Newly retired, new house, rekindling an old flame (music)

[Macca]

Give Richer a call in advance and get them to set up the Wharfedale Super Linton, the KEF Q7 Meta and maybe the JBL Stage8 with the Yamaha AS701 amp and see how you go from there.

[hifi_dave]

Hello Alistair,

Sorry to learn of your disappointing visit to an audio dealer near you. Whilst I respect your wish not 'to name names', a simple search suggests a likely name. Clicking on their name shows that they have very good customer reviews, but have also received a few very bad reviews. No-one expects any seller to have a 100% satisfaction record; there are always some who like to complain, but the treatment you were given is unjustified and will do little for their reputation.

Often high street outlets are reluctant to spend a lot of time in providing in-store demonstrations is that a likely customer will thank them for the demo, will go away and 'think about it', and then buy the components on-line for a lower outlay.

So what I suggest is for you to describe your intended listening room in detail, providing photographs if possible, showing the disposition of all doors and windows, and where you intend to place furnishings. We have Members here who might be able to advise, and perhaps sell you and deliver a suitable system.

Don't give up.

As a dealer it's difficult to pick the genuine from the tyre kickers when booking a demo. Demonstrations can go on for hours and occasionally days and end with "I have to think about it, have to sell the old one first, boiler/car need work, gone to get my c/card from the car, waiting for my inheritance to come through" and even had a customer ordering a very expensive system only to phone the next day to cancel because "his Wife had been diagnosed with MS and he had to buy a wheelchair and other aids". Found out he was lying when another dealer phoned to tell me the customer was phoning around for a bigger discount. How could he live with himself using his Wife's (false) illness as the excuse.

You need to take account that numerous dealers work on commission either for the staff or for the shop. In this way you are unlikely to get honest advice or an unbiased demonstration. They will sell the most lucrative products.

I work on my own and genuinely do my best to help a potential customer to get the best system for his/her money but it's not always appreciated. I've always done the utmost to assemble good value systems from decent companies because not all systems are equal and there is an awful lot of dross out there. People often ask "what system do you have ?" My answer is anything I take off the shelf and plug in because I believe in it all. I don't spend my hard earned on rubbish.

Magazines are another source of misinformation because they rely on advertising to survive. At one time the circulations were sufficient to pay the wages and the mags could easily pay for themselves but now with circulation figures so low, they need the advertising. The last thing they can do is to give any product an iffy review because that could kill the advertising revenue.

It's a dangerous world out there.

[Macca]

As a dealer it's difficult to pick the genuine from the tyre kickers when booking a demo..

I used to sell vehicles so I've literally had tyre kickers

One bloke I spent an hour showing him lots of different vehicles. He said he owned a limo company and a nightclub (turned out to be total bollocks). Never bought a thing, he just liked talking to salesmen. I just accepted that it comes with the territory. Sometimes you can get a sale out of those people even so, it's just really hard.

[Maelstrom]

Give Richer a call in advance and get them to set up the Wharfedale Super Linton, the KEF Q7 Meta and maybe the JBL Stage8 with the Yamaha AS701 amp and see how you go from there.

Hi Martin

Thanks for the suggestion, I think this is the route I'll take; it's roughly a 3-4 hour round trip, plus however long I spend in RS - sounds like a day well spent!

Alistair

[hifi_dave]

It's the lies I can't stand. If someone is friendly and polite, just wants a quick demo without committing to buy, I really don't mind. It's all the excuses why they can't buy which wind me up. When you've been dealing with the public for as long as I have, you really do have a feeling for what is true and what is not. Even an e-mail conversation can give it away.

I like to think I am honest and genuinely try to help people so it comes as a nasty surprise when I get let down by someone who is selfishly wasting my time for their own purposes. It's not easy.

[Macca]

It's the lies I can't stand. If someone is friendly and polite, just wants a quick demo without committing to buy, I really don't mind. It's all the excuses why they can't buy which wind me up. When you've been dealing with the public for as long as I have, you really do have a feeling for what is true and what is not. Even an e-mail conversation can give it away.

I like to think I am honest and genuinely try to help people so it comes as a nasty surprise when I get let down by someone who is selfishly wasting my time for their own purposes. It's not easy.

I know. Some people are dicks what can you do?

The way I looked at it I was getting paid for my time plus four figure commission and they'd wasted an hour of their own time and gone home empty-handed, so who's getting the best of that?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Hi Alistair, welcome to AOS, nice to see some new blood. All the guys on here are spot on and have plenty of knowledge. I will at some point read this thread over a cup of tea! Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with your local audio dealer. Are you any good with a soldering iron amd would you consider ChiFi?

[Maelstrom]

Hi Alistair, welcome to AOS, nice to see some new blood. All the guys on here are spot on and have plenty of knowledge. I will at some point read this thread over a cup of tea! Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with your local audio dealer. Are you any good with a soldering iron amd would you consider ChiFi?

Hi Andrew

That's an interesting question – and not one I was expecting!

Soldering iron: I can use one, but I'm very much at the "join two wires without burning myself" level. I built a few electronics kits as a teenager (anyone remember the old Maplin disco strobe?), and I've replaced capacitors in a couple of guitar amps decades ago. But I'm rusty. Very rusty. And my eyes aren't what they used to be.

So I wouldn't say I'm good with one. Competent in a pinch? Maybe. Confident building a DAC from a kit? No.

ChiFi: I've seen the term thrown around – SMSL, Topping, Loxjie, that sort of thing? I'll admit I've been a bit snobbish about it without really knowing why. Probably because it wasn't around when I was last in the game. But I've read enough forum posts to know that some of it measures exceptionally well and costs a fraction of the Western brands.

And honestly, I'm no stranger to buying direct from China. I built most of my fledgling home automation system with parts from AliExpress and Temu – Zigbee sensors, smart plugs, that sort of thing. A bit of trial and error, some absolute bargains, a few duds. So I'm quite happy buying from those platforms if the seller has decent feedback and the price is right. The wait time doesn't bother me – I'm retired, not in a rush.

Are you suggesting I should be looking at a ChiFi DAC/amp combination and putting my budget into speakers instead? Or are you thinking of a specific kit build?

I'm open-minded, but I'll be honest: I'm retired, I'm a bit lonely in a new house, and part of what I'm looking for is the experience of buying something solid and beautiful – something that feels like an heirloom. A tiny black box with a wall wart doesn't quite scratch that itch. But if the sound is there, I can be persuaded.

What did you have in mind?

Alistair

[Wakefield Turntables]

Alaistair, perhaps the best site I know with regards info on lots of different DACS is here https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php virtually every new DAC over the last several years at all price points has been reviewed and tested. Fill yer boots!!!

[Maelstrom]

Morning all,

First, a thank you. The advice on my system-building journey has been genuinely helpful – especially the repeated reminder that I need to think of the whole chain (room, speakers, amp, source) as one system, not a collection of shiny boxes. I'm trying to keep that in mind.

So here's where I am: I've narrowed down some speaker and amp options, I'm getting a handle on streaming sources, and I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that my new room will need a rug or two.

But one thing keeps nagging at me. Cables.

I know. I know. Mentioning cables on a hi-fi forum is like mentioning politics at a family dinner. Everyone has an opinion, and someone's going to get upset.

But I genuinely don't know the sensible approach for someone at my level. I'm not building a reference system. I'm not trying to hear the difference between power cords made from unicorn hair and virgin copper. I just want to connect my amplifier to my speakers without accidentally choking the life out of the music – or spending money I could have put into better speakers.

So, with the understanding that I'm asking for practical, experienced-based advice rather than starting a flame war:

When in the system-building process should I think about cables? Do I treat them as an afterthought, or should I budget for them from the start?

What's the "diminishing returns" point for someone with a £3-4k system? £20 for a basic OFC speaker cable? £100? £500? Where do I stop being sensible and start being a fool?

Is there a consensus on one or two genuinely good-value brands (UK-available) that won't embarrass my system but won't bankrupt me?

I'm not asking for a debate about whether cables sound different. I'm just asking what works without being stupid. If that's still too hot a topic, I'll accept a collective "go away and come back when you've bought the amp" as an answer.

Thanks for indulging me.

Alistair