This article is for you if you’re looking to move past portable Bluetooth speakers, all-in-one radios, dull soundbars and 5.1 “cube” speakers, and get a true stereo hi-fi system. One that’s built to play your music with more depth, more realism, more emotion, and more impact.

This article is also for you if you have experience with hi-fi, yet still want to deepen your knowledge, discover pro tips to improve your system’s sound, and learn more about how to shop for specific components.

This guide assumes you’re planning a traditional, “2 channel” stereo hi-fi system, and not a 5.1 home theatre, soundbar setup or multi-room audio. If that’s true, then you’re on track for the best possible sound experience. A stereo pair of speakers will give you better detail and impact per dollar than a 5.1 pack… much better soundstage and imaging than any soundbar… and multi-room audio can be added to any stereo later.

On that note, here’s what this guide will cover (click to jump to each section):

• Understand what you’ll need (so you’re prepared)
• Shop for a pair of speakers
• Choose an amplifier to drive your speakers
• Choose a source that meets your needs
• Don’t underestimate the impact of accessories
• Set everything up to get the most from your new system

If you’re starting from scratch and really passionate about getting into hi-fi, then read this guide in full.

Or if you prefer to focus on particular section, I strongly recommend you read the entire first part and then jump to the part you’re interested in. The first part sets an important foundation for every section thereafter.

Part 1: Understand what you’ll need (so you’re prepared)

The #1 way to start your journey is to learn the components every system needs, establish a budget (including your expectations), and have a plan for how you’ll choose the best products for your needs.

What do you need to build a hi-fi system?

Every single audio-playing device has the same few components. Some products contain more than one of them, which creates the illusion that you need fewer, but they’re still there.

For instance if it’s just a Bluetooth speaker, it has a wireless receiver, an amplifier, and a speaker all in one unit. If instead it’s a decked-out stereo, the streamer, amplifier, and speakers would probably be separate products.

So on that note, the key components to any audio system are:

• Recorded media (like an MP3 file, a vinyl record or a CD)
• An audio source that processes the media and outputs an analog electrical signal
• An amplifier that boosts the analog signal and outputs a high-powered electrical signal (the amplifier often controls volume too)
• One or more speakers that turn the electrical signal into sound waves

The nuance here is, as mentioned, that these components can be combined into one product. For example, an iPod is a digital audio player that stores MP3 files (media), processes them with a DAC (source), and delivers a boosted output (amplifier). It can then power a separate pair of earphones (speakers).

These components can also be broken down into even more separate devices. For example, a network streamer can just do the job of retrieving media from the internet, and then send it to be processed by a separate high-performance DAC. In that case, both products together make up the source.

Here’s an infographic to illustrate the components of any audio playback system:

(Above: Notice how the amplifier and source overlap…that’s because many amplifiers now come with a DAC and/or phono stage on board.)

In addition to these components, you’ll need cables in between everything. The more separate you go, the more cables you need. Most products come with a complimentary power cable, but not interconnects or speaker cables—at least not good ones. (We’ll discuss cables in Part 5 later.)

Now don’t worry if this seems complex. There’s no need to get into the weeds here (unless you want to). The bulk of this guide will help you choose between speakers, amplifiers and sources efficiently.

Step one is to start with your vision

Think about the decisions you’ve already made, and the room where you’re going to set everything up. Then ask yourself the questions below.

Note that you might already be settled on some (or all) of them. If so, use your answers to quickly narrow your options. If not, this guide will help you figure out the rest.

Separates usually sound better, but not always

When two components, say the speakers and the amplifier, are separate, the team that makes them tend to design, build, test and optimise each product to do one job really well.

Also, all electronic components produce heat and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) which affect other nearby components, leading to audio distortion. Sometimes this distortion is so tiny it’s inaudible. Other times, it makes a huge difference in sound quality. (This is why pre and power amplifier separates are the gold standard in high-end audio.)

That said, combined products can sound great…sometimes even better than separate products in the same price range.

You’ll want to weigh up your need for space, convenience, looks, features, budget and sound quality. That will help narrow down what kind of products you should look at.

If you’re still open to separate or combined products, then you’ll want to actually listen to each type and see how they sound. Maybe you’ll find a separate amp and speakers sounds better, but the convenience of wireless speakers is worth dropping down a bit in performance. Or maybe you’ll be so blown away by the separates, that finding a spot for the amplifier will absolutely be worth it to you.

How to budget for a hi-fi system

It’s important to calibrate your expectations for cost and performance up front.

That’s because looking only at passive speakers and seeing their prices can set false expectations, since you’ll need an amp and speaker cables, perhaps a source and interconnects too.

Also consider that performance increases dramatically as you go from cheap gear (that was built for affordability) to entry-level hi-fi gear (that was built to perform on a budget). Then it continues to increase significantly with budget, but starts to taper off as you approach the high-end category. That’s where things (usually) get more subjective and refined.

So you’ll want to get a general feel for what performance level you want, and how much you should expect it to cost.

The best way to calibrate your expectations for cost and performance is by looking at a reputable hi-fi brand’s product lines to get a feel for their price levels.

When a brand is reputable, the price of a given product line will be based on intention and manufacturing budget. Or in other words, a reputable brand will be trying to make the best product possible at the given budget. So when you look at their different price tiers, it will give you a sense of what a quality product should cost.

For example, consider the reputable UK speaker brand, KEF.

The Q series is their entry-level gear. It’s quality hi-fi, and gives a huge performance leap above the masses of Bluetooth speakers, soundbars and other items you find at big box stores. But jumping one rung up to the R line makes for a huge improvement anyone can hear. Going up again to the Reference line makes for an audible improvement as well, but perhaps less obvious. Then when you get to the Blade series the sound is again improved, especially at higher volumes, though the difference feels more like a refinement than a jump.

Compare those tiers to the product lines of other reputable hi-fi brands, and you should find they have a similar hierarchy of price and performance. (Though unlike KEF, some reputable brands have a bottom tier that’s even cheaper—which is often made in a different factory than their core range, from lower-grade parts, by a third-party design and engineering team.)

Browsing a few reputable brands’ offerings like this will quickly give you a sense of what to expect in price and performance.

How do you know if a hi-fi brand is “reputable?”

It means they’re legitimately trying to create hi-fi products that reproduce recordings to a high standard of accuracy and listening enjoyment. Some “hi-fi” brands aren’t doing this. Instead, they’re focused on being the most popular, or selling as many units as possible, without making great audio performance the priority.

It’s difficult to nail down whether a brand is reputable without doing some research. But there are things you can consider. Such as, how expensive are their higher-up product lines? Do they sell more “home theatre packs” than they do stereo speakers? Do all their products come with bells and whistles and LEDs and Bluetooth?

A reputable brand has at least 1–2 lines of traditional, passive stereo speakers or amps or sources that aren’t cheap, and that they’re proud of. And they tend to have few (or none) of those products with bells and whistles.

Determining budget is part of the journey.

Browsing product lines can give you a feel for what good hi-fi should cost, but the value of performance must ultimately be determined by you.

So the “budget research phase” helps you set a general expected range, and then you’ll want to try different price points within that. Maybe you’ll have a comfortable price to aim for, and a stretch price that you’ll consider if a product really sounds too good to ignore.

Then if the cheaper one sounds as good or better, bonus! Or if the more expensive one is awesome and you’re keen to invest in it, go for it. Just be careful not to test a product that you can’t actually afford—you may end up not getting anything, and then dumping hours of mental energy into continuing to dream about getting a hi-fi system. (Instead of spending hours falling in love with your music again!)

As a rough guide: expect to spend a total of roughly double the price of the speakers. Or expect to get speakers you love, and then go cheap on the rest of the system with a plan to upgrade later. Either of these strategies will help remind you that the price tag on the speakers will only be part of the the total.

Oh, and finally…start your search with whatever product you’re primarily inspired by. Usually that’s the speakers or a turntable. (If you’re like me it’s the amplifier.)

Understand your relationship to music

At this point you should know what components you’ll need, have a vision to aim for, and a rough budget to follow. The next step towards finding the best hi-fi system for you, is to work backwards from your relationship to music.

Consider what kind of music you like.

Do you listen to one or two styles of music…or many? Styles aren’t necessarily genres, either. They’re more a mix of characteristics, like acoustic versus produced, live or studio recordings, faster or slower tempos, aggressive or laid back, bass heavy, vocal heavy, fun, somber, exciting, pensive…and so on.

So understanding what musical qualities you enjoy, and what emotions you seek, will help you choose your products. Actually, the latter is most important: we each associate different qualities of sound, different lyrical topics, different styles of music, with different emotions.

“In hi-fi, aim to build a system that plays the music you love in a way that lets you fully experience the emotions you associate with it.”

Also consider when you listen to music.

Do you listen alone, in front of a system, with full attention? Do you listen while drawing, or writing, or doing chores, or something else? Do you listen in the background while spending time with a partner, family, friends? Do you play music at parties often? Do you watch movies or play video games?

The answer is probably more than one of the above—take it into consideration while building your system. This information will help you find components that give you the sound quality you want, and it’ll help you choose what features you need (like inputs).

The art of judging sound quality

Reading, listening and watching reviews…looking at specifications…even measurements…those things can only take you so far when looking for hi-fi products. Because of your unique relationship to music, the only real way to tell if you’ll love a component’s sound is to listen to it.

Actually it’s to listen to it, and a few alternatives as well, so you can get a feel for what’s possible and judge each component properly.

Often you can easily tell if one product sounds better to you than another. But that’s sometimes not enough; without much experience, a demo can feel a bit “fast” and leave you feeling uncertain.

However, when you know what to listen for it can help you identify why you like a particular sound, giving you the confidence to make a decision.

First let’s distinguish between sound quality and sound signature.

“Sound quality” is really a catch-all term, and even I use it as such in this article, to make sure certain points are clear. But really, sound quality is about fidelity.

Fidelity means “truth.” Thus, high fidelity audio can be defined as the attempt to reproduce an audio recording as true to the original sound as possible.

As you climb the sound quality ladder, subtle sounds and details are revealed that cannot be heard from lower-fidelity systems. Different instruments sound more separate and 3D, as if they’re really in the room with you. Edges appear that give more texture to the music. This is why when you foray into hi-fi, you often listen to a song you’ve heard a hundred times and literally feel like you’re hearing it for the first time.

So “sound quality” should really be an objective term.

The thing is, no audio system on Earth (that I’m aware of!) actually reproduces an audio recording perfectly. The process of trying to capture a nuanced composite of analog vibrations in the form of a storage medium, and then unpacking that medium and reproducing the original vibrations from speakers…it’s complex. There is much to attend to in physics to make that happen.

Thus, “sound signature” is subjective.

“The sound signature of a hi-fi product is its unique rendition of the original music.”

Part of why hi-fi will always occupy this subjective space, is because two systems can sound different, yet both be equally realistic.

One person might prefer a spacious sound that makes them feel like they’re at the back of an opera house…while another might prefer a focused sound that’s more like a front row seat. So as you build your system, you’ll want to find a sound signature that you love.

Now, as far as judging sound quality and sound signature goes, what follows is a simple system you can use help you.

There are 4 things to look for: bass response, treble response, imaging and ambiance.

First, to judge bass you’ll think about extension and tightness.

Extension means "how low does the bass go?" That’s straight forward.

Tightness means "is the bass that’s there under control?" You can have deep bass coming out of a system, so it extends low, but it can sound boomy and monotone if it’s not tight. This is sometimes referred to as “speed,” because the driver’s ability to return to neutral quickly plays a big part.

Next, to judge treble—think of sounds like vocals and percussion—you’ll look for extension again, but also smoothness.

Extension in this case means “how high does this treble go?” Like lows, systems often “roll off” higher frequencies to avoid making shrill, distorted sounds. A recording can have singing that extends way up into high pitched territory... and a system can try to play that for you, but do a terrible job. So a certain amount of roll off can be good.

But roll off can also remove details from the recording. Especially with things like vocals, cymbals, and synthesizers. This is where smoothness comes in. A set of super-sensitive tweeters backed by a clean, accurate signal can extend right up into the highs while tracking close to the signal, producing a realistic and smooth sound.

If your budget is on the tighter side, consider high-frequency roll off your friend. It’s often better for a system to cut the super highs than do a poor job of them. And if your budget is more flexible, look for something that goes right up without sounding harsh or fake.

Next is imaging. Here you’re considering soundstage and separation.

As you listen, think about whether different instruments seem to be coming from different locations in the room. This is soundstage. The magic of stereo recording is that two speakers can place sounds based on how they’re balanced between each channel. But this can be more or less audible depending on the fidelity of the system.

Not only should you look for sounds to be placed around the room, but you should look for a sense that different instruments are actually separate objects in the room. This is separation.

Imagine two instruments seem to come from the same spot in the room, but you’re perceiving two separate sources from that one spot. This can be subtle—and something that really stands out with higher end systems.

Finally, you’ll pay attention to timbre.

This one is different to the others in that it’s more personal: there are two qualities in this model, and you may prefer one over the other. Those qualities are what we’ll call warmth versus realism. In the showroom, most listeners prefer one over the other.

The rocker who loves ACDC and Dire Straits often wants a rich, room-filling sound that mimics the acoustic feel of a live performance. Contrast that to the pensive listener who’s looking for jazz and classical performances. They often want a quiet backdrop, with only a crystal-clear sound of the performance coming through. And of course, some people enjoy both.

Systems in the lower budget category almost always lean one way or the other. They sound warm yet soft, or revealing yet clinical. That applies to speakers, amps, DACs and more. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a system that satisfied your need for both qualities of emotion. But usually it takes a higher-end system to be really rich and full for the rockers, and clean and polite for the pensive lot.

To wrap this up…

The key to selecting the right components for your system is to select 2–3 options (based on your budget, input and feature needs) for each key component, then listen to each of the musical styles that matter to you, and see which gear best connects you with the emotions of each style.

Part 2: Shop for a pair of speakers

By now you have a big picture idea of what you’ll need to build a system, how to approach budgeting, and how to find the best system for you. Now I’ll get into specific areas you’ll need to consider as you build your system, starting with the most obvious and the most loved component: the speakers.

I’ll cover:

• Are speakers the most important part of a hi-fi system?
• What to look for in a pair of speakers
• How to choose the best speakers for you
• How to demo different speakers

Are speakers the most important part of a hi-fi system?

Remember from the component discussion above, multiple components can be within one product. Regardless however, you’ll always have speakers…and they’re a great place to start, because they’re the part you look at most often. They also have the biggest impact on the sound you’re getting.

That said, it doesn’t make sense to say the speakers are the “most” important” part of the system. That’s because a hi-fi system’s performance really is a composite of all its components, including the cables, which will make more sense below.

What to look for in a pair of speakers

If you established your vision in Part 1, you’ll probably have a sense of what you want regarding size, look, form factor, and so on. These boundaries will help you refine your list, then you can look for the best-sounding speaker within those needs.

If your vision isn’t clear, below we’ll address a few things that might help you refine your vision and set those boundaries. Then we’ll dive into a process for auditioning speakers and finding the best sounding pair for you.

Bookshelf speakers vs. floorstanders?

If your room isn’t too small and you can accommodate floorstanders, should you get them? Are they really better than bookshelf speakers of the same product line?

The floorstander version of a bookshelf speaker is made from the same materials, has the same driver assemblies, and probably has many of the same internal parts. Yet the answer is almost always yes. That’s because the floorstander version has more drivers and more cabinet volume.

More drivers means the frequency range can be split up more. This means each driver has fewer frequencies to reproduce, making its job easier. This allows the crossovers to pass deeper bass through, because the woofer has an easier job and can handle it better. It also makes for much better sound performance at higher volumes.

More cabinet volume can improve the sound as well, depending on the model. For instance, some speaker designs use the air inside the cabinet to create more bass (such as in transmission line speakers).

So if you want the best performance and don’t have restraints on size, floorstanders are usually the best bet. If you do have constraints however, and still don’t want to compromise, you can add a subwoofer to your bookshelf speakers to get some of the bass performance back.

Are all-in-one wireless speakers just as good as passive speakers?

It’s worth noting that most wireless speaker products tend to be on the “lifestyle” end of the hi-fi spectrum…where the brand’s intention was to produce a popular, affordable speaker that would sell in big quantities.

But some wireless speakers have been engineered by great teams to reproduce music accurately—and those products can perform really well.

Of course, in theory the separate speaker-amp-streamer setup should sound better than the wireless speakers. That’s because the wireless speakers have to put everything into one box. The engineers didn’t have the same liberty to design the cabinet’s acoustics for audio quality—and all the electronics are buzzing right next to each other.

Still, if you look at a product like the KEF LS50 Wireless—which has a passive cousin, the LS50 Meta—you can actually compare this yourself. In the case of this KEF LS50 comparison, most people find the wireless model sounds as good or better than an LS50 Meta system of similar cost. Of course, you can put a lot more horsepower behind the passive LS50 Meta…at which point it will outperform the wireless version.

The best thing to do is to decide if you prefer a wireless speaker, and then audition it. Compare it to a similarly priced system with passive speakers and see how it fares. Weigh up how important that space restraint is for you against the sound you hear. Think about whether upgradability matters to you (because wireless speakers don’t offer that at all).

How to choose the best speakers for you

If you already know you want passive, wireless or active speakers, start there. If you’re not sure, test these different types within a similar budget. Looks, size and budget are important factors. And for wireless or active speakers, inputs and streaming features matter, too.

But with speakers, sound should be paramount.

“The best sounding product that meets your needs for looks, size, budget, features…that’s what you’re after.”

As stated before, reviews, specs and measurements can only take you so far. Each person’s unique relationship to the sound of music—plus the caveats inherent reviews, specs and measurements—listening is the only real way to judge an audio product.

Plus, the listening approach is fun. It makes for an outing—maybe you grab lunch while you’re out and make a day of it. It’s also a chance to meet people who are passionate and experienced, who you can learn from (if it’s a decent showroom, which can’t be taken for granted). And it’s a chance to explore fun products that bring your music to life in different ways.

How to demo different speakers

The best plan is to demo products from 2–3 different speaker lines. (So 2–3 different sound signatures.) At least 2 so you can see that there are differences in sound reproduction…but ideally no more than 3, because it can quickly overwhelm you and numb your ability to make decisions.

The exception is if you still need to figure out details like budget, size and product type. In that case you might try a few more to work those things out…like comparing a bookshelf and floorstander in the same product line…or comparing two product lines within the same brand to see if spending more sounds worth it to you.

There is not one-size-fits-all for this process…but here’s a detailed example to give a sense of how it could play out.

(You can put any numbers in here that you want—the point is in how we might explore relative costs and details.)

Let’s say you want a traditional setup with passive speakers. You’ve got a max budget figure of $8k in your head, but you’re new to hi-fi and don’t really expect to pay that much. You’re just curious if spending that much is worth it.

You also prefer smaller bookshelf speakers based on your current setup, but you’re open to floorstanders…again, if it feels worth it.

Let’s also say for now, your source will be a smart TV you already have, from which you’ll stream music. But you know you’ll need an amplifier for the speakers, so you decide to start with a $2,000 pair of bookshelf speakers. You demo them through a $2,200 amp.

They sound good—now you have a benchmark to work from.

Next you want to see if going a bit cheaper will spoil the sound, so you try a $1,200 pair of speakers. Same brand, same product line, smaller version. They do sound similar but the first set clearly had more bass, and you liked that. So you forget about the cheaper set.

Next you decide to bump the budget up. You go for the next product line up from the same brand—a new sound signature. It’s a $3,900 pair of bookshelf speakers. You listen through the same amp, and you’re blown away how much better they sound.

But you wonder, would a floorstand speaker be even better? The floorstand version of the $3,900 speakers is $7k, so it’s too much. But the floorstand version of the $2,000 speaker is only $3k. So you demo those. The floorstander does sound similar to the $2k speakers, but it has even more bass and sounds better at high volumes. Still, it doesn’t compare to the $3.9k bookshelf speakers.

So now you’ve figured out budget and size for your speakers. You’ve also tried two different sound signatures.

You decide to try a third sound signature. A different brand this time. It’s another $4,000 pair of bookshelf speakers to compete with the current winners. They sound alright, but the way the highs sit way back doesn’t suit your music tastes, and the bass is a little too clinical for your liking.

So you found your speakers. You’re also happy with the amp you’ve been using to demo them, but decide to see if that can make a difference. You bump up from the $2k amp to a $3k one. You love it; it’s that much more refined and realistic.

You’ve tested enough to have a feel for what’s out there that meets your needs, and what you personally enjoy. You pick some quality cables and speaker stands, and end up with a system that cost you $7.5k…which is $500 bucks less than the budget you originally had in mind.

Part 3: Choose an amplifier to drive them

An amplifier’s job is to receive a low-energy, dynamic electrical signal, and produce a boosted, high-energy signal of the same exact “shape.” That output signal is powerful enough to move the drivers of your speaker accurately, and produce sound waves that represent the music you love.

If you read the section on speakers, you got a sneak peek at the basic process for choosing between amps.

If you prioritize speakers, that is.

Below you’ll discover that that’s not always the best approach, as I cover:

• Do hi-fi amplifiers make a difference?
• How to budget for an amplifier
• How to demo different amps
• Are amplifier separates worth it?

Do hi-fi amplifiers make a difference?

It’s one of the first shifts I worked at my first hi-fi job. I ask an experienced colleague: do amps really make a difference?

It wasn’t intuitive to me at first. Really, I didn’t even think about it—I just ignored the boxes and focused on the cool-looking speakers. Unconsciously did I assume they were doing all the work.

My colleague went on to play The Pot, by Tool, through a Marantz stereo amplifier. Just a minute or so. Then he switched up to the next budget level of Marantz amps (about a $500 or so difference), and played the track again through the same speakers.

As soon as I heard the thumping toms come in, my perspective changed forever.

I “got it.” I understood not only that amplifiers matter…but I understood what hi-fi means; they were more realistic, lifelike, vivid, engaging.

If a hi-fi system were a car, the speakers would be the tyres, the wheels, the suspension, and the body…where the rubber meets the road, and the parts you see most often.

And the amplifier would be the engine.

It’s not looked at so much, and it doesn’t get the accolades…but it’s imperative to the performance of the system, and it makes a huge difference in terms of end-user experience.

Yes, amplifiers make a difference.

Both the low and high-level signals inside the amp are subject to various components and EMR. This means like speakers, amps fall onto both quality and sound signature spectrums. Yes—amps can have better or worse fidelity, and different subjective qualities. The fidelity is usually surprisingly obvious, though the signature difference of two amps of the same quality can be subtle. (Sometimes it’s not!)

It’s easier to focus on speakers first in most cases though, because speakers in the same price range have bigger differences than amps in the same price range. But going up or down in amp quality can dramatically improve a pair of speakers.

How to budget for an amplifier

You may have noticed I used a 50/50 budget split for speakers and amp above—where you start by assuming the amp will cost the same as the speakers. It’s not that the 50/50 ratio is “right,” or that it means anything at all…it’s simply that you have to start somewhere. It’s a decent place to start—especially from scratch.

Also covered in the example above is the tactic of choosing an amp that makes sense budget, size, input and feature-wise, and then using that to test different speakers. And then after you settle on a speaker, try another amp or two. That’s a good approach as well.

Once you start listening to products, don’t hold to the 50/50 split. Don’t shy away from trying an amp that’s a bit cheaper than the speakers, and one that’s a bit more expensive (if it fits your budget).

Now there are two situations where this 50/50 thing should be thrown out entirely:

1. When you’re upgrading an existing amp.

It’s really common to get a dream set of speakers and pair it with an ordinary amplifier, with the goal of coming back for a better amp as funds become available. But it’s also common to get “the itch” and, even though you’re content with your amplifier, become curious if upgrading could produce a better sound.

When the latter is the case, don’t worry about the price of the speakers. Focus on whatever amp budget makes sense for you in general. What would you be willing to spend on a great amplifier?

For instance, maybe you have a $2,000 pair of speakers and you’re upgrading a $1,800 amp. If your means is such that you’d be comfortable spending $6,000 on a new amplifier…bring your speakers into a showroom that has it, and try it.

Another anecdote from my first hi-fi job: a different colleague had built a Class A power amp. It was a hideous, anodised sky blue. It had a crazy 300 W per channel power output. To test it, we plugged in a pair of $500 bookshelf speakers.

I couldn’t believe what I heard. Deeper and tighter bass, and more control than I ever thought those speakers could produce. It was enough to wonder if the amp really is the most important component in a system.

If it makes sense, don’t shy away from spending more on the amp than the speakers.

2. When you really like a particular set of speakers for whatever reason…but you have more to spend.

Maybe you have your eye on a very specific pair of speakers that you just love. Maybe they look awesome to you, they suit your home decor, and you’re happy with their sound.

Even though you could afford a more expensive pair, you’re not interested, because you love these speakers.

Chances are you could get a lot more out of them by spending a bit more on an amplifier. Don’t be afraid to put some horses behind them. For the same reasons described above, it’s amazing how much better a pair of speakers can drive with a better engine.

How to demo different amps

If you’re getting an amplifier in addition to a pair of speakers, you might use the approach I outlined in the speaker section above. Invest your attention into getting the right speakers, and then test a different amp or two if you want.

If you’re just getting an amplifier, then simply start there and plan to try 2–3 different amplifiers…or more if, again, you want to explore different budgets and types of amps. (Such as separates, which I discuss below.)

As stated, amplifiers tend to have both sound quality levels (fidelity) and sound signatures (subjective characteristics). You’ll judge them much the same way you do speakers, using the guidelines in the first part of this article.

Just make sure you compare amplifiers with everything else in the system being the same! Otherwise you can’t be sure enough about what’s influencing the sound.

Are amplifier separates worth it?

So you can have an amplifier with a wireless music streamer built into it, a DAC, and other components. The general rule stated previously still applies, though it’s a soft rule here: A dedicated amplifier may likely sound better than a streaming amplifier at the same price, because the intent and budget of the manufacturer is more focused.

The thing is, there’s also pre and power amplifier separates.

Here’s the deal: most audio amplifiers are “integrated amps.” This means they have both preamplifiers and power amplifiers inside. The preamplifier is responsible for controlling the analog signal’s volume, and managing input switching. The power amplifier simply takes the signal and boosts it to be more powerful.

Having both stages in one unit means all the needed components are fit into the same space. As mentioned at the start of this section, that means more heat and EMFs are compounded in that space. In theory (and often practice) this challenges the amplifier’s ability to produce a clean sound.

This is especially true because the power stage is a high-current application. The higher powered signal produces a lot more heat and EMFs than the lower-current parts—making them vulnerable to distortion.

So there’s a reason amp separates are loved.

With that said, there are extremely high-performing integrated amps out there. So if you’re in the budget range to consider separates, you might try both separates and integrated in the same budget.

And if you’re wondering whether putting a DAC, streamer and/or phono stage into an integrated amp spoils the sound, the short answer is, not really.

The engineers do endeavor to work around the heat and EMF problems, and test everything for quality. Often, streaming amplifiers have sound quality that’s as good as an integrated amp and streamer that together cost the same as the single unit.

Though when you move up in budget and bring high-performance integrated amps and separates into the mix, the streaming amps may struggle to keep up.

So unless you’re committed to a combined streaming amplifier, I recommend you listen to a separate integrated amplifier to get a feel for the difference.

Part 4: Choose a source that meets your needs

Some experts—like the brilliant engineering team at Linn—believe the source is the most important part of a hi-fi system. “Garbage in, garbage out” they say. Much truth to be found in that: the most immaculate audio system on Earth can’t save a crappy source.

Personally, I think the source is the most overlooked part of a system. It’s job is less subjective compared to the speakers and amplifier, yet it can act like a bottleneck and drag everything else down.

It’s worth noting that a source product may or may not contain a wireless data receiver (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi), a DAC, or a phono stage—all of which can affect audio performance. So again, you have to choose your product type here. For instance, streaming amplifier combines source and amp into one unit. So for this section, we’ll assume your source will be separate from the amp and speakers.

To figure this out, start simply with what you want to play: vinyl, streaming, digital files on a hard drive, and CD are the main ones. Then look for systems to cover your needs.

Below we’ll cover:

• Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi vs. ethernet
• What is the best streaming service?
• How does digital music work?
• Are DACs worth it?
• Why are CDs still a thing?
• How to build a turntable system

Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi vs. ethernet

Bluetooth is so common because it requires minimal tech setup. It’s THE minimalist way to play music. Any speaker with Bluetooth and you can put it in pairing mode, pull up your phone settings and connect. Then, whatever audio plays on your phone “pushes” to the speaker in real time. Streaming services, YouTube videos, phone calls, and so on. Think of Bluetooth like an invisible cable.

All that said…Bluetooth is NOT the most convenient. Wi-Fi is.

Wi-Fi is only usable at home within the range of your wireless router, and it requires some tech setup. You must have internet already, then you connect the router, then you connect the audio streaming device to the network, and THEN you’re ready.

You can play music instantly as long as you’re in range. If someone else wants to choose a song they can add it to the queue without interruption; no re-pairing needed. And unlike Bluetooth, if your phone dies or you take it away from the system, the music doesn’t stop playing. The system is an independent entity. Your mobile device only sends commands and receives information—it isn’t actually playing the music.

When compared to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi also offers more range, has no limit on audio quality bandwidth (more on this below), and usually suffers from fewer dropouts and latency issues. You are however still vulnerable to dropouts to some degree—especially if you have network issues.

Ethernet is ideal in part, for this reason: running an actual cable from your router to your streamer ensures constant, seamless connection to the router.

The other reason ethernet is ideal—and loved by streaming purists—is because it cuts the need to convert the data stream from electricity to RF and then back again. In theory that process induces errors depending on the performance spec of the router and network receiver (inside the streamer). In practice it can make for a subtle difference, depending on the rest of the system.

If your router is close enough to your system, it’s probably worth getting a solid ethernet cable and connecting it between your router and streamer to ensure the connection. It also removes the need for setup—your streamer automatically connects to the network. The potential performance boost is a bonus!

To recap, here’s a Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi vs. ethernet infographic:

What is the best streaming service?

Streaming is a way to download digital music in small chunks so that it can start playing immediately, and then continue to download in the background. (If you had to download the whole song before playing, you’d have to wait much longer.)

Doing this via services (like Spotify) is the number one digital source these days. It’s the most convenient. You get endless selection, you avoid the overhead of managing files or physical media, and everything can be controlled from a mobile device you already have. The main downside of course, is that you rely on stable internet connection and infrastructure (your router, wireless senders and receivers, and so on).

When choosing a streaming service, here are some prime considerations:

• Catalogue size (how many artists or songs do they have?)
• Cost
• Digital file resolution (AKA sound quality)
• App quality (user experience, features)

Catalogue size

All of the top streaming services listed below are reported to have millions of artists and more than 100 million songs, with no one catalogue standing out in any way. So this isn’t really a concern, unless you have a taste for rare releases, niche styles, or small, independent producers. Then you may want to look up which streaming service has what you’re after.

Cost

All of the top streaming services are competing in the same price range—around $13–$15 AUD per month. So this is another factor that’s fairly consistent, which means you can focus on the other two deciding factors.

Digital file resolution (AKA sound quality)

We cover this in more detail below in How does digital music work? But the deal is, when you stream music, you’re downloading and playing a digital file in chunks. That file can be lossless (where it has all of the musical information from the original recording) or lossy (where it has been compressed to reduce file size). We always recommend going with a streaming subscription that offers lossless media of “CD quality” or higher (16-bit, 44.1 kHz or 1,411 kbps). That’s because on a good hi-fi system, the difference is audible.

App quality (user experience, features)

While sound quality is a big deal, this is still the #1 most important factor. The user interface for a streaming service will have the biggest impact on your personal experience. It’s difficult to know your individual needs and preferences however…so the best way to choose may be to watch reviews.

Here’s a cheat sheet that touches on the top streaming services:

Spotify

• Catalogue note: Lots of small, independent and obscure artists
• Typical Cost: A$13.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 320kbps (Ogg Vorbis) (lossy)

Tidal

• Catalogue note: Strong in hip-hop and R&B; music videos and artist-curated playlists
• Cost: A$12.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 24-bit/192kHz (FLAC)

Apple Music

• Catalogue note: Strong for mainstream acts; artist-curated playlists
• Cost: A$12.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 24-bit/192kHz (ALAC)

Qobuz

• Catalogue note: Very strong in classical and jazz; audiophile-focused catalog
• Cost: A$19.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 320kbps (FLAC)

YouTube Music

• Catalogue note: Very strong in rare and niche tracks, live performances and covers
• Cost: A$13.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 256 kbps (AAC) (very lossy! not recommended)

Deezer

• Catalogue note: Strong in non-mainstream music; supports local file uploads
• Cost: A$13.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 16-bit/44.1kHz (FLAC)

Amazon Music

• Catalogue note: Lots of small, independent and obscure artists
• Cost: A$13.99/month
• Digital file resolution: Up to 320kbps (lossy)

How does digital music work?

Ah yes. Digital files. If you’re planning to own any digital music files—maybe you want to rip some old CDs, or support your favorite artists by downloading their digital albums—it’s worth getting an overview of these.

For simplicity we’ll focus on digital files in terms of resolution.

Audio consists of flowing, natural vibrations…a blend of waves. The most efficient way to store that (so it can be reproduced later) is to “write it down” in the form of discrete numbers. Then a piece of electronics can “read” those numbers by pulsing electricity, where the strength of each pulse represents a different number.

So you can have more or fewer electrical pulses each second (sample rate)…and you can have more or fewer increments of strength (bit depth). In the oversimplified illustration below, the number of grid squares from left to right represents sample rate, and from bottom to top represents bit depth.

The higher the sample rate and bit depth (the resolution), the more accurately a digital output can track the original analog vibrations.

The thing is, human hearing and perception have limitations. So as resolution climbs higher, eventually it reaches a point where further improvements make no difference to a listener.

So where is the sweet spot? Let’s dig deeper…

MP3 vs. ALAC vs. FLAC (and more)

Here’s a crash course on some common digital audio filetypes:

CD encoded audio

At a time, the most common digital music file was CD-DA (digital music encoded to CD). The standard resolution for this was “CD quality:” 44.1 kHz (44,100 pulses per second) with a depth of 16 bits. (It was called “red book” because that was the colour of the technical manual for this filetype.)

If there’s a “sweet spot” for musical resolution, it may be red book.

It sounds excellent, even though very high-fidelity systems. Plus, as you go up from red book the differences are increasingly subtle, and as you go down, the differences are very noticeable.

Note: CD quality equates to a bitrate of 1,400 kbps.

WAV

As digital music files became popular, the next most common filetype was the WAV. This filetype is usually lossless (which means it does not remove any of the audio information to reduce file size). These are versatile but very large files. They can store CD-quality (16-bit, 44.1kHz) but also “high res” (24-bit, 192kHz) or higher.

Note: “High res” (or “studio master quality”) equates to a bitrate of 9,216 kbps.

MP3

Around when the iPod came out, portable digital music players started taking off. MP3 files became popular because they’re compressed (where digital information is removed to reduce file size), which allowed more songs to fit on a small hard drive. Of course, this reduced the audio quality of the files.

Note: MP3 usually equates to a bitrate of 128 kbps (but is often as high as 320 kbps).

FLAC

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) essentially starts with a WAV file and removes redundancies, like grouping together repeated values or using shorthand to define common data patterns. Being lossless, FLAC preserves every detail of the original audio. It’s an excellent filetype for storing music, including 16-bit/44.1kHz and 24-bit/192kHz.

Ogg Vorbis

This is how Spotify compresses music for its Premium tier. It’s fairly sophisticated, removing data that may be imperceptible to human ears, and storing a lot of the data form both channels as one where possible. The only thing worth considering about this is that 320 kbps is tiny compared to CD-quality—a 78% reduction—but its performance doesn’t drop by 78%. It maintains a bit more perceptual quality.

Are DACs worth it?

DAC stands for “digital to analog converter.” It’s a device that takes a digital input signal (which consists of electrical pulses) and delivers a continuous and flowing analog output signal. In other words, it reads the digital “ones and zeroes” and strings them together into music.

Even though a DAC is a “source” component—because it processes the media and delivers an analog signal to the amplifier—it’s also a “middle man.” Usually the digital media is delivered by another component, like a disc reader or wireless network receiver.

So when people ask, “Do I need a DAC?” They often don’t realize they already have one. If you have a streaming device, a portable audio player, a computer, or a CD player, you have a DAC too—it’s built in.

The question is: is it a good one?

The process of converting digital into analog comes with more or fewer errors. Thus, different DACs can sound different. While their job, like all sources, is less subjective than the amp and speakers…it does make an impact.

Long story short, the network streamer or integrated amplifier you’re considering probably has a decent DAC built in. If you want to cable your computer to your system, don’t use the headphone jack output—use a USB cable and plug it into a DAC (even a entry-level hi-fi DAC will sound better).

If however you’re curious about an upgrade DAC—where you’ll connect say, a streamer or computer to the DAC, and then the DAC to the amp—the best thing to do is listen to one. Select the rest of your system first, then compare the built-in DAC with a separate DAC that interests you. Listen to one and then the other. Listen to the soundstage and see if it opens up a bit more. Listen to the edges of each sound, and see if they have more detail.

If it sounds good and suits your budget, it’s a winner.

Why are CDs still a thing?

There’s a ton of buzz around the CD “revival.” Like streaming, they’re digital…but they’re cumbersome, and require an additional piece of equipment to read them. So why are CDs still a thing?

You could say “nostalgia” and then walk away. But I think there’s more to it. When you listen to music on CDs, you’re forced to focus on one artist, one album, one sequence of songs. You’re unable to search and scroll a zillion songs and album covers, distracting yourself and getting pulled towards another “shiny object.” That breeds appreciation. It slows everything down, allowing you to savor the music and form a relationship with it. (And ultimately, as mentioned earlier, it’s your relationship to the music that makes you feel.)

There are also quality merits that give CD some advantages. According to Skylabs Audio, people are switching to CD because a lot of mainstream music on streaming services has been modified. Some recordings are artificially boosted in an attempt to stand out and appeal to more listeners. Some have been quantised and auto-tuned to remove the natural imperfections of human-made music. And some classic tracks and albums simply aren’t available in their original form, replaced by re-recorded versions. With CD, you can search sites like Discogs and make sure the album version you’re buying is legit.

If you’re interested in CD, system wise here’s what you need to know. A cheap CD player is a compromise: yes the digital resolution is excellent, but the CD mechanism and laser have to read it accurately. Plus, you’ll want a CD player with a good DAC built in. Or you could go with a “CD transport”—which is a CD player with no DAC—and that would give you a quality mech and laser at a cheaper price, which would pass the signal to the DAC in your existing system.

With devices like CD, we generally recommend you listen to one, but split testing different devices is less important. If looks, price, size, build quality, and sound of a unit is good, it’s a good choice.

Oh I almost forgot. Another reason to use CD, and perhaps the most important, is that they’re tactile. You get to engage your hands with something physical, and the music you hear is the fruit of that ritual. You also get a physical album case with artist pictures, written messages and bonus information to go along with the music.

Of course, if you like all that, there’s another more potent way to experience it: vinyl.

How to build a turntable system

Vinyl records take the ritualistic, slow-down-and-appreciate life philosophy to the next level. You physically handle, with great care, each album in order to play it. You operate a delicate machine and witness analog music unfolding before your very ears. You get a huge album cover with lots of the artist’s pictures, stories and information. You get to shop for new music in physical record stores, foraging and getting a hit of excitement when you find something good.

This medium invites you to a new hobby. You decide your own level of involvement. You can have a dozen of your favorite albums to play on special occasions, or you can go to the record store every Sunday and have your turntable running 24/7.

If this world interests you, here’s what you need to know to get started:

• What do you need to play records?
• What makes a “quality” turntable?
• What about Bluetooth turntables?

What do you need to play vinyl records?

Many turntables, especially budget ones, are “plug and play.” You run a pair of RCA leads into an amp and speaker system, and you’re set. Most performance turntables on the other hand, have fewer components in the one unit. Usually you run a pair of RCA leads and a tiny ground wire into a phono preamp—which can be separate, or part of an integrated amplifier.

Either way, a turntable system must have…

• A motor-driven platter, which spins the record.
• A cartridge (with a stylus, AKA needle), which tracks the record groove and turns tiny movements into a very low-level electrical signal.
• A tonearm, which anchors the cartridge and carries it from the outer edge of the record to the center while adding minimal pressure.
• “Phono level” output leads, which carry the tiny signal to the phono preamp (and should include a “ground” or “earth” wire).
• A phono preamp (AKA phono stage), which boost the tiny signal up to a standard “line level” analog signal so it’s ready for the stereo amp. And of course…
• Power supplies for the motor and phono preamp.

Again, budget turntables usually have everything in one unit. Performance ones separate out the phono preamp (and maybe the power supply), and have much better versions of everything else.

Also worth noting: turntable systems require a bit more maintenance. Dust can and will collect on your records and stylus, which dramatically distorts the sound. So good vinyl hygiene is key. It’s simple and quick to do; here’s our guide on vinyl care if you’d like help.

What makes a “quality” turntable?

The turntables must do all the things in the list above while isolating unwanted vibrations and preventing them from disrupting the movement of the stylus. The stylus itself must track the record’s groove as accurately as possible for best fidelity. And because the output signal is extremely low, it’s extremely delicate—thus the cartridge, phono preamp and power supply must do their jobs very well.

There’s nothing wrong with fully automatic, affordable turntables—but they won’t sound nearly as good as a quality one. So if it’s quality you want, I strongly recommend going with something that has…

• A belt drive (which offers more consistent rotation than direct drive)…
• A replaceable cartridge (which indicates it’s meant to be taken seriously), and…
• Either no phono preamp built-in, or if there is one, the option to bypass it (because every performance turntable should offer you the ability to use an external phono preamp).

If those boxes are ticked, you can focus on looks and budget.

What about Bluetooth turntables?

If your interest in vinyl is limited to the “tactile” experience, and record shopping, then these are probably okay. But Bluetooth turntables extract a fully analog signal from real media and then turn it into digital—poorly I might add—only to be sent to a Bluetooth receiver and turned back into analog. It’s a fidelity nightmare and really, it does an injustice to an otherwise beautiful, natural phenomenon.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably not looking to play records to a Bluetooth speaker. If you are, then that’s a good use case for this kind of turntable. If not, and you’re after a quality stereo system, avoid Bluetooth turntables.

Part 5: Don’t skimp on accessories

It’s easy to get tunnel vision and focus solely on the main components of a system. That’s why it’s important to think about accessories ahead of time. Some of them you absolutely need, some you may want.

If you don’t think about them until the end you can get sticker shock, because you got used to the price of the main components alone. This can cause you to skimp on accessories…which can be unfortunate, because accessories often let you get so much more out of the system you’re investing in, without adding a lot to the total.

Accessory categories like isolation (things like racks and rubber feet that stop unwanted vibrations from feeding into the system) and acoustic panels (for reducing reflections in the room) are important…but I’ll cover them in the setup section.

Here we’ll focus on…

• Do hi-fi audio cables make a difference?
• Do you need a subwoofer?

Do hi-fi audio cables make a difference?

The source and amplifier components of a hi-fi system are filled with conductive wires, transistors, capacitors and so on. The quality of each of those parts contributes to the quality of the resulting sound. So the quality of the conductors you use to connect them, in turn, contributes to the quality of the resulting sound as well.

So cables matter. But cables never “add” anything to a system’s performance. They can only take less away from it.

That’s because every conductor atrophies the electrical signal by virtue of its resistive properties. This is undeniable physics. (For more on why cables make a difference, check out our Practical Guide To Cable Upgrades.)

The question becomes: are the differences audible? How audible? And are they audible in your system?

As usual, listening is the best way to judge. If you’re investing quite a lot in your system, you might try speaker cables from two different price levels to see if the jump up tickles your ears’ fancy. If your investment is more modest, going from cheap (or complimentary) cables to a set of entry-level cables from a reputable brand may be enough to ensure quality.

Just keep in mind: Investing in a quality stereo system and then using whatever cheap cables are available is like putting a $900 bonsai tree in a $2 plastic tub. It doesn’t do your investment justice, and it reduces the sound quality of the bonsai—er, I mean music system.

A good rule of thumb is to prioritise cables closer to the source. Here’s an overview of the types of cables in order of upgrade priority, and how you should think about them:

Digital interconnects

Many believe digital cables make no difference. They absolutely do—those digital pulses of electricity are rapid fire, and some of them can get lost or misinterpreted if the cable is wearing them down.

For hi-fi sources, coaxial is preferred to TOSLINK (AKA optical) because coaxial does not require a conversion into light and back to electricity. For smart devices, USB is excellent—simply go with whatever USB connection type your devices require.

(Pro tip: Try a silver-coated digital cable. Silver is a better conductor than copper, and this makes a very noticeable difference!)

Analog interconnects

Next up is the analog cable. It carries a line level signal, which is more delicate, making this cable very impactful. There’s one for each channel. They’re usually 2-pin RCA cables or 3-pin balanced XLR. (RCA are great, but go with XLR when possible. It provides an additional conductor to act as an independent “ground,” which helps reduce noise floor and preserves details.)

Speaker cables

Finally, the speaker cables. These carry a higher-current signal, so they impact the sound less than the analog interconnects…but they still make a significant difference. You’ll definitely want to avoid thin gauge cable, and if possible, get something with solid conductors instead of strand conductors.

Do you need a subwoofer?

A sub is a more significant investment. It’s essentially a separate speaker and amplifier dedicated only to low-end bass, which requires the most energy to reproduce. They’re almost always a great compliment to a system; even big floorstanders struggle to produce the bass performance of a decent subwoofer.

This isn’t always obvious however. Often people add a sub to their system and it ruins the sound, creating boomy or muddy bass.

That’s because it wasn’t set up properly. The big keys are (1) the crossover setting and (2) the positioning. Regarding the crossover setting, the sub shouldn’t boost the bass your speakers already have—that becomes overwhelming and spoils the music. Thankfully all decent subs have a crossover setting, which tells the sub not to play frequencies above a certain level. You can set the crossover to match the performance of your speakers and behold, the sub becomes a smooth compliment.

Position-wise, subs don’t need to be pointed at you, or in front of you at all—bass waves travel in every direction. What is important however, is the distance your sub is from your average listening position. The bass playing in your room will be louder in certain spots and softer in others.

If you love a huge sound and deep, impactful bass, a subwoofer would be right up your alley. But don’t rush into a cheap sub…they’re almost always boomy. That means the drivers aren’t stiff—when they play, they don’t spring back to neutral quickly. A good sub has a really tight driver and plenty of amp power to track the signal accurately. As you demo subs, make sure the bass tones are easy to distinguish, and everything is deep, tight and clean.

Part 6: Set everything up to get the most from your new system

How you set your system up isn’t just about looks and logistics…it has a significant impact on the sound you get. Here we’ll cover:

• How to get perfect speaker placement
• Vibrations are ruining your sound quality! (isolation)
• How to acoustically treat your room on a budget

How to get perfect speaker placement (or close to it)

Speaker placement can make a huge difference, especially in the soundstage, bass and mid-bass. That’s because the sound waves emanating from the drivers will disperse into the room and reflect off of every surface. Plus, how those sound waves arrive at your ears will affect what you hear.

To keep things simple though, we’ll focus on the basic tips.

Start with the general idea.

Based on the size of your room and where seating (or standing) space is, you’ll probably have a general idea where your speakers will go.

Find your “average listening position” (ALP).

You might want your system to sound good everywhere in the room—and it will—but it’s worth placing your speakers based on a “perfect spot.” That’s your average listening position (which I’ll call ALP for short). Think middle of the sofa, along the centre line of the system, seated. It will be something like that.

Try to place each speaker so they’re both equidistant from the back and side walls.

The walls around the speaker affect the sound waves, so this is important. You’ll want both left and right channels to be the same distance from the back wall, and the same distance from their respective side walls.

While the best position depends on the dimensions of the room (and how open it is), here’s a good starting point: Try to place each speaker so the drivers are sitting at 1/5th the length of the room from the back wall, and 1/5th the width of the room from the side wall.

If the speakers are “rear ported,” meaning they have a hole in the back of them, you may have to check the manufacturer’s recommended distance from the back wall. That’s because rear ports are designed so the reverse sound waves in the cabinet can come out and reflect off the back wall, to boost the speaker’s bass response.

If there’s no such information available, stick with the 1/5th rule above and then experiment by moving them a little closer or further from the wall.

Make sure the speaker’s tweeters are pointed at the ALP, at ear-level.

The tweeters are the drivers that put out high frequencies. Those sound waves don’t disperse as much as lower frequencies, so they’re more directionally dependant. So the upper-mids and highs will sound true when a speaker is pointed on-axis (at your ears), and that clarity will drift as you move off-axis.

So your speakers should be sitting at a height where the tweeters are at seated ear-level (floorstanders and bookshelf speakers on stands automatically do this). Or if they’re higher or lower, they should be angled to point to seated ear-level.

Tow the speakers in or out by ear.

At this point your speakers are basically in place. Now it’s a matter of tweaking the angle they’re at to get the soundstage where you want it.

“Towing” means rotating the speakers in place. You’ll want to rotate each speaker the same amount relative to your ALP. So if one is pointed directly at your head in the ALP and you rotate it outward, you’ll want to rotate the other speaker the opposite direction (also outward).

The best approach is to listen to a song, then tow out a little bit, and listen again. Listen to the soundstage: Where did the vocalist go? Did the band expand into a more natural-sounding position? Tweak this until you find a sound you prefer.

Also, if you want the stereo image to hold up around more of the room, towing out a little is better than keeping the speakers pointed dead-centre.

Vibrations are ruining your sound quality! (isolation)

Hi-fi is all about vibration—both sound waves and electrical signals are vibrations. And amazingly, sound waves that vibrate a source or amplifier can actually affect the electrical signal, and cause subtle-but-audible distortion.

This is why dedicated hi-fi racks are great. They’re built to (1) look good, (2) have lots of mass to dampen vibrations, and (3) decouple every joint, where the rack meets the floor or different shelves.

This is why floorstanders and speaker stands come with spikes, and sometimes isolation feet (which use rubber to buffer vibrations). Stands also usually have space inside to pour sand, which increases the mass and snubs vibrations.

Think about what you’re putting your equipment on. Especially speakers and perhaps most of all, turntables. But electronics matter too. You’ll want to place your gear on solid, heavy surfaces.

You can fix any isolation bottlenecks with dedicated solutions, or you can do some DIY tricks. One example would be placing a garden paving slab—heavy concrete that’s often finished to look nice—underneath a subwoofer. The sub really wants to move when it plays, and the slab helps isolate those movements from the floor where they’d leak over to the rest of the system.

How to acoustically treat your room on a budget

Acoustic treatment is underrated. Even when your system is off, it makes a room feel nice, cozy, peaceful. And when it’s on, it makes your music come through immaculate and beautiful.

Professional room treatment doesn’t aim to remove all reflections—that would actually make the sound unnatural and disorienting. Instead it aims to remove around 70% of the reflections. A room treated to that level has an incredible effect on your system’s sound quality.

There are however, budget ways to go from a room that’s echoey and terrible sounding to one that’s much, much better.

It’s all about diffusers (objects or materials that are irregular, like a shelf full of books and knick-knacks) and absorbers (objects or materials that have “give” to them, like cushions or thick rugs). These two types of objects break up sound waves and/or absorb their energy.

Here are three key areas to try and put shelves, furniture, rugs, heavy curtains and other items that act like diffusers or absorbers:

• Bass traps
• Early reflections
• Big surfaces

Bass traps

As noted before, bass waves disperse in all directions. They actually wrap around the front of a speaker and interact with the back wall. This is especially problematic in the corners of the room behind the system. Depending on the speaker’s distance to that wall—and the side walls—those interactions can artificially amplify or diminish the bass performance of your system…in a bad way.

Bass traps help to absorb a lot of those rear-firing waves, allowing your system’s intended bass performance to shine through properly.

There are retail bass trap products available, which are ideal because they’re designed to fit efficiently into the corners. You can also try to have shelving units in the corners. It’s common to see heavy curtains used behind systems as well—especially if there’s a window behind them, though sometimes just covering an empty wall.

Early reflections

This refers to the sound waves coming from the front of the speaker that disperse towards the floor and walls—the right wall for the right speaker, and the left wall for the left speaker.

These waves bounce off the wall once and reflect directly to your listening position, so they still have a lot of their energy (since each bounce takes some energy away from the wave). This means they compete with the intended performance of the system.

Therefore, a major lever you can pull to improve room acoustics is to make sure the floor has a rug and the side walls in front of your speakers have commercial acoustic panels, shelves, irregular wall art, or other “textured” surfaces there to break up early reflections.

Big surfaces

Anywhere there’s a consistent, empty surface, there’s a lot of reflections. Getting thick curtains for floor-to-ceiling windows is a huge acoustics opportunity. So is covering hard floors with a rug.

In essence, whether you go with retail acoustic panels or typical home items, you wouldn’t want to cover every centimeter of your room with them—you’d place them in the corners, on the wall behind the system, at the early reflection points, and on big surfaces to break them up.

If you do that, you’ll get way more out of your hi-fi investment!

Further reading

If you’re keen to learn more about hi-fi, and how to build the best possible system for your needs, here are some of our favorite resources:

• The 5 Most Common Mistakes We See With Hifi Setups
• Our Best Top 10 Songs to Test your Speakers With
• Top 10 Best Sounding Vinyl Records
• A Practical Guide To Cable Upgrades
• A Beginner’s Guide To DACs