free advice everyone can check out for themself, i like it :) if people that have a couch next to the wall would try a small chair that dont have anything near the ears and set it in front of the couch and remove the table, a huge difference and easy to try.

here's an idea to make audio cool again: get people to experience hi-fi. People have gotten used to small bluetooth / sonos speakers with an attractive but shallow sound, that's all they know these days. I posit that when presented with a proper hi-fi sound, they often can't believe their ears. All we need is to get people to experience that.

@user-hb1ve6mc6f

2 жыл бұрын

$

@shroud1390

2 жыл бұрын

Recordings are too compressed these days

@Kah0ona

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! Exactly this

@sebastiena6999

2 жыл бұрын

@@shroud1390 true, I guess we still have old recordings though (unless maybe if they’re remastered I suppose)

@hummerbeats

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree, I got a lot of my friends to listen to my basic hifi with Cambridge Audio CXA81 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 running spotify/ Tidal connect through a Wiim Mini streamer. Its not an expensive setup but everyone is blown away by the sound. All of them have now bought integrated amplifiers and new speakers for their rooms, moving away from sound bars and bluetooth speakers or the cheap cinema packages that used to come with TVs. Trying to play my part and get people listening to music in a much better way and ultimately enjoy it more.

I thought it would be cool to have a Hi-Fi longue of sorts that could be rented out like a hotel. Go in and listen to great gear in a great room with acoustic privacy. Put a brake on the volume control if you're worried about people blowing it up. Could be satisfying in its own right or it could inspire people to get their own system.

Getting women into hifi. I took the wife to audition some magnepans this weekend. She really didn't care for them & I wasn't happy with the dynamics. The dealer was really good, but something caught my wife's eye & she was cooing over them- Kef Blade 2's in white😆. The dealer asked if we wanted to listen & of course they sounded absolutely incredible. She was blown away, almost in tears. Just like me because I'm knew how they cost, & there was lord knows how much of T+A amps powering them. I was speechless by the response I got- that I was always messing about with gear, incrementally spending an extra thousand or 2, selling it & losing money a year later & trying something else, like we all do. She said we should buy them because she loved how they looked & than I could be happy for once! The dealer smelt blood & offered a huge discount as ex demo. I backed out saying it was too much (knowing how much the amps would cost too) so just be careful what you wish for.

Steve, I opened a vintage audio store at a swap meet mall and a year and a half later I am still open. My collectors and audio addicts keep my business alive. Audio is and always will be COOL 😎👍💯‼️

I think the downfall of hifi is not really due to cost (since the cost has come down) but because the quality of regular audio has gone up tremendously. Built in iPhone dacs or dongle dacs are at the levels where people would pay hundreds/thousands of dollars in decades past, as far as headphones are concerned. Good enough, in this case, is the enemy of great. It's similar to the camera industry where photos/videos coming from phones are more than good enough that buying a dSLR is no longer necessary. Heck, I've taking more photos and videos on my phone than my dSLR that I've had for years. However... I do let my family and friends listen to my system when they come over. Some who listen right away are instantly hooked and wants me to set up their own budget system. But the majority just listened, was amazed, but can live without it. That means my system is not impressive enough... I need to spend more money to upgrade my gear so I can impress them even more to get hooked. Kidding. I think the key to my cousin getting his own system is the price of entry. I have nice gear and budget gear and we did swap speakers and systems. He ended up with the Loxjie A30 + the Sony CSS speakers for under $300. He was blown away with the sound at home compared to TV speakers. His friends who also heard the system are also getting into it. I call that a win.

@jhue73

2 жыл бұрын

iphone's are not hifi nor are they dslr's. a high quality dslr or hifi cd player with a quality mastered cd would put a iphone to shame. you said the key word "good enough", its more about convenience. most people dont care about hifi or hi quality photo's of a dslr and this is true even more so with this younger spoiled generation. i think audio quality has gotten worse not better. the 80's and 90's was the height of audio. its more about profit margins not quality and is why most manufacturing is outsourced to other countries yet the prices are higher.

@t0nyxgq

2 жыл бұрын

@@jhue73 You're definitely right about the convenience of it. I think in terms of budget gear, my guess is that today's $500 system would sound better than a ($500 - inflation amount) system from 20 years back. It could also be that expensive system in the past do sound better than systems in the same price category today. I don't have the experience to give any opinion on that. I do know that things built back then were made of higher quality, built to last. Many things these days are built to break within a few years (sadly). Even so, I think the audiophile community has grown larger than ever (though not a perfect community). I still have a pretty positive outlook on this hobby while I search for my end game system.

@kingtrance307

2 жыл бұрын

There’s a whole range of audio DACS, Amps, and other audio gear manufactured in China that sound very nice. In fact much of it (not all) represents great value for the money. I would love if more of it was manufactured right here in the USA.

From other audio reviewers I've seen on YT, the 'younger' folks are into desk top speakers and headphones (along with headphone amps). They are not into giant 50+ pound amps, preamps and fancy tube gear.

Speaking of first reflections, if you have a hard non-carpeted floor try putting a blanket in front of the speakers and see if it’s worth investing in a throw rug or two.

@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac

2 жыл бұрын

Yes!!

The problem, in my opinion: people don’t have hobbies. Their hobby is watching ticktock, Facebook/ Instagram scrolling. I think I have 1 friend that actually has a hobby, guitars. Literally everyone else I know just exists, no personal interests

Steve was reading Playboy for the articles, lol.

I remember the first time I heard a friend’s high-ish end system in the late 1980s. The modest-looking speakers were a model from KEF, powered by a NAD integrated amp. Upon first glance, I thought there was no way these things were as good as his dad had led me to believe. But when he played them, they were so clear, so loud, and they imaged perfectly. Experiencing that sound stage and the detail of Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s Love Missile F1-11 changed everything for me, and I began my own quest for great sound. The challenge is that most people never experience that. And when they hear a Sonos or a JBL Charge speaker that sounds way better than their TV or computer, they buy that and think they’re done.

Audio to me has always been cool...and I can attest to that in my 84th year...love it all

One idea to get others involved is to replace our chairs with couches so we don't look like we're *trying* to be alone.

Steve, this really raises a good question. I’m in my mid 40’s now and recall getting my first component system after getting my first on the books job at 15. It was nothing like the systems that I’m sure some have started out with, but it was a wormhole that allowed my inner geek to shine. I say “geek” in the most respectful way as I’ve always gotten into the minutiae. I’ve always been fascinated with music, the songwriting process and the background of it. During Covid I decided to build my own Bottlehead amp and preamp and have enjoyed every minute of it. I think it’s a specific type of person who gets into this world and while there will always be people who obsess over the tiny details most people choose to go the simple route of streaming something through their AirPods (and there is nothing wrong with that). I think geeks are born geeks and trying to convert people into geeks can’t really happen. Sharing the passion and the joy that these “geeky” hobbies bring us allows others to appreciate it, but I think it will always be a niche much like those that find joy in stamp collecting, building precision machinery, fine woodworking and of course audiophilia. Keep up the good work!!

I removed my big square coffee table about 6 weeks ago. It was killing my base response. One night while listening to my albums I thought,, I wonder if the coffee table is affecting my sound? It was. Now I have a little table at the side of the couch for coffee and more leg room and better sound. The younger people are too used to just pushing a button. Like they are The Jetsons or something. LOL. A lot of kids don't even know what a record is. I know some of the best times I had was shopping for an album for finding an album I didn't know anything about except the artwork was interesting so I bought it. Take it home and clean it and shut down and listen to it. The suspense of if you will like it or not LOL. The first album I remember buying was an album by Mountain , Climbing . I didn't really know who they were but I liked the artwork LOL. Then when I got home and put it on my little turntable I heard Mississippi Queen , do you know what I mean, down the Louisiana way. Every time I hear anything off that album my mind goes right back to that time. It was fun and still is. I enjoy your program very much and always learn something, for free LOL

HOLY CRAP! I have been sitting here thinking my Tektons sound great, and they do - but I moved the coffee table out and it's a whole other level of sound quality. Thank you.

A well padded cloth couch is not a problem. A leather couch is a different matter for reflections. One main reason audio is no longer a “thing” is people don’t have a clue as to how to listen. They sure know how to talk, and how to press the buttons on their phones. They can hear but listening seems to be off their radar screen.

@Gary_M

2 жыл бұрын

The internet and especially smartphones have killed people's attention spans. I was around before that stuff, and I am not immune. I can't imagine what it's like for the kids born with a smartphone in their hand.

Hi Steve. I've been following your posts for about three years now. Its nice to hear your stories and concerns. About the pleasure of been an audiophiliac, I remember my twenty's. Had a tight budget, read a lot, went to many stores asking for an amp or trying to listen to some pair of speakers. After some time I chosed Sansui components: B77 amp, C77 pre, T77 sinto and a pair of Koss CM 1010. Also got a Technics sl 23 turntable. That handfull of gear was a dream to my ears. Top end of my young audio desires. They gave me years of pleasure. 25 years later I move toward the home theatre promises of heaven. Big time with movies. Hours and hours of dvd's and later, Netflix. Somewhere the old plain stereo experience was lost. And when I realize that, mine original system was gone. Now I'm fighting to recover that smell of my youth. That kind of sound that can touch your soul. Still reading and watching a lot about audio. Still a tight budget but it seems to me than 40 years ago, was easier to dance with wolves than nowadays digisteryle sound.

I'm not lonely, Steve. I've got you! Great video. I never thought about removing the coffee table and couch. As far as what can we do to get more people interested? I think playing your system for your non-system-loving friends will speak for itself. Once they hear that it's a lot different than a sound bar or Bluetooth speaker, or whatever, I think that will generate questions from them and give us a chance to talk about it. Don't even preface it with come over to hear my system. Just have friends over for coffee or just to chat and then work in a song on the stereo. Something that you think they might enjoy.

Thank you for sharing my system. I've since upgraded the streamer to the new Bluesound Node and my cartridge to a Sumiko Moonstone. DAC now resides with my second system. Much appreciated, Steve!

I believe that car audio was the primary death of in home hifi. Two things happend… cars became cheaper so they were purchased before apartments and hifi in them became ‘better’ sounding than in many homes (more bass, more treble) and you could play them as loud as you liked without anyone complaining!

Rhetorical question, this...? Having a 'thing' for listening to music is much like having a 'thing' for reading books... either you have it or you don't. Most folk probably grew into the habit starting from a young age. Many people think nothing of spending endless hours watching dreck on reality TV, but are dumbfounded by the suggestion of intent listening to music, for even an hour... so there you have it. I really enjoy your videos, appreciate your enthusiasm for all things music and look forward to more... Have a great summer - Chris

Your take near the end is excellent and I think the main solution. Those who are complaining about there not being as large of an audio community as there was 30 years ago should be working to get those under 30 interested. I am 17 and have shown my budget system to many friends and blown them away. Now my friends have systems, neighbors, and I have a few more pair of speakers than I know what to do with. Great video as always Steve:)

I always enjoy your reviews and opinions - I have found lots of your recording favourites have found their way into my library. But you and I live in different worlds when we look at price, value and (most often) the practicality of living in harmony with a family. In my case - a family of just two. There is no way we can gut our shared spaces, or hang crazy baffles around. The best I can do is to pull down the window voiles and drop a soft cover on that coffee table. There is also some gentle sexism expressed here - why are women the obstacle to overcome? Could they not be family members of any sex who have the misfortune to share a living space with more demanding audiophiles like us. Keep the conversation going Steve - you always show good humour and humility.

Audio for me is cool again! My interest is shifting from tinkering with gear to anticipating new solutions for integrating components using DSP, streaming, and wireless. This new trend appeals to me practically for eliminating costly component matching, automating room correction and reducing clutter but more importantly it has spousal approval. I believe well designed systems will inevitably attract a new generation of audiophiles, new products for bored reviewers, and a new set of arguments for the forums.

Obvious solution is to get tall speaker stands, putting the tweeters at standing ear height, mark an "X" with tape in the middle of the room, (avoiding those nasty room boundaries), and stand perfectly still in your padded room while listening to your music. If you behave, the orderlies may even remove your straitjacket for added comfort.

Viewers should take note. If you look at the first videos of Steve, and many of his contemporaries, they have almost no room treatment. Now their listening places are starting to resemble studios. The room is the largest component in your system and I would argue, other than speakers, has the largest impact on the quality of what you hear. Great video Steve. Keep going.

I actually love coming to the channel everyday and I take notes on what's hot in audiophile Fashion shirts 👕. Sometimes we get multiple shirts in one video too and thats a real treat !!

@JanMejerRasmussen

2 жыл бұрын

is he married?

@rehn1kri

2 жыл бұрын

@@JanMejerRasmussen Yes, Steve has featured his wife in a few of his videos, she helps make his channel work, and I believe she has even made some of his amazing shirts for him!

Most people love music, it's one of the great pleasures in life, it moves us, motivates us, makes us feel good. This can come from a little radio on top of the fridge and even more so from a nice sound system. I'm saying, audio is always cool. Better equipment brings us closer to the music, envelops us, it's like driving a well made car or wearing tailored clothing, it's a pleasure thing. I think that those who love their music will seek out better ways to hear it. The amount and quality of audio stuff today is amazing, it's a matter of where and when to lay the money. When I was young, I drove a range of old bombs, I was happy and loved all of them . Now that I'm older, I drive a nice car and listen to a very nice audio system. It took a while but it was always fun and appreciation along the way.

Love this question about coolness, and yeah… there’s no easy answers. One thing is for sure, with this much enthusiasm, I’m sure we can make a dent in the problem together.

Stave, I ponder the ~cool~ part of audio all the time. As a 26 year old, pretty pretty invested in this hobby, I cannot understand why it is not looked at as the amazing looking & sounding home installation that it is. It sort of makes me feel like my generation is,……… classless? But then I think “that’s cynical” & go listen to my system haha. Have only made MORE upgrades since you featured my setup :)

I have put bookshelves behind my listening position. They are quite full of books and make a world of difference and I found them to be the most intersting form of acoustic treatment.

hey steve.. i 've been audiophiliacing since about 1964.you are right! back in the day i believe most of my friends had some decent audio equipment. most of us going to the next levels of listening. i was blessed to have carston stereo and sounds incredible in danbury ct. within a 5 minute drive. Now i believe we are at less than 1%. all you need to do is go on zillow real estate listings ..pick some houses...there is never any pictures of a room with audio equipment..just dumb big screen tv's! my life would be so empty without all my music and audio gear. thanks for the video's. by the way i knew jeremy and igor..

Each one of us that owns a credible audio system has the ability (responsibility?) to share it. There's no better way to give someone the audio bug than to let them listen to a high resolution system without the stress of a retail environment. Invite people over! As a teenager I had a friend whose dad was a well-heeled hardcore audiophile. A couple of times per year I got to hear equipment that I otherwise would only have fetished in an audio magazine. This exposure worked. Periodically I host a neighborhood gentleman's booze/music evening in my listening room. First timers get to sit dead center in the primo leather chair. Has any of these guys gone out and spent a couple grand after a visit? No. But maybe, just maybe, I have planted a seed or two. I always stress to visitors that the 80/20 rule applies vigorously in audio: "you can get 80% of what you're hearing here in my listening room for about 20% of the cost". Well, maybe.

@erics.4113

2 жыл бұрын

I mostly agree with the sentiment behind the 80/20 rule, however I've come to realize that the final, sometimes subtle (expensive usually) last bit of performance is where the magic lies for me. It's ALL in the subtlety. And I don't think this is unique to hifi, it also exists in the instruments that we are listening to on the recording.

@billymurphy3

2 жыл бұрын

@@erics.4113 you can show someone who hasn’t listened to a good system speakers that cost a few hundred bucks and that can give them more subtlety than they’ve known. That’s the point.

@erics.4113

2 жыл бұрын

@@billymurphy3 absolutely! I've got a bunch of pairs of those type of speakers I'll demo for people. JBL Studio 530, klipsch 600m and ELAC ub52, oh and JBL stage a130. All of them bought new around $250-$400 only and they can impress the Bluetooth speaker crowd no doubt!

@billymurphy3

2 жыл бұрын

@@erics.4113 zackly haha

@erics.4113

2 жыл бұрын

@@billymurphy3 but if I'm being transparent and forthcoming, I'm running those $250 speakers to a stereo pair of rel subs, a parasound amp, creek pre, denafrips DAC, bluesound, and then go "look at what these $250 speakers can doooo!" (with another 10k of hardware plus cables backing them up lol) shhh don't tell anyone

What a great video and a great question? For me growing up as a only child I was passionate about music since I was a small boy and both my parents loved music. For me, a Stereo system was always something I had to have in my life. But now with the internet and all. It is a great question you brought up about having a audio/stereo system cool again. I wonder if Record stores nowadays sold Stereo Components and had them playing music in the store if that would encourage people to buy a stereo system for their homes. I Don't judge others, but I could never understand the people who listen to music on their phones or computers and that is how they listen to music in their life. It is fine if they want to listen to music that way. It is their life, but I shake my head and think. They are missing so much of the music by listening to music on their phone. There is no bass and hardly any treble or dynamic range to speak of. But, I love how passionate you are about music, and audio. I do agree with the other person who commented, Greg, who said I don't think audio will ever be as cool again as it was in the 70's. I absolutely loved how in the 70's all the Stereo receivers were as beautiful to look at as they were to listen too. Not anymore. Every new receiver I see brand new at Best Buy is the same, black Stay well and take care

Had friends stay over last weekend and they liked the stereo equipment. Reminded them that they liked that stuff.

Dig this! Sorbothane iso'd AE-2s on lead shot stands, well out off the wall, ... driven by the gorgeous Yamaha, ... nice rig. Steve, Playboy Advisor, spot on!

i don't think it will ever be as cool as it was when it blossomed in the 70's, and when listening to albums was often times an event to explore new music. the internet seriously changed everything. with regards to cool factor on gear, i think there are two paths, one is having a classic vintage system that satisfies the nostalgic hipness, or fits in to ones mid century home decor (space permitting) of course you always need a way to wifi to the vintage as well.... that aside i think the future cool will be more minimalist components that emulate a sense of style, but produce great sound. KEF is one of many Mfgs that took Steve Jobs queue with Apple when he made his products cool to fit an image / lifestyle, and introduce cool but functional form factors and colors (LS 50 for example). Also think as streaming tech improves, and access to high res recordings becomes more affordable, cool / small wireless setups could be the way forward, products like Apple Airplay. Also think some of these products need a front man to promote and better market their products.... thinking Jobs with Apple, Dyson with vacuum cleaners, Federer with Rolex.... as others have said , the gear industry needs to promote listening to music as a lifestyle to be shared with others, vs a singular thing. what's the purpose of all the expensive gear in a room with a dang chair in the middle for one to listen to music, in that perfect sweet spot. if that's what you want, then get a high end pair of wireless headphones and call it a day. You can't share the sweet spot with perfect imaging simultaneously with multiple people soaking in an album.... don't get me wrong, i have that room with chair in center for me, but wonders why sometimes....apart from being proud.

Hi Steve, I try to live a HiFi lifestyle. That’s my way of keeping HiFi cool, at least for me. This lifestyle consists of having a dedicated listening room in the back room of the house. It’s my lair, a parlor if you will. A place that is completely of my doing, for me and me only. I try to spend a couple hours every evening after the sun goes down in my parlor listening to music surrounded by lamps with 15 watt bulbs in them. It’s my little world….and I think it’s cool.

Another audiophile and a small hi-fi dealer In Eugene OR. brought me back into this arena….having made a “cool again” launchpad for future audio-tech exploration and opening new doors. I believe that good ambassadors to cool stuff make the difference and tit is all about creating relationships, sharing insight, passion and experience, being welcoming and meeting others where they are truly at without judgment.

As soon as you started talking.. I knew where you were going... Years ago I asked a dealer... "Can we move this?" pointing at a coffee table with hifi magazines.. His reply "Yes, but you won't be wanting a coffee?" we moved the table to the adjoining room..... This was all before I'd even listened in there..thinking back, he probably thought this 18 Yr old kid so rude (or worse) but then part way through the first piece of music he suddenly turned it right down and said "This room does sound better without that table!" That eased the tension that things had caused.. I got coffee and he got my money for a Roksan Xerxes, Rega RB300 rewired with Van den hul and an Audio Technica At-F5.

Definitely growing audiophiles in your community is the most impactful, the only issue is that with the advent of new technologies, community, is dwindling. Nobody wants to come together anymore. I think the ideal is to get people together in a room and let the system speak for itself, people who like music will hear the difference

That viewer system is very good. I love the custom plinth and that classic Yamaha.

It’s difficult and nearly impossible to get rid of the coffee table or the couch… I use Persian carpets under them and the mini ones hung on the side and back walls. I think it works. Let’s not forget when you listen to a band say at Village Vanguard; you have all sorts of early and late reflections but you still enjoy the music.

@pekkatervala8476

2 жыл бұрын

I agree. I need my not-so-big couch and coffee table for laptop and small mixer. A few feet behind couch is open bookshelf as a poor man's diffuser with books, records and 5.1 surround speakers. A compromise with TV and weekday life. Headphones would solve some minor issues, but I prefer more lively soundstage, choosing either 2.0 6,5" active monitors or 5.1 with large main speakers.

Companies should place stereo systems in places with foot traffic- like Best Buy, Guitar Center, etc. Even B&H in NYC lacks a dedicated stereo listening space.

Great Advice as Always Thank You

The audio world has become a niche market because of the death of the mainstream dealers that carried great sounding affordable gear. When I was a young man in the early 70s in the Bay Area we had Pacific Stereo and the Good Guys, two chains that had a plethora of great sounding and affordable gear from all the major Japanese companies and all the big well respected mainstream speaker companies too. The San Francisco Chronicle had what we called the Pink section (it was printed on pink paper) in the Sunday Chronicle every week, which had all the latest entertainment news, including Bill Graham's ads promoting all the upcoming shows at the Fillmore West, Winterland, and other Bay Area venues featuring our favorite British and American bands, and Pacific Stereo would have a big ad every week with the package systems and individual componenets they had on sale that week. The Good Guys also had similar, although smaller ads, as did other hi-fi dealers, and they all catered to us young Hippie music lovers, and didn't look down on us like the snooty high end dealers do to young and inexperienced music lovers do these days. And, they carried great gear at all price points. You could start out with an entry level Pioneer, Kenwood, Yamaha, or Marantz receiver, an inexpensive Garrard or similar TT, and some affordable bookshelf speakers, and then when you were ready to upgrade you'd return to them for a more powerful receiver or good integrated amp and tuner, better TT, and larger speakers. We desperatley need a new nationwide chain like Pacific Stereo and the Good Guys now, because Best Buy is now the only game in town, and they just aren't that great. Every large city nationwide had somewhere like Pacific Stereo back then, and they were the lifeblood of the mainstream hi-fi industry. These days, you have to buy online from Crutchfield, Amazon, or others, just to audition gear you're interested in (if there's no BB in your area or BB doesn't have what you're interested in), and then go to the expense and hassle of returning anything that you don't like enough to keep. And, if people use local dealers as free audition stations and then go buy online instead of from the local dealer just to save a few bucks, then those dealers will fail. That's why we have no independent dealers of mainstream affordable gear these days, and the same thing is running rampant in the guitar world, as local mom and pop stores are shuttering nationwide, as they're forced to close becuase of lack of sales, and because of strangling yearly buy in requirements from the big makers that these same mom and pop stores supported for decades and made them the big forces that they now are. Do we really want an economy where you even have to buy your clothes and shoes online and can't try them on before buying, just to save a couple bucks? I sure don't.

MAKE AUDIO GREAT AGAIN. Maybe if hollywood would start showing more and more hifi systems on screen. Korean shows are doing it most if the time and audio is quite big there.

It goes hand in hand with the possession of a collection of music on records or CD and I don't think that's ever coming back in any meaningful numbers, if anything, collections are viewed in a negative light. There's no need for extensive audio systems when your music comes on the go and ethereally.

I remember reading a ton of magazines before the internet. Mostly Hifi and automotive. I constantly had one in my hand. Stacks of them everywhere

Hi Steve. Don't know about making audio "cool" again, but if all of the audio companies did mainstream advertising instead of only in hifi mags and websites, that would help out the audio industry a lot. Advertise in all different types of popular mags, maybe something on TV. Also, stereo equipment these days all look the same and have no character. Gear from the 60s, 80s, and 90's all looked different, looked good, was for the most part built solid (even the entry level gear), had various knobs and buttons, had various displays whether they were VU meters, etc, etc. They had moving parts! Most gear these days are either silver or black boxes with a couple of buttons, and that's it. They all look the same. They have no personality. Anywho... That's my look at it. A good reason why half of my system is vintage.

@KwangMarkEleven

2 жыл бұрын

Very true!

@paulpareti0957

2 жыл бұрын

Except McIntosh amps. I love the power meters!

Precisely why listening with the chamfered angle of a martini glass in front of you sounds better than a tumbler, and why everything goes up a notch when you kick the mid-century coffee table over at an angle. I really enjoyed this episode, helpful, fun and kind spirited. Keep up the great work as always - best of the best. The Marian McPartland, Lynne Rossetto Kasper or Huell Howser equivalent in this hobby.

I have a Klipsch 7.1 speaker system with a Yamaha 7.2 A/V receiver. I also got rid of my coffee table a few years ago. I have hardwood flooring and to compensate for the flooring I laid down a large shag rug in front of my main Klipsch tower speakers.

I once gave a woods class at a local high school a pallet of birch ply and a stack of Fostex full ranges. The class built over a dozen pairs of BLH and the next year I brought in amplifier kits and all those who build horns built amps a few of those later got into the hobby in a big way. I even designed a horn speaker that I could take to local schools for music education since I felt bad about all the cuts to such programs. If you feel audio is not cool you can do something about it. But many audiophiles tend to hoard, resell items at high prices and not invite others into their solo listening spaces. Audio stores and manufacturers should look into working with schools to donate gear $ or time.

I think making hi-fi more accessible and forgivable is a start. And I’m not talking about the products itself but more so the attitudes of the people offering recommendations and criticisms. In this video, you touched on things like plastering walls with sound treatments, getting rid of coffee tables, getting rid of sofas, etc. I think 99.99% of us “audiophiles” aren’t striving for acoustic perfection so much as for harmony within our living style. If the 0.01% want that then good, but they aren’t the ones pushing the hi-fi movement. It’s middle class people like me who still need a sofa and want a coffee table and wouldn’t want to plaster the walls of the family room with acoustic treatment. The way to reinvigorate the hi-fi hobby is to make it accessible and to really push the idea that you don’t have to have a dedicated listening room completely acoustically isolated from the rest of the house and blah blah blah to achieve great sound. functionality and looks matter (of the gear as well as the room it’s in). Making the IDEA of achieving great sound accessible is what’s not happening in the hi-fi world. Just my 2 cents. Love the channel!

Nice to see a Audiophiliac Viewer System of the Day! that has cables - nice system.

Another great video Steve thanks for the name drop and yes I do think my system is cool and I don't give a flying f*** about what other people think it just sounds and looks good to me thanks

I have a sheepskin pelt on my coffee table, noticeable difference. I also swear putting my feet up has a negative effect but I try not to think about it.

It’s not that we need new bigger and better boxes in rooms that are appointed to emphasize audio quality ( and in some cases video) .. People ( younger people and women) are listening to more and different music today than in any point in history😋 Want a great musical experience without breaking the proverbial bank. Smartphone ( Apple or Amazon HD music, QBuzz, Title….ect) with a dongle or in my case the IFI GO BLUE and a nice small or large stable of IEM’s or full size headphones. Not a budget breaker in most cases and it’ll bring a decent step up in sound quality and allows for more exploration of new musical experiences. In the end , it’s about how you experience and enjoy music😊

There's two ways to look at this question. From the standpoint of general population, there's always been a small segment of the population into the audio only experience. Today those people certainly exist and are buying vinyl in larger and lerger numbers. Historically only when there's a big technical advance such as the emergence of LPs in the fifties and CDs in the eighties do much larger numbers of people become sound conscious. On an individual level, I could recommend setting up a listening club and inviting friends to come over regularly to socialize, have a drink and then shut up and listen to a recording you've chosen for the occasion and then maybe discuss the music and the audio qualities of the recording-similar to a book club or a movie club.

@fredericbrunet3155

2 жыл бұрын

Like very much your listening club idea!

In this day and age, exquisite mobile audio is the opportunity to grow the industry and attract new ears.

Yo mr Guttenberg (can I call you Steve?), Thanks for testing all this nice gear and sharing your thoughts about it with us. Say, you know any young people that collect stamps? Shouldn't we just accept that the world is allways changing? And that maybe the days that an expensive hifi set made you look cool are over? I started listening music when I was a young kid on an old transistor radio. Sounded terrible. So I saved pocketmoney for months, washed cars, did grocery shopping for old ladies etc, to be able to buy a decent radio-cassette player. And boy, was I happy when -a few years later- my dad bought a new integrated set for the living room, and I could have the old one. With seperate speakers! Real stereo! Then I bought my own first hifi set, with a seperate amplifier, record player and cassette deck. And kept improving it for decades. You grew into it. Nowadays you buy a Sonos box, and hey, for less money than my first radio-cassette player you have a better, almost decent sound. My neighbour, somewhere in his thirties, has never heard of Nakamichi, Dual or Quad speakers. And doesn't care. If we don't want hifi something to be for wealthy older men, we need younger role models. Like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, showing proudly their newest KEF, B&W, McIntosh or Goldmund turntable. What, you think, are the Kardashions listening to? Keep up the good works!

Thinking about growing new audiophiles. Personally, I'm encouraging my grandson to experience music. I hope to instil that love to him as I did to his mother and my mother did to me. Additionally, what about the car audio scene? It would help to teach them there is more to music than bass. These are people who already live to experience their music. If they only knew how much more there was to it....

You're so right... I've mentioned being an audiophile and how I have a proper set up for listening to hi fi to random friends and it doesnt phase them one bit. Not ONE BIT of interest saying something like "oh wow? thats really cool, can you show me? can I hear it?" its mostly a "oh interesting" or "oh cool" with no follow up or interest about hearing it. Sad.

Hi Steve. I removed the ubiquitous coffee table long ago. Coffee is ok for morning listening but a side table next to the swivel recliner for my fav brew is absolutely necessary 😆. Just got a pre-owned pair of Wilson Sabrinas and I'm over the rainbow 🌈. Greg

When I was tuning a system for a big customer, working at an audio store in the early 80s, I suggested to move the coffee table. The effect was stunning. I remember his face, deep concentration, trying to figure out he was going to sell this to his SO.

@BicycleJoeTomasello

2 жыл бұрын

tell them its Feng Shui

To get more people into high-go, we should be kind and friendly. Thank you Steve, love your Schiit

The major manufacturers of audio equipment should invest in a series of ads with celebrities showcasing their stereo setup. Imagine, Henry Cavil, Tom Cruise, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Chastain, Sandra Bullock, Scarlett Johansson or a variety of musicians, etc., in videos and print talking about music! Another thing they could invest in is freestanding showrooms, with a variety of setups, where consumers could gather to listen to music. Set up listening rooms in Barnes & Noble's, Best Buy, Costco, etc. Monthly contests or lottery's for audio equipment. Bring audio equipment to the fore in the public's awareness, remind people, young and old, how wonderful it is to hear music through a good system! Stereo equipment IS cool, it always has been, take people's attention away from the internet for a while by showing them what is great about spending time just listening to music!

Absolutely Steve. I am without a coffee table for several years now. I used to just move it out of the room when listening, but that got to be a pain. It was a bit of a sacrifice to get rid of the coffee table, but it was a huge detriment to sound quality. Especially the wooden type I had with a deep skirt (4") on the edges of the top surface and the bottom had another solid surface, creating a large cavity for the sound to bounce around in. It really destroyed the bass quality.

I remember my introductions to audio equipment when I was an adolescent in 70's. It was the equipment as much as it was the music. Man we had everything playing on one AM station. Everything! Iron Butterfly, Elvis Presley. Beatles, Glen Campbell, Isley Brothers some of you know how vast the list was. If you wanted to have a musical experience you listened to music live. Neighborhood bands, VFW halls, outdoor band shells in the park, etc..Then came FM "No static at all". Music sounded better! Then it came in the car, 8 tracks cassettes, etc.. Each family, person had a "radio" of some sort and would show all the features that made it good. So you didn't always have to go see live music to have a great music experience in your home or car with others.. Concerts were big though and often the subject when listening to the radio, records etc. In my opinion stereo equipment was cool because music was changing the ways we lived our lives. As an adolescent it was very cool because we thought mood music would help us get laid. Just like that it wasn't the stereo equipment that really got us laid it was how the music developed us as a society. Open, free, fun and more. Not saying music isn't great today just saying the time was different and live music is reproduced very well on a plethora of devices. The demand for good music reproduction equipment still exists today. It just needs to be transparent, and easy to use. I still see way too many complicated systems and taking up way too much space in a room. Can't wait till we see great music reproduction equipment that you can't see and can read your mind. More importantly music that changes society again. Until then I'll just sit, listen and watch my beautiful knobs ,lights and cabinets and reminisce about the good ol days.

I think eliminating the couch and coffee table helps keep audio uncool. If it's only one lonely, middle-aged man listening, the rest of the family is going to flee.

@Gary_M

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly. What an ironic combination of topics!

Sorry if this has been mentioned. I believe we audiophiles need to invite our friends, coworkers, neighbors, family, etc. to hear our systems. We should introduce Hi Fi and tell people what to expect. Most people don’t get the soundstage and imaging magic at first until it’s explained to them. That magic alone would hook a lot of new audiophiles. I really wish someone would have done that with me at a younger age. I am about 45 years late to the party. Thanks for the videos Steve. Cheers from NC.

I hang wrinkled bedsheets. Works pretty well. 🙂

Getting older I used to have more hope for growing this hobby but folks these days are happy with their phones, Apple iPods, and their beats headphones. Their are so many things that take people's attention away from just sitting to listen to music. People would rather stream their favorite show, play on their phones for hours, listen through their phones and use these all in one systems (soundbars). Sadly, we will continue to be a minority tiny small percent like we always have. Those good old days are gone.

Hey Steve, You once said, if you are going to upgrade, do something different - so I got some amazing made in the USA open baffle Spatial Audio M3 Sapphires sent all the way to Perth Western Australia. Thank you for the inspiration. Audio is so cool at the moment. All the music you could wish for on streaming. Roon search to find new material. Computer audio expanding into specialsed network and USB cards, audio mother boards, switches etc. Build your own audiophile PC like hobbyists used to build tube amps. GanFet and Purifi amplifierr technology to bring new levels of cost effective performance. New DAC architecture with FPGA's. Never been a better time to be an audiophile -:). Thanks for your wonderful show.

Buying vynil, cds, etc, any type of physical experience, might bring the cool factor back. Streaming has made it all too easy and at the same time disposable and less valuable. Music has to come first.

Nowadays, smart phone + headphone is the cool audio system for many people, especially the younger ones. It lets them play their favorite music anywhere, anytime with much lower cost, but without wires, space restrictions or bothering others. BTW, currently the Most expensive Bluetooth noise cancellation headphone from Mark Levinson only costs

Steve, have ever experimented with 4 (identical) front speakers? I've been doing it for years. If you space them right, you literally feel like your front row center.

I love your channel Steve 👍

I think the word "Audiophile" has negative connotations associated with it. Words like expensive, complicated, and elitist come to mind. It's also daunting to people new to the hifi world, even those who are interested in the tech. I think the Cheap Audio Man channel got so successful so quickly because he doesn't seem elitist and he reviews a lot of products that most people can afford. In the end the focus should be more about enjoying the music, any music, with whatever you have. Even if it's on Chinese designed equipment. Girls like music too, a lot in fact. Maybe the next step is to make the hobby more approachable and accessible. Some may think it's great hearing new details for the first time.

Ultimately, an audiophile sits and LISTENS to music. Most people have music on, maybe a lot, maybe all the time, maybe more than an 'audiophile.' But they don't sit and listen. Until someone starts to do that they don't really get an idea of how even an inexpensive 'good' system can sound so much better than an Alexa bluetooth speaker streaming Spotify mp3s.

Make Audio Great Again! 🙌

Steve, For me, a rather recent tv show spiked my interest is both the stereo equipment and the music depicted in the show. A few years ago, I began watching the LA detective series called Bosch, really enjoyed it and the new Bosch Legacy. Viewers like me were asking what equipment Bosch had in his home, and every once in a while the character would mention the name of the album or artist he was playing. I've added those jazz artists to my Pandora station list. So, the hi-fi and audiophile industry could help grow interest by some placement within television and film. For me, Bosch made vintage jazz and hi-fi pretty cool.

@galessi1226

2 жыл бұрын

There is a British Detective series ( 5 or 6 episodes) called " Rivers"( the name of the main 60 something detective).... In one scene, we get to see Rivers' apartment.....the walls are filled with albums.....his new tech savvy assistant off handedly mentions to Rivers, that he could put all his music onto his phone.Rivers looks at him in utter baffelment...." Why would I want to do that?" Rivers replies!!!!The age , and listening gap seem to identified in this one scene........personally I love listening to my system at home......and I love listening to my collection or streaming service through my phone too!!!#

Absolutely agree. In fact, get rid of anything you can in between the speakers, between you and the speakers (this includes the gear itself). What is the point in having monoblocks if you don't get the gear beside/behind you ? You see it so much. And get a rug on the floor ! As for making audio cool, it's simple. The latest generation need to be exposed to good sound. If they hear it, they will want to have it. How one goes about this is a different matter.

Actually Steve the couch which you derided as a reflector is really a sound absorbing material and many people with their heads near the wall use that as the pillow behind their head to absorb those reflections they come from behind . Interesting anecdote, I’m a computer technician by trade and I have several monitors scattered around my listening room. They very noticeably affect the sound. Some of them I turn around so they don’t reflect as much. Others are used to reflect sound to me. Ideally when my room is set up right I have a C-shaped listening stage in front of me. Other times with all the managers safely stored I have a flat stage. Yes all those reflective surfaces Can be a hassle you may find that you can use them like they do in major concert Halls all over the country And tune your listening environment. Yes it’s much easier to get rid of them all and just have that flat stage But sometimes it’s fun to play with them.

We have raised two children and the hifi has always been the centre of our living room including a Linn LP12. The only thing that happened during those years was someone pressed a treble driver with their finger. One the children is now a young woman audiophile the other plays bass guitar. I say include your family and they will love music. Also remember that they and we have very cool audio in iphones and such. The stuff I could not have dreamt of as a teenager. Earphones give you soundstage. To impress a hifi must add that visceral element it can but not earhones.

Audiophile stereo systems are an impractical eyesore in most living spaces. Most people are happy with a noise that sounds like the tunes they love. Naim Muso, B&W Zepellin etc are as good as hifi ever needs to be for the majority. But they are also a potential first introduction to hifi for someone who wants to go further. Whilst guests who have heard my setup (Audio Note, Croft, Harbeth) are amazed by the quality, I know that none of them would accept the financial, practical and aesthetic cost of such a system.

I can not live without my coffeetable...

I’ve done the coffee table removal and just have two small “poufs” (foot stools) in front of my two listening chairs. But I do have the wall behind me that I need to figure out a solution for. My chairs are pulled away sad much as I can, but still not ideal. It’s a work in progress. As for making audio “cool” again, I think we need a few “influencers” to make that happens. As you said, the internet is king, so if we had some cool, young, hip Facebook or instagram influencers showing off their cool 2 channel systems, that could go a long way. I also think tv shows that incorporate hifi as a central component of key characters goes a long way. I’m thinking specifically of Bosch on Amazon. Harry Bosch has a retro hifi system comprised of McIntosh MC-40s and Ohm Walsh 4s. I think he’s running a thorens TT and a McIntosh preamp. Anyway, they make it look cool and I’m certain that’s been a contributor to the resurgence in Ohm Walsh speakers of late.

From my experience what we can do is expose any person to good audio reproduction. I can see that from all my friends. It took us so many years to go from mono to stereo and now we are back to mono with all these bluetooth speakers. I can see that none of my friends is exposed to a good (not expensive) 2-channel stereo and when they do listen to my system they are all surprised. My point is that with technology and internet as the source, we forgot what music sounds like.

In 1983 I emptied my bank account of $2000 for a great Harman Kardon system receiver tape deck and T40 turn table. Acoustic Control Corp 636 speakers. The sound was impeccable and still is as I still own the refurbished speakers and turntable now driven with Emotiva. My daughters and their friends could care less about HiFi sound. Seems the only people that really listen and enjoy the big sound are people around my age. All the little Bluetooth and small bookshelves are what young people listen to. 15 inch woofers 70 pound speakers are really the same price as the were in 1983 money around 3 grand today but they are not pushed at all in todays market. Cheap little $300 speakers is what is in so the far better sound is lost to people but not me however I enjoy my dinosaurs everyday!

Audio has and always will be cool to me. When I was a teenager I listened to music way more than I watched TV. That hasn't changed much over the years. Plus I think audio gear is way better today than it was then. Back in 1980 I had about $600 in my system as a teenager. A lot of money for kid at that time. The equivalent today is more like $1500. For $1500 t ou day I can put together a system that would embarrass what I had back then. I think younger people today have way too many options for their leisure time and listening to music on a nice hifi system may be further down on the list. In the 80's there was no internet, no smart phones, no video games in the house. Your indoor entertainment was TV or music pretty much. Different times today.

When audio was cool, there were no home game consoles, big screen TVs, DVD players, smart phones, internet, streaming, wifi, virtual reality, wireless ear buds, KZread, TicTok, and whatever else the youth are into now, and cool was still a word we used. There were stores you could visit to see and hear this cool gear. Big cities had several of them. The entry level gear was iffy, and the high end gear was pretty darn good-- and expensive. Now, the entry level gear is pretty darn good and the high end gear is obscenely priced. The average person cannot aspire to own $100,000 speakers, so growing up with the hobby is no longer possible. Furthermore, listening requires sitting still and concentrating with no instant gratification. I tried to get my 18 year old son to watch "2001, A Space Odyssey" on a 12 hour flight to Tokyo. He couldn't get past the monkey part. For a generation raised on adrenaline and excitement, sitting and listening is boring. Listening to a whole album is untenable. I know my son has listened to at least one full album--I bought him a cassette (yes really) of Queen, Night at the Opera to play in his 1995 Volvo. High end audio is dying, and when all the old farts like me are gone, it will be gone too. I hope I am wrong. The fact that you can't come up with an idea to save it, says everything.

Shit like this is why audiophiles are seen as “strange”, forever tweaking, for what many don’t care to chase or more so don’t get what the chase is after. I am “strange” in this way also, but the reaction of non audiophiles when talking audiophile stuff is obvious. Want to sus them out quick, talk about room treatment, lol. The puzzled look is your clue to change the subject quickly.

@TripleE76

2 жыл бұрын

I had a neighbor over, sat them down, spun a vinyl and started talking about sound stage and depth and they gave me a puzzled face, without words, the expression was wtf are you talking about. I continued to explain, can’t you “see” the music? Can’t you “see” where the drummer is, the guitarist? Same puzzled, look either still not understanding, not “seeing” it or not giving 2 shits, lol.

I have hooks in my room when I want to get serious listening & hang moving mats on them to kill the reflections. Major difference in the sound. Not pretty but, it works!

If it wasn't for the internet I would not know who you are!!!

To make audio cool: What to do is get a decent enough hifi system. It doesn’t have to be over the top expensive or anything. One of Steve’s recommended systems that fits your budget will do. Get half way decent at dancing. Then invite your friends over for a party, inevitability it will turn into a dance party. Put on what makes your friends dance. For me it’s usually Talking heads, brothers Johnson, Chromeo, James brown, blues brothers, Bowie, what have you. Soon people will be gyrating extra funky and banging their booties off the floor. Turn it up. The guests are big fans of this music and have heard the songs many times, except this time it’s different. This time the music is leaping out at them. This time they are hearing parts of songs they never knew were even there. Their minds will be blown and they will leave your party muttering to themselves, “holy crap, my blue tooth speaker sucks. I need to step up my audio game!”

Modern consumers and even entry-level audio enthusiasts are obsessed with features of convenience, like "fully wireless" audio technology. Active streaming speakers like the KEF LS50 and LS60 Wireless series are the cat's meow these days. I believe that a large number of loudspeaker manufacturers are going to go this route to appeal to modern consumers and "audiophiles" alike. It's convenient, it's advanced, it's...cool.

Audio is always cool, never gone away for me. Quality Time is what’s lacking. Always something to do. Bring back old schools UV meters, large switches and dials, 70s and 80s

Myself i still like going to concerts, music festivals to be sure. the artists tour and connect with the audience.i go to shows mostly jam bands that’s my way of staying current at 57 yrs. of age . Then i look for shows I’ve attended in the past on u tube.someone usually always posts something from great audio to really bad i watch it all and i do it from my avr in all zone stereo 7.1.4 for its very immersive and very cool it involves i pad pro ,chrome cast.Den-on emotiva, Bowers Wilkins Klipsch all the players . I also stream shows i wish i could attend.my older Sony Bravia is my monitor i miss the days of listening party’s when rush or someone put out a new album but time moves on and the new stuff is cool in its own right