*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* Please be a decent human being and keep your sexist/racist thoughts and conspiracy theories to yourself. External links are also a no-no. Comments that *advance* the conversation are most welcome.
Absolutely loved this video. I worked 10 years in the trade selling everything from high end to entry level. This area was always my favourite to sell, people getting their first system and seeing the smile on their faces. Some would get the bug and over time upgrade. Please do more entry level videos of possible :clapping:
I like that you are covering entry level components simply because lots of younger people don't have the disposable income to buy top shelf gear and yet they still want something decent. Thank you. You're exactly right though that after a point in time we look to upgrade as our budget allows us searching for something better and you cover that as well with your analysis of what's available at those higher price points. I'm not trying to suggest what content you should focus on with your channel but exploring the better options at different price points can't hurt and potentially it might widen your viewer base.
Kudos for the 'tweeter ebullience' description during the NAD amp breakdown. Just when I thought only the same ~12 adjectives shared among pro audio reviewers could ever be used.
This is a great intro for low cost systems. Not just beginners but those who want one for a bedroom, shop etc. Not mentioned is that there is a plethora of affordable hifi on the market, eg PSB, Elac, Klipsch and other speakers. Very good amps such as Rega IO and PS Audio Sprout including dac. So much out there. I have my high end and my budget systems spread around deferent areas.
Great video. Brings back a lot of good memories. I ran a NAD 701 with Mission 760s from 1992 until 2017. It was my first stereo system. Loved it to death. I had a YAMAHA CDX-470 CD player hooked up to it. I loved that sound.
I still love CD's. I just transformed my shed into a music room and I've banned all forms of internet and bluetooth etc. If you come in to play songs, you have to find them in the collection of CD's and LPs and if it's not there, we buy the album for next time. Everybody seems to be loving it so far.
Great video. I'm watching this in October 2023 and I'm in the UK. A quick search and I've found the Mission speakers at 225 GBP and the NAD Amp at 299 GBP on Amazon. I guess the Wiim Pro Plus now makes the Allo Boss player redundant but for around 725 GBP this looks like an amazing system.
I saw an interview with Jason Stoddard where he insisted Schiit was never going to be a software company. This in spite they are now doing some programming on their ESS based DACs.
@Dixie Pepper I believe you can get a Jotunheim configured with a phono stage card. I was going to, but decided to go with a plain-Jane version instead. The other option is Jotunheim with a DAC card installed. Or were you being facetious?
Another fantastic video, John! I’ve been an audiophile for over 50 years and you made this system so straight forward and simple for any beginner to learn from. Yes, being an audiophile is somewhat addictive, but that is the fun of it. Not to get carried away with spending gobs of money, but more for the pleasure of trying different setups over the years as your taste or hearing abilities change. Great job! I look forward to another of your setups.
As for the dark sound of the Allo Boss 2, though it works for your system synergy, I think I read something that it has a filter/EQ setting enabled by default. Those that have the unit preferred the filter disabled for their setups. Also, hate the case? Just buy the module and stick it into a case you like. The DIY aspects of these PI based systems is great IMO!
I sold many systems in the early eighties with the original 3020 with Mission 700 or Accoutic Research AR18 speakers as the the base along with a record deck and/or cassette deck. Good to see that they still work well together.
NAD C338 would give you built in WIFI and Bluetooth. Would probably be easier to setup. I have mine running with Elac Debut Floorstanders, Rega 2 and I am very happy with it. Horses for courses. Good video to get people started.
Thanks John for all your work (including the delightful episode today!). You helped me choose the NAD C316BEE V2 to feed my new Magnat Transpuls 1000 (which treble needed a bit of taming to my taste in my room). Together with a Node streamer, a great combination for a very reasonable price. One could think the amp is the weak link in this system. From your review of the LS50 Meta’s I understood it’s not…. Necessarily
Great video as always and love the food metaphors, one of the best Audio channels plus Jana has one of the most calming voices I’ve ever heard, clearly passionate about quality hi fi and clearly extremely knowledgable. Looking to update my bedroom system and this has given me some great ideas.
Great video. I love hearing about it all and younger people I know getting into audio, need these types of systems to start with. Thank you for putting one together. The reality is... you can put together a great-sounding system without breaking the bank as you have done.
Very nice video. I love to hear about entry-level systems. Makes me remind when even having very low money (btw, still do not have much) I had more time to enjoy my system.
I had a pair of mission 780 (2000) speakers that I didn't use because I had a set of better speakers. I bought the KEF LS50 META last year, compared them to the 780's and immediately put the 780's up for sale. Yes, there is evolution in speakers.
I personally went for a hybrid old/new system. Allo Boss2 DAC (in plastic case, but reloaded Volumio with Tidal connect) -> NAD C372 (older, but higher range) -> Jamo 7.7 (old version, bigger 3-way tower speakers, i.e no need for stand). with some Van Den Hul speaker and RCA cables: less then 1k euro.
I have put together over a dozen system in search for the budget "Holy grail system". So far.. Aimya 07 amp ($75) Douk p1 tube pre ($100) Jbl 507 studios ($399 on sale for the pair) Has me questioning everything I believed I knew. This pre and amp is going to be "it" until I come across something better (I've tried dozens of combinations) The speakers is where I feel we may be able to beat out at the $399 point I believe its going to be a DIY set. I'm currently looking at HiVi 3.1 with perfectionist cross overs maybe the answer. ($299+$35 x over upgrad) I own the Blue node 2i... I can honestly say my Note 9 sounds every bit as good running Amazon hd or Quboz
I bought and repaired a Carver AV-705x amp - currently running in stereo (I fixed the power supply board and recapped all of the amplifier boards and replaced relays ($50 plus about $50 in parts). CT-26 preamp ($50), a Hifiberry DAC+ on a Raspberry Pi 4 ($120) and a pair of Vandersteen 2C speakers for $350 (that were in great shape and sound amazing). Not a new system by any stretch.
I still have my catalyst system from 20 years and it's very much like yours, mine was mission m74i's with a NAD 320bee and matching NAD c540 CD player, though i also had a mini disc deck back then. Like you say, i could of happily of lived with it but it opened the door to other things. But always tried to match that foundational sound set out by the mission and NAD combo. Entertaining sound with plenty of drive. Im putting it back in to use soon in my design studio (converted garage)
For those of us who are music first / music scene / music biz but who are actually kind of new to audiophile land, it really taps into the creativity aspect of it all…..that it can be done well at the more newbie level. No matter where your are at on the purchase scale, you can still experiment and take the love of music and listening higher. Yup, a cheap bottle of wine can still give you a nice buzz. Kudos as well to your website guest and broadcast about audio-tech design and aesthetics. A lot of new kids on the block also care about how their machines look 🤖
I tried a yamaha r-n803d with the mission lx-6 and it kicked ass for the money, punchy clean sound that would fill any large room. They ended up coming home with me, my neighbors hate my system as much as me now, mission accomplished. 👍
I like that you cover a wide range of products please continue! I also like the "current events" format that you have done over the last few months, very informative.
DAC technology has advanced now to such a level that an entry level DAC really has most (99,99%) of the performance of a high end one. Also amplifier performance on the budget end is also great. You can buy a NAD c320 for example second hand which measures blindingly (I mean really good) for almost nothing. The money you save can be put into fantastic speakers (read here B&W,KEF, ELAC et al depending on taste) and you will have a great setup for sure.
The patterns around the drivers are not to scatter sound. It is there to reduce turbulence as air travels across the baffle, like the dimples on a golf ball.
Bought an ifi DAC after watching a previous video, inspiring, brill! now going to buy the Nad amp and stick with my mordant short speakers. Most importantly, it has got me back into just sitting down and listening to music again.
Here's my setup: pair of JBL 308P MKII for $380 (that's what I picked them up for new). JBL LSR310s dual subs for $299X 2 (also what I paid for them new). Amplification is built in. Pi 4 for $99 with JRiver and JRemote for $49 (use my phone or tablet for control) and I have 12TB of file storage on my HP DL360 GEN 8 server. Feeds a Hidizs 9pro with TRRS to XLR to the subs and subs patch to the speakers for $150. I used the Hidizs 9 Pro since it also doubles as my HP amp and has both SE and BAL outputs. Not sure how you did everything for EU 1000 (~$1150) though. I'm at $1300 and It's really great what you can get for the $$ now days. Audio HiFi is alive and well.
Very nice. One alternative that folks might consider is going used by carefully looking at local gear and demoing it also. Some gear like Marantz speakers and some receivers are not as expensive as one might think. Larger speakers typically have better bass and presence also. Cheers.
Let me just say that three days after watching your video about '90s equipment I bought a pair of Mission 760i for my second audio setup, thank you for your suggestion 😁
My current system, IPod Touch (7th gen) into a Ifi Zen Dac, into a Aiyma A07 amplifier, to JBL Stage 530 speakers ( which I got for $250 on sale from JBL direct) So far so good, I love the Zen Dac with headphones.
This is a really cool video, however I'm wondering what the price and sound difference is between just getting a NAD C338 amp, with built in DAC and WiFi streamer, instead of separate amp, DAC and streamer.
Andrew Robinson has a good review of that NAD. Positive, but, e.g. seems to have _no_ tone controls. That would be a deal-breaker for me personally. I originally wanted to get an all-in-one, but have a good older amp, so am going for all separates now (DAC ordered, looking at streamers). Is _is_ a pita, but will allow upgrade of one part as opposed to all together, and will (hopefully) sound much better, having much more control than, e.g. that NAD.
Really cool review. That's why audio is super interesting, every components count from the speakers, cables, dac, amplifier etc... And if you have the right gear you can really make something crazy good at a decent price.
I would love to see a graph, where x-axis is "price", and "y-axis" is sound quality", as this would clearly show the diminishing returns concept - does anyone know if this has been done, albeit subjectively?
You should have titled this video "I'm Your Audiophile Pusher" because you've just put together a HiFi gateway drug. Great work and thank you. This will be a nice guestroom system.
These set ups you are offering as bullet proof are going to help out a lot of people. I recently purchased some components after a very long time. So, no idea where to start and at what price range is logical, plus now it would be streaming due to the convenience that comes along with it. So it was all new! Took me a year to get it together (pandemic times). I always wondered why good synergy set ups weren't tackled earlier by reviewers. Since, a lot of peoples questions were: Ok, so it's a good amp, speaker, dac etc. but, will it work with my components? What I mean to say is, great idea! You will save many people a lot of time, who don't exactly want to become audio experts and just want good sound for listening to sweet music. I think this sort of thing could go deeper, even into synergy guides. A list of components, dark, bright, warm, and so on. Then the people who own it can rate the pairing.
When I was young and poor, this is the kind of system I really wanted! Then I had the chance to buy expensive kit. Expensive kit of course sounds way better. But it was fun to drool over such cheap stuff and believe it was good sounding.
Love you work. Thanks so much. I so appreciate you endorsing the RPi. I am now running Volumio on an RPi and love it. I think it sounds and works every bit as well as the Bluesound Node and at a fraction of the cost. Maybe not the same flexibility in terms of inputs, but for basic streaming… Every bit as good. Keep up the great work.
Yamaha ax 396 amplifier Mission 702e speakers Mj acoustics pro 50 subwoffer. All 2nd hand for 180 pounds approx. The sound is out of this world. Superb. A new dimension of listening music.
Really nice video. I love the way you stress the importance of component matching. So many times the more is better, more power or more money, mentality drive choices. I worked in HiFi sales from the mid 80’s threw the late 90’s, and loved finding those little plain Jane products that worked great together. But more often than not they were passed over by customers drawn to the large chassis components with thick anodized aluminum face plates and big price tags. One thing that I sure has changed from when I was selling HiFi and now is that speakers, especially the more entry level products shoot for a more lively bouncer sound than years ago because of the music that is popular. In the 70’s 80’s in particular, your better speakers were trying to build a neutral product. Today a little bump and sizzle is desirable. Different times.
Hi John. Would love to see a desktop edition of these video series. I spend 8h a day in my home office and think lots of people are in the same boat now...atm I'm running a 2.1 with klipsch r51m and 8 inch Yamaha sub all connected to Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1plus & A1 stack.
I'm a current user of the NAD C316BEE v2 amplifier along with the C558 turntable. I'm not actually using the built-in phono stage though, that's taken care of by the Cambridge Audio Alva Solo and the CD player is also a Cambridge (AXC25). There is also a Topping E30 DAC hooked up to a Panasonic TV with a couple of supermarket Blu-Ray players, a multi-region DVD player and a VCR. The system doubles up well for both music and home theatre. The speakers are a pair of JPW AP1s which are a sealed design from the late 80s. They were bought fully restored for just under £300 and I don't believe a more detailed bass response is available in today's market for the money. So yeah, I think the NAD C316BEE is a pretty good amp. Very under-rated and a steal for the price.
"...amplification at the entry level now costs more than the loudspeakers." So true. Gonna show this to all my friends who make fun of me for pairing my Elac Uni-fi UB5 with a $999 Outlaw Audio amp 😊. Cheap amps aren't able to drive these entry level speakers 🤷🏻♂️
I've put together a lovely desktop system (on sale) over the past year that perhaps some people here will appreciate: Klipsch R-41PM loudspeakers - $249 Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer - $159 Schiit Asgard 3 w/ AK4490 DAC - $299 Kabeldirekt 3ft RCA cable - $11 Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX headphones - $220 -- Total $938 Requires a computer as a source, but this system really kicks!
Thanks for another great video... as usual very informative and brilliantly presented. I remember the NAD3020 from the old days, glad they are still producing great sounding budget amps.... 3020 was always silky smotth. The Kef LSXs are now at a new price of £850 in the UK so it's tight between them and the traditional system in your video. No phono input but does have Tidal etc..... You will know all this but subscribers may find it useful
I still have my NAD3020 and it's still going strong in the man-cave driving Mission 731s from a Marantz CD-52MK2 source. Sadly my old Heybrook HB-1 speakers didn't survive a tough sentence in long-term storage! The NAD just needs the occasional squirt of Servisol Super 10 on the volume pot to keep it quiet :)
I love videos likes this. Simple systems like this are just more fun. Good job explaining concisely to make this kind of purchase approachable. Good work JD.
Interesting that you pointed that "here's where Diminishing Returns start". Would be great to see you showing where an "Audiophile Level System" starts. Awesome videos !!
I was about to buy a Freya+ pre-amp but this puts the price into perspective. I tried one for a week and decided I liked the sound straight from my DAC better and found another solution for the other things the Freya solved. Sometimes in this hobby we do end up spends way more than we actually need to. I would have still bought the Freya if i hadn't found my other solution just because it is a cool toy but maybe a second system for my room is a better investment.
This is the first time I picked up on the £9 door stop. An excellent idea. I did try to see who sells Mission speakers in the USA. I didn't realize I would be going on a snipe hunt. I've heard of them before. The pandemic did real damage to our audio retailers.
Back in the olden days of the late 70's when I was a lad, I read HiFi mags with the same interest as my mates read Razzle and Fiesta. The mantra that was repeated in those pages again and again was 'the source is everything'. So spend as much as you possibly can on the turntable, arm and cartridge, then the amp and then the speakers. How does todays world of Spotify and digital sources effect this? What proportion of your hifi spend should go on each item. What happens if you mess around with that ratio and say link expensive speakers on a midrange amp?
Love this as I've been a music/hifi fan since the 80s too so I'm happy you covered both eras gear. Just curious though, if you had used a cd player with the new gear what would you have chosen? (I have a lot of CDs)
Good idea on the door stops, I thought I was crazy keeping a couple of old heavy books on top of my so so, ba tower speakers, I think it helps just anchor them to the floor once I have them leveled out to the imperfections of the floor, 😆😆😎😎
Thanks John, excellent and entertaining as always. Keep playing across a broad spectrum of products and price points, it’s all fascinating regardless of where you are on your hifi journey.
Thanks John. I have been looking for an amp for my second system , currently i have a vintage sansui 5900 which sounds good but i want something modern to run my TV through. The nad c316bee has been at the top of my list and this review sealed the deal.
My system consists of Soundcraft Spirit Absolute 2 Monitor Speakers(with the same newer tweeter that is still being produced) + Yamaha CA-610(I've restored it myself aswell) + Focusrite Interface as DAC. My work in Progress system will be a 3-way Pyramid speaker made from marble, which will be active+DSP.
*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* Please be a decent human being and keep your sexist/racist thoughts and conspiracy theories to yourself. External links are also a no-no. Comments that *advance* the conversation are most welcome.
You go right on ahead reviewing both high-end and budget piece-together systems. I find your videos wonderfully informative.
I second this 👍🏼😄
Third!
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@@markscott7583 fifth
Absolutely loved this video. I worked 10 years in the trade selling everything from high end to entry level. This area was always my favourite to sell, people getting their first system and seeing the smile on their faces. Some would get the bug and over time upgrade. Please do more entry level videos of possible :clapping:
I like that you are covering entry level components simply because lots of younger people don't have the disposable income to buy top shelf gear and yet they still want something decent. Thank you. You're exactly right though that after a point in time we look to upgrade as our budget allows us searching for something better and you cover that as well with your analysis of what's available at those higher price points. I'm not trying to suggest what content you should focus on with your channel but exploring the better options at different price points can't hurt and potentially it might widen your viewer base.
Whether I'm interested in buying expensive gear or not, I'm still interested in learning about it
Yep, a great low cost system, which for many, will be all they ever need. Thanks for covering it!
Kudos for the 'tweeter ebullience' description during the NAD amp breakdown. Just when I thought only the same ~12 adjectives shared among pro audio reviewers could ever be used.
This is a great intro for low cost systems. Not just beginners but those who want one for a bedroom, shop etc. Not mentioned is that there is a plethora of affordable hifi on the market, eg PSB, Elac, Klipsch and other speakers. Very good amps such as Rega IO and PS Audio Sprout including dac. So much out there. I have my high end and my budget systems spread around deferent areas.
I balance you out with CheapAudioMan and usually end up somewhere in the middle. Thanks for the great content.
Great video. Brings back a lot of good memories. I ran a NAD 701 with Mission 760s from 1992 until 2017. It was my first stereo system. Loved it to death. I had a YAMAHA CDX-470 CD player hooked up to it. I loved that sound.
I think the sponsor slot is well done. Honest and upfront, informative and not too long - nice compromise.
I still love CD's. I just transformed my shed into a music room and I've banned all forms of internet and bluetooth etc. If you come in to play songs, you have to find them in the collection of CD's and LPs and if it's not there, we buy the album for next time. Everybody seems to be loving it so far.
Great video. I'm watching this in October 2023 and I'm in the UK. A quick search and I've found the Mission speakers at 225 GBP and the NAD Amp at 299 GBP on Amazon. I guess the Wiim Pro Plus now makes the Allo Boss player redundant but for around 725 GBP this looks like an amazing system.
I bought my NAD C316BEE V2 a couple of months ago and have it paired with KEF Q150's for my first setup and it sounds majestic.
Nice choice, I've been contemplating the 350s for the same amp
Does the NAD have a warm sound.
I love the “hifi meal” metaphor. I like light salt, lots of cream and that spritz they put on the plate to make it gleam in the light of the table.
I really enjoy your approach to audio appreciation, it usually leaves me with food for thought. Thanks, good job!
It would be fantastic if Schiit releases a Modi device with streaming features.
I saw an interview with Jason Stoddard where he insisted Schiit was never going to be a software company. This in spite they are now doing some programming on their ESS based DACs.
You can look to combine modi with the new ifi zen stream instead. Or go all ifi stack…
They don't want to have to support software issues. Also not worth it with other cheap pi streamer options
@Dixie Pepper I believe you can get a Jotunheim configured with a phono stage card. I was going to, but decided to go with a plain-Jane version instead. The other option is Jotunheim with a DAC card installed. Or were you being facetious?
First SHITE needs to change it’s brand name
Another fantastic video, John! I’ve been an audiophile for over 50 years and you made this system so straight forward and simple for any beginner to learn from. Yes, being an audiophile is somewhat addictive, but that is the fun of it. Not to get carried away with spending gobs of money, but more for the pleasure of trying different setups over the years as your taste or hearing abilities change. Great job! I look forward to another of your setups.
Variety is the spice of life. Both up and down the audiophile ladder. 🎧🙂👍
As for the dark sound of the Allo Boss 2, though it works for your system synergy, I think I read something that it has a filter/EQ setting enabled by default. Those that have the unit preferred the filter disabled for their setups. Also, hate the case? Just buy the module and stick it into a case you like. The DIY aspects of these PI based systems is great IMO!
I sold many systems in the early eighties with the original 3020 with Mission 700 or Accoutic Research AR18 speakers as the the base along with a record deck and/or cassette deck. Good to see that they still work well together.
NAD C338 would give you built in WIFI and Bluetooth. Would probably be easier to setup. I have mine running with Elac Debut Floorstanders, Rega 2 and I am very happy with it. Horses for courses. Good video to get people started.
Might be easier, but not less expensive, and less customizable
Thanks John for all your work (including the delightful episode today!). You helped me choose the NAD C316BEE V2 to feed my new Magnat Transpuls 1000 (which treble needed a bit of taming to my taste in my room). Together with a Node streamer, a great combination for a very reasonable price. One could think the amp is the weak link in this system. From your review of the LS50 Meta’s I understood it’s not…. Necessarily
My favorite quote, "This is where marginal returns begin." Thank you for another extremely insightful video.
Great video as always and love the food metaphors, one of the best Audio channels plus Jana has one of the most calming voices I’ve ever heard, clearly passionate about quality hi fi and clearly extremely knowledgable. Looking to update my bedroom system and this has given me some great ideas.
Great video. I love hearing about it all and younger people I know getting into audio, need these types of systems to start with. Thank you for putting one together. The reality is... you can put together a great-sounding system without breaking the bank as you have done.
Love it when you review more affordable gears. Thanks.
On point as usual Mr. Darko, you did inspire me to consider some new things. Good tunes as always. Thank you.
Very nice video. I love to hear about entry-level systems. Makes me remind when even having very low money (btw, still do not have much) I had more time to enjoy my system.
I had a pair of mission 780 (2000) speakers that I didn't use because I had a set of better speakers.
I bought the KEF LS50 META last year, compared them to the 780's and immediately put the 780's up for sale. Yes, there is evolution in speakers.
Love the lower cost, entry level system reviews! I would like to hear what others would purchase for an 1000 pound system.
I personally went for a hybrid old/new system. Allo Boss2 DAC (in plastic case, but reloaded Volumio with Tidal connect) -> NAD C372 (older, but higher range) -> Jamo 7.7 (old version, bigger 3-way tower speakers, i.e no need for stand). with some Van Den Hul speaker and RCA cables: less then 1k euro.
I have put together over a dozen system in search for the budget "Holy grail system".
So far..
Aimya 07 amp ($75)
Douk p1 tube pre ($100)
Jbl 507 studios ($399 on sale for the pair)
Has me questioning everything I believed I knew.
This pre and amp is going to be "it" until I come across something better (I've tried dozens of combinations)
The speakers is where I feel we may be able to beat out at the $399 point
I believe its going to be a DIY set.
I'm currently looking at HiVi 3.1 with perfectionist cross overs maybe the answer. ($299+$35 x over upgrad)
I own the Blue node 2i... I can honestly say my Note 9 sounds every bit as good running Amazon hd or Quboz
I bought and repaired a Carver AV-705x amp - currently running in stereo (I fixed the power supply board and recapped all of the amplifier boards and replaced relays ($50 plus about $50 in parts). CT-26 preamp ($50), a Hifiberry DAC+ on a Raspberry Pi 4 ($120) and a pair of Vandersteen 2C speakers for $350 (that were in great shape and sound amazing). Not a new system by any stretch.
Instead of the Allo Boss I'd get a cd player, probably a Marantz entry level, but then I'm an old fart with lots of cds.
I still have my catalyst system from 20 years and it's very much like yours, mine was mission m74i's with a NAD 320bee and matching NAD c540 CD player, though i also had a mini disc deck back then. Like you say, i could of happily of lived with it but it opened the door to other things. But always tried to match that foundational sound set out by the mission and NAD combo. Entertaining sound with plenty of drive. Im putting it back in to use soon in my design studio (converted garage)
You seemed to enjoy making that. Lots of smiles all the way through. Thanks.
Superb as always, and you’re right, as funds allowed I’ve upgraded over the years and recently upgraded my turntable to a P3.
Always come back for more ... certainly no diminishing returns here, thank you
"where diminishing marginal returns kick in"... I love that.
I love both the LX-2 and LX-3 paired with the 778x.
I've owned the NAD 316 for a year- my first venture into higher fi. Fantastic amp that gave me a huge WOW when first listened to.
For those of us who are music first / music scene / music biz but who are actually kind of new to audiophile land, it really taps into the creativity aspect of it all…..that it can be done well at the more newbie level. No matter where your are at on the purchase scale, you can still experiment and take the love of music and listening higher. Yup, a cheap bottle of wine can still give you a nice buzz. Kudos as well to your website guest and broadcast about audio-tech design and aesthetics. A lot of new kids on the block also care about how their machines look 🤖
New low cost system idea! These are great!
I tried a yamaha r-n803d with the mission lx-6 and it kicked ass for the money, punchy clean sound that would fill any large room. They ended up coming home with me, my neighbors hate my system as much as me now, mission accomplished. 👍
Wonderful work, expertly presented. We're so proud to be a part of it.
I had mission 751 speakers Audiolab 8000a amp & Marantz 63 signature cd many years ago, I now miss them all.
I like that you cover a wide range of products please continue! I also like the "current events" format that you have done over the last few months, very informative.
These videos are soooo relaxing while informing. Why John Darko only have 200K subs blows my mind daily. What am I missing?
enjoyed the vid, fond memories of buying the best budget gear I could from Richer Sounds 20 years ago
more jana segments please
Great video John. Nice mix of gear. Smart way to get started. The more Audiophiles in the future, the better for everyone! 🙂
DAC technology has advanced now to such a level that an entry level DAC really has most (99,99%) of the performance of a high end one. Also amplifier performance on the budget end is also great. You can buy a NAD c320 for example second hand which measures blindingly (I mean really good) for almost nothing. The money you save can be put into fantastic speakers (read here B&W,KEF, ELAC et al depending on taste) and you will have a great setup for sure.
The patterns around the drivers are not to scatter sound. It is there to reduce turbulence as air travels across the baffle, like the dimples on a golf ball.
Bought an ifi DAC after watching a previous video, inspiring, brill! now going to buy the Nad amp and stick with my mordant short speakers. Most importantly, it has got me back into just sitting down and listening to music again.
Excellent video! Next time a system with a budget of 2000 euro? Also liked the comparison with the alternative KEF LSX👌
Here's my setup: pair of JBL 308P MKII for $380 (that's what I picked them up for new). JBL LSR310s dual subs for $299X 2 (also what I paid for them new). Amplification is built in.
Pi 4 for $99 with JRiver and JRemote for $49 (use my phone or tablet for control) and I have 12TB of file storage on my HP DL360 GEN 8 server.
Feeds a Hidizs 9pro with TRRS to XLR to the subs and subs patch to the speakers for $150. I used the Hidizs 9 Pro since it also doubles as my HP amp and has both SE and BAL outputs.
Not sure how you did everything for EU 1000 (~$1150) though. I'm at $1300 and It's really great what you can get for the $$ now days. Audio HiFi is alive and well.
Splendid idea to do this follow up video to your vintage system homage.
Very nice. One alternative that folks might consider is going used by carefully looking at local gear and demoing it also. Some gear like Marantz speakers and some receivers are not as expensive as one might think. Larger speakers typically have better bass and presence also. Cheers.
Let me just say that three days after watching your video about '90s equipment I bought a pair of Mission 760i for my second audio setup, thank you for your suggestion 😁
My current system, IPod Touch (7th gen) into a Ifi Zen Dac, into a Aiyma A07 amplifier, to JBL Stage 530 speakers ( which I got for $250 on sale from JBL direct) So far so good, I love the Zen Dac with headphones.
This is a really cool video, however I'm wondering what the price and sound difference is between just getting a NAD C338 amp, with built in DAC and WiFi streamer, instead of separate amp, DAC and streamer.
Andrew Robinson has a good review of that NAD. Positive, but, e.g. seems to have _no_ tone controls. That would be a deal-breaker for me personally. I originally wanted to get an all-in-one, but have a good older amp, so am going for all separates now (DAC ordered, looking at streamers). Is _is_ a pita, but will allow upgrade of one part as opposed to all together, and will (hopefully) sound much better, having much more control than, e.g. that NAD.
Really cool review. That's why audio is super interesting, every components count from the speakers, cables, dac, amplifier etc... And if you have the right gear you can really make something crazy good at a decent price.
What a game changer the Wiim products have been in the last few years. I’m thinking Mission lx2 with the Wiim amp - truly future fi
I would love to see a graph, where x-axis is "price", and "y-axis" is sound quality", as this would clearly show the diminishing returns concept - does anyone know if this has been done, albeit subjectively?
You should have titled this video "I'm Your Audiophile Pusher" because you've just put together a HiFi gateway drug. Great work and thank you. This will be a nice guestroom system.
These set ups you are offering as bullet proof are going to help out a lot of people. I recently purchased some components after a very long time. So, no idea where to start and at what price range is logical, plus now it would be streaming due to the convenience that comes along with it. So it was all new! Took me a year to get it together (pandemic times). I always wondered why good synergy set ups weren't tackled earlier by reviewers. Since, a lot of peoples questions were: Ok, so it's a good amp, speaker, dac etc. but, will it work with my components? What I mean to say is, great idea! You will save many people a lot of time, who don't exactly want to become audio experts and just want good sound for listening to sweet music. I think this sort of thing could go deeper, even into synergy guides. A list of components, dark, bright, warm, and so on. Then the people who own it can rate the pairing.
When I was young and poor, this is the kind of system I really wanted! Then I had the chance to buy expensive kit. Expensive kit of course sounds way better. But it was fun to drool over such cheap stuff and believe it was good sounding.
My budget is slightly more, but I really appreciate these more modest system videos. 👍🏻
Love you work. Thanks so much.
I so appreciate you endorsing the RPi. I am now running Volumio on an RPi and love it. I think it sounds and works every bit as well as the Bluesound Node and at a fraction of the cost. Maybe not the same flexibility in terms of inputs, but for basic streaming… Every bit as good. Keep up the great work.
Yamaha ax 396 amplifier
Mission 702e speakers
Mj acoustics pro 50 subwoffer.
All 2nd hand for 180 pounds approx.
The sound is out of this world. Superb. A new dimension of listening music.
I love your videos, I learn a lot. I like the way you present things, very honest, from the heart.
Great video.
I have the old Mission 760i and like their punch on rock and blues etc.Gonna keep them forever.Amp is Rega Elex r
Really nice video. I love the way you stress the importance of component matching. So many times the more is better, more power or more money, mentality drive choices. I worked in HiFi sales from the mid 80’s threw the late 90’s, and loved finding those little plain Jane products that worked great together. But more often than not they were passed over by customers drawn to the large chassis components with thick anodized aluminum face plates and big price tags.
One thing that I sure has changed from when I was selling HiFi and now is that speakers, especially the more entry level products shoot for a more lively bouncer sound than years ago because of the music that is popular. In the 70’s 80’s in particular, your better speakers were trying to build a neutral product. Today a little bump and sizzle is desirable. Different times.
Thanks John! Again, as usual, very enjoyable! Keep up your good work 👍👍
Hi John. Would love to see a desktop edition of these video series. I spend 8h a day in my home office and think lots of people are in the same boat now...atm I'm running a 2.1 with klipsch r51m and 8 inch Yamaha sub all connected to Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1plus & A1 stack.
It took me years of mix & matching components. I’m absolutely satisfied with my Cambridge Audio amp and Focal speakers for $2500.
I have that NAD amp and every person who listen my system is always surprised and satisfied!
I'm a current user of the NAD C316BEE v2 amplifier along with the C558 turntable. I'm not actually using the built-in phono stage though, that's taken care of by the Cambridge Audio Alva Solo and the CD player is also a Cambridge (AXC25). There is also a Topping E30 DAC hooked up to a Panasonic TV with a couple of supermarket Blu-Ray players, a multi-region DVD player and a VCR. The system doubles up well for both music and home theatre.
The speakers are a pair of JPW AP1s which are a sealed design from the late 80s. They were bought fully restored for just under £300 and I don't believe a more detailed bass response is available in today's market for the money.
So yeah, I think the NAD C316BEE is a pretty good amp. Very under-rated and a steal for the price.
I remember one of my first systems, Rotel reciever, Garrard deck and Warfdale diamond speakers, sounded great to me at the time, 1980 ish.
"...amplification at the entry level now costs more than the loudspeakers."
So true. Gonna show this to all my friends who make fun of me for pairing my Elac Uni-fi UB5 with a $999 Outlaw Audio amp 😊. Cheap amps aren't able to drive these entry level speakers 🤷🏻♂️
Nowadays active speakers are a better option at lower price points IMO
I spent double on a Parasound Newclassic 200 integrated then the Tekton M-Lores I paired it with.
I've put together a lovely desktop system (on sale) over the past year that perhaps some people here will appreciate:
Klipsch R-41PM loudspeakers - $249
Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer - $159
Schiit Asgard 3 w/ AK4490 DAC - $299
Kabeldirekt 3ft RCA cable - $11
Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX headphones - $220
-- Total $938
Requires a computer as a source, but this system really kicks!
Thanks for another great video... as usual very informative and brilliantly presented.
I remember the NAD3020 from the old days, glad they are still producing great sounding budget amps.... 3020 was always silky smotth.
The Kef LSXs are now at a new price of £850 in the UK so it's tight between them and the traditional system in your video.
No phono input but does have Tidal etc..... You will know all this but subscribers may find it useful
I still have my NAD3020 and it's still going strong in the man-cave driving Mission 731s from a Marantz CD-52MK2 source. Sadly my old Heybrook HB-1 speakers didn't survive a tough sentence in long-term storage! The NAD just needs the occasional squirt of Servisol Super 10 on the volume pot to keep it quiet :)
@@Ddraig62SPD Great stuff. The Marantz CD players were top of the pile in the 80s. Smooth and analogue sounding!
@@trendingsoftware I still use a Marantz cd player, entry level, never really had the money to go further, and still great sounding players.
I love videos likes this. Simple systems like this are just more fun. Good job explaining concisely to make this kind of purchase approachable. Good work JD.
Interesting that you pointed that "here's where Diminishing Returns start". Would be great to see you showing where an "Audiophile Level System" starts.
Awesome videos !!
I was about to buy a Freya+ pre-amp but this puts the price into perspective. I tried one for a week and decided I liked the sound straight from my DAC better and found another solution for the other things the Freya solved. Sometimes in this hobby we do end up spends way more than we actually need to. I would have still bought the Freya if i hadn't found my other solution just because it is a cool toy but maybe a second system for my room is a better investment.
I enjoy your channel like how you describe the sound of each unit. Keep up the good work.
I just love you reporting a d reviewing entry level inexpensive high value
Yep, NAD and Mission have always complemented each other nicely. Good stuff JD
LOL @ the intro from Jana. Props for the NightHawks!!
This is the first time I picked up on the £9 door stop. An excellent idea.
I did try to see who sells Mission speakers in the USA. I didn't realize I would be going on a snipe hunt. I've heard of them before. The pandemic did real damage to our audio retailers.
Excellent video and the supermarket wine analogy is spot on!
The best Missions I enjoyed were the 751s… not i, don’t know how they’d compare today, but in the 90s they were very entertaining. Got Dalis now.
Back in the olden days of the late 70's when I was a lad, I read HiFi mags with the same interest as my mates read Razzle and Fiesta. The mantra that was repeated in those pages again and again was 'the source is everything'. So spend as much as you possibly can on the turntable, arm and cartridge, then the amp and then the speakers. How does todays world of Spotify and digital sources effect this? What proportion of your hifi spend should go on each item. What happens if you mess around with that ratio and say link expensive speakers on a midrange amp?
Love this as I've been a music/hifi fan since the 80s too so I'm happy you covered both eras gear.
Just curious though, if you had used a cd player with the new gear what would you have chosen? (I have a lot of CDs)
Good idea on the door stops, I thought I was crazy keeping a couple of old heavy books on top of my so so, ba tower speakers, I think it helps just anchor them to the floor once I have them leveled out to the imperfections of the floor, 😆😆😎😎
The BOSS2 Player seems to also be available under DACs as BOSS2 Acrylic. Sure, it's plastic fantastic but more discreet and $90 cheaper.
This is not only a great system for someone starting out, but it also affords a natural upgrade that will blow the owners mind-- add a pair of subs.
Thanks John, excellent and entertaining as always. Keep playing across a broad spectrum of products and price points, it’s all fascinating regardless of where you are on your hifi journey.
Thanks John. I have been looking for an amp for my second system , currently i have a vintage sansui 5900 which sounds good but i want something modern to run my TV through. The nad c316bee has been at the top of my list and this review sealed the deal.
Your videos inspired me to buy my first system John I’ve got a 1991 Sony integrated amp with 10:1 wharfdale speakers on stands and I love it 😍
I’ve got that very amp with PSB Alpha P5’s for speakers and I am very satisfied!
My system consists of Soundcraft Spirit Absolute 2 Monitor Speakers(with the same newer tweeter that is still being produced) + Yamaha CA-610(I've restored it myself aswell) + Focusrite Interface as DAC. My work in Progress system will be a 3-way Pyramid speaker made from marble, which will be active+DSP.
Spent 250€ plus a little bit of my time on it
Great video John, I love that Nad amp. The fisher price streamer looks like just the thing I'm after. Cheers.