Half the battle in choosing the best hi-fi components is in knowing what to look for, especially if our options are limited by our finances. In this months blog, we seek to offer some unbiased buying advice, especially for those on tighter budgets.

Your friendly local Audio T has been the starting point for countless hi-fi journeys over the decades. And for good reason.

At Audio T, honest advice (and remember there’s no such thing as a stupid question) is free and you can try before you buy in one of our comfy demo rooms (coffee and tea included). We even offer Home demonstrations and loans.

Whilst purchasing online has its advantages and convenience, nothing quite replaces hearing a component or system for yourself before making a decision. If you're already familiar with a particular product and know its sound well, then buying online can be straightforward. However, if you're investing in something new, taking the time to listen first can help ensure you choose equipment that suits both your tastes and your expectations.

So, what things should you consider when looking for a great value hi-fi system?

Value for money

Given the current cost of living, price is obviously a major factor for many. But it’s worth remembering that price and value for money can be two very different things.

Whilst we will always try to suggest an audio solution that fits your budget, we also appreciate you may be smitten by a system that costs a little bit more than you were originally looking to spend. So, we understand that many customers may prefer the option of spreading payments, so we offer a range of finance options.

What to do?

Well, if you don’t want to go down the finance route then you might consider staggering your purchases. This is easy if you have existing hi-fi.

So, for example, you could buy the turntable or amp you really like and use them with your existing speakers until you’re ready to buy new speakers. Or buy the turntable and speakers and keep your amp for the time being. You get the picture.

That is one of the advantages of hi-fi separates. It is essentially a modular system, allowing you to upgrade components – speakers, amp, streamer, turntable, CD player, cables etc – when required and/or finances permit.

It is usually better to take your time and build the system you really want rather than compromise simply because something is cheap or immediately available.

A hi-fi system works best when its components complement each other, so it's worth choosing products because you enjoy the way they sound together, not just because they fit a budget or happen to be on offer. Listening before you buy can help ensure you're investing in equipment you'll be happy with for years to come.

Sound quality

What floats one person’s boat in terms of sound, may leave another unimpressed. In short, how we like our music to sound is highly personal.

That said, there are certain fundamental characteristics that separate good quality sound reproduction from the poor.

Hopefully this brief guide will help.

Detail – The more detail a system can reveal, the more of the recording you'll hear. You may know there's a second guitar line in the background, but can you hear it clearly? Can you pick out individual voices within a harmony? Good hi-fi helps uncover the subtleties the artist intended you to hear.

Tonality – Tonality is about how natural instruments and voices sound. Does a cymbal shimmer realistically? Does a singer sound rich and expressive, or thin and lifeless? A good hi-fi system should reproduce music in a way that feels authentic and believable.

Soundstage – Most music is mixed in stereo, with instruments and voices placed across an imaginary stage. A capable hi-fi system recreates this sense of space, allowing you to picture performers spread out in front of you rather than everything coming from a single point. The best systems also add a convincing sense of depth and height.

Separation – Separation is the ability to distinguish individual instruments and voices, even during busy passages. A well-designed system allows you to follow different musical lines easily, rather than everything blending together into a wall of sound.

Dynamics – Music isn't meant to be played at one intensity. A good hi-fi system should capture the difference between delicate, quiet moments and powerful crescendos, giving music a greater sense of scale, drama and emotion.

Timing – Timing is often overlooked, but it's fundamental to musical enjoyment. When every note starts and stops exactly when it should, music sounds tight, coherent and engaging. Get the timing right and everything else tends to fall into place.

These are the qualities we look for when assessing hi-fi systems, but there is no single 'correct' way for music to sound. Different systems place different emphasis on these characteristics, which is why some people prefer one presentation over another. The important thing is finding a system that delivers these fundamentals in a way that appeals to you.

Listening

The importance of auditioning new hi-fi cannot be overstated. Each Audio T store has at least one demonstration room so customers can listen to and compare components before buying.

Our customers tend to bring in their own records or CDs or to stream music that they know well so that they can make informed judgements about the sound of the components or systems they are listening to.

The key to a good demo is keeping things simple. Try to compare only two or three components at a time, otherwise it can become difficult to remember what you heard. If you already have a specific product in mind and simply want to hear it before making a decision, then the process becomes even easier.

It also helps to bring a small selection of music you know well. Perhaps choose an acoustic track to assess tonality, a busy rock or orchestral piece to test separation and dynamics, and a particularly well-recorded track to judge detail and soundstage.

Even with a carefully planned demo, comparing hi-fi isn't always straightforward. You may find yourself switching back and forth between components, listening to the same section of music repeatedly, only to discover that one component excels in one area while another shines elsewhere.

When that happens, it can help to stop analysing and simply listen to the music. Which system draws you in? Which one makes you want to hear another track?

More often than not, customers choose the system they enjoy listening to the most, and that isn't always the one with the most detail or the widest soundstage. The best hi-fi system is usually the one that makes you want to keep playing music.

Quality hi-fi on a budget

To get you started, here are a few examples of components and systems that offer excellent performance without breaking the bank.

Vinyl – Rega's turntable range starts with the excellent Planar 1 and extends all the way to the flagship Naia. If you're looking for a complete vinyl-based system, the Rega System One is a tempting package that includes a Planar 1 turntable, IO amplifier, Kyte speakers and speaker cable. Audio-Technica and Pro-ject also offer some excellent value turntables.

CD – Denon and Marantz remain go-to brands for affordable CD players, with models such as the Denon DCD-600NE, DCD-900NE and Marantz CD6007 proving consistently popular. Other strong contenders include the Advance Paris X-CD7, Arcam CD5, Pro-Ject CD Box S3 and Rotel CD11.

Streaming – WiiM has made a big impact in recent years with products such as the Mini, Pro and Ultra, offering an affordable route into music streaming. The WiiM Amp Ultra also provides a simple just-add-speakers solution.

If your budget allows, Bluesound offers a worthwhile step up in performance, with the Node Nano, Node Gen 4 and Powernode Edge all delivering excellent sound quality and ease of use.

All-in-one systems – While all-in-one systems inevitably offer fewer upgrade options than traditional separates, they can represent excellent value for those seeking simplicity and convenience. Models such as the Advance Paris MyConnect 60, Denon Ceol RCD-N12 and Marantz MCR612 only require a pair of speakers to complete the system. If you'd prefer an all-in-one solution with speakers included, the Ruark R3S is an excellent choice.

Smart speaker options – Smart speakers have come a long way in recent years and can be an excellent choice for those who don't have the space for separates or simply prefer a cleaner, more minimalist look. WiiM is producing some particularly impressive products in this category. Pair a WiiM Sound and a Sound Lite with a WiiM Sub Pro and you have a compact streaming stereo system capable of delivering surprising scale, weight and musical enjoyment.

Conclusion

While specifications, reviews and recommendations can all be useful, nothing tells you more about a piece of hi-fi equipment than listening to it for yourself. After all, the most important question isn't whether a product is good, but whether it delivers the sound you're looking for.

This is just as true if you're putting together a modest first system as it is if you're investing in high-end separates. The aim is always the same: to get the best sound your budget will allow.

That's why we always encourage customers to listen before making a decision whenever possible. At the Portsmouth store, we can demonstrate a wide range of equipment and help you compare different options in a relaxed environment.

If you'd like to discuss your requirements or arrange a listening session, drop us an email at portsmouth@audio-t.co.uk or call us on 02392 663604.

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