Information on building a good Hi-Fi system for home?

[exnihilo]

Just do the big no-no that I did and get a receiver 5.1 speaker combo, and mount all five speakers right in front of your face! I run optical out from my PC to my Yamaha, and listen to some DTS goodness.

cg

[garublador]

Inexpensive systems are usually punchy in the mid-bass because it gets people's attention in the store, and it's easy and cheap to do. It's more difficult and more expensive to get good bass below 80Hz. You'll have to think a little about what your bass needs really are, based on your room and your musical tastes.

Don't get too distracted by the bass. The overwhelming majority of musical content is located in the midrange and treble, and don't make the mistake of thinking all speakers sound the same -- or even similar -- in those frequency ranges, because it's not even close to being true.

As Dr. 9finger alluded, brands that specialize in speakers, rather than in all-in-one systems or powered computer speakers, usually make the best speakers. You typically use these with a receiver, integrated amplifier, or a separate amp and preamp. This is the arena of real hi-fi, where you start to get high-performance playback of music for the home.

General advice like this is probably as good as you'll get with the information given.

Find out what's available to you to listen to in person, then go online and find reviews and speaker buying guides. Then go back and listen to what available and repeat until you've found what you like in your price range. A bit of patience and time in a purchase like this will go a long way in helping you find what you'll not only like now, but will continue to like in the future.

[SlyFoxx]

As a general tip get the best speakers that you can. Speakers are the weak link in any sound system so reserve a bigger chunk of your budget for them.

[crusty philtrum]

Forget about subs, they are an effect, not a musical device (unless you pay ridiculously serious $$$$). Serious listeners use only two cabinets, left and right.

Get a pair of speakers that can provide their own, accurate bass.

Use a regular old-fashioned stero amp, not one of these new-fangled things with pre-set 'listening environments' in place of tone controls .... once again, such things work well enough for watching movies or game playing but are dreadful for listening to music. Use a traditional stereo amp with tone controls.

In fact most of the consumer junk you find now is orientated more towards home theatre/PC gaming, and almost all of it is not good for straight music listening. A good home theatre system does not equate to a good music reproduction system. Your money might be better spent on some carefully-selected second hand speakers and amp to avoid all the hyped and artificial audio that is inherent in most modern home theatre and PC systems.

[Diego]

Some extra info:

My budget is $300 tops. I'll use these speakers exclusively for music, I rarely watch any movies. I'd use it on my PC.
My current speakers aren't that bad. They just lack balls and punch.
The highs are good and the mids are very neutral. They get loud but I don't need so much power anyway.
I'm not using SRS, room environments or any DSPs in the way.

[Mr 9finger]

I'm going to digress to the guys that know a little more about recording playback monitors and bass reinforcement on this. Most everything I would advise is going to be at least $300 per speaker and none of them except the subs will be powered. You'd have to get some kind of external power amp and those are no where near $300.


The only thing I can really think of, I don't think is in production anymore. That's the old Klipsch 2.1 THX system that was specifically made for what you're looking for. I don't even remember the model number. I'll look it up when I get home and post you a link.

[Redmist]

For just a little more, I can highly advise on a B & W Zeppelin Air ......

Superb sound and bass at any volume, compact and sexy. If B & W are good enough for Abbey Road studios, they are good enough for anyone.