This is an excellent example of why your channel is valuable. The audiophile hobby journey will begin at different places for different people. You help beginners to find affordable gear that will allow them to experience varying characteristics of audio equipment. Helping people enter the hobby and enjoy the ongoing exploration is what you do and for that you are appreciated.
Thanks, really great video! I think everyone is excited to see the next videos: 1. Complete Hi-Fi system under 500 2. ... under 1000 3. ... under 1500 4. ... under 2000 You can make it even better, in 2 series: for small and big rooms
I just got the Douky amp 3 days ago based on the earlier review from this channel. When I work outdoors I used to open my house windows and sliding doors so I could hear stereo play. Now I have a little set up with this amp that stays in a pool house in the yard. It sounds great running two old Infinity primus BS speakers I had. Each connects to the amp with 50' of 16 gu outdoor speaker wire so I can orient the speakers based on my location in the yard. The amp really works well for my purpose.
Audio systems are like whiskey . . . The BEST whiskey? The one YOU like. It's as simple as that. That's why I love this channel. Randy offers a lot of options - some more expensive, some really pretty cheap. I have a really nice system (as far as I'm concerned - others may think mine is cheap), but real audiophiles don't mock other people's choices - no matter what they are. We embrace everyone who is interested in the same stuff we are.
The problem is that „what you like“ is related to „what you are used to“. I for sure couldn‘t tell the difference between a good cafe and a crappy one. Then I lived for 3 months with a coffee aficionado… took me another 3 months that I was back to normal and can now drink starbucks piss again without having to throw up. Exaggerating of course, but hopefully you get my point. There is nothing wrong with „what you like“ but there definitly is an objective (!) „good“ (and no, cheap Whiskey is not „good“. It gets the job done though …) 😉
That's all fair enough. I'm looking for the most affordable way to make loud and clear sounds across the audible, and down into sub audible spectra. Wonderful (and free, as far as software goes) options for crafting your own music with a computer these days! Discount subwoofer from the local drugstore, cheap mixer/interface, some k5s, sennheiser monitor headphones, a Donner keyboard amplifier, korg nanokontrol2, laptop, and VCV rack for music/sound experiments/ blistering beats/audio terrorism. It's great fun.
Yeah uhh no. Anechoically flat on axis. Linear directivity. THAT is what people prefer because THAT is accurate.... No one "prefers" to listen to a violin played through a tin can over the actual fking thing. Why would speakers be different???
In my opinion, an audiophile system is one which has been put together primarily for listening and enjoyment of music. Other systems are good for other purposes. But an audiophile system is laser focused on sounding good. At any price.
@@perkulant4629 100% true. It's more of a pissing contest than a genuine love for the music. So many are spunking huge amounts of money on gear just so they can "hear" a doormouse farting in the far left corner of Dizzy Gillespies crib.
I turned up the volume a little bit. 63 dB at listening position… I’m in apartment so I don’t dare go much more. But wow this is better than just WiiM amp mk1… I haven’t even pulled em back to position yet. Couldn’t wait! Preeeety good!
Thanks for the review Cheap Audio Man. In reference to your video, regarding speakers around $100-$200 range...Fluance has a few decent bookshelf speakers ranging from $150-$200.
Edited note: Hey bro! Happy New Year! Just wanted to give you an update on my attempts to implement your information… edutainment! ;-) I got the Dayzee w max op amps. I got a bunch of good XLR cables on sale cheap. I got the WiiM Ultra. I got the monoblock Fosi v3 (x4). Paired the old remote (from retired WiiM Amp gen1) to the new streamer without any hassle, just because I could. [Thankyou #1] yes the ultra works as volume control. 👍 (Bonus: now I have a clock in the room other than my watch.) Here’s the good part: I was re-setting up the WiiM phone app to see the Ultra and it asked me what bit rate I wanted. 😄👍 I wasn’t sure, but I figured the Dayzee could handle max info. So max it is! It’s working!!! While I was connecting the WiiM to my Amazon account for music, it asked me about bit rate, there, too. Max again. 👀 ooooooh. 👀oooh THAT’S new!😱 I got stick-on heat sink fins for the monoblocks. Cheap. I’m setting them on those wire mesh things from some baking sheets. Just to keep them above the shelf. We’ll see if anybody notices. (P.S. I’m sure I don’t care.) I’m getting ready to read up and see how to get bits out of WiiM and into SMSL po100. It looks like the Toslink from SMSL has to be out to the dac. 🤔 But then how toslink in from streamer? I’m guessing it has to be USB C in, but this little doodad is too simple! 🤦♂️ Tiny! So far I’m happy without it… …I gotta say, I’m not sure what I’ll do if this sound gets any better! LAST question: I see a sub-out on the Ultra… What happens if I plug that into the RSL? I will prolly try it, but it feels like that’s too many pipes to sync and control. The RSL won’t come from the Dayzee data. How’s that gonna work? Can I just be dumb and hook up an RCA from Dayzee to RSL? Too much POWERRRR!!! 🤯🎄😵💫 Okay, now I’m gonna see what happens when I hook up (piling on) the old Zu speakers. 😂
One item I rarely see mentioned is a simple rca source switch, throw on your blu ray/CD player, cassette or whatever if you don't have enough inputs on the amp. Cheap fun! Thanks Randy!
I have a WiiM mini, Fosi TB10 and a goodwill find pair of speakers, for the garage gym all for under $200 (more like $180 after the coupons). Got this thanks to you! HD audio streaming Jungle and EDM while working out!
Great advice for little money, for someone starting out on a musical experience journey. Thank you so much for taking the time to make the effort to share this with us all , along with your appreciated perspectives. All the best to you and the family, Sir.
Agreed. Audiophile is such an arbitrary term. I have a WIIM mini I picked up on sale for $70 connected to a Schiit Modi DAC I found for $100 about a year ago which is connected to a pair of Klipsch Fives I found on sale for $400 about a year ago. For less than $600 I have a system I use daily that I feel sounds way better than the Yamaha receiver and speakers I paid over $1000 for over 20 years ago.
I just upgraded from my lipsch promedia, that i had for 10+ year and loved, to the RSL 2.1...wow....it sounds really good! hoping to really test it once my kids and wife are back to work though...😀
For a $300ish system the Dayton Audio B65 classic speaker at $69 deserves a long look. This plus the NobSound amp and WiiM mini leaves you with enough to add a SMSL DAC…
I'm curious. I want to get rid of my Sony receiver. It's big. I want small. I currently have a Bluetooth receiver connected to it and steam sound from my phone. Can this Nobsound do the same thing?
@ In a word “yep”. The WiiM plus the Nob would then also let you use AirPlay instead of Bluetooth from your phone or stream Spotify, Amazon Music etc direct (meaning not via your phone).
@jemsmay2167 I don't use an iPhone or Amazon music but I'm guessing I can use a Bluetooth receiver as mentioned connected to my android and steam from my phone. Thank you!
Haven't watched the whole video yet but I definitely clicked on the bait! Edit. Great video! Just for comparison, I bought my first, entry level hi-fi 24 years ago and it still cost me £1000 and that was with an ex-demo integrated amp. Setup was a Marantz CD6000 OSE LE, Marantz PM 6010 OSE, QED gold interconnects, Cabletalk flat speaker cables and Mission 773 floorstanders. Had it nearly 20 years and with a bit of room treatment it happily brought the fight to much larger investment setups. Anyway, £1000 in 2001 is about £2100 / $2600 in today's money and conversely, $350 today would have been barely £130 / $180 in 2001. The very idea of getting any sort of 3 part system for that small amount would have been mind boggling at the time. BTW I'll add a couple of rambling thoughts. Tone controls and equalizers are actually intended for rudimentary room correction, a bit like a modern DSP. They can be used to try to mask a poor recording or a muddy system but the results won't be great because they can't magically manufacture clarity or dynamic range that isn't there. Now some purists objected strenously to any "contamination" of the signal path but I am not one and I happily inserted a dual 10 band Yamaha equalizer into the system described above at a later point. Because I knew what I was doing I could make the system and the room work together a lot better than they had any right to. Second I feel "Audiophile" is rather a recent term. I never came across it in the 90s and 00s and the problem is in the definition you provide. This way it's whatever any individual feels it means to them. "Everyone gets a participation prize". We used the term "hi-fi" to differentiate any system that was focussed on listening satisfaction, where active listening and musical appreciation is involved and where the goal was to try to reproduce or recreate the recorded material as faithfully as possible. This is in contrast to systems for dancing to in clubs or background music or workout music or university dorm music etc. Case in point, in university I had an incredible Mitsubishi rig. It integrated a dual side playback linear tracking turntable with a laser cue function so you could program the order of tracks, a radio tuner and a 7 cassette magazine that could pick a cassette and auto cue to any track on either side. You could literally create a playlist from the 14 sides as long as you didn't mind long pauses and a lot of machinery sounds as it switched tapes, flipped the head and fast-forwarded or rewound back and forth to find the next track! Finally it came with a pair of large 2-way bookshelf speakers. The CD player was extra but it integrated into the rig, could be controlled by it and featured a carousel style magazine that accepted 5 CDs. It was a great sounding rig but it was definitely not high fidelity!
? A great follow up is to take this and price- efficiently improve it. What would next things make the most difference, incrementally? Good topic as some people like me would do this in my home office in addition to my main system. Suggest on streamers you review the interface as it is key as anything can send data as long as it's lossless. Wish my roku was lossless - TV interface (no idea why it isn't).
in the rough part of my life.. going for education living in a shared accomodation with numerous other students coming n going... using a Acer Aspire One AO722 AMD dual core system with a meager audio controller and 2 usb 1 2.0 and 1 usb 3.0 (audio quality was half a star), so i went online n looked for the cheapest Audio system, and easily found a 5 pound 3 USB 3.0 hub and a 2GBP USB audio adapter semi translucent. and that brought me immense gratification.
I particularly like how today's system takes future expansion/upgrades into consideration. Seems like it would be a great system as is, but with the potential to be expanded into an even better system just one component at a time. My first upgrade would probably be to save money and just get big used speakers locally. The sound of that would probably not be perfectly refined and "accurate," but I value wide frequency range more than precision.
That amp sounds really fantastic. For a "mid tier cheap system" I would vote for the Wiim mini ($90), the SMSL RAW-HA1 ($250), and Emotiva XB1 ($369). Then save up for the RSL 10E Subwoofer ($300). Phono preamp is missing, so would have to figure that out... but for an all-digital I think that is a pretty swell ($1009+tax) system for a FunFi Empire of your own!
A lot of butt heads have been giving you grief for reviewing expensive gear. I enjoy those reviews as much as the cheap gear. There are a finite number of cheap audio components out there and I do love seeing the really good stuff. Keep doing what you're doing Randy! I use the Wiim Mini with the optical out to a Schiit Modi 3+ and I am super happy!
I have one piece of advise if you're interested in having an amazing audiophile system for cheap. Really listen to what he said about buying used gear. Hi-fi tech hasn't developed much since the 80s-90s, especially when it comes to passive speakers. You can go a long way with 50-100$ and you probably don't even have to worry about compatibility or reliability. The build quality is usually much better too.
I have Wharfdale bookshelf speakers in the main room but was looking at a small bookshelf for a small back room, a friend in the US has said they love their new Mica MB42X G2. I simply on’t understand why these are not for sale in the UK
Even a better and cheaper option would be an Edifier 1700 plus Wiim nothing else required and virtually no wiring, also you don't need a power bric.. Excellent sound and value for money. It sports base and treble, blue tooth, analog in etc. Amplifiers are built into the speakers and uses DSP to split the sound between woofer and tweeter. They also look awsome and includes a subwoofer output port. I don't think any startup would beat it.
They do sound good and found them a great option, but think their missing a trick by not selling different different length speaker cables as their 4 pin connection is a odd size.
In my opinion, the best approach for building a great budget audio system is to focus on active speakers. For the source, a device like a WiiM streamer or a Raspberry Pi works perfectly. Pair the Raspberry Pi with a USB DAC or a DAC HAT, and you've got a convenient and versatile setup. Active speakers, like the Yamaha HS5 studio monitors, are an excellent choice. They offer fantastic sound quality without the need for a separate amplifier, keeping your system streamlined and cost-effective. It's a simple yet highly effective way to get great audio on a budget.
My Dad had an old receiver/amp system with 2 floor cabinet jbls from the 70s/80s. Would love to connect on how to upgrade the speakers if it's worth it and turn them into the powerhouses they deserve to be!
I have a set of Neumi BS5s. Great little speakers. Loved the video Randy. Audiophile should never equal snob. If you enjoy the sound you’re hearing on your gear in your room with your ears then it doesn’t matter what you spent on it.
0:43 I built the best system I've ever had by going to places like Goodwill and getting stuff. Dirt cheap The trick is you go to a Goodwill next to a very rich area. So in the rich old people die, none of the family members even bothered taking their stuff. Everything just gets donated to charity Built a setup that would shake my house so bad. I thought it might actually fall down for under $200 but there again used parts
I wish I knew someone with the Micca MB42's, because I own the RB42's and those are amazing little speakers. You don't realize how small they are, but how big they sound until you see them in person.
For some madness reason KEF Q100's were discontinued, but for a setup like this, and for a use case where front-ported speakers make sense, I absolutely love these things. Still sometimes available used. I run a similar setup with those, an SMSL amp and an old chromecast audio (also sadly discontinued of course).
Don't forget thrift shops for people on tight budgets. Just few months ago I bought a Technics SA 104, $10.00 and a pair of Sony SS-H3500, $14.00, all in excellent conditions. I connected them to a TV in a spare bedroom. Add a source or two like a Wiim Mini for $89.00 and a Blue Ray player for around $40.00 and/or a blue tooth adapter for another $10-15.00 and for less than $200.00 you'll have a very decent sounding system and the looks of a vintage receiver.
Presonus Eris 3.5BT or 4.5BT for $99 or $169 respectively are amazing for the money. I have the 3.5BT with their 8 inch sub and an SMSL M300SE DAC. They use TRS balanced inputs as well as RCA.
I picked up a pair of the xt20 at Best buy. Open box out the door for $130. I talked them down after seeing a cracked grill cover. Paired with a Emotiva Ta 1 integrated amp and a cheap polk sub. This is my daughter's system and rocks pretty good. All in for around $750
What would you recommend as an add on, or an alternative amp, that would give you more inputs? I've got a Denon AVR-790 amp that has my phono, TV HDMI and computer through RCA. It's been giving me issues for years, and I would love to move to a smaller form factor, but hopefully still be able to use my speakers and have the inputs necessary. And still sound good, of course!
Seems to be a pretty nice system. I got Edifier's R100T4, arround 600 BRL wich sits arround 100 dollars. Plus, talking about amps, I went with the Douk U10. Got plenty IEMS and I'm trying to build a good system while spending a medium ammount of money, this is not the cheapest hobby here in Brazil lol
I'm very happy with my below 300€ setup in the bedroom. I have a pair of Canton 426 (120) a Cambridge Azur 340 (140) and as source an Echo Dot 3rd Gen (30). It's all second hand but it sounds really good. I tried the Wiim Pro but I could not hear a difference on Amazon Music which is lossless so I sent it back.
Good morning great show but you forgot two things you can get 1 in the speaker you can get the new Dayton Audio Classic B65 Bookshelf Speaker great price for a pair for $70 good frequency response. Are if got little more money the Dayton Audio Classic T65 Floor-Standing Tower Speaker for pair $200 then you can add the Sony STRDH190 2-ch Home Stereo Receiver with Phono Inputs & Bluetooth for $150 wiim $90 then get a good sound system for $310 to $440 it depends on the speakers.
I have been faithfully following your channel, I have learned a lot. I want to start in the world of hifi audio, I have good equipment in the living room but I want one for my corner, in the office with a turntable. Between Nobsound HiFi Mini or an amplifier + Phono preamp + preamp, which would be the best choice (later one for steaming platform and DAC). If separated: AMP: Fosi Audio ZA3 PREAMP: Fosi Audio P3 Tube or IYIMA T1PRO PHONO PRE: AIYIMA T3PRO or Fosi Audio Box X4 Phono Preamp Or do I bet on a Yamaha AS301?
Thanks for your presentation. Love your approach to things. If I understand, I can buy the Nobsound, plug my Bluetooth receiver into an input via an RCA cable, connect my speakers and listen to music from my phone. Correct?
The WiiM seems like a privacy nightmare. Unless they open source their code, remove the microphone, and allow users to control if and when it gets updated, it is a no-go for me.
Ok Randy I wanna see musical fidelity M6si 500 vs advance paris A12. Ones about $4500 vs $3800. But you can pick up the music fidelity open box for around $3800. One doesn't have a Dac but most of us have a external one. Thanks to you I have a gesgelli labs j2 socketed with sparkos op amps.
I just found this channel through the almighty algorithm. Holy smokes what is your mic setup for your videos. I don't see a clip on mic, is there a boom overhead? It sounds great and it's invisible! (no way it's that mic in the background right?)
love your content, have watched for a while without subscribing, today I have! question: do any of the speakers from parts-express, specifically the diy kits like the c-note or overnight sensations(or whatever is the best diy kit they have now im woefully out of date on research) compare to the speakers you listing in this video? im off to check out some videos thank you again!
I looked at the WiiM Mini AirPlay 2 and noticed it only has an AUX out connection. The Douk Audio NS-13G amp looks like it only has RCA inputs for Phono & whatever source you will use. To connect the two devices I will need a 3.5mm Stereo Aux to 2 x RCA Audio Adapter cable correct? I like this basic setup for a desktop stereo setup.
It is nice to get a nice audio system, but two thing always come to my mind. First, is the price is such systems. Second, one’s ability to hear the difference.
I got this for x-mass, what do you think about this for my computer for only $220? S.M.S.L SU-1 (DAC) and Micca PB42X (Powered Speakers) They are low on bass, but they sound clear and have just enough bass to tolerate until I figure out to add a sub. The sub I want is: Kali Audio WS-6.2 Maybe by Summer.
If i were to pair the elac debut 3.0 in either 6.3 or 5.3 with a nobsound nsg13 max or fosi za3 amp, would i be missing out on what the speaker could output on better amps?
i consider getting NS13G Max amp, appreciate some advise - i have 2 inputs i'd like to connect to it - laptop (through external USB sound card) and Chromecast audio: does the phono input has some sort of preamp on it, or can it be used as a normal RCA input?
Ok…Christmas my grand daughter is sleeping in my music room…How do I listen to Tidel. I have a Google Pixel 6 with the USB Audio app putting hi-res audio through the usb connector to my IFI Zen dac (£130uk) plug in my reserve Grado headphones SR80x (£100uk). Sounds pretty good better than a Bluetooth speaker and for just around £230uk +- Obviously you need an android phone so sort of cheating.But a good cheap way to listen.
unfortunaly Micca MB42X not available in my country, came across the Kanto Passive 4 which is roughly the same size as the Micca, so is the kanto as good as the micca, or not worth it? not that much review on it
Will those components work on an old pair of Klipsh kg4’s I have? I’m looking for recommendations on setting them up for cheap and I mostly want to use Spotify.
For sure. Wiim has Spotify connect. But if your just going to stream also consider the aiyima a07 max or the Fosi tb10d. Check what power supply comes with them though. But with the Klipsch I’m sure those speakers are pretty efficient. Will save you about 50 bucks if you don’t care about the phone stage
Interesting comments on this vid. No one advocating op amp upgrades, thank goodness. I think Randy can stop flogging that dead horse. A few suggesting WiiM mini with powered speakers using DSP, which would be a very good option for the price. A few suggesting WiiM mini with>DAC>power amp and forget about phono. This too makes sense.
You are spot on correct. Audiophile to me is something that is determined by the listener regardless of price. My personal setup is a mid level Pioneer 5 1 2 receiver and Monoprice speakers, sub woofer included and its perfect for my small apartment. All the highs, lows, and booms one needs. (my personal experience) Thanks for showing that equipment that sounds good need not come with a mortgage attached. Keep the content coming.
And if you take a cheaper streamer, there are for retail 50 euro, you can offer speaker sets for 59 euro too. (Dali clones by Fenton). Real complete set.
I have 7000 cds ripped on my server and can play any or all of them on my Wiim. Your problem is likely the software that is presenting your songs to the Wiim. Maybe you're on the "free" version?
Personally I think your system always must be with a subwoofer, 8" 100 watt, crossing at 80herz. I use 3 systems...a streamer/dac/ amp from Aiyima, eGolden and Kinma. 2 JBL/Jamo/ Bamboo speakers and JBL/Vulcano/Altex subwoofers. Affordable investments and listening like a king. Streams by Qobuz and Spotify (90% for podcasts).
This is an excellent example of why your channel is valuable. The audiophile hobby journey will begin at different places for different people. You help beginners to find affordable gear that will allow them to experience varying characteristics of audio equipment. Helping people enter the hobby and enjoy the ongoing exploration is what you do and for that you are appreciated.
Thanks, really great video! I think everyone is excited to see the next videos:
1. Complete Hi-Fi system under 500
2. ... under 1000
3. ... under 1500
4. ... under 2000
You can make it even better, in 2 series: for small and big rooms
I just got the Douky amp 3 days ago based on the earlier review from this channel. When I work outdoors I used to open my house windows and sliding doors so I could hear stereo play. Now I have a little set up with this amp that stays in a pool house in the yard. It sounds great running two old Infinity primus BS speakers I had. Each connects to the amp with 50' of 16 gu outdoor speaker wire so I can orient the speakers based on my location in the yard. The amp really works well for my purpose.
Appreciate videos like this as well as "ValueAudioMan" ones where they aren't cheap but you get something for the $
Audio systems are like whiskey . . . The BEST whiskey? The one YOU like. It's as simple as that. That's why I love this channel. Randy offers a lot of options - some more expensive, some really pretty cheap. I have a really nice system (as far as I'm concerned - others may think mine is cheap), but real audiophiles don't mock other people's choices - no matter what they are. We embrace everyone who is interested in the same stuff we are.
The problem is that „what you like“ is related to „what you are used to“. I for sure couldn‘t tell the difference between a good cafe and a crappy one. Then I lived for 3 months with a coffee aficionado… took me another 3 months that I was back to normal and can now drink starbucks piss again without having to throw up. Exaggerating of course, but hopefully you get my point. There is nothing wrong with „what you like“ but there definitly is an objective (!) „good“ (and no, cheap Whiskey is not „good“. It gets the job done though …) 😉
That's all fair enough. I'm looking for the most affordable way to make loud and clear sounds across the audible, and down into sub audible spectra.
Wonderful (and free, as far as software goes) options for crafting your own music with a computer these days! Discount subwoofer from the local drugstore, cheap mixer/interface, some k5s, sennheiser monitor headphones, a Donner keyboard amplifier, korg nanokontrol2, laptop, and VCV rack for music/sound experiments/ blistering beats/audio terrorism.
It's great fun.
Yeah uhh no. Anechoically flat on axis. Linear directivity. THAT is what people prefer because THAT is accurate....
No one "prefers" to listen to a violin played through a tin can over the actual fking thing. Why would speakers be different???
In my opinion, an audiophile system is one which has been put together primarily for listening and enjoyment of music. Other systems are good for other purposes. But an audiophile system is laser focused on sounding good. At any price.
What a sensible comment😊
Most audiophiles online seem to want to listen to the system vs the music these days it seems :/
@@perkulant4629 100% true. It's more of a pissing contest than a genuine love for the music. So many are spunking huge amounts of money on gear just so they can "hear" a doormouse farting in the far left corner of Dizzy Gillespies crib.
Any price? Wrong
@@EskWIRED wrong
I turned up the volume a little bit. 63 dB at listening position… I’m in apartment so I don’t dare go much more. But wow this is better than just WiiM amp mk1… I haven’t even pulled em back to position yet. Couldn’t wait! Preeeety good!
Thanks so much!
i recommend RSL integrated amp ($110), Dayton Audio B65 classic bookshelf's ($70), plus Wiim mini ($90) ... all for $270.00
Dayton Bookshelf speakers are a heck of a deal for the money.
Second only to building your own, but that's another conversation entirely. ;)
Thanks for the review Cheap Audio Man. In reference to your video, regarding speakers around $100-$200 range...Fluance has a few decent bookshelf speakers ranging from $150-$200.
Edited note:
Hey bro! Happy New Year! Just wanted to give you an update on my attempts to implement your information… edutainment! ;-)
I got the Dayzee w max op amps. I got a bunch of good XLR cables on sale cheap. I got the WiiM Ultra. I got the monoblock Fosi v3 (x4). Paired the old remote (from retired WiiM Amp gen1) to the new streamer without any hassle, just because I could.
[Thankyou #1] yes the ultra works as volume control. 👍 (Bonus: now I have a clock in the room other than my watch.)
Here’s the good part: I was re-setting up the WiiM phone app to see the Ultra and it asked me what bit rate I wanted. 😄👍 I wasn’t sure, but I figured the Dayzee could handle max info. So max it is! It’s working!!!
While I was connecting the WiiM to my Amazon account for music, it asked me about bit rate, there, too. Max again. 👀 ooooooh. 👀oooh THAT’S new!😱
I got stick-on heat sink fins for the monoblocks. Cheap. I’m setting them on those wire mesh things from some baking sheets. Just to keep them above the shelf. We’ll see if anybody notices. (P.S. I’m sure I don’t care.)
I’m getting ready to read up and see how to get bits out of WiiM and into SMSL po100. It looks like the Toslink from SMSL has to be out to the dac. 🤔 But then how toslink in from streamer? I’m guessing it has to be USB C in, but this little doodad is too simple! 🤦♂️ Tiny! So far I’m happy without it…
…I gotta say, I’m not sure what I’ll do if this sound gets any better!
LAST question: I see a sub-out on the Ultra… What happens if I plug that into the RSL? I will prolly try it, but it feels like that’s too many pipes to sync and control. The RSL won’t come from the Dayzee data. How’s that gonna work? Can I just be dumb and hook up an RCA from Dayzee to RSL? Too much POWERRRR!!! 🤯🎄😵💫
Okay, now I’m gonna see what happens when I hook up (piling on) the old Zu speakers. 😂
Thank you so much!!!
@@cheapaudiomanYou’re too fast for me! I added a an actual note.
One item I rarely see mentioned is a simple rca source switch, throw on your blu ray/CD player, cassette or whatever if you don't have enough inputs on the amp. Cheap fun! Thanks Randy!
My CD is connected by optical to bypass the bad DAC in the CD player. Big difference than using the RCA connection. FYI.
You're ruining your sound that way. Just sayin. That's why it's rarely mentioned. You're better off not connecting that way.
I have a WiiM mini, Fosi TB10 and a goodwill find pair of speakers, for the garage gym all for under $200 (more like $180 after the coupons). Got this thanks to you! HD audio streaming Jungle and EDM while working out!
Great advice for little money, for someone starting out on a musical experience journey. Thank you so much for taking the time to make the effort to share this with us all , along with your appreciated perspectives. All the best to you and the family, Sir.
Agreed. Audiophile is such an arbitrary term. I have a WIIM mini I picked up on sale for $70 connected to a Schiit Modi DAC I found for $100 about a year ago which is connected to a pair of Klipsch Fives I found on sale for $400 about a year ago. For less than $600 I have a system I use daily that I feel sounds way better than the Yamaha receiver and speakers I paid over $1000 for over 20 years ago.
Those JBL stage a130 speakers from a few years ago are still Amazeballs! 🍻
Good job Randy. Remember some times you can get pieces at used audio shops or open box and get a lot of bang for the buck.
Well said Randy. No one has copyright on the term Audiophile. Nice recommendations of some quality audio systems, that do not cost a ton of money.🙂
I just upgraded from my lipsch promedia, that i had for 10+ year and loved, to the RSL 2.1...wow....it sounds really good! hoping to really test it once my kids and wife are back to work though...😀
I love my Fluance Signature HiFi 2-Way Bookshelf, they sound great with my Aiyima T9. They're available for about $170-200.
I followed his under 250 years ago. Still sounds great today. This guy knows his stuff.!!
For a $300ish system the Dayton Audio B65 classic speaker at $69 deserves a long look. This plus the NobSound amp and WiiM mini leaves you with enough to add a SMSL DAC…
I agree, the Dayton Audio B65 Classic is a great value at twice the price. It's also a really great looking speaker
I have B652s I wonder how close the two are?
I'm curious. I want to get rid of my Sony receiver. It's big. I want small. I currently have a Bluetooth receiver connected to it and steam sound from my phone. Can this Nobsound do the same thing?
@ In a word “yep”. The WiiM plus the Nob would then also let you use AirPlay instead of Bluetooth from your phone or stream Spotify, Amazon Music etc direct (meaning not via your phone).
@jemsmay2167 I don't use an iPhone or Amazon music but I'm guessing I can use a Bluetooth receiver as mentioned connected to my android and steam from my phone. Thank you!
what about Sony SSCS5? $149.99 on Amazon right now?
Haven't watched the whole video yet but I definitely clicked on the bait!
Edit. Great video! Just for comparison, I bought my first, entry level hi-fi 24 years ago and it still cost me £1000 and that was with an ex-demo integrated amp. Setup was a Marantz CD6000 OSE LE, Marantz PM 6010 OSE, QED gold interconnects, Cabletalk flat speaker cables and Mission 773 floorstanders. Had it nearly 20 years and with a bit of room treatment it happily brought the fight to much larger investment setups. Anyway, £1000 in 2001 is about £2100 / $2600 in today's money and conversely, $350 today would have been barely £130 / $180 in 2001. The very idea of getting any sort of 3 part system for that small amount would have been mind boggling at the time.
BTW I'll add a couple of rambling thoughts. Tone controls and equalizers are actually intended for rudimentary room correction, a bit like a modern DSP. They can be used to try to mask a poor recording or a muddy system but the results won't be great because they can't magically manufacture clarity or dynamic range that isn't there. Now some purists objected strenously to any "contamination" of the signal path but I am not one and I happily inserted a dual 10 band Yamaha equalizer into the system described above at a later point. Because I knew what I was doing I could make the system and the room work together a lot better than they had any right to.
Second I feel "Audiophile" is rather a recent term. I never came across it in the 90s and 00s and the problem is in the definition you provide. This way it's whatever any individual feels it means to them. "Everyone gets a participation prize". We used the term "hi-fi" to differentiate any system that was focussed on listening satisfaction, where active listening and musical appreciation is involved and where the goal was to try to reproduce or recreate the recorded material as faithfully as possible. This is in contrast to systems for dancing to in clubs or background music or workout music or university dorm music etc. Case in point, in university I had an incredible Mitsubishi rig. It integrated a dual side playback linear tracking turntable with a laser cue function so you could program the order of tracks, a radio tuner and a 7 cassette magazine that could pick a cassette and auto cue to any track on either side. You could literally create a playlist from the 14 sides as long as you didn't mind long pauses and a lot of machinery sounds as it switched tapes, flipped the head and fast-forwarded or rewound back and forth to find the next track! Finally it came with a pair of large 2-way bookshelf speakers. The CD player was extra but it integrated into the rig, could be controlled by it and featured a carousel style magazine that accepted 5 CDs. It was a great sounding rig but it was definitely not high fidelity!
? A great follow up is to take this and price- efficiently improve it. What would next things make the most difference, incrementally? Good topic as some people like me would do this in my home office in addition to my main system. Suggest on streamers you review the interface as it is key as anything can send data as long as it's lossless. Wish my roku was lossless - TV interface (no idea why it isn't).
in the rough part of my life.. going for education living in a shared accomodation with numerous other students coming n going... using a Acer Aspire One AO722 AMD dual core system with a meager audio controller and 2 usb 1 2.0 and 1 usb 3.0 (audio quality was half a star), so i went online n looked for the cheapest Audio system, and easily found a 5 pound 3 USB 3.0 hub and a 2GBP USB audio adapter semi translucent. and that brought me immense gratification.
Getting back to your roots. I like it!
I particularly like how today's system takes future expansion/upgrades into consideration. Seems like it would be a great system as is, but with the potential to be expanded into an even better system just one component at a time.
My first upgrade would probably be to save money and just get big used speakers locally. The sound of that would probably not be perfectly refined and "accurate," but I value wide frequency range more than precision.
That amp sounds really fantastic. For a "mid tier cheap system" I would vote for the Wiim mini ($90), the SMSL RAW-HA1 ($250), and Emotiva XB1 ($369). Then save up for the RSL 10E Subwoofer ($300). Phono preamp is missing, so would have to figure that out... but for an all-digital I think that is a pretty swell ($1009+tax) system for a FunFi Empire of your own!
A lot of butt heads have been giving you grief for reviewing expensive gear. I enjoy those reviews as much as the cheap gear. There are a finite number of cheap audio components out there and I do love seeing the really good stuff. Keep doing what you're doing Randy! I use the Wiim Mini with the optical out to a Schiit Modi 3+ and I am super happy!
OK, fine, then let's start calling him the "totally unaffordable audio man" and we can tone down on the complaints. Deal?
There is a finite number of anything. There's a giant swath of cheap/affordable equipment on the market with more being released all the time.
I am surprised you did not mention the Sony Sscs5 speakers showing at $150.00 pair on Amazon.
I have one piece of advise if you're interested in having an amazing audiophile system for cheap. Really listen to what he said about buying used gear. Hi-fi tech hasn't developed much since the 80s-90s, especially when it comes to passive speakers. You can go a long way with 50-100$ and you probably don't even have to worry about compatibility or reliability. The build quality is usually much better too.
I have Wharfdale bookshelf speakers in the main room but was looking at a small bookshelf for a small
back room, a friend in the US has said they love their new Mica MB42X G2. I simply
on’t understand why these are not for sale in the UK
Even a better and cheaper option would be an Edifier 1700 plus Wiim nothing else required and virtually no wiring, also you don't need a power bric.. Excellent sound and value for money. It sports base and treble, blue tooth, analog in etc. Amplifiers are built into the speakers and uses DSP to split the sound between woofer and tweeter. They also look awsome and includes a subwoofer output port. I don't think any startup would beat it.
They do sound good and found them a great option, but think their missing a trick by not selling different different length speaker cables as their 4 pin connection is a odd size.
In my opinion, the best approach for building a great budget audio system is to focus on active speakers. For the source, a device like a WiiM streamer or a Raspberry Pi works perfectly. Pair the Raspberry Pi with a USB DAC or a DAC HAT, and you've got a convenient and versatile setup.
Active speakers, like the Yamaha HS5 studio monitors, are an excellent choice. They offer fantastic sound quality without the need for a separate amplifier, keeping your system streamlined and cost-effective. It's a simple yet highly effective way to get great audio on a budget.
I'm building a campervan at the moment, this could be the perfect setup!
My Dad had an old receiver/amp system with 2 floor cabinet jbls from the 70s/80s. Would love to connect on how to upgrade the speakers if it's worth it and turn them into the powerhouses they deserve to be!
I have a set of Neumi BS5s. Great little speakers. Loved the video Randy. Audiophile should never equal snob. If you enjoy the sound you’re hearing on your gear in your room with your ears then it doesn’t matter what you spent on it.
0:43 I built the best system I've ever had by going to places like Goodwill and getting stuff. Dirt cheap
The trick is you go to a Goodwill next to a very rich area. So in the rich old people die, none of the family members even bothered taking their stuff. Everything just gets donated to charity
Built a setup that would shake my house so bad. I thought it might actually fall down for under $200 but there again used parts
I wish I knew someone with the Micca MB42's, because I own the RB42's and those are amazing little speakers. You don't realize how small they are, but how big they sound until you see them in person.
For some madness reason KEF Q100's were discontinued, but for a setup like this, and for a use case where front-ported speakers make sense, I absolutely love these things. Still sometimes available used.
I run a similar setup with those, an SMSL amp and an old chromecast audio (also sadly discontinued of course).
I added 7 Micca speakers for my small living room home theater 7.1......the Micca speakers are awesome!
Bought DALI Spector 2. I loved my decision.
Don't forget thrift shops for people on tight budgets. Just few months ago I bought a Technics SA 104, $10.00 and a pair of Sony SS-H3500, $14.00, all in excellent conditions. I connected them to a TV in a spare bedroom. Add a source or two like a Wiim Mini for $89.00 and a Blue Ray player for around $40.00 and/or a blue tooth adapter for another $10-15.00 and for less than $200.00 you'll have a very decent sounding system and the looks of a vintage receiver.
Presonus Eris 3.5BT or 4.5BT for $99 or $169 respectively are amazing for the money. I have the 3.5BT with their 8 inch sub and an SMSL M300SE DAC. They use TRS balanced inputs as well as RCA.
You are SO Crazy - and So Funny too. Not to mention informative. Cool. Glad I'm subscribed
I would look at Polk Audio XT-15 speakers. $175 in Canada, they have to be cheaper in the USA.
I picked up a pair of the xt20 at Best buy. Open box out the door for $130. I talked them down after seeing a cracked grill cover. Paired with a Emotiva Ta 1 integrated amp and a cheap polk sub. This is my daughter's system and rocks pretty good. All in for around $750
London Drugs can sometimes have steep discounts on speakers and stereo components. I found a massive subwoofer discounted by 50% there in the summer.
What would you recommend as an add on, or an alternative amp, that would give you more inputs?
I've got a Denon AVR-790 amp that has my phono, TV HDMI and computer through RCA. It's been giving me issues for years, and I would love to move to a smaller form factor, but hopefully still be able to use my speakers and have the inputs necessary. And still sound good, of course!
Seems to be a pretty nice system. I got Edifier's R100T4, arround 600 BRL wich sits arround 100 dollars. Plus, talking about amps, I went with the Douk U10. Got plenty IEMS and I'm trying to build a good system while spending a medium ammount of money, this is not the cheapest hobby here in Brazil lol
I'm very happy with my below 300€ setup in the bedroom. I have a pair of Canton 426 (120) a Cambridge Azur 340 (140) and as source an Echo Dot 3rd Gen (30). It's all second hand but it sounds really good. I tried the Wiim Pro but I could not hear a difference on Amazon Music which is lossless so I sent it back.
Good morning great show but you forgot two things you can get 1 in the speaker you can get the new Dayton Audio Classic B65 Bookshelf Speaker great price for a pair for $70 good frequency response. Are if got little more money the Dayton Audio Classic T65 Floor-Standing Tower Speaker for pair $200 then you can add the Sony STRDH190 2-ch Home Stereo Receiver with Phono Inputs & Bluetooth for $150 wiim $90 then get a good sound system for $310 to $440 it depends on the speakers.
My Sonos is incredible wasn't cheap for me but probably pennies to you but best ive heard from alot of speakers
Here we go:
Arilyc S10+: $69.00
Aiyiima T3: $50.39 (with 10% discount)
Leaudio Cattle Pro: $ 79.99
Neumi Silk: $149.99
All separates...all upgradable
I have been faithfully following your channel, I have learned a lot.
I want to start in the world of hifi audio, I have good equipment in the living room but I want one for my corner, in the office with a turntable.
Between Nobsound HiFi Mini or an amplifier + Phono preamp + preamp, which would be the best choice (later one for steaming platform and DAC).
If separated:
AMP: Fosi Audio ZA3
PREAMP: Fosi Audio P3 Tube or IYIMA T1PRO
PHONO PRE: AIYIMA T3PRO or Fosi Audio Box X4 Phono Preamp
Or do I bet on a Yamaha AS301?
Kali audio LP-6 (powered speakers at $200 each) with the Wiim mini. I’m enjoying this setup in a small workout space.
I'm not an audiophile I just hate bad sounding things.
You are an audiophile if you listen to music, collect, for whatever reason.
Thanks for your presentation. Love your approach to things. If I understand, I can buy the Nobsound, plug my Bluetooth receiver into an input via an RCA cable, connect my speakers and listen to music from my phone. Correct?
Great overview, thanks!
Any advise on the eARC capable setup, please? (clearly, it will cost more)
The WiiM seems like a privacy nightmare. Unless they open source their code, remove the microphone, and allow users to control if and when it gets updated, it is a no-go for me.
Randy should lean into “Cheap Audiophile”
just wondering, if a powered studio monitor (Ex: Adam Audio T5V) along with wiim mini could do better in terms of sound stage and quality.
I got the Kef Q150 second hand for $220 and the Aiyima T9 pro for $120 and I love them! For source I use a Raspberry pi 4 😊
I like words like ambiguity. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas
I'm using fosi tpa3116 + wiim mini driving various speakers around the house with roon for an inexpensive background music system.
I miss the old wobbly table
And the Polk RT -15 speaker stands. 😂
Yeah good call on used. I found a mint pair of k5 klassics for about 1/4 retail, only missing power cables on the marketplace.
Ok Randy I wanna see musical fidelity M6si 500 vs advance paris A12. Ones about $4500 vs $3800. But you can pick up the music fidelity open box for around $3800. One doesn't have a Dac but most of us have a external one. Thanks to you I have a gesgelli labs j2 socketed with sparkos op amps.
Best speaker cable to put with this... on a budget?
I just found this channel through the almighty algorithm. Holy smokes what is your mic setup for your videos. I don't see a clip on mic, is there a boom overhead? It sounds great and it's invisible! (no way it's that mic in the background right?)
Ok now! This is the kind of video I'm here for. This might help me fix my current gaming PC situation. Maybe.
love your content, have watched for a while without subscribing, today I have!
question: do any of the speakers from parts-express, specifically the diy kits like the c-note or overnight sensations(or whatever is the best diy kit they have now im woefully out of date on research) compare to the speakers you listing in this video? im off to check out some videos thank you again!
I looked at the WiiM Mini AirPlay 2 and noticed it only has an AUX out connection. The Douk Audio NS-13G amp looks like it only has RCA inputs for Phono & whatever source you will use. To connect the two devices I will need a 3.5mm Stereo Aux to 2 x RCA Audio Adapter cable correct? I like this basic setup for a desktop stereo setup.
It is nice to get a nice audio system, but two thing always come to my mind. First, is the price is such systems. Second, one’s ability to hear the difference.
Is there a particular reason why you chose the nobsound amp instead of the fosi za3 winner of budget amp of the year for this system?
I'm assuming it's about bang for buck. The amp you mention is 2x120w and the nobsound is 2x300w.
I got this for x-mass, what do you think about this for my computer for only $220?
S.M.S.L SU-1 (DAC) and Micca PB42X (Powered Speakers) They are low on bass, but they sound clear and have just enough bass to tolerate until I figure out to add a sub. The sub I want is: Kali Audio WS-6.2 Maybe by Summer.
If i were to pair the elac debut 3.0 in either 6.3 or 5.3 with a nobsound nsg13 max or fosi za3 amp, would i be missing out on what the speaker could output on better amps?
I'm getting rid of active speakers. I'm leaving the wiim ultra and buying the Elac debiut 3.0 DB63 and Rotel A8.
i consider getting NS13G Max amp, appreciate some advise -
i have 2 inputs i'd like to connect to it - laptop (through external USB sound card) and Chromecast audio:
does the phono input has some sort of preamp on it, or can it be used as a normal RCA input?
Y'all should evaluate the new(-ish) Dayton Audio T52 tower speakers ($200 per pair).
Amazing how quickly these thing come and go on Amazon. Only posted 7 days ago and already unavailable
Living room A/V -- running a Fosi BT20A-PRO with some early 1980s JBL Model L96 speakers
Ok…Christmas my grand daughter is sleeping in my music room…How do I listen to Tidel. I have a Google Pixel 6 with the USB Audio app putting hi-res audio through the usb connector to my IFI Zen dac (£130uk) plug in my reserve Grado headphones SR80x (£100uk). Sounds pretty good better than a Bluetooth speaker and for just around £230uk +- Obviously you need an android phone so sort of cheating.But a good cheap way to listen.
Are the ceiling Miccas any good?
unfortunaly Micca MB42X not available in my country, came across the Kanto Passive 4 which is roughly the same size as the Micca, so is the kanto as good as the micca, or not worth it? not that much review on it
Audiophile and streaming?
Amazon UK HAVE Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers Carbon Fibre Pair { 129.00 POUNDS uk}
Don't most budget turntables already come with a phono pre-amp stage these days?
Randy really knows how to sell things
He thinks he does😅
Will those components work on an old pair of Klipsh kg4’s I have? I’m looking for recommendations on setting them up for cheap and I mostly want to use Spotify.
For sure. Wiim has Spotify connect. But if your just going to stream also consider the aiyima a07 max or the Fosi tb10d. Check what power supply comes with them though. But with the Klipsch I’m sure those speakers are pretty efficient. Will save you about 50 bucks if you don’t care about the phone stage
What's your onion on Klipsch?
Interesting comments on this vid. No one advocating op amp upgrades, thank goodness. I think Randy can stop flogging that dead horse. A few suggesting WiiM mini with powered speakers using DSP, which would be a very good option for the price. A few suggesting WiiM mini with>DAC>power amp and forget about phono. This too makes sense.
I do not understand how the op amps are mounted in the amplifier so you can roll them around.
What, no Sonys??? 😅
Randy love your T shirt ( and videos) but were did you get it?😃
You are spot on correct. Audiophile to me is something that is determined by the listener regardless of price. My personal setup is a mid level Pioneer 5 1 2 receiver and Monoprice speakers, sub woofer included and its perfect for my small apartment. All the highs, lows, and booms one needs. (my personal experience) Thanks for showing that equipment that sounds good need not come with a mortgage attached. Keep the content coming.
And if you take a cheaper streamer, there are for retail 50 euro, you can offer speaker sets for 59 euro too. (Dali clones by Fenton). Real complete set.
You should talk about the WiiM and how it is not able to see more than 500 songs on your hard drive.
I have 7000 cds ripped on my server and can play any or all of them on my Wiim. Your problem is likely the software that is presenting your songs to the Wiim. Maybe you're on the "free" version?
can you use this with a pc computer with a headset?
Great video! Thanks man!
Personally I think your system always must be with a subwoofer, 8" 100 watt, crossing at 80herz. I use 3 systems...a streamer/dac/ amp from Aiyima, eGolden and Kinma. 2 JBL/Jamo/ Bamboo speakers and JBL/Vulcano/Altex subwoofers.
Affordable investments and listening like a king. Streams by Qobuz and Spotify (90% for podcasts).
Great system, but no FM tuner 😱 LOL I barely even use that in the car nowadays.
Uh .... That newegg link for the Micca MB42x G2 is nearly $100 more than on Amazon....