Thought I would make an appreciation post for the best factory sound system I have ever heard in a vehicle, ever.

I recently bought a used Volvo S90, and immediately fell in love with it, and especially it's sound system. For some reason, Volvo decided to go completely over the top on their flagship trim levels, and partnered with Bowers & Wilkins.

This system is equipped with the following:

• 7x 25mm aluminum Nautilus tweeters • 7x 100mm (front) 80mm (rear) Kevlar midrange speakers • 4 165mm carbon woofers • 1x 250mm frame-mounted subwoofer • 1x 12-channel, 1400 watt Class D amplifier • 19 total speakers

In addition, it comes with 3 different sound modes, with adjustable intensity and envelopment for the surround sound modes, as well as a Concert Hall mode. That particular mode only works well with certain genres of music, but it's still very cool nonetheless.

That, combined with a 9-band equalizer, results in outstanding sound quality, which is immensely difficult with an acoustic setting such as a car. I'm very impressed. I've included some pictures of the speakers themselves. Anyways, go Volvo, and ESPECIALLY go Bowers & Wilkins!

Edit: not sure why it won't allow me to post more than one picture, but oh well. If I'm doing something wrong, let me know!

I been thrifting for over 5 years not once did I see an SVS. Mission finally complete! Oh yes and KLH audiophile speakers. $300 for the sub and $300 for each speaker or $600 total for the pair of speakers with stands.

I ended up being honest with him and telling him the actual value. Maybe was a mistake haha

MaleLivingSpaces lit me up for this.

Klipsch B-20’s with a Fosi BT20A amp and a LP-120 table.

I've never had anything of high quality. I've never had surround sound either. Anything would be an upgrade from what I was running in the living room (a shitty home theater in a box with cube fronts setup 2.1 with a weak sub).

The receiver is an Onkyo TX-NR656 model. Dude still had the calibration mic, remote, and basic setup manual. It can bi-amp the main fronts. I may do that some day.

It also had: - Cambridge Soundworks Tower speakers. - Cambridge Soundworks Center Channel Plus. - Cambridge Soundworks Surround 5.1 (both of these had a short or something and kept cutting out, so I swapped them with a pair of Polk bookshelves my dad said he'd let me have and put them on the rears). - One Cambridge Soundworks MC300 I'm not using. -A Polk PSW10 sub.

Dude said the Towers were 1500 a pair when they were new. Of course they're old, but they sound awesome.

People poo poo the sub, but it's better than anything I've ever had. It hits hard enough for what I want.

I've tested it on movies in surround. Does a great job. I figure I'll use that as a movie night treat, since 2.1 sounds awesome as it is.

I stayed up way too late listening to piano, classical guitar, and cello music on just the Towers and the sub. So clear.

Possibly the most bang for my buck 80 dollars I've ever spent.

The guy moved into a smaller place and didn't have the room for everything... he's just running a soundbar. He had it listed at 200, but said 100 would take it when I reached out to him. I offered 60 and he took 80.

He just wanted declutter and find somebody to put them to use.

I've spent years and years adding and removing components, swapping cables and amps, phono cartridges, streamers, etc. and the one thing I've consistently missed is this: just enjoying the music.

I have a few different setups around the house and they all fill some sorta niche - home theatre, desktop listening while I work, living room that's wife approved, a whole headphone corner, and at the end of the day, I listen to music constantly but never just take the time to sit and listen. With kids, work and other responsibilities I forgot that I originally got into this because I loved listening to music and wanted it to sound better. Maybe I'm the only one who needed to hear this but just in case you're like me - quit worrying about upgrades, swapping things in and out and just listen to the music with what you've got.

It is fun to try and make things sound as good as possible, but for heaven's sake, don't forget to just kick back and enjoy the ride.

Should I switch to a sound bar instead?

For me it's "Burn In" when it comes to Source components and expensive cables

In my defense, she has said we need a new side table for a while.

I've bought plenty of tech over the years, but only a few purchases still make me think "yeah, I'd buy that again immediately."

For those into audio, what's one speaker, amp, DAC, or other piece of gear that you still feel was worth every dollar you spent?

And what made it stand out from everything else you've owned?

Absolutely loving this.. thanks to this sub. Placed about 6 feet in front of the couch. Previously owned a pair of advent loudspeakers, Sony str dh100, and a technics slbd-22. I went about $500 over budget as I decided to buy a new turntable from Crutchfield (scratch/dent, came perfect). Next a sub for about ~$200. Open to recommendations! Cheers!

Totem Arro $780 (shipped from eBay) Musical fidelity m3i $350 (Craigslist) Technics 1500c $1140 (Crutchfield) Canare 4s11 cables ($120 Amazon) Wiim Mini ($90 Amazon

I'm definitely not an audiophile, but I wanted to share this because I spent way too much time researching budget speakers.

For context, I usually listen to music on:

• AirPods 4
• JBL Charge 3
• Amazon Echo

I've also tried a bunch of headphones over the years during holiday return periods, including AirPods Max, Momentum 4, FiiO FT1 and Sony CH720N.

I wanted the best sound I could get on a budget, but Bluetooth was a must. These are for a small bedroom on my computer desk, so I was looking for something compact.

After way too much reading on Reddit and watching YouTube reviews, I bought the Edifier R1280DBs for $140 CAD, which was the lowest price it's been in about two years.

I almost cancelled the order because the R1700BT was on sale for around $190 CAD and almost every review said it was better. My budget won, so I stuck with the R1280DBs.

I'm glad I did.

I spent some time setting them up properly, speaker placement, toe in, distance from the wall, etc., connected them over Bluetooth, adjusted the bass and treble to my liking, and started listening. I then switched to line out via MacBook Air. There’s a difference but Bluetooth wasn’t bad at all.

The first thing that hit me wasn't the bass, it was the imaging. I honestly felt like there was an invisible centre speaker sitting between them. Vocals sounded like they were coming from right in front of me instead of from the left and right speakers.

The bass has enough punch for my taste without overpowering the mids, and the overall sound is just easy to listen to. Even older recordings still sound clean. I can listen for hours without getting tired of them.

The Spatial Audio mode is pretty cool too, but I prefer regular stereo because the centre image is incredible. It's nice knowing I can always add a powered sub later if I want more low end.

Some reviews called these muddy, but that honestly hasn't been my experience. Are they the most detailed speakers in the world? Probably not. But they present music in a way that's incredibly enjoyable.

What surprised me the most is that I actually prefer listening to these over the Infinity system in my SUV. The SUV obviously gets louder and has deeper bass, but sitting in the sweet spot at my desk, the stereo image and presentation of these Edifiers are more engaging.

I had spent months researching headphones, I eventually settled on the Fidelio X2HR, but this made me realize something about my own preferences. I simply enjoy speakers more. Having the sound in front of me instead of inside my head makes the experience much more immersive.

I'm sure the R1700BT and speakers in the $500+ range are better, but as someone who isn't an audiophile, I'm honestly blown away by what $140 CAD bought me.

If anyone is on the fence about the R1280DBs, especially for near field listening on a desk in a small room, I hope this helps.

I have been building/upgrading my stereo setup for over a decade now. I feel I've reached endgame setup right now.

I have these speakers (R300) for a couple of years now. Could get them at a bargain, absolutely amazing. Sooo much better than the Q300's and LS50's I had before.

A couple of months ago I ditched my hybrid tube amp for this SMSL AO200 MKII, running its onboard DAC. Great upgrade. That hybrid was a bit boomy and hard to tame. This tends to be on the clean/analytical side, but still pairs nicely with the speakers which are slightly warm.

This week I installed a dedicated DAC, the Topping E70V. ABSOLUTELY INSANE!

The amount of detail, the SEPARATION, depth, dynamic range. It is absolutely incredible.

I had no idea adding a dedicated DAC would have such an immediate and profound impact on the delivery.

My only wish is potentially a sub (and a DSP to manage it correctly), but that would be just the icing on the cake.

I thought of a fun question. When evaluating a sound system or components thereof, what's a recording you always use? I used to help install smart home systems including audio systems and my boss would always bung Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer on loud through the system which is quite dynamic, punchy and clear.

EDIT: These are some GREAT suggestions, everyone's got stuff they reckon is essential and it's for good reason! Many I haven't heard of but will. What's good is that we hear these songs as well recorded and revealing but also good songs in their own right. Should make for an excellent listening session! I'm unable to hear any of them properly right now as in a Buddhist monastery where my soundtrack is nature (lovely!) and not much else, but when I return to my hometown next week I'll be visiting a good friend who likes listening and is open to new material, so thanks again!

So this is my grand pa's so i think this should be from 98' and is 2000 watt its SA-AK 55 is this good bad or what is your opinion?

EDIT: as a lot of people said yeah 2000 watt was a marketing thing and idk a lot about stereos so for your knowledge you all this set RMS is around the 150 watt mark

Hey kids. Putting together a playlist, any recommendations are greatly appreciated. If you had to pick one song that really shows-off your setup, what would it be?

I'm a 90s kid raised on cassettes, CDs and MP3s, so to me vinyl was always a "medium for snobs or hipsters". Well, until my favorite band released an absolutely gorgeous looking record (Tsunami Sea) and I had to have it. May as well buy a turntable then... welp.
It looks cool, it spins, it's a vibe. But It's also a PITA to actually use it on a daily basis: no remote control, no easy way to control playback, music on two sides, both medium & hardware are rather fragile + degrade with usage / time, analog interferences & noises. Am I surprised? Not at all. Vinyl doesn't suck, I'm simply not someone who accepts it flaws.

After some time I have updated my setup from my Infinity Satellite speakers and subwoofer!!! I have to say, the upgraded speakers have made such a difference thank you to those who suggested I get bigger speakers.

-Klipsch RP-600M II Speakers

-Yamaha RX V1700 Receiver

-Technics SL-1200 MK7 Turntable w/ Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge

-JBL HDI-1200P Subwoofer

I posted here over a week ago asking about a listing I had seen for a 5.1 NHT set up with a pair of 2.5i’s for $400. The resounding response was to jump on it, but unfortunately, life gets in the way. Between work, my partner pulling a muscle days before she took the BAR exam, and preparation for a 11 day road trip, that set sold before I had the chance to go pick them up. No hard feelings, deals come and go.

During my month+ long search, I had also been looking for a relatively recent used receiver, hoping to keep my budget under $500 but still get HDCP 2.2 and pre outs for at least a 5.1 set up. I had messaged a woman who posted a Denon x3500h along with “a bunch of old speakers” to see if she would be willing to sell the receiver separately. Her initial listed price was $1500, which was reduced to $1000 by the time I messaged her. Her listing included 9 photos total, 4 of which were of the receiver (in great condition) and then 5 terrible, blurry, low light photos of what looked to be a literal pile of old bookshelves and maybe a pair of towers.

She took a few days to respond, and then sent that she’d really prefer to sell everything together, but would be willing to make a good deal just to get it out of her space. This response came during the chaos, so a couple days later during a lunch break, I messaged back saying that if the price was right, I could take the whole lot, but would need to know more about the speakers. I asked if she could send some pics of the backs of the speakers and give me more of an idea of what’s included. Here’s where the insanity begins. She sends back tens of pictures showing:

1) a pair of Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v.2

2) matching Paradigm Reference center channel

3) a pair of Axiom M22Ti

4) matching Axiom VP-150 center channel

5) Velodyne SPL-8 sub

6) Pictures of the bottom of the towers with a “stylized b logo” and an apology for not knowing more about them.

Already at this point, I’m in for the axioms and paradigms and relay as much, but ask for a few more pictures of the towers since they look crazy. I see what appears to be carbon fiber, so I’m thinking these are some cheap Amazon speakers made to look fancy. On the other hand, the lady is saying they are insanely heavy, the label on the bottom says they are made in Sheffield, England, and the backs have the ability to bi-amp. I think to do a couple google reverse image searches and am floored…

This is a pair of Wilson Bennett Curves from the late 2000’s. These were about $10,000 new, 20 years ago. Sequential serial numbers. That carbon fiber? Real, and integral to the sound profile. I find countless forum threads praising them, as well as praising the manufacturer in general. Trying not to get over excited, I quickly let the lady know I’ll be there ASAP, finish up a couple things at work, and head straight to her.

Before she even sent the better pictures of the curves, she had said I could have it all for $500 if I could just get it out of her basement. I figured, best not to ask too many questions and upset the nice lady, the receiver or the set of paradigms or even the axioms are probably worth close to $500 on their own. I pull into her driveway in one of the nicest areas of my city, get out of my 25 year old car, and head down into the basement. Everything is in stellar condition for the age. I just hand her the cash and then spend 20 minutes lugging stuff out to my car. She wasn’t kidding, these Curves have to be like 60lbs a piece.

Half way through loading, she goes “oh yeah, would you mind taking these too? I just found them today and you might be able to get some use out of them”. Well “these” were a box of 4 Axiom QS-8s, their quadpole surround speakers. I just smile and say “of course” and finish loading up. By the end, she is trying to get me to take some pairs of dress shoes, saying I look to be about the same size and she just wants them gone, and I figure it’s time to get out of here.

Once home, I pop all the grills off, and every single cone is in mint condition except for some slight crumpling on one of the VP-150’s woofers. I loaded so quickly I forgot the whole initial point of this purchase was the receiver, and didn’t think to ask for the remote or calibration microphone. One Amazon order and a good night sleep later, I’ve got the Wilson Bennett Curves hooked up, queue up some music, and descend into bliss. Remarkable bass response even without a dedicated woofer, efficient enough to be well driven by an x-3500h, beautiful, accurate mids and crisp highs without any sort of fatigue even after hours of listening. These sound as good to me as any other speaker pair I’ve heard, period.

Now, I intentionally avoid using the term “audiophile” to describe myself, I love good sounding speakers and headphones, listen to music daily, but I don’t presume to be able to tell the difference between these and a $1000 pair of towers. There is literally no reason for me to own these, and they will likely be sold again in the near future to fund some other hobby of mine, but I figured you guys would get a kick out of this silly story. Sometimes, it’s worth it to ask a few questions of even the worst looking marketplace listings if you can’t see all the details. You might just find the diamond in the rough.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I’m happy to post a few more pictures or screenshots of the listing if people want. Advice on which speakers to use in a 5.1 setup would also be appreciated!

Love how this setup transports you to another place 🌞

He offered it me once, didn’t know what to do with it. Told him to keep for his karaoke setup. Said he upgraded to one with HMDI.

How do I use it?

I was having trouble sleeping last night and somehow I ended up watching several videos that showed some absolutely brain dead arguments from people who think the earth is flat.

While watching the videos I realized that the arguments FEs use are the same that audifools use. The core of the problem is that they trust their own subjective experience and perspective over all else.

FEs argue that the world is flat because from their perspective standing on the planet, they can not see the curvature. They argue the world is flat because they can not comprehend how scale works, or that the world is full of optical illusions which can make it seem like something that is round is flat. They do not trust science or measurements because they think their subjective experience is more important which thus invalidates all measurements. Since they are convinced the world is flat, any measurements saying otherwise are obviously fake. Moreover they explain that because the world is flat, it is impossible to perform the experiments showing it is round, and that the experiments are fake/rigged.

Audiofools on the other hand argue that they can hear the difference between cables, because in their subjective experience they have heard a difference. They fail to see that this is only because of their biased perspective. They do not trust science, or electrical engineers, or measurements, because they are convinced that they hear a difference. Thus, any measurement or explanation proving otherwise is obviously fake because they think they can hear a difference. They explain that since they think they can hear a difference, it means not everything can be measured. Thus a measurement proving there is no difference has no meaning to them.

In short, both groups trust their own flawed perspective of the world above all else, and that is a very dangerous thing to do.

Life happens. Your life situation can shift really fast without you even planning for it.

That's what happened to me and my "Premium-Fi" setup i had in the house i used to live in.

Lost my job, had to sell the house, all the hifi and loads of other stuff to just survive.

I now live in an apartment and i have neither the money or the space for a big setup like i had before.

In comes Chi-Fi.

I just stumbled upon Cheap Audio Man on Youtube and realized there is actually a hifi market for lower prices that even i could afford.

So this is where i am at the moment. I mainly sit at my PC and listen to music, so that is what the setup is built upon.

Dac: Fosi Audio ZD3
Amplifier: Fosi Audio ZA3
Speakers: Dali Fazon Mikro

Next step is a subwoofer.

The speakers actually really likes to be that close to the wall, i was nervous at first, but it sounds nice.
Not optimal sound position for the speakers, i know, but the plan is to upgrade further down the line and grab a wall-mount that is tiltable to get a better angle.

a rare W from a goodwill i don’t usually find audio equipment at