We all want the best sound experience when it comes to watching movies or listening to music. Whether you are new to the world of hi-fi or maybe you already have an audio system and just know you want to experience more with your sound, there is always room for improvement. Here's everything you need to know about what comprises a hi-fi system.
A hi-fi system, short for high-fidelity system, is meant to produce high-quality sound that closely imitates the source recording. It's a bit overwhelming for beginners because there are so many components and configurations when it comes to hi-fi. So, we want to help you simplify the basic building blocks of a hi-fi system to enable you to first understand what it does and how you can put a system together that'll propel your listening into the stratosphere.
Whether you're an occasional listener or an aspiring audiophile, the key to getting to that ultimate music experience—clear and in more dimensions than you ever thought possible—is to first understand what a hi-fi system is comprised of.
Contents
What Makes a Hi-Fi System: The 5 Essential Components
Speakers
In contrast to the other components, speakers come in different sizes, styles, and presentations. Speakers are the most personal choice when making a stereo system. What you decide to use your speakers for determines which speaker you will choose. This is the reason why we recommend you start with the speakers before anything else.
But one must not forget that in a hi-fi system, it's not the speakers that you are listening to, but it's the system. Every part in it makes a difference to the eventual sound, and just like a recipe, if one of the ingredients goes wrong, the eventual product is likely to suffer.
Read more: Best Active Powered Speakers
Amplification
You'll need a preamp and an amplifier to connect your speakers to your audio sources, and then drive power to your speakers. A preamp selects the source and adjusts the volume; an amplifier then feeds your speakers.
While there are products that mould these functions together, like integrated amplifiers or receivers, generally the best sound quality is obtained by using separate preamps and amplifiers. Having separate components is also more flexible in terms of mixing and matching to achieve optimal performance.
Audio Sources
When it comes to choosing your audio source for your hi-fi system, there are many options you can choose from. A good turntable with a quality tonearm, cartridge, and a stable platter will work great for all vinyl fans. People still prefer CD players because of their high-quality playback, even though digital media has emerged in the market. Modern hi-fi systems often include network streamers that access both digital music libraries and streaming services. A Digital-to-Analog Converter will be requisite to convert a digital signal into hi-fi analogue sound, assuming digital sources. You can learn more about what your hi-fi system can play here.
Read more: Best CD Players
Cabling
You'll need to hook everything up properly, so look around and buy the right cables: interconnects are what connect your units, while speaker cables can be bought in pre-cut lengths or custom-measured to whatever length you need for your speakers.
Hi-Fi System FAQs
What is a DAC?
The digital-to-analogue converter, or DAC, is a device used to convert digital audio signals to analogue for playing back through speakers or headphones in a hi-fi system. Quality DACs make the sound clear and detailed and give far better audio performance than the integrated DACs often found in most consumer devices.
What is a Phono Stage?
A phono stage, also known as a phono preamp, is an electronic device that amplifies the small signal from a turntable's phono cartridge up to line level for standard audio equipment and applies any needed RIAA equalisation to correct the frequency response. That way, it is a key component in proper vinyl playback, which enables high-quality sound. A phono stage could be inbuilt or external, and the external stages usually provide better performance and flexibility.
How Do I Keep My Hi-Fi System In Good Condition?
Regularly dust and clean your components, handle records and CDs carefully and ensure that the connections are secure. Keep your equipment in a stable, vibration-free environment and away from extreme temperatures or humidity.
Read more: Essential maintenance tips for your vinyl record player
How Do I Get The Best Sound From My Hi-Fi System?
Get the best sound out of your hi-fi system by considering the placement of your speakers, using interconnects and speaker cables that are of high quality, and investing in the quality of your components. Consider the acoustics of your room and adjust or treat them accordingly for the most clear and balanced sound. Also, take good care of your devices and cables.
Read more: How to set up your turntable to get the best sound
In Summary
To sum it all up, selecting the best amplifier for your Hi-Fi system is one of the most important things to do to get the best sound out of your hi-fi. It's all about your needs, paying attention to the two main specs of output power and impedance, and making it work with your speakers, too. Audio greatness will be yours for the taking.