7 replies to this topic

[blacklikesunday]

i'm hoping someone could do a top 5 or 10 list on the best brands when it comes to amps and speakers, as far as music listening goes?
i'm obviously not an audiophile even though i love music very much. so the only brands that i associated with top end components are rotel, kenwood, and bose. now i've an idea that kenwood's popularity and quality was something that was in the past?
i have seen a number of posts elsewhere where people take the mick out of bose, don't know if thats warranted?

[:)]

bose is over priced. kenwood non existent for a long time. rotel is well made stuff that doesnt cost the earth.

there is no such thing as best. no top 5 or top 10.

we all make our own value judgement. and best for some will not be the case for others. one mans wine another vinegar and all that.

my best suggestion head out to a few specialist stores check otu what they might have to offer within your budget  - most import piece. no point looking at ferrari's that might be considered the best when best can afford is a vw or a toyota. checking out stuff will also give you a feel for how much need to spend to get the kind of thing looking for. its a subjective call. only you can make

[jliang70]

brent ford, on 22 April 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

i'm hoping someone could do a top 5 or 10 list on the best brands when it comes to amps and speakers, as far as music listening goes?
i'm obviously not an audiophile even though i love music very much. so the only brands that i associated with top end components are rotel, kenwood, and bose. now i've an idea that kenwood's popularity and quality was something that was in the past?
i have seen a number of posts elsewhere where people take the mick out of bose, don't know if thats warranted?

Kenwood is certainly not a maker of top end components.  I think everyone will have a different opinion on what they considered as top 5 or top 10 brands when it comes to amps and speakers and it is pointless in listing them.  If you are buying a new system whether it is above $5000 or $10000 it is best to decide a budget then start research and shortlist your components and start your audition process.

[blacklikesunday]

i understand what you mean about not really being able to name a top 10, unfortunately i've always had a thing for lists!!!
while i think of it, bang olufsen, thats one other brand i've always thought of as one of the better ones, dunno if its true or not?

[Cafad]

Hi Brent, mate there are so many manufacturers out there, that it is likely a forum like this would not be able to agree upon a top 50 list, let alone a top 10 one.  A value for money list might be a bit easier though, I'm sure most people would agree that Rotel would be on a high value for money list.

[miata]

brent ford, on 23 April 2012 - 01:23 AM, said:

i understand what you mean about not really being able to name a top 10, unfortunately i've always had a thing for lists!!! while i think of it, bang olufsen, thats one other brand i've always thought of as one of the better ones, dunno if its true or not?

Bang & Olufsen might be good but it's dreadfully overpriced. You can pay anywhere from $300 to over $100,000 for an amplifier and speakers cover a similar range, you might like to look at amplifiers from Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo, to name a few and speakers from Jamo, Klipsch etc.. Most  important though, go to  a proper Hi-Fi shop, not a place that pretends to be a Hi-Fi shop, like JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman and listen. Take music that you know well, preferably something that you've heard performed live and that will help you choose a combination that gets close to the "correct" sound.

[Quark]

Brent, if you mention where you live people can recommend some nearby HiFi shops.

As for comparing the best HiFi, it's pointless without setting a budget.

Finally, I'd add that good sound is more than just the hardware - you need material that's had some decent mastering.  Modern non-classical CDs are mostly appalling - the current fashion is to massively compress dynamic range (this is how TV ads are made so LOUD), boost the treble and often reduce the bass (unless metal or club) so it doesn't destroy low end systems - makes for very fatiguing listening.  For some decently mastered non-classical material, try Audio Fidelity, Analogue Productions and Mobile Fidelity - mostly available from Amazon and other on-line US outlets.

[Chicken Man]

That is so true, unless you have access to decently recorded material what is the point of spending the big dollars on expensive gear if the outcome is just better reproduction of poor and almost unlistenable recordings.

It's hardly HiFi if the Studios don't particularly care about the end product they market. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule but most CD's are just 'doctored' replica's of ' what might have been '.

C.M  

Edited by Chicken Man, 23 April 2012 - 07:01 PM.