People have always wanted to listen to the music they like at its best. And living in this digital age, we are witnesses of how much people value a physical connection with music. Bringing music to your home is utterly magical and if you’ve been thinking about investing in high-quality audio equipment, then it may be time to visit a HiFi shop.
What Does Hi-Fi Even Mean?
The term Hi-Fi, an abbreviation of high fidelity, is used for stereo systems and the audio side of home theatre systems. It refers to the quality of the sound you hear and dates back to the ‘50s. Back then it was used to describe audio equipment that reproduces sounds that were identical to the original sounds. But, the definition of the term evolved over time and today it’s not easy to find a modern definition of Hi-Fi. It mainly depends on who you ask.
If you have impressive visual equipment or want to listen to music like you are listening to the artist or band in person, you need the highest sound quality and tech that gives a great audio soundstage. You can visit a HiFi shop, online or in-store, and find audio equipment that will allow you to play any kind of audio at great quality, and experience the best of the digital sounds available while watching your favourite movies and shows.
A Hi-Fi store can often be a place where audiophiles meet and discuss Hi-Fi systems. Between themselves or with experienced staff. But it may also offer a variety of services, such as systems installation, repair services and trade-ins, dedicated listening rooms, and more. For some investing in a Hi-Fi system might look like a huge amount, while others see it as a worthwhile investment. Wondering why?
Reasons to Invest in a Hi-Fi System
Better Sound
A highly realistic sound has the ability to transform the experience of listening to music, watching a movie, or playing a game. A good Hi-Fi system captures the true scale and performance power that inferior systems can’t and enriches the listening experience. So you can enjoy listening to your favourite artists and experience the impressive sound of movie theatres in the comfort of your home. Many people don’t realize that the sound quality can deliver a high sense of reality, more than visual HD or even 3D mediums.
Ability to Upgrade
And last, but not least, one of the main reasons why you should consider investing in a Hi-Fi system is that you can build it yourself and get an amazing sounding result. That being said, you also get a very flexible system that you can upgrade over time and optimise your setup as your tastes and technology change.
How to Build an Excellent Hi-Fi System
Set Your Budget
To begin with, ask yourself how much money you can spend on your Hi-fi system. Set a realistic budget and try to spread your money evenly because you don’t want to buy the best amplifier only to match it with an old pair of speakers or a budget turntable.
Consider How Much Space You Have Available
If you don’t have enough room for multiple components, then consider reducing the number of boxes in your setup. That being said, you may want to opt for a ready-made system with a CD player and amplifier or a turntable with a built-in phono stage. Even though this decision should not be based only on space available, it’s still a great opportunity to use most of it without affecting the quality of your system.
Write Down All the Components You Need
The following are the units that you need to consider to build a full-stack Hi-Fi system. Also called separates, these are the components of a Hi-Fi System and each one of them has its own function and is specialised in particular tasks. Allowing you to get the best performance for your investment.
Sources
The music sources you enjoy can determine what you need. If you prefer streaming services such as Spotify, for instance, or others, or you have an archive of music files on a hard drive, consider including a network player in your setup. If you have a vinyl collection, then you are going to want a record player or a turntable, so you can make full use of it. And if you are using CDs, then make sure to include a CD player as well.
Amplifiers
This is one of the most important units in your setup. An amplifier powers your music and allows you to control the volume. There is a variety of amplifiers you can choose from, including pre-amps, power amps, integrated amps, receivers, and more.
Speakers
When choosing your speakers, there are a few important aspects to consider such as their size, the size of the room you will place them in and where – on the floor, on the bookshelves or elsewhere? Your speakers will transform the electrical impulses sent from the amplifier into a room-filling sound.
Types of Speakers
Generally, speakers come in two main types – floor standing speakers and HiFi bookshelf speakers. Floorstanding speakers are designed to stand upright on the ground and are at least 60cm tall, but they may not be suitable for every space. However, you don’t necessarily need big speakers for amazing sound audio. Even a smaller pair of speakers can give you a great listening experience and will fit perfectly well in your space and your budget.
Bookshelf speakers are designed to maximise sound in small to medium-sized rooms and are big enough to fit on a bookshelf (obviously), desk, stand or table. Bookshelf speakers that are larger in size are known as standmount speakers and can be placed on speaker stands. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose HiFi bookshelf speakers to enhance your music listening experience or to step up your audio game, as some of them are geared toward movie buffs specifically.
They are small and compact and a perfect addition to various Hi-Fi systems. For optimal performance, the tweeters should be kept at ear-level from which you will be listening to the most. Place your speakers slightly forward from any wall and avoid placing them in corners as it may hinder the bass performance.
The last decision you will have to make regarding speakers is whether you need wired or wireless ones. Wired speakers are connected to a stereo amp, using a speaker wire. The amp’s role is to send the audio signal to the speakers and provide them with the power to play. Wireless speakers, on the other hand, have their internal amps, so they need to be connected only to a power supply.
Cables
To connect all the units together, you will need cables, known as well as interconnects. For the speakers, you will need a speaker cable. Make sure to find the cables that will perfectly match your particular system.
Some Extras
Having a few accessories is always a good idea. Hi-Fi racks, for instance, are all about aesthetics and practicality and offer a lot of benefits, including isolation and versatility. There are many differences between the components of a Hi-Fi system and Hi-Fi racks are designed with all of them in mind in order to allow your system to operate at its best.
Final Thoughts
When having all the system components you have chosen plugged together, positioned and perfected, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy. Don’t be surprised if you feel a real connection to your Hi-Fi system, and you never know, chances are will fall in love with music even more. And you may start thinking about investing in home studio equipment and start producing your own music.
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