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A music lover's best friend

We mustn't lose touch with our hi-fi as a system.
By Lloyd Macomber

September 2000

Nevertheless, we all feel the urge to make changes to our hi-fi. The driving reasons or excuses that lead us to quit a CD player here, an amplifier or cassette deck there, are of course numerous.

Put simply though, we make changes because we wish to enjoy a better quality of sound than we presently have.

Not wishing to remove any of the sport in the hunt for that right component (hopefully as your hi-fi moves from strength to strength), you would agree that a fair amount of homework is essential if we are to end up with the right choice for our wallets, our ears and even the healthy future of our hi-fi systems.

The homework I refer to usually involves hours of phone calls, retailer visits, conversations with friends and heaps and heaps of listening.

Based loosely around the premise that we would all listen to more music if we had good systems to listen to it with I’ve launched into a running commentary that should be useful next time we contemplate any oustings, reshufflings or promotions among the ranks of our own hi-fi cabinet.

Determine the weakest link

As The Sonic Gladiator will tell you (he’s a physiotherapist you see) we’re not really making progress until we can put our finger on the root of the problem. What applies to the human body equally applies to our conglomeration of electronic devices. In the hi-fi chain, we know this root as the weakest link.

Our interest, our focus must lie in seeking out the weakest link in the sound system chain if we are to increase our musical enlightenment. We could tackle this task with the simple and methodical process of elimination.

My own personal background in hi-fi has taught me to start with the source. Any problems, any room for improvement, try at the beginning of the hi-fi chain. By this, I mean listening to each source component, in turn, and if necessary the comparison of our own components with borrowed ones from friends or willing retailers.

The realisation that our recently acquired CD player (at a steal, of course) is actually a slow, lifeless and rather saggy messenger of all things musical, is only commendable if we actually admit that we bought a lemon! We’re on the right side of the proverbial humble/pig-headed fence should we own up to this fact.

How many of us have bought a so-called steal from the paper, from a friend, from anywhere, only to have the component taint, torment and damn well asphyxiate the music from your hi-fi! How many of us? Most, I’d say.
Having investigated the cause of concern, with big ears and much trepidation, now consider the remedial action.

Change for the better

If we can confidently point our finger at the cause then we’re a long way to effecting a positive change to our hi-fi. Quite often, however, the solution is not simply the replacement of one component, but two.

A good friend of mine was recently in this exact predicament. His existing amplifier and speakers were both getting a little long in the tooth and he sensed that either (or both) components were letting the side down. The main front end components of CD and turntable were of a higher quality than that of the amp and speakers.

Our initial attempts at balancing the system led us (and a local retailer) to focus on the speakers.

The general rule of thumb, that of considering the source first, speakers last, was duly applied. However, all of us listening were in agreement that the loudspeakers should be the first to go. There was an appreciable sound improvement to be had by just improving the speakers.

In making this decision, all of us agreed that replacing the speakers resulted in greater sound improvement than the replacement of the amplifier.

In time, my friend will look to improving the amplifier as the next upgrade. In this instance, finances dictated the decision to limit hi-fi upgrading to one component.

The final decision, to make a considerable improvement to one component rather than spread the same money over both amplifier and speakers was the right one. This way, he has an upgrade that should secure its place in his system longer than two lesser grade products would. A longer tenure by fewer superior products means better sound quality for longer.

Time

So progress has been made to the extent of narrowing the choice of potential upgrade products we feel could be successors to that weakest link. Take the time needed to feel happy in our final decision. I’ve known of more than just a few embarrassed punters returning to retailers, tail between legs, seeking some salvageable trade-in sum on their two month old product.

Why? Well sometimes it has been due to misdirected advice. When this comes from a friend it is usually the worst advice! Other times, we can blame a fist full of magazine reviews chocka block with hyperbole and those spooky star ratings.

But usually, it’s just that there is not enough time in the day for hi-fi component auditioning, either at the retailer’s store or at home in their own systems. This is unfortunate, as it is more than likely we will be living with a system for five plus years. Surely, a couple hours spent auditioning now is a good investment to ensure that we don’t have five years of unhappy listening in the future!

We have to get to know what impact the upgrade product has on our own hi-fi. This can only come about with time invested in listening. If not fully appreciated, there is every chance our change may not be one for the better at all.

Union rules. Okay!

In considering the upgrade of our system, don’t forget this key word: synergy. Synergy is about the effect of the whole, not the sum of the parts. It is the make or break of good union within the ranks of any hi-fi.

So, we mustn’t forget that feeling of togetherness whenever we find ourselves in front of that good looking temptress of a CD player, amp, whatever.

Take on board also, the factors of weakest link, time and change for the better. They are principles rather than specifics which I hope will make us all wiser punters the next time we want to show our love for music.

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