Golden Rules of Hi-Fi?

[walpurgis]

Are there basic Golden Rules when it comes to Hi-Fi?

Here are a few thoughts.


If you can't think of any item you need, but have a bit of cash. Don't go looking, 'cos sure enough that 'essential thing' that you didn't even know you needed will be out there!

Never take family or friends along when buying equipment, they'll know less about it than you and lead you astray!

Valves are no better than solid state............True, but they tend to have a different character.

Passive pre-amps are great............Well not always, but they are usually a cheaper option.

NO FUZZY ENDED SPEAKER CABLES!!...........Unless of course you intend to blow your amplifier up. I've seen no end of other folks systems with frayed cable ends just looking for a chance for that 'sticky out' bit of wire to short out.

Turntables. Idler is best? Direct Drive is best? Belt drive is best? Well no basically. There are good and bad of each type.

Yes, you can buld a decent speaker of your own without a computer. Despite the insistence on computer modelling by the 'Tech Bods' these days. The main condition being, the more info you have, the better. Remember, many of the favourite classic speakers were designed long before PCs came along.

No dusting near the turntable......EVER!! This is frequently fatal to expensive styli.



I guess that with a bit more time I could make this list a lot longer. Anybody got more ideas?

[Ali Tait]

To listen, you need to turn it on first. :-)

[struth]

Dont go messing about inside equipment. There are deadly voltages in there, and you at very least may screw the unit up, unless you know what youre doing.

Also make sure equipment is properly fused and earthed if both are necessary. If in doubt find out

[walpurgis]

If you have cats. Protect your speaker grilles!

[struth]

Ifvyou have a wife, pay here off with shoe money

[RobbieGong]

If you dont know where you want to go with it or how far, you may well end up unfullfilled, going round in circles, for a very long time AND very skint ! - seriously !

[Gordon Steadman]

Stop playing with the toys and start listening to the sodding music

[User211]

1) Spend enormous amounts of money never really getting there. Ever.

2) Keep swapping bits of kit in and out achieving 1) above.

[ReggieB]

Trust your ears

[Antinchip]

Trust reviews in the media.

Ask someone else what sounds best.