| David,
Surely the only way is by 'listening'? It's a very personal thing, and
no-one hears the same as you do....likes and dislikes only come to
light when you have things to compare, so a visit to a decent
Audio/Hi-Fi shop is probably the best way.
Obviously the magazines/reviews can help with regard to
durability/design etc, and recommendations from friends, but
really it's down to your ears and what 'facilities' you require at the end
of the day.
Tim
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| Well, IMHO you probably have to decide a few things up front;
1) What your budget is realistically going to be?
2) What your primary listening media is going to be; CD, tape etc
3) What type of music do you want to listen to; Rock, classical etc
I agree with .-1 in as much as a visit to sensible shop might help,
but only if they demo a limited number of options within your budget.
They should demo the most appropriate in your budget range NOT their
personal favourites as every salesman hears the same thing
differently...
Enjoy,
R
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| Don't let ANY salesperson tell you what is best. If you think a �100
pound pair of speakers sound better than a �2000 pair, great get 'em!
Any salesperson who tries to tell you what is the best is being over
cocky, and probably not worth your time. Sure, they can recommend, but
it's you ears that have to listen to the equipment.
Also the 'real' hi-fi shops should let you borrow equipment, take it
home and check out how it sounds in your own home.
greg
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| I would say that you must have some marker in order to decide what
is better or not. I mean that you need to listen carefully to some records
you particularly appreciate, and ask to listen to them during the demos.
On average systems, nothing happens, you feel it's just louder, or just
more brilliant. But sometimes something happens, you discover things you never
heard before, you discover a perspective you never perceive before: You are
beginning to find something better for your ears. Generally, when it happens,
you feel yourself in front of a musical scene, the envelope of which is bigger
than the space between the 2 speakers. The sounds does not seem coming out of
two points. It's a volumic sensation. And within this volume you identify
each musician. Finally, listen to a kind of music you don't particularly
appreciate. If you find it pleasant, then the miracle is performed, that's the
system you're looking for! You can listen to anything other than music on such
a system: applauses, key clicks on a saxo, a string too heavily pinched on a
guitar, the conductor turning the pages of his scores, or even singing to
him/herself the notes ...
Remember that subjective quality is what you are looking for and that
objective quality is *sometimes* boring to listen to. It means that what is
better for your ears is not necessarily expensive.
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