Latin America. Many people have the idea that the formation of a high-fidelity audio system means the disbursement of large sums of money. While it is true that buying a HiFi equipment is not cheap, today it is possible to find hundreds – if not thousands – of possibilities with all budgets.
The Mexican company Multimedia made the following recommendations:
1. We must select the room which we will dedicate as a musical listening space, this should be comfortable and well lit. If it is a closed room it works better, if it is an open space good results can also be achieved. This will have a lot to do with the size of our house or apartment and our habits of coexistence if we have a partner or children. There is not much science and we must rely on common sense: large room will allow us to install large speakers, a towers attached to the floor, while a small room will lead us to the purchase of small speakers, also called standmount or compact monitors.
2. Some speakers should be able to musically recreate any type of music, however there are brands and models that due to their characteristics are more suitable to offer dynamics and good bass response and others bet more on neutrality, resolution details or extension in treble. Remember that the only important specifications are minimum impedance and sensitivity. The higher these values, the more "easy" the speakers would be to amplify. Everything will depend on your budget but you can buy compact shelf monitors and then add one or two subwoofers and you would spend less and in stages. If you have no problem investing, you can go once and for all for some towers of good brand, this if your space allows it.
3. Buy the best amplifier you can. Power, not being a standardized value, can be very misleading. If possible, listen to various amplifiers with the speakers you have chosen. If you can't, find out very well in specialized magazines and in forums or social networks, because it is not the same to listen to a team for two weeks than to live together months or years, time in which they reveal all their problems. Imagine testing a car or doing a review from a real owner. Bulb amplifiers can be very attractive for that velvety and warm sound, just keep in mind that they are very delicate in their maintenance. If you want to go to safety, a transistor amplifier (or solid-state) is a very wise investment.
4. Choose your favorite audio source. As much as turntables are in vogue, it's not worth spending a fortune if you don't have many vinyl records. The same applies to a compact disc reader. Analyze which source will be your priority and use your greatest resource there. It can be a dedicated streaming with access to on-demand music platforms, or your computer with local hard drives and a good DAC (analog digital converter).
5. Never forget to protect the system with a suitable regulator and line conditioner. Today variations in voltage and current are responsible for most of the misfortunes for audio enthusiasts. Check the electrical installation of your house. Buy a quality product of recognized brand.
6. Join fan clubs on social media, but don't strictly believe everything people say or write. Don't believe in magical or esoteric solutions that only seek to sell you hundreds of dollars in "mirrors." Experiment and use your common sense. The sound should please you and only you.
7. Nowadays it is very worth buying physical formats if that is your passion, the truth is that there are good prices and products that will never return. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of absolute streaming, do not worry, the digital and virtual possibilities to enjoy music are endless.
8. Help yourself improve your room with simple tips on basic acoustics. The search for balance should be your priority. It is possible to improve the acoustics with rugs, carpets, blinds, curtains, paintings, bookcases, armchairs and more. If you start to get more fussy, you can turn to professionals to analyze your room and execute the balance sought with some absorbent and reflective panels that they will place conscientiously on the walls and ceiling of your room.
9. Have fun. Don't become a bigoted, technical, lonely audiophile. Share your records with your family or friends. Remember that you buy a HiFi or High End system to listen to music, not to show off the "irons". The important thing is the trip, not the destination.
