Beginner’s Guide to Hi-Fi Stereo System
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Stereo means a system of recording or reproducing sound that uses two channels, each playing a portion of the original sound in such a way as to create the illusion of locating the sound at a particular position, each offset from the other, thereby more accurately imitating the location of the original sound when the recorded or reproduced sound is heard.
When you listen in stereo, recorded music sounds more like a live performance. It is a feeling you won’t get from a single wireless speaker.
High fidelity (often shortened to Hi-Fi or HiFi) is a term used by listeners, audiophiles, and home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality reproduction of sound.
Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) frequency response within the human hearing range.
The one main advantage that a hi-fi system has over all the other high quality audio options out there is that you can build it to feature exactly what you want.
Not only that, but each unit you include in your system has one specific task to perform and can focus on doing it really well. This will give you a much more superior sounding result.
Building a Stereo System:
There are thousands of different combinations of Stereo System components, in the market, to choose from while building your ideal Stereo System.
Check out Stereo Packages
A Stereo System is ideally made up of a:
I) Source (CD Player, Turntable or a Digital Streamer)
II) Stereo Amplifier (some have an built-in phono preamp & a digital streamer)
III) Pair of speakers
1. Source:
The most important of audio components in your stereo system is the source component i.e. cd player, A/V Receiver or Turntable.
The quality of the musical signal coming out of this first component defines the ultimate ability of any stereo system.
Balance as much as individual quality is of vital essence while putting together a Stereo System.
A. Turntable is an instrument for reproducing sounds by means of the vibrations of a stylus following the grooves of a record.
B. CD Player plays audio compact discs, which are a digital optical data storage format.
C. Digital Streamer is a hardware capable of digital music playback.
2. Stereo Amplifier:
The purpose of a stereo amplifier is to receive a small electrical signal and have that signal sent to the speakers.
3. Pair of speakers:
Speakers are transducers that convert electromagnetic waves into sound waves. The speakers can receive audio input from a Pre-amp (Active Speakers), stereo amplifier (Passive Speakers) or directly from a turntable.
There are two major category of speakers concerning us:
A. Active Speakers have a built-in power amplifier and just need a power source or battery to operate. If you want a speaker that can play loud with lots of bass or you want to be able to stream wirelessly to it, then an active speaker will fit your bill.
B. Passive Speakers draw their power from an external amplifier and are connected to that amp via speaker wire. A pair of passive stereo speakers is the purest way to listen to music and our recommendation for anyone looking to get into records.
A few key factors to consider when putting together a stereo system:
1. Budget:
The most important question here is what will you be using your system for. If you are the kind who plays music from their smartphone or an iPad, then you will likely want your source with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
If you mostly love listening to music on vinyl, then you will need to think about purchasing a Turntable along with a Stereo Amplifier (with or without a phono preamp).
Keep in mind that a standalone phone preamp will ensure great versatility when upgrading in the future. If Digital music is your way of listening to your favourite artists, then we recommend investing in a well featured music streamer.
2. Choosing the right speakers:
There are a variety of speakers to choose from across many brands. Although the number of options can feel a little intimidating, narrowing down the speaker type you want helps move the process along.
Speakers are classified as active (in-built power amplifier) and passive (drawing power from an external amp). If you want a speaker that can play loud with a lot of bass or you want to be able to stream wirelessly to it, then an active speaker will fit the bill.
A passive stereo pair of speakers is the purest way to listen to music and recommended for anyone looking to get into records.
If space and budget are your concern then bookshelf speakers are the way to go as compared with floor standing speakers.
3. Matching with right components:
For best results, match speakers with an amplifier or receiver that can deliver the right amount of power. If it's a mix-and-match situation, more fine-tuning may be needed.
4. Acoustics:
Bare rooms have too much reflective space which causes bad sound. This can be avoided by using rugs, carpets and curtains in your room.
The speakers should form an equilateral triangle with your listening position. Some speakers sound best when near or up against a wall, while others do well when given more breathing room.
Set aside funds for quality speaker cables, interconnect cables, power cables, speaker stands and A/V racks. A good support will let your system perform optimally.
Stereo Setup Configurations:
A phono pre-amplifier is required only in case of a turntable without a built-in pre-amp.
A CD Player and Digital Streamers can be connected to speakers without the need of a phono pre-amp.
DACs:
DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter.
A DAC works by converting a digital audio signal into an analog signal, allowing you to play the sound over headphones or speakers. A digital-to-analog converter makes it possible to listen to music stored in digital formats.
DACs often do a much better job at providing improved audio quality than standalone devices. Whether or not you need an additional DAC is largely dependent on your existing setup.
For listening to music from a digital source : a smartphone or an iPad or a computer, it is highly recommended to use a DAC, as an interface, to connect the source to the amplifier for a pleasurable listening experience.
Wireless Speakers:
Some wireless multi-room speakers can be linked together in stereo mode. If you already have a wireless speaker, check to see if you can pair it with another identical speaker.
Speaker Placement:
The speakers should form an equilateral triangle with your listening position.
Bare rooms have too much reflective space which causes bad sound. This can be avoided by using rugs, carpets and curtains in your room.
Regardless of whether you have floor-standing speakers or stand-mounted speakers, the best place to start is by optimizing your speaker setup for the best bass response in the room. Get your favorite bass-heavy track ready to go, whether streaming or playing from your turntable, so you can really hear what your speakers are doing.
Some speakers sound best when near or up against a wall, while others do well when given more breathing room. Try to avoid placing your speakers in a corner. It may be convenient spatially, but you’ll almost certainly get fat, lumpy bass that will skew the whole balance of the sound.
How much should you spend on cables?
10% of your total budget should be allotted for cables. There are mainly three types of cables you will require to complete your stereo setup.
There are 3 types of cables you have to consider while setting up a Hi-Fi Stereo System:
1. Speaker Cables:
Used for electrical connections between speakers and amplifier sources.
2. Interconnect Cable:
Connects source components to the amplifier.
3. Power Cable:
Helps to enhance the audio experience by lowering the ground noise level resulting in more audio clarity and cleaner optics.
Final Thoughts:
When you listen to music on a high fidelity stereo system, you are listening as close to a reproduction of that music as possible. If you weren’t in the recording studio when your favorite artists actually laid down the tracks for your favourite album, then this is the next big thing.
Hi-Fi audio makes certain that signals are converted without loss in fidelity while compressed formats like mp3 take out bits of signal to reduce file size.
Hence, listening to hi-fi audio produced by a good sound system is much more pleasant and comfortable, and can make for a more enjoyable experience for music lovers.
The Hi-Fi stereo system also has the capacity to upgrade over time and it’s easy. It also adds a cool quotient to the space it occupies in your home.
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