously experts and beginners. If you're new, don't sweat it. Keep it fun, unless you're a sociopath in which case please pick up basket weaving instead. So if anyone is stuck on hardware questions, punt and consider software and use-case questions. How and where do you want to listen? What will be your sources? Let that drive hardware answers. It's OK to swap out hardware as decisions and values mature, later. It's not a contract, even though I'll be paying Affirm for my Bluesound Powernode for quite a while. 0% interest FTW!
Dear God let’s get on Microsoft paint and start drawing diagrams. I understood most of what you said and I still wish you had a diagram bc it took me a couple of rewinds to follow along
I started with some powered speakers on a new turntable and ended up returning them. Decided a set of passive bookshelf speakers and a little amplifier with BT was the way to go. I am much happier with that. What ended up happening with the powered speakers was they had a built in protection mode to cut the amp's power in the event that a certain frequency is detected. On a record player, this happened way too often and was quite annoying and distracting.
This was awesome. Appreciate this! Wish this was available when I first started this journey. The upcoming stereo community and my friends will appreciate this content. Thank you!
An excellent starter system: Elac 4" bookshelf speakers (BS41, currently $100) + "Linkfor" dac/speaker amp with ESS 9018K2M DAC (currently $51); only things you need additionally are speaker cables and a source (smart tv with optical output).
I'm an old guy so I grew up (and had fun) connecting all the boxes, but I've never been all that attracted to file-based music so now I find streamers (and the content-providing industry) to be the most intimidating part of hifi.
I am an old guy, too. I only play records, tapes and CD's. I don't do "streaming services" because I don't understand them and I get slightly confused sometimes. Young people can say that we are Baby Boomers and we are not conversant with the latest technology. At least for me, that's true. But wait until they are staring 70 years old in the face...
Hahahahahaa ... My first was SR222 Sansui turntable , Shure M75ED - Rotel RX304 broken and had to fix it. nailed to a pair of 1970's Wharfedale Lintons ...this was the days of no phones, no DAC. ...that was back in 1981 ...go figure.
what about using an audio interface hooked up to your computer? Would this be considered "audiophile quality"? I have a M-Audio audio interface hooked up to my Mac mini M2 pro. For speakers I have the JBL 305p with the JBL sub-woofer. I would like to get the Sennheiser HD 560S headphones. Couldn't I just plug them into my M-Audio interface and and have audiophile quality sound? Or would I still need to get a headphone amp? or a DAC? HELP!
Trying to figure out what I need to do improve. Running an Onkyo RZ810 driving 4 Definitive Technologies Pro Monitor 800, ProCenter 1000, and a Polk Audio PSW110. The sound is disappointing. Not nearly as loud as I imagined and a bit muddy. I am thinking that part of 5he issue is Pandora through an Apple TV - likely 16 bit at 44Hz ( maybe 24 bit) so I’m addressing that first. Wondering if the rated 89 dB sensitivity of the speakers is too low. Would higher end speakers make the difference on the volume side?
Wish I would have watched this a year ago. Bought a Moon 240i and now I am looking at a HiFi Rose MA250 that is a streamer, with a DAC and a preamp. The 240 has a DAC and Preamp and a phono stage (?). Kind of looking at partially starting over! Lol
I already bought the Fosi 10D amp but still havent bought any speakers. That Topping MX looks good but costs twice of what I paid. Does Fosi10D have a DAC and do I need one? The source is a Sony Discman with headphone output. Thanks for all the explanations, I always thoght you could connect a turntable to any amp and before that I thought I could connect my turntable dirctly to the speakers. Never knew that DACs existed until weeks ago.
Dear Sir , Need help…. i have the monitor audio 100 bookshelf … now With your best advice …. Which intergated amp i should buy ??? $300-$500 buget. I will buy your product or pay for advice 🤘
You have me very confused. I have a Denon CD player plugged into the AUX input of a 1970s Kenwood KA-5700 and it works great. Does this mean that the CD player has an internal DAC??
Just put together a system using the Fosi V3 and P3 along with older tuner and cd player. It all works very well. However, I would prefer the tuner and Cd player to be configured int size and shape as the V3 and P3. Do you know of any products that will fit what I am looking for? My V3 and P3 caught my eye from your show. To date they are working very well. They make up the 5th system in my home.
Mine started at free, hand me down and then $20 thrift shop find and then... Well I don't like to talk about where it's at now. It's still "modest" system though. Yah that's it. Modest investment
To me, an audiophile is one who loves music and the actual sound of the music being reproduced. By that definition, the sound doesn’t have to be perfect. I love some old recordings with all of their imperfections. In the words of Elvis Costello, “Every pop, every click, every heartbeat.”
I use a blu ray player, that can stream Spotify. Remote for player works, and I can control on my phone or on laptop. Coax/HDMI out for audio out to a AV receiver. AV receiver can upsample, decode, DAC, power speakers 100w/ch, and Room Correction. Also I can route to tv and play a movie since it’s in my office room. Pioneer BS22 speakers. All were bought used for under $250
it was HIGH time for somebody to blow this "high price so it must be high quality" paradigm out of the water. I went even further in my "enlightened cheapo" ways. I got myself off of ebay a chinese single pc board dual amplifier that I connected to the wreck of my big TV (that the cat had thrown off the stand and destroyed) to my computer through the audio out and after cutting up the TV speaker "casing" and connecting my 10 dollar chinese amp to the wreckage I have now a workable computer sound system thats not so bad at all. Some Vizio TVs have ok workable loudspeakers. And I am not even Russian.
Answered most of my questions. Thanks you. Just a quick one. Which of the DAC is used if you connect a streamer with DAC to an integrated amp with DAC? Cheers!
Hey guys, i got 2 active speaker (Rockit 5 Gen 2), and i want to use it as speaker for TV (control volume using Remote) and Phone (via Bluetooth), what will be the best set up for this? thx a bunch
I would say every system is made of 4 things: Source, Amp, Speaker, and the Room (or the way of listening: small/ large room, open air, car, or earphones)
I just stumbled on this site. Awesome video and information! My main question is how is a streamer different than just plugging your computer or phone into a DAC via USB?
plz help I bought a Fosi BT20A pro amp and I’m trying to figure out the best way to connect my source wich is my iPhone 15 and my MacBook Air as well. I have a rca to aux cable that I use to connect the fosi amp to my iPhone 15 with the usb c to aux dongle. Would the shcitt dac be any better than the dac in the apple usb c to aux dongle??? I noticed that the Bluetooth volume on the fosi amp is louder than the rca to aux cable method. Would the external dac be louder than the usb c to aux dac??? I also use Apple Music lossless.
I got my schooling 1973 from my roommate that had just got back from Germany. Had next to the top of the line Sansui speakers and a large Sansui receiver. I can't remember what brand the reel to reel or turntable was. I knew a guy that had a record player in his early model Barracuda, 8 tracks hadn't come out yet 🤣
my first question / request to Randy : what about the Ayima T5 ? (the one with square VU meter... on paper it has everything (phono in, sub out, etc) very tempted but waiting for your advice...
There is no such thing as a cheap system if you regularly listen to music. Spend your money on quality speakers, good receiver with a WiiM streamer to start, and Amazon has a very good service to provide the music. Most good receivers have a built in DAC, so buying an external DAC could come later to save money. I know from experience buying cheap only increases the cost as you learn to desire more quality in your music.
i just put together my first set of separates (Rotel preamp + amp. I'm in love!) is... is there any reason under Heaven for me to buy a dedicated streamer? i feel like all my mobile devices are streamers. why does anybody need a streamer if their phone has a USB connector? not being spicy here, just a little confused
Congrats on your system! For me there are 2 main reasons: 1. Convenience. 2. Sound quality. 1. Personally, I like a streamer because I use my phone to remotely control the music that's playing on my system. (Spotify connect FTW!) I don't want my phone to be hooked on my sound system in case I need to make a phone call, surf the web, etc. 2. If you have a dedicated streamer, you can choose whatever DAC you want to get the sound you like out of it. Also, some say a streamer with a toroidal transformer, etc will sound better than a laptop or cellphone which are "noisy" devices. You can try it out yourself to see if you hear a difference between a streamer or your phone and go from there 👍
So what Brand is a Good/Top Notch Dac that you would recommend? SMLS…etc? Also what’s your recommendation for a Quality Streamer? I basically at this point only have my Phone or iPad for streaming and I really rather have an actual unit that is specifically made for that.
@@jeffhanson664 In your case I would connect the iPad to the DAC's USB input. You can use a lightning to USB (or USB to USB) cable depending on your iPad model. Buy the best DAC you can afford! There are plenty of videos online on that subject. Suggestions: Apple dongle, Schiit Modi, Topping E30, Schiit Modius, Topping E50, SMSL SU-9N, Topping D90SE, Denafrips Ares II and the prices go up and up! Cheap audio man has a lot of great suggestions the description of his videos. Enjoy! 😎 Edit: for streamers look at those : wiim mini, google tv (optical output of tv), bluesound node, ifi zen stream, cambridge audio cxn v2... (Even if it sounds great, stay away from the audiolab 6000n and the awful DTS play-fi app)
I have a question. Would I be able to get a system that connects my turntable to my speakers and also connect my tv to the same speakers without getting an AVR?? I just have one living space where I’m going to put my speakers and they will be on either side of my tv so wanted to make them work with the sound coming from the tv as well. I know I need a phono amp, amp and speakers but just not sure if I would be able to connect that stuff to my tv as well? I’ve always been confused with this
I enjoyed the video even though I bought my first system in 1975. I was in the Navy and had my first real spending money. I bought a Sony TA 1130 integrated amp, an AR manual turntable and a pair of BIC Venturi speakers. The BICs weren't the greatest speakers out there, but they were the best for listening to Black Sabbath, which was most of my listening.
Nice video! I’m hooked on your videos! I have learned so much in the last two months. I’m getting back into hifi after a 30 year hiatus. Don’t ask…Life happened. I have a pair of small Magnepans (SMGs) purchased in 1985 but they are shot and would like to see a review of the new Magnepan LRS speakers. And possibly recommend a good amp to drive them! Thanks! You’re doing good! Keep it up!
i have a pair of presonus eris e3.5 powered speakers and i was wondering what simples was to connect cd player would be. PS would it be easier to just get a blu ray player.
Only one glaring mistake. Not all integrated amps have DACs. This is a common misconception since many do. But the reality is an integrated amp is a preamp and a power amp in the same device. Anything added to that base is an addition feature and not a integral part of the integrated amp.
Why is a cell phone so rarely mentioned as Streamer option. I have one Bluetooth connected to my DAC and it sounds amazing. My DAC has time controls so I can adjust levels as needed. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks for the videos. You have a great channel!
It's amazing how complicated it seems when you have to explain it all, and yet it seems so simple when you know it. This is a great primer. Thanks cheapaudioman!
This! I started as a teen with a 5 disc CD player, Receiver, and 2 speakers. 30 years later I'm like what the heck do I need and how do I hook these things up?
CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
--Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS
----Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH
-----apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
-------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
--------Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
----------Tidal Deal bit.ly/3AneK2F
--------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
Hello Randy, enjoying your content as always. I have a question sir. You're a DIY guy do you know where to buy speaker grill frames or custom grills for monitors/bookshelf's? Thx 4 your time.
Randy,
I need a DAC/amp that will be for my desk but portable enough to put in a backpack. Something similar size to the Fiio K3 but my budget is £200 so was thinking iFi Hip Flask or Earmen Sparrow, what do you think?
I’ve got pairs of Grado SR80x and Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250ohm so something that won’t amplify the treble too much on these would be ideal
Thanks
Hey Randy, thanks for everything you do to make your videos on point. You're my cheap audio sherpa haha
Nobody came into this world knowing how to build a hifi system, but most of us take the winding path to middle-age just to figure out quality audio is a thing.
I learned about it at 18 and it made saving money a nightmare 😂
just getting into it at 14👍 ive already got myself a dx3 topping pro and a pair of hd599's and im hooked
@@Wagoogusjuniorrrr My best set of headphones is the HD650’s and I love them. I remember the first time they revealed something in audio to me that I never knew was there. Mind = blown.
im in the deep end at 16 already lol i have yamaha hs8's a pioneer cd player from the 90s and a bunch of vintage magnavox gear
Fantastic video. In the UK we have a famous chef. About two decades ago she had a television series on how to cook. People were critical that she devoted one programme on basics such as how to boil an egg. "Everyone knows how to boil an egg!" said some critics. No - everyone doesn't. I knew a guy in his twenties who couldn't make a cup of tea and relied on his mother. Videos such as yours are invaluable.
St. Randy of Audiophilla, Thou art just in he eyes of the Stereo Gods. May they bless you, your children, and your children’s children. They will bestow you with rains in the appropriate season and correct speaker polarity. May they provide you with good health, bless you with great reviews, and smite malicious commentators.
Let's doth dost speaker placement be impervious to room modes. May thou listening sessions, void of fatigue in your mid-band sensitive hearing, stretch on for millenia into the sweet buttery goodness of soundstage and thou imaging
I'll get that outfit back to you, Dan. Thanks for letting me borrow it. I think the thumbnail turned out great.
@@cheapaudioman You can keep it. I've got a closet full.
This video seriously needs diagrams. As a noob I’m more confused now
I used to go balls to the walls with expensive audio gear.
None of them surprised me like the ilouds did to the point where it made me question why all the gear I bought were so expensive when these crappy looking speakers can give me such an impressive sound for just $300. I mean, $300 is not affordable by any stretch of the imagination but holy crap.
I downsized soon after. And when I say downsized, I meant sold everything except my ilouds.
Having 80's stereo knowledge, this clarified a few things that I was a little fuzzy on. My setup was complicated by running everything through an old digital Akai equalizer, which sweetens everything. Thanks for the video!
Old (late 70's) AKAI products are some of the most underrated vintage pieces out there. Incredibly good.
Watchmakers call upgrades “complications”.
@@hampyonce Not sure what to say to that....
@@toddwalker4301 just trivia
@@josephchamberlain3681 Akai receiver early 80s screaming bargain. I think paid little over 100. Tech HI Fi
in the 70s I had records, in the 80s I had a car, walkman and boom box and switched to cassette tapes, in the 90s I bought all my music a 3rd time on CD. Then had a child. 21 years of no music for me except on my phone. In 2022 I was confused as hell. Thanks for making it easier for me to understand how to play 50 years of music from record to cell phones on a set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers.
Hi Randy,
Just here to let you know that i really appreciate your videos and replies to a few questions i had. Based on your advice i now have my PC feeding tidal mqa to the Aiyima T8 dac/pre amp to the wharfedale wh-d10 sub to Aiyima A07 and on to the wharfedale 12.2 speakers. And it sounds AMAZING. I find myself forgetting time and listening to entire albums of music - never mind the sound of movies!
For anyone curious about the appr. cost (T8=130, A07=90, D10=300, 12.2=320 and misc medium quality cables=60)
Thank you cheapaudioman!
That sounds like a really good setup, probably maximizing your $ for best sound. I have the t8 a07 as well for a bedroom system and have been getting some noise on the t8. Have you noticed this too or is it just my setup?
It's minimal but if you put your face in front of speakers you will hear faint noise/hum
@@erics.4113 Thank you:) yes i have actually! I found, that the A07 is the cause of the humming sound. If i adjust it to ~60% wattage it disappears entirely, but i left it at ~80% when it's barely noticeable for me. For this to make sense, I only adjust volume level on the t8 on regular use :)
@@dr3ss3 I was doing that too with volume. I notice it more on Klipsch rp600m than my ELAC as the Klipsch are more sensitive so they will amplify even smaller signals and wattage. I put my 07 around 12oclock position on volume as that's all I really need. If I power amp on first there is noticeable noise, then when the t8 switches on it nearly kills all of it, except for very faint trace. It doesn't really bother me, but if there was an inexpensive power supply option that killed it I would try. Or mains filter (if they even work).
I may go for an inexpensive power supply upgrade to see if I can kill it completely, but the more I've explored, it seems like this noise could be generated from inside the device itself. In that case, no amount of 'clean' power is going to completely solve the issue.
Listen, for $200 that combo far exceeded any expectations. It sounds really dam good. And if anything, knowing what it costs and hearing it play makes me love it even more. I've got 3grand worth of another amp streamer DAC as separates and it's not like that totally embarrasses the aiyima combo
@@wwertyuio1843 I'm still using Spotify lol.. not holding my breath but their lossless is supposedly coming.
I've made serious upgrades to the system and if/when I check out lossless and it's a decent step up I'll be happy. I saw tidal has the trial now. But I suppose that's mostly MQA or is that qobuz using that (among other formats they offer?)
As a 70's analog guy this helped so much. I took the "extremely cheap" road ... probably not for everybody but works fine for these aging ears. Already had some Klipsch RB 61's, old BluRay player , an iPad and subscribe to Amazon Music. Wound up buying Aiyima D05 ($170) and Apple lighting to camera adapter ($30). Hooked up the iPad to camera adapter to PC USB cable into the Aiyima (24/192 output) . Also have optical connections between the BluRay and the Aiyima. Will be adding my powered sub soon to complete 2.1 system. Leaves me with RCA inputs for Turntable if I decide to add that. I wasn't looking for perfection but this is totally fine for my ears. Would have never considered Aiyima until Randy's review of the Aiyima D03. Thanks Randy!!!
I mean… does it ever really get better than this
What are your thoughts on the Moukey MAMP1?
It’s almost to the point that I hate the term audiophile. Maybe we need a new term for people that love music, and are willing to spend reasonable amounts of money on equipment, but won’t mortgage their house, or sell their first born to buy some Caboniumtriglyceridedeoxigenated speaker cables that make it sound like the singer is breathing into your ear.
Thank you for wearing a Metallica shirt! I've always felt rather discouraged from the audiophile community because of my music taste which focuses more on heft and energy instead of crispness or whatever. Yknow it's like Talk Talk vs. Pustulated. But regardless, I want to listen to both in absolute musical purity.
How about Good Recommendations on DVD / CD Players such as a Cheap SONY Unit ?? For US CHEAP Audiophiles 🎩
I like the way you talk and teach. Straight to the point, you allude to relevant material but don't get stuck on it, and there's none of this 'play it up for the camera' disingenuous persona-ing. It's refreshing.
Very good review. I have been to other audio sites that when a question is asked or you just want to join in , out comes the snobby or sarcastic responses. I see a lot of your speakers are junk or your equipment isn’t up to our standards type attitudes. I don’t really get that vibe from your channel. Thank you for trying to help people out. That’s cool,
Randy, you should check out the album “From Hell with Love” from Beast in Black. It’s like if Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Europe had a love child! 🤘🤘
How about the same kind of video about an audiophile system with headphones as front end instead of speakers?
Audiophile headphones have packed a lot of heat in the last few years...
I REALLY miss a good walk through on streamers/network transports where the streaming services are NOT the main focus, but rather DLNA/UPNP. Please?
Great thumbnail sir, even better topic for a video.
Next video suggestion: Phono preamps around $100 that give the iFi Zen a run for it's money.
Easy. Fosi Audio tube phono preamp. Even With upgraded tubes, it’s under 100 bucks and sounds great.
This is good info, as always, well presented in a laid back way. I'd like to see some visual representations of this, all the various ways to go from source to speaker, but I know that's a bit of a pain to create.
Thanks for computer to DAC to amp...no one else has said that. Connecting gear is an appreciated addition to YT vids.
Smart phone, ifi GO Blue DAC, Moondrop KATO IEM’s…done 🥳
It doesn’t get any cheaper ( with great quality) than that 🍻
Ahhh...the Linton's! A review coming soon????
Good points here. Randy keep Up the good content
This video was great! Really breaks everything down. Now I know to put the Emotiva TA1 on my list so I can have it all in one.
Hey Randy
Love all your content. Been looking at B1+ for a medium sized room 2 channel system but their price has recently went up. Also being in Canada need to pay for shipping. Kef Q150 are currently on sale and would be about $30 more compared to the total cost for the B1+ to get to my door. Are the Q150 worth spending a bit more?
Great video and information helping people get set up to enjoy their music with better gear. Thanks, Professor Randy from Sith Audio University.
Any beginner that wants better than junk, no fiddling with components, and reasonable cost should just buy Emotiva. If you want to play with stuff as a hobby, that’s cool and what I do, then play with other stuff. But if you want it good and simple at a reasonable price? That’s my thought and it’s worth what you paid for it.
I was thinking about doing a total Emotiva system, but how does their Top of the Line Tower speakers sound as compared to other speakers that you know that definitely sound great? Most of my music genre consists of: Classic Rock-Zeppelin etc, Rock-80’s Whitesnake etc, and some Metal-Metallica… I enjoy a lot of other music as well… but this is the basis of it. So what might be your thoughts or opinions on Emotiva as my beginners system?
@@jeffhanson664 you’ll be more than pleased even with the T1+ towers. Get a pt1 preamp and an A2 amp and you’re looking at a killer system for around $1700.
@@splaff79 Thanks man for your quick response and for your recommendation. I was up last night until 3:30 a.m. watching UA-cam videos on Speakers, Amp’s, Streamers, Dac’s, etc…
Lol, thanks again…you have no idea how much this has helped me in making a decision and giving me a solid direction.
@@jeffhanson664 glad to help! Good luck!
Thanks for your advice! I picked up a $120 set of the Sony speakers that you recommended, along side the Aiyima D05. I will be upgrading my turntable as well next month to probably a Fluance RT83 and use the Fluance preamp along side it. Thanks for the suggestions!
Hey Randy ,I started with a small and affordable HiFi system ,I'm now almost $10k in . WOW! that happened fast lol
Ahahaha yah brother. I had some old advent bookshelves from the 90s laying around that I refoamed (fun project and turned out great), went on UA-cam June of last year looking for some inexpensive streaming options for them and found Randy, and the aiyima 07 t8 combo for them. I'm so smart and economical I thought. I got this killer setup for $200 and it sounds great and does everything and look at that tiny little amp go! All that power and just this tiny little box. And the t8 with it's tube glowing away mostly doing nothing but looking cool and tone controls it's bad ass!
And then what's this reasonably priced Klipsch rp600m sound like? On sale for $377 brand new? Why not let's try it!
8 months later....
I''m into 5 pairs of speakers, 3 subs, 3 amps, streamer, and DAC. About $9500 on last tally. (I don't like to tally though but I do need to remind my frontal lobe about reality occasionally.)
@@erics.4113 crazy how hard the bug can bite LMAO.
@@MrDabulls73 she sure do bite haha. My hifi addiction is on par with a mid-level substance abuse issue. I'm trying to maintain that. I really do feel like I've reached a point in my setup where additional gains would be so far out of my budget that it may not be necessary or advised in my financial situation. The setup is really great as is. Maybe another integrated up market a bit but I should sell off some of my duplicates first. Maybe .. lol
@@erics.4113 I feel you guys. It’s a vicious cycle on par with substance abuse.
@@splaff79 except I don't get sick when I don't have my hifi dose. And I also travel to better neighborhoods now for my fix lol
The beauty of this hobby is that any one of us can be simultaneously experts and beginners. If you're new, don't sweat it. Keep it fun, unless you're a sociopath in which case please pick up basket weaving instead.
So if anyone is stuck on hardware questions, punt and consider software and use-case questions. How and where do you want to listen? What will be your sources? Let that drive hardware answers. It's OK to swap out hardware as decisions and values mature, later. It's not a contract, even though I'll be paying Affirm for my Bluesound Powernode for quite a while. 0% interest FTW!
I don't know anything because I am a beginner
Dear God let’s get on Microsoft paint and start drawing diagrams. I understood most of what you said and I still wish you had a diagram bc it took me a couple of rewinds to follow along
I started with some powered speakers on a new turntable and ended up returning them. Decided a set of passive bookshelf speakers and a little amplifier with BT was the way to go. I am much happier with that. What ended up happening with the powered speakers was they had a built in protection mode to cut the amp's power in the event that a certain frequency is detected. On a record player, this happened way too often and was quite annoying and distracting.
This was awesome. Appreciate this! Wish this was available when I first started this journey. The upcoming stereo community and my friends will appreciate this content. Thank you!
An excellent starter system: Elac 4" bookshelf speakers (BS41, currently $100) + "Linkfor" dac/speaker amp with ESS 9018K2M DAC (currently $51); only things you need additionally are speaker cables and a source (smart tv with optical output).
those still around? thought it was bs22
@@joelopez7459 Yup, now $76 on the big site, bs22 are pioneers, these are elac.
I'm an old guy so I grew up (and had fun) connecting all the boxes, but I've never been all that attracted to file-based music so now I find streamers (and the content-providing industry) to be the most intimidating part of hifi.
I am an old guy, too. I only play records, tapes and CD's. I don't do "streaming services" because I don't understand them and I get slightly confused sometimes. Young people can say that we are Baby Boomers and we are not conversant with the latest technology. At least for me, that's true. But wait until they are staring 70 years old in the face...
Hey Randy!!! 😎😎
When's the next "Vintage Vault" episode airing??? Us old farts wanna know.... 😄😄
'luv ya' bro!! 😎
Hahahahahaa ... My first was SR222 Sansui turntable , Shure M75ED - Rotel RX304 broken and had to fix it. nailed to a pair of 1970's Wharfedale Lintons ...this was the days of no phones, no DAC. ...that was back in 1981 ...go figure.
what about using an audio interface hooked up to your computer? Would this be considered "audiophile quality"? I have a M-Audio audio interface hooked up to my Mac mini M2 pro. For speakers I have the JBL 305p with the JBL sub-woofer. I would like to get the Sennheiser HD 560S headphones. Couldn't I just plug them into my M-Audio interface and and have audiophile quality sound? Or would I still need to get a headphone amp? or a DAC? HELP!
Trying to figure out what I need to do improve. Running an Onkyo RZ810 driving 4 Definitive Technologies Pro Monitor 800, ProCenter 1000, and a Polk Audio PSW110. The sound is disappointing. Not nearly as loud as I imagined and a bit muddy. I am thinking that part of 5he issue is Pandora through an Apple TV - likely 16 bit at 44Hz ( maybe 24 bit) so I’m addressing that first.
Wondering if the rated 89 dB sensitivity of the speakers is too low. Would higher end speakers make the difference on the volume side?
I'm plannkng to build a hifi-system. My budget is about 1000-1500 €. Cd-player, bluetooth,streaming(Spotify Connect). Aux
Wish I would have watched this a year ago. Bought a Moon 240i and now I am looking at a HiFi Rose MA250 that is a streamer, with a DAC and a preamp. The 240 has a DAC and Preamp and a phono stage (?). Kind of looking at partially starting over! Lol
Passive speakers are better cos you have a choice of amps and you can upgrade the amp, later. 🎉
Good explanations, but I feel like your presentation would've benefited from some diagrams/visual aids... Maybe even flow charts. Good stuff though 👍
I already bought the Fosi 10D amp but still havent bought any speakers. That Topping MX looks good but costs twice of what I paid. Does Fosi10D have a DAC and do I need one? The source is a Sony Discman with headphone output. Thanks for all the explanations, I always thoght you could connect a turntable to any amp and before that I thought I could connect my turntable dirctly to the speakers. Never knew that DACs existed until weeks ago.
Dear Sir ,
Need help….
i have the monitor audio 100 bookshelf … now With your best advice …. Which intergated amp i should buy ??? $300-$500 buget.
I will buy your product or pay for advice 🤘
You have me very confused. I have a Denon CD player plugged into the AUX input of a 1970s Kenwood KA-5700 and it works great.
Does this mean that the CD player has an internal DAC??
This guy is so cheap he'd rather dye his hair and spend the rest of the money on audio instead of dying his beard. ;)
Just put together a system using the Fosi V3 and P3 along with older tuner and cd player. It all works very well. However, I would prefer the tuner and Cd player to be configured int size and shape as the V3 and P3. Do you know of any products that will fit what I am looking for? My V3 and P3 caught my eye from your show. To date they are working very well. They make up the 5th system in my home.
First Audiophile system?
I think it starts at atleast 1500 dollars
Cool thing about audiophile is that it has many definitions and no limits high or low.
Mine started at free, hand me down and then $20 thrift shop find and then... Well I don't like to talk about where it's at now. It's still "modest" system though. Yah that's it. Modest investment
To me, an audiophile is one who loves music and the actual sound of the music being reproduced. By that definition, the sound doesn’t have to be perfect. I love some old recordings with all of their imperfections. In the words of Elvis Costello, “Every pop, every click, every heartbeat.”
I use a blu ray player, that can stream Spotify. Remote for player works, and I can control on my phone or on laptop. Coax/HDMI out for audio out to a AV receiver. AV receiver can upsample, decode, DAC, power speakers 100w/ch, and Room Correction. Also I can route to tv and play a movie since it’s in my office room. Pioneer BS22 speakers. All were bought used for under $250
it was HIGH time for somebody to blow this "high price so it must be high quality" paradigm out of the water. I went even further in my "enlightened cheapo" ways. I got myself off of ebay a chinese single pc board dual amplifier that I connected to the wreck of my big TV (that the cat had thrown off the stand and destroyed) to my computer through the audio out and after cutting up the TV speaker "casing" and connecting my 10 dollar chinese amp to the wreckage I have now a workable computer sound system thats not so bad at all. Some Vizio TVs have ok workable loudspeakers. And I am not even Russian.
Answered most of my questions. Thanks you. Just a quick one. Which of the DAC is used if you connect a streamer with DAC to an integrated amp with DAC? Cheers!
Hey guys, i got 2 active speaker (Rockit 5 Gen 2), and i want to use it as speaker for TV (control volume using Remote) and Phone (via Bluetooth), what will be the best set up for this? thx a bunch
I would say every system is made of 4 things: Source, Amp, Speaker, and the Room (or the way of listening: small/ large room, open air, car, or earphones)
I just stumbled on this site. Awesome video and information! My main question is how is a streamer different than just plugging your computer or phone into a DAC via USB?
plz help I bought a Fosi BT20A pro amp and I’m trying to figure out the best way to connect my source wich is my iPhone 15 and my MacBook Air as well. I have a rca to aux cable that I use to connect the fosi amp to my iPhone 15 with the usb c to aux dongle. Would the shcitt dac be any better than the dac in the apple usb c to aux dongle??? I noticed that the Bluetooth volume on the fosi amp is louder than the rca to aux cable method. Would the external dac be louder than the usb c to aux dac??? I also use Apple Music lossless.
I got my schooling 1973 from my roommate that had just got back from Germany. Had next to the top of the line Sansui speakers and a large Sansui receiver. I can't remember what brand the reel to reel or turntable was. I knew a guy that had a record player in his early model Barracuda, 8 tracks hadn't come out yet 🤣
my first question / request to Randy : what about the Ayima T5 ? (the one with square VU meter... on paper it has everything (phono in, sub out, etc) very tempted but waiting for your advice...
Hi Randy. What would be your dream HiFi system if you would have the money. Lets say for example, 5000 usd or 10000 usd?
Hard to describe to a newbie, better off doing actual show and tell. Otherwise, good description. Also newbies don't know the meaning of ""DAC"
So question about streaming from your phone, Bluetooth and Airplay doesn’t handle lossless or mqa, correct?
I would need to connect my phone directly?
What you think of a NAD 538 CD PLAYER with Ai61 Speakers? HELP please 🙏yes I'm new.
There is no such thing as a cheap system if you regularly listen to music. Spend your money on quality speakers, good receiver with a WiiM streamer to start, and Amazon has a very good service to provide the music. Most good receivers have a built in DAC, so buying an external DAC could come later to save money. I know from experience buying cheap only increases the cost as you learn to desire more quality in your music.
There should be more all in one home stereo systems like in the 80s.. I would like one like the Fischer MC4050 today.
i just put together my first set of separates (Rotel preamp + amp. I'm in love!)
is... is there any reason under Heaven for me to buy a dedicated streamer? i feel like all my mobile devices are streamers. why does anybody need a streamer if their phone has a USB connector? not being spicy here, just a little confused
Congrats on your system! For me there are 2 main reasons: 1. Convenience. 2. Sound quality.
1. Personally, I like a streamer because I use my phone to remotely control the music that's playing on my system. (Spotify connect FTW!) I don't want my phone to be hooked on my sound system in case I need to make a phone call, surf the web, etc.
2. If you have a dedicated streamer, you can choose whatever DAC you want to get the sound you like out of it.
Also, some say a streamer with a toroidal transformer, etc will sound better than a laptop or cellphone which are "noisy" devices. You can try it out yourself to see if you hear a difference between a streamer or your phone and go from there 👍
@@1337sim1 thank you very much :-)
So what Brand is a Good/Top Notch Dac that you would recommend? SMLS…etc? Also what’s your recommendation for a Quality Streamer? I basically at this point only have my Phone or iPad for streaming and I really rather have an actual unit that is specifically made for that.
@@jeffhanson664 In your case I would connect the iPad to the DAC's USB input.
You can use a lightning to USB (or USB to USB) cable depending on your iPad model.
Buy the best DAC you can afford! There are plenty of videos online on that subject.
Suggestions:
Apple dongle, Schiit Modi, Topping E30, Schiit Modius, Topping E50, SMSL SU-9N, Topping D90SE, Denafrips Ares II and the prices go up and up!
Cheap audio man has a lot of great suggestions the description of his videos.
Enjoy! 😎
Edit: for streamers look at those : wiim mini, google tv (optical output of tv), bluesound node, ifi zen stream, cambridge audio cxn v2...
(Even if it sounds great, stay away from the audiolab 6000n and the awful DTS play-fi app)
I have a question. Would I be able to get a system that connects my turntable to my speakers and also connect my tv to the same speakers without getting an AVR?? I just have one living space where I’m going to put my speakers and they will be on either side of my tv so wanted to make them work with the sound coming from the tv as well. I know I need a phono amp, amp and speakers but just not sure if I would be able to connect that stuff to my tv as well? I’ve always been confused with this
I enjoyed the video even though I bought my first system in 1975. I was in the Navy and had my first real spending money. I bought a Sony TA 1130 integrated amp, an AR manual turntable and a pair of BIC Venturi speakers. The BICs weren't the greatest speakers out there, but they were the best for listening to Black Sabbath, which was most of my listening.
Nice video! I’m hooked on your videos! I have learned so much in the last two months. I’m getting back into hifi after a 30 year hiatus. Don’t ask…Life happened. I have a pair of small Magnepans (SMGs) purchased in 1985 but they are shot and would like to see a review of the new Magnepan LRS speakers. And possibly recommend a good amp to drive them! Thanks! You’re doing good! Keep it up!
too long; didnt watch?
step 1: sort by price low to high
step 2: still have a heart attack
step 3: buy klipsch system
Don't forget to look at second hand/vintage. Great deals to be had, bit more homework. But much better value if done right
Great 101 on the subject matter Randy! Wish I had seen this a year ago when I had started my audio quest. Keep it up!
“Don’t binge watch anything on Netflix or Hulu, build your first hifi system, and binge listen and fill yourself with happiness”
You’re a legend mate
i have a pair of presonus eris e3.5 powered speakers and i was wondering what simples was to connect cd player would be. PS would it be easier to just get a blu ray player.
Good job Randy! You kind of forget how complicated this can be--and how many DACs there are in any system.
Only one glaring mistake. Not all integrated amps have DACs. This is a common misconception since many do. But the reality is an integrated amp is a preamp and a power amp in the same device. Anything added to that base is an addition feature and not a integral part of the integrated amp.
The new and updated Mx5 is already out. Seems like an excellent all-in-one unit! An updated Mx3 all across the board.
Jesus. I just want to play my CDs in the house since my new Camry does not have a CD player. What a cluster...
So can we think of a TV streaming channel or a laptop streaming channel as a DAC using blue tooth output?
There were some things that have always confused me thanks for making things easier
Anybody ever tried a Myryad T40 / T60 Amplifiers set up ?
Can anyone tell me are BRZhifi products good?
So...
Computer to
Dac to
Preamp to
Amp to
Speakers
Is that the correct path?
This guy is awesome straight up if he likes it he likes it if he doesn't then he doesn't and says so
Hi! what do you think of denon sc m53 as my first desk setup speakers?
So a SMSL DA-9 has a dac built in yet there is a dac for it to make a stack
Love this video. Wish I had seen this a few years ago. Nice to see everything presented so well.
Perfect screen shot 😆👌
hi tysm for this, so i take it as you're unable to have a preamp straight to passive speakers right?
Anyone else listening to the gong in this video n thinking oooh that sounds good through their speakers / headphones?
not all heroes wear capes. Thank you!
The play button etc did not go away. Hard to see.😢
Why is a cell phone so rarely mentioned as Streamer option. I have one Bluetooth connected to my DAC and it sounds amazing. My DAC has time controls so I can adjust levels as needed. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks for the videos. You have a great channel!
Not at all. I mentioned the phone as being a source in this video and I should have said that the phone is acting as or is a streamer.
@@cheapaudioman Thank you. That clears it up. Just wanted to make sure I am not wearing a dunce cap for the day.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Are audiophiles stereotypes?
My 1st hifi was a two plastic cups and a string.
This confused me more than help 😂😂😂
It's amazing how complicated it seems when you have to explain it all, and yet it seems so simple when you know it.
This is a great primer. Thanks cheapaudioman!
This! I started as a teen with a 5 disc CD player, Receiver, and 2 speakers. 30 years later I'm like what the heck do I need and how do I hook these things up?
is anyone playing cd's on an xbox series X?