All you need is...? 

*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* THIS IS A TEST -- With this video, we are trialling a new way of doing things: the comments section below has been switched ON but will be *moderated by a third party*. The upshot? You get to leave a comment below the video and I don't get tied up by comment moderation to stay focussed on making the next video or podcast as well as keeping the Darko.Audio website and Patreon up to date. That means more content for EVERYONE. Our new third-party moderator is under strict instruction not to approve racist or sexist remarks, URLs, (the seeds of) conspiracy theories or the unsubstantiated ramblings of grumpy geezers.

Love it!!

Funnily, the next video suggested by YT was John Darko's "Don't buy a new car. Buy a dCS Bartok."

Hello, That is pop on John, over the years (75 now) I've had an instances where relatives have visited taken one look at my system and basically called me an idiot, but with a few more expletives thrown in for good measure. They had cars worth, in the region of, £ 20,000 mine was worth about £ 8,000. They had £ 300 systems mine was worth almost the cost of their car. I have also had chats about diminishing returns when I upgraded my cartridge ( same slapped forehead same expletives). It's all about perceived value. These days and with failing hearing I'm just glad I can still hear the bloody thing. Thanks for that I may just show them your post.

Just buy whatever you want and be happy with it regardless of what others can think...

What a morning !. Last week I replaced my old Skoda Octavia with a newer and bigger Superb. I am an idiot. I own three Professional Sony cameras..... my client uses my photos/video on the internet. Way overkill. Thats three more “idiots” to me. To top it all off, I became a Patreon of Darko last night, and the first thing he does is calling me an idiot at 7 o’clock in the morning. Love it. Thanks John. I agree I am an idiot, and a proud one !

I love when this "thing" called hobby turns philosophical.

Thanks for bringing back the comments. It makes it feel more like a dialogue, even if that’s illusory. Equipment choice like music choice is, of course, subjective. It is good to remind us not to criticize others for their opinions. For me, I love trying to figure how to get the best sound for an affordable price with equipment that targets my need. But that’s just me. I suppose I don’t need to be cheap but it’s fun. That said, I sometimes pay-up so I like hearing about the expensive stuff. For instance, I bought a tube amp for a lot of money (for me for audio). It was originally designed by Frank McIntosh and looks super cool. Does it sound that much better than my cheap Nelson Pass Kit Amp? No but I get excited every time I listen to it. That’s worth a lot. ... to me.

This is one of my favourite ever RU-vid videos. As others have said it speaks to life not just Hi Fi. Its about being content and understanding that chasing does not always bring satisfaction - there's always something better or newer or....

Thank you for enabling the comments! Sometimes you receive much more information from other's comments on the topic than the actual video.

99% of the gear you own, i would never be able to afford but none less I love watching these videos. I don't think id be able to afford that JOHN DARKO coffee mug even..LOL. keep it up Sir! great video

Love this video, John. I’m definitely an idiot.

John, this video is absolutely FANTASTIC, and goes way beyond the world of cars, camera's and hi-fi. It's life. Thank you.

Wow! That was spot on! And not just for Audio, all of the different parts of our lives. I feel like you summed up a lot of what people feel and don't know how to say/express it. Great Video!

A year later and this might be my favorite Darko video, and there are no device reviews or comparisons in it. What we have here is simply the ultimate truth of every person’s circumstances. Brilliant, Sir.

Great video John. I am always interested in a discussion of “what is enough?”

Great video - agree 100%. One thing that is happening here is self-justification. When we say "You're an idiot" what we are really saying is "I am not an idiot." I made a good decision when I spent X on a whizbang Mk 3. Anybody who does something different to me has to be wrong. So the internet is full of "my car is better than yours", vinyl vs CD vs streaming, XBox vs PS, headphones vs speakers, Sony vs Nikon, Manchester United vs Chelsea. We join clubs and tribes so we can agree with each other that our doohickey is miles better than the other doohickeys. We read or watch reviews of products that we already own because we want to see our decisions being validated. It all comes down to a basic human need to protect ourselves. That includes protecting ourselves from criticism that we made a bad choice. I bet we've always been doing it, since the time when Ug argued with Ogg that a spear was better than a club.

"Don't buy a new car, buy a dCS Bartok!" I listened to you (after a demo of course) and I bought it! Thanks for nudging me to get it. Great video!!!

As Crosby, Stills, and Nash once sang, "Love the one you're with".

What a great piece! In a parallel world, now I've retired I am considering replacing the classical guitar I bought with my first salary years ago. I'm planning to leapfrog past higher quality factory instruments to a commissioned luthier guitar. The difference in cost will be ~3.5k Sterling compared to ~800 to 1k. Anyone who heard me play would know this is completely unjustified, but hey this is my Maserati!

Nice to see the comments switched on John 👍

imo this is one of the best takes on subjectivity ❤️

This made me feel better about preferring CDS and Blurays to Spotify and Netflix. Other people's comments about me "wasting money", being "stuck in the past" or them not thinking there is any significant difference in quality were getting to me. You are right, though. They are talking about their circumstances, gear and priorities, not about mine. To me, it is worth collecting CDS and Blurays, for many reasons. I guess I am "stupid" from certain people's perspectives, but equally, they, too, are "stupid" from other perspectives than their own. And it needs to be about what is right for me. Not what is right for somebody else. Thank you. I needed this.

Well put. Great way of showing you're not an idiot without saying your not an idiot...Along the way hopefully teaching idiots and non idiots. Maybe I'm an idiot with the double negatives.

Thank you for this interesting video John, congrats! This is also yet another call out for people to take some time to actually enjoy what they do have and not constantly hang on analysing the flaws of their stuff. It is good to know that there are better things to look forward to, but if that thought prevents someone from enjoying the present moment, then it is just toxic and inhibits a sense of happiness. Happy music listening to everyone!

Well put. Enthusiasts can easily forget what others value. During my 15 year stint of selling hi-fi, I saw a lot of Bose Wave Radios in high end/executive homes and initially couldn't understand why. You have to remind yourself that not everyone is as "into it" as you are.

“One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor”. Brilliant and succinct, on par with the coarser “It’s my money, and it’s none of your business what I do with it”.

I enjoy watching youtubers extolling the merits of older gear and why it’s relevant today to still seek out, learn to appreciate properly, and then enjoy, various bits of kit to see if they are decent performers in today’s world and how they compare. So when you hear “‘all you need is”, step back and check out the possessions you already have and try to understand more about them is my tip. Once you have done that maybe upgrade if you can.

Another crucial aspect, aside from finances, is recognizing that everyone is at a different stage in their journey. At the outset of a hobby, splurging hundreds on your first headphone might seem absurd to most people. Yet, once you're captivated, the desire for an amp and a DAC sets in. Gradually delving deeper into the hobby, you transition from a casual participant to an enthusiast, uncovering more avenues for exploration. Your perspective shifts from mere monetary value to viewing the hobby as a means to learn, experience, and evolve.

Excellent video, thoroughly enjoyed your stories (that may or may not be true!) haha

Thank you for mentioning the law of diminishing return.

So audiophiles are like nested Russian dolls. I sort of went through an inverse experience when a friend asked me to recommend components. So I gave him a short list based on 2 price ranges and felt rather smug. Of course he then proceeded to pick apart my choices and balked. I ended up recommending a cheaper solution that he ultimately was quite happy with especially after I helped him set it up in his home.

In all my years one thing I started to learn the older I get is that is better to get an expert, preferably a friend to make the decisions for you so this way you can enjoy the product and the media you play on it without losing focus on what's important, the media itself...You get rid of all distractions and focus better on what you are actually listening.

John, Great video!! I want to put a slight twist on the subject, so I'm an Engineer and have a good understanding of the audio technology and am very interested in buying more high Ferrari type audio gear. I would fall completely for the promises of incremental upgrades but at that point I run into a big problem. My value proposition has a stipulation that spending loads of cash for high end audio equipment is fine as long as there are many race tracks to run my Ferrari on, meaning plenty of new and interesting music. I'm 62 and for whatever reason I have a huge problem enjoying much of the new content I run across, maybe I have a narrow band of acceptable types of content. It seems that my musical tastes have ran somewhat flat. I'm curious if other people are seeing this same issue. Back in the day I would go to the record shop to look for new releases and they would be playing tracks from the new arrivals and most visits I would purchase one or more LPs and have a new favorite song that would last for a few weeks. Now I listen to new content several times before I can make an assessment whether I like it or not. Your thoughts? Thanks

Great video. Especially in times when we are thrown measurements by these websites and a lot of people boosting their ego depending on measurements. Every person is different everyone has different priorities. Respect each other choices.

All of us are unique! The greatest takeaway from this insightful video. Thanks for creating and sharing 🙏🙏🙏

Very well said! Thank you!

Expensive Car, DAC and camera= rare triple idiot... Getting more keen on DIY projects while aging only few can replicate. Great vid keep em coming!

All I want to say is you make fantastic videos. Thank you

Man, I've learned so much from your channel in the short month that I've been watching your videos. It's been exponentially beneficial to my learning experience. I took on a second job so I could afford to upgrade my entry level system because the knowledge You've shared has so intrigued me. I'm using your reviews and suggestions to narrow my options and make a selection for my first real system. Keep brining the vids - live your content!

Love this video, very good perspective and insight on human nature that applies to many aspects of life. How's the saying go, "Those that seek to suppress your dreams are those that have forsaken their own"? Thank you John!

Painfully true! Far too much in life is judged by its price.

Much respect for turning the comments section back on!

🤗👏👏👏👍THANKS JOHN…REWATCHING LOVED IT 💚THE FIRST TIME AND EVEN MORE THE SECOND TIME…💚 especially the ending 😁💚💚💚

I have been watching your videos for awhile and always enjoy. They are thoughtful, and provide insights for consideration, in addition to objective technology analysis, as well as your enjoyable subjective evaluation. Really quality work sir. Thank you for your efforts.

Brilliant! Love that this topic is being discussed more as of recent. The attitude and perception of people you described is what presently does and continues to keep more new people from investing and enjoying this hobby of hifi. Great message.👍

This has to be one of the best clips, not only in your channel, but the Tube. It’s a life lesson or principle, doesn’t matter what you name it’s simply go live it and stop worrying about what other people think. If it matters to you that IS enough. Bravo!

I only recently subscribed to your HiFi channel. And now you spend the first half of the video without even touching "audio". How great is that?! ThX. I'll stay 😎

So true! I think we should talk more about “sound value”. Just because something is a big pile of money, that does not mean that it is necessarily expensive. Sometimes it is the other way around. The value HIFI brings to a person, is also proportional with how much you love music and great sound, simple as that 😉. We all have our cravings and priorities in life. 😂

this topic needed to be discussed , thanks john darko

I don't like videos often, but this was incredibly insightful and full of wisdom. Thank you!

Thank you for this excellent video. We could all use more of the care and tolerance that you're advocating for here. At the very least, you've given me a good frame for approaching disagreements like these! Love your work, hope to keep watching for a long time.

John, thank you for preparing your detailed message shared in this video. I watched it once, and was left confused. After a second viewing, your message was clear.

We’re all idiots since life is all about “point of reference”. The law of diminishing returns generally applies to people who have a greater disposable income. If we were to apply Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”, nothing in this materialistic world is something we all really need... since the definition of “need” is at a different level altogether, not directly tied to accumulation or level of wealth. Thanks for the video. I thoroughly enjoyed your discourse. Namaste.

There is another dimension to this, which diverges from the pecuniary considerations: Situational Satisfaction. My wife and myself were grooving to 'Billie Jean' on a scratchy car radio yesterday, and it was bliss. I am sitting right now in my living room, ready to listen to music, and even my Muso2 will not suffice: In this room, at this moment, I will settle for nothing less than firing up the amp preamp cdp and DAC, and letting it bathe the room in Bliss. If one finds satisfaction in the music reproduction at a given level, and they are truly satisfied, that is bliss. Money does not need to be a major consideration in the world of music enjoyment, unless you let it get too involved Guttenberg is correct: All You Need is Love

I'm a real estate appraiser. This was the most brilliant context for creating what "Value" vs. "Cost" is. This should be mandatory ntroductory training for all Business Valuers, Equipment valuers and real estate appraisers. I just bought an NAD 33. And I am now so settled about it after listening to your video... Peace of mind is what I got!!! Thanks John

I absolutely love how the wall has been painted behind you. Plus your camera seems to have done really good job putting in video :)

We all define value differently. The trick is not really to question how others define it; rather we should honestly reassess our own view of value periodically. Sometimes, we end up running down rabbits holes of our own making.

The answer ? All you need is love . . . Thank you John, Paul, George & Ringo❗️

Great analysis John. Insightful and intelligent commentary. I was once a wealthier man, so it's a bit easier for me to understand and thus avoid avoid the pitfall of considering someone an "idiot" for their purchase decisions. Good life lesson that many people in general would be well served by learning. Enjoy watching your channel, even though the higher end equipment is not really a viable purchase option for me at my current income level. Perhaps in the future, one can hope!

I loved this video. One mans ceiling is another mans floor

Beautifully put! And I love this solution to community that does not expose you directly to the torrent of internet sludge that would otherwise come your way.

Excellent metaphor and analysis. Thank you!

Spot on John and very well illustrated. With hi-if, it all boils down to how good it sounds to the person buying the equipment. I still have my original Pioneer AP710 system from the early 90s and it sounds wonderful to me paired with a CA Azure 851N network streamer to bring it into the modern age. As long as the components are well made and built to last and they sound great to you, that should be all that matters.

Philosophy from Darko.... You're correct of course. As some bloke in Judea once said two thousand years ago, "judge not, less you be judged yourself". If someone wants to spend their money on this hobby, yes it's a hobby, to squeeze the very best sound out of electrons and have the best ownership experience and still have resale value, and they can afford it, then all power to them.

Spot on, John! Thanks for turning the comments back on. We all like what we like, and that's it! If it makes you happy, and is within your means.....so be it! Even if it's slightly beyond your means.........

Really great video John, made me think!

Great!!! I used a similar argument with my graduate economics students some time ago, except the “idiot” part (🤣). You nailed it from the economics point of view perfectly well!

MANNNNN!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!!! MY GOD! I'VE BEEN WORKING IN A HIFI STORE FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS AND YOU MY FRIEND HAVE JUST VALIDATED WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL ALL MY CUSTOMERS. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!

Well said! Must be content (and enjoy the process of learning and tinkering!)

i love your videos darko, i swear you are so unapreciated on youtube, i love the quality and sytle of your videos

Great analogies John! I feel like this seems to come up more in hifi than it does is so many other hobbies. And you've chosen a really eloquent way to address this ongoing issue in the audio community.

Fantastic commentary! Love your videos.

Perceived value is subjective. Who would have thought?

So much deep thought required for selecting hifi equipment. Lots of $$$ needed too.

It's not about money, it's about passion and to be smart.

You are right - Audio people think they are special - bur car people and wine people think also they are special. So at the end it is a hobby and not a business. As long as you can enjoy what you have it is the right thing.

@John Darko you nailed it perfectly with this video utilizing two great stories. I 💯 percent agree, we must never recommend out of our own pockets but understand the perceived value potentially of a product/service for the person that may be interested in it! You rock man, keep up the great work that you and Oluv are doing. You continue to lead the charge for sensible audio education!! Much love ❤️

These concepts are applicable for pretty much any interaction with anyone, ever. Your knowledge, items, even music collection are all reference points developed over a lifetime. So share, don’t dictate and project.

Just bought my first new pair of tower speakers in 28 years! Odd thing is in 1992 i had no $ and spent $600 for the pair. Now in 2021 we are worth 7 digits + and I just spent $840 on new towers. When i watch Thomas & Stereo videos he constantly mentions that now that he has spent so many thousands and hundreds of thousands on speakers and gear and heard it all the new challenge for him is budget gear that really gets close to the high end and really suprises him.

Thank you for making this video, John. Could not agree more.

Totally agree, excellent video John. Grazie.

Yes, we all value things differently and need to be tolerant of other peoples decisions. Luckily I realised this in my late teens, but many live their whole lives thinking that ‘it’s my way or the highway’. I work in film & television and appreciate the quality of your films. Keep using proper cameras and pushing for excellence.

Thank you so much for doing these videos! Enjoyed this one a lot!!

Love the review of the inner high end stuff, especially when it is compared to stuff I can actually afford

Love your videos and agree with your views. Buying audio products for me is an experience and as you say it’s you perception on how good they make you feel as you listen to them. Thanks for making such great videos.

Diminishing returns haven't kicked in yet for that coffee machine in the background 😆

The only perfect answer to what someone needs is "It depends, what do you plan on doing with it?" Because only when you get the specifics of budget and intended use can you really answer the question. The chap with $100k to spend in search of the perfect listening room will want radically different gear than I do. I'm exceptionally pleased with my Samson SR850 headphones running through a 30 year old Kenwood amp, with a sub £100 DAC (SMSL M100 II) from my gaming machine, but the guy wanting perfection will not feel the same about my gear. The old standby of "Horses for courses" rings true for pretty well everything.

Totally agree with your view and speech, John. I tend to approach life that way, I mean, in general terms. Different perspectives provide different views and conclusions of the same thing or idea. And it's easy to asure that different people get different perspective so will get different conclusions. That doesn't mean that everything in life is relative. Absolutely not. But taking aside pure concepts like family love, there're not many things that you can call absolute

John/Olaf, I absolutely love your options, reviews and insights. Please keep it up. Thank you very much!

Wisdom, not just for gear, but for life. Awesome JD. Thanks

Hi John, I totally agree with you. We can learn from each other in this hobby and make it easier for other “non audiophiles” to see what the fuss is all about

Thank you for the conjecture...am looking forward to those DAC's you'll be reviewing, as it's awesome to learn about the refinements and progressions in Audio. Have working and sounding great components that weren't affordable when they came out and yet years later, now acquired, sound as they did🎶

Thanks John, excellent take - as usual. I can relate that the last year has seen my BlueSound streamer replaced under Roon by the SoTM (Ultra Neo separates) which was then replaced (technical reasons) by an Auralic Aries (G2.1- hope this will be in your forthcoming review). At each step there was a very clear and preferable change in SQ - not just for me. Same again 3 months later when incorporating a Chord TT2 DAC. Same again later adding a Chord Upscaler. Each change gave - not just for me - a very clearly preferable SQ. With the latter pair it took the second month of use for them to fully 'bed in' and reveal the full effect. Maybe we wouldn't have heard so much without first shifting from (excellent) mini stand mount monitors to (sublime) open baffle speakers. Arguable. Now looking forward to hearing the result of changing the power amp... today. Life is Good. We can't travel but we can play music - every day. Haven't needed to change the car (Audi A3 TD bought 4yrs old) for 12 yrs. Priorities. Keep up the Great Work. Greetings to one and All.

Perfect. It's all about romantic longing for something just out of reach, and finally attaining it after struggle. It's what keeps the species alive. and Audio alive too.

Good talk. I'm being a bit pedantic but it's not exclusively about how much we earn but how much we have. Net worth influences our capacity to spend because it dictates how much discretion we have in our earnings.

Couldn't say it clearer! Thanks!!!

Don't normally do this, but great video John. Absolutely nailed it. We all see what we want to..

Love. The answer is love. (Also, I like the work you do)

EXCELENTE TRABAJO !!! MUCHAS GRACIAS WHO KNOWS THE SPECIFICS OF ALL YOU NEED IS YOU !!! HONESTLY !!!