Sony SSCS5 is already down to $88 on sale at Amazon! How does this compare to the Jamo? And the sony line has a 5-channel pairings that total about $280; so comparing that to the Jamo 5-ch it feels like Sony is a great steal for a single set of bookshelves; but if I need the 5ch then the Jamo is a great bundle... how close am I to reality or still sniffing the kids candy?
@@cheapaudioman for the discounted price, is it smarter to go for the jamo or is the emotiva worth the extra 110? I just want to listen to music and enjoy it, knowing that it sounds how it should. I just want to be happy.
Man these videos are getting better and better. It's great to see your personality shine through as you get more comfortable with the camera. Plus with the improvements in editing, great video and audio quality, and your top notch information, it's only a matter of time before the channel blows up.
Thanks, Morgan! I really appreciate it. Let's hope it blows up! I've been surprised just how quickly we've already grown. Here's hoping it goes even faster!
This is truly a Golden Age of entry level audio. The world as a whole might be going to hell but now more people than ever can console themselves with great sound. And that's not sarcasm. When life is repeatedly punching me in the face, the thing I always go back to to make me feel better is hifi. Like you, Randy, I wish all this choice had been available back in the day.
@@earlismarks7108 the price is the only thing that i never found better but in the 70´s anything was very expensive so 1981 was the year that all prices came down only cd players didn´t for several reasons,mainly because they didn´t sell them but when cd´s appear cost the same as today ,only in 93 i started to buy them the material they were made was very expensive but they started to made them from a cheaper material and the prices become half ,only had 7 cds till then but the old ones were hard to destroy or risk them ,i use to clean them in the kitchen with flowing water and a scoth-brite and today they might have no brightness but not one song is failing all old ones play perfect
Also consider the rise of streaming choices for audio.... the size of the available music catalog combined with great sounding, budget-friendly equipment has indeed introduced the "Golden Age" ..... too bad most current music is in the caca age....
@@goobfilmcast4239 Agreed 👍. The Golden Age of Music 🎶 passed. Reminds me of the rockumentary The Golden Age of Rock n Roll hosted by John Sébastien. That was music!
Amazing entry level set ups, thanks for helping us. I don't use tone controls I just dust my speakers with the Chicken Hawk Audiophile rock or country dust rags to adjust the sound profile.
Non-clean sound coming from your source? Don't waste money on expensive cables or buying a DAC - Just dust those cables with the Chicken Hawk Audiophile dust rags and you'll instantly have cleaner sound!
When I was a kid, after I'd saved up for god knows how long, Dad took me to the local Hi-Fi store and I came home with a pair of Wharfdale Modus One bookshelves and a Pioneer receiver. He gave me an old Teac CD player to complete the system. They sounded pretty damn good and 30+ years later, amazingly, they still do. I say amazingly because they received a hammering at parties, at dorms and everything in between. I like to look after my gear so they hardly have a scratch on them. They've been relegated to the bedroom in my house now but are still going as strong as ever. I'm sure the items you listed will also last a lifetime if looked after.
I can relate to your story.. I have only acquired two pairs of speakers my entire life (I am in my 60's), both of which are still kicking..... One for hi-fi stereo, one for TV... Could not be happier.
@@ptg01 Very nice PG. Just goes to show that if you spend a little more initially, do your research and get good quality equipment it'll serve you well and you won't have to replace it every 5 years. Especially with speakers as the underlying technology hasn't changed much at all for decades.
@@Cyba_IT So true.. but sometimes there's always that urge to 'upgrade' but I have a very hard time justifying the cost to replace as there is absolutely nothing wrong with what I have from 30+ years ago, especially for my aging ears !
Hey There Randy, This right here is why I’ve been watching your channel since mid-January 2021. You continue to focus on the people who have some or very limited resources who wish to enjoy a hobby as seemingly infinite as music, by removing the intimidation factor that this hobby can project. You review products and teach many of us a thing or two along the way, with humility, knowledge, honesty, and humor. This channel is a healthy escape. And that’s integrity in a nutshell. I want to say “Thank You” because I do greatly appreciate this channel and the time and effort you put into it week after week. Cheers!
Thanks, brother. I really appreciate that. Got a big nov and dec planned. Going to review more products each month than I have during previous months. A close out deal and other awesome affordable products. What others ignore I embrace. Appreciate you watching from the beginning. I truly appreciate you.
75 years in audio ,music lover hear, Casta B horn speaker , audio space AS-3i integrated tube amp , modified Thorens TD 160 turntable, new Jelco 550S tonearm Grace M-F 9 , with nude Elliptical stylus, 6 Acoustic Audio York phono stage, BlueSound Vault 2 , Audio Lab, CDT 6000 cd transfer , Aune X8 Magic DAC with changeable op amp. Just love my music. Vinyl, digital, CD’s. Who could want as thing more thanks for all your hard work dude
Since I've had the deluxe hifiman experience and ended up trading my Deva Pro into an Edition XS, I've gone hella broke so this channel has been nothing but amazing for someone like me who's getting into the hobby without a massive amount of money
I just want to say thanks for this video. I got the Aiyima D05 with the Sony speakers and sub, all for a total of $350 on sale around Thanksgiving last year and it's been a blast listening to music and watching movies with that system. Glad to see that your channel keeps growing and I hope to upgrade that system soon. Happy holidays!
Just purchased the Jamo S803/Aiyima D03 using the links as an intro to audiophile systems! Hoping to be able to pair it with a PSW111 8" sub my dad gave me a few years back. I really appreciate your knowledgeable and entertaining content! Thank you for making it easier to get my feet wet.
I'm using Fosi Audio BT30E, it's a great amp! Passive sub out, active sub out, bluetooth, USB... Has it all. And the sound is amazing, too. Really good stuff. It only has a single quirk: power saving mode. It enters standby really fast if there's complete silence and when you pull it out of standby there's like 0.5 seconds of silence before it starts playing sound. It might be because of my DAC because I've never heard of people having this issue. I love the little thing.
I found you at the right time. Ive been waiting 3 years to convert my tv to a 2 channel setup from a cheap soundbar. I finally decided to do it and i feel like this video was for me. I also lucked out and found a set of Paradigm Monitor Atom SE's for 160 (Very lightly used). And you nailed the Sony pricing - the SSCS5 was down to 88 this past week.
Nice work. Good timing. Especially now as we approach the holiday season. More like this perhaps targeting other price points. You're one of the few who fill this niche
I love what you are doing with your channel and showing people that good quality doesnt need to cost a fortune. In fact, if you did a blind test, I would cahllenge any audiophile to actually pick which is the $10,000 system and which is under $500
Definitely on a tight budget, I just needed a small amp to power a set of full sized Technics speakers from my desktop PC's 3.5mm stereo output. I've got on order a Fosi BT20A that'll be delivered in a few days. Not long after I hit the buy button, it occured to me that having a headphone jack would've been great! Oh well. Oh, and I couldn't care less about Bluetooth. I've got say it irks me that buying an amp WITHOUT it adds to the search complexity, since most seem to have it nowadays. It just bugs me to pay for features I know I'll never use. And don't even try to tell me the feature doesn't add to the unit's cost.
Randy.. tried the Geshelli j2 dac running into a smsl 0200 (running mids and highs) and using the sub outs into a crown xls 1002 (subs on tower). Im also Running a sub out of the crown out. All balanced and sounds everybit as good as my $2000+ integrated All covered by you This is the best "cheap" set up /synergy I have found thus far. Biamped to polk lsim 705s and elac 3010 sub.
That last part resonated, "Don't binge...fill your soul with happiness" Love it! So true. I love/hate spotify. I don't really feel like I listen to music anymore; I'm just inundated with music options but seldom actually enjoy. My friends have convinced me to get a turntable and soon I shall I've a little stereo for records and yes occasional spotify.
Thanks for bringing awareness to these budget friendly audio options. I've been looking for a cheap, small setup to replace the portable speaker in my kitchen. I landed on the Fosi DA2120A, Wiim Mini Airplay2, and a pair of Neumi BS5 speakers. Seems like a nice little system for just over $300.
Had me dying when you kept cutting in with the slipknot concert footage 😂 love your channel man! You are quickly taking over as one of the top audiophile RU-vid channels. I like that your videos are more edited and somewhat scripted vs Z reviews rambling but I like you both!
As a cheap and poor highschool student who just wants to listen to cd's in my room and just learned about all of this stuff yesterday I thank you greatfully for achieviving these levels of cheapness
Can we get a cheap everything man channel? Seriously though, aside from the great info, straight forwardness with the added humor, I can see this channel blowing up.
Bought the Fosi Audio DA2120C Bluetooth 5.0 Amplifier 240W Stereo and a set of Jamo S 803 speakers so the whole system $337.00. Now it isn't a high end stereo but for a the right room, it's great. I use with BT and stream from TIDAL or Spotify from a phone or tablet and it's great. Thanks for your review!
I would love to see Randy diving in to vintage gear. For example you can buy a Luxman L210 for about $150,-- and that is 2 x 50 Real Watts AB power + a very good phono stage and a very good head phone stage. For about $100,-- you can buy some nice vintage or used speakers or those Sony speakers new. OK, granted it is not yet a complete system but to beat the amp you have to fork out serious money so it will stay with your audio journey for quite a while.
I'll be doing more vintage. I can't promote vintage though as a viable option for all because it just isn't and there's no protection. I've done a couple pieces and will keep doing them. In the whole, vintage gear is an inherent risk to most people with no return policy and no guarantee of being able to source it. With all that said... I love vintage gear.
Great video. I'm through a recommendation in for the SMSL SA300 amp $140. Its got a lot of great features and good amount of clean power for a little unit.
The Fosi is great value, very clear detailed sound, but lacks low end. The AD18 has Bluetooth 4, this can be unreliable, but otherwise a great DAC/amp combo. SA300 is highly recommended, great sound, has the new Infineon amp chip, has less in/outs than the AD18 and no headphone amp/socket.
Thanks so much for this and your other budget reviews. I needed to replace my office computer speakers (crappy logitech) and wanted a step up in fidelity. Tried the Moukeys and Fosi BT20As, and couldn't be happier. Well, I could but not for the price. Have them paired with the old powered sub, and it really fills out the thin low end. Need a turntable next to be able to break out my old vinyl.
When in my teen years I had an old Akai AM17 amplifier I bought for €10. And a pair of Philips bookshelf speakers. It created some really nice audio in my bedroom
Thank you so much Randy! Keep doing recommendation videos like this, it really helps us doing a great choice. Can't wait to build one system and hear it!
If "full-sized USB" means asynchronous USB input -- the squarish socket that looks like a USB printer cable -- then I'm afraid the Loxjie does **not** have full-sized audio. It's got a USB socket but it's not asynchronous USB. Looks like a memory stick socket to me.
@@terencemayo662 If you've got a pre - owned Phillips CD player in excellent mechanical order for 50 US you've done well . You are right , as dvd / blu ray players are not marketed for 2 channel audio they don't highlight what specific components are used for the music output . Most modestly priced amplifiers have built in DACS these days or buy a stand alone one pretty cheaply especially in the USA. I am currently running a standard Panasonic blu ray player through a Marantz PM6005 amp which has s built in Cirrus logic DAC. Sounds fairly decent ,although i need to replace the Monitor Audio BRX speakers packaged with the amp 7 years back They sound ok with older cd or vinyl recordings but bottom out even at low volume on modern lower bass albums like The Weekend's "After Dark " 🎶
@@jacobjohnson4763 Yes, and sony has been duping you guys for years. Not only in speakers, but headphones as well. It's funny how so-called audiophiles can be so easily duped and manipulated. You want great sounding speakers? Try Buchardts instead. A danish company that makes the very best speakers.
Hot damn! …though I remembered you mentioning those Jamo 803s being a good speaker. Adorama had a super deal on those last week for $80, so I pulled the trigger. Excited to see how they play!
I wish you would have shown how to use that preamp, how to connect a CD to the preamp and some speakers, I don't know and was interested in seeing a demo. You gave a nice talk about it, would have liked to see it.
Thank-you CAM! That was a list of gear at low prices that was almost exhaustive (as perhaps last night's concert?). Your gear lists are always so helpful and will make shopping a breeze this holiday. Clips of the concert had it looking a smidge louder than your typical Yo-Yo Ma concert. Hope you had earplugs to keep from become the Ringing Ears CAM.
@@cheapaudioman Great to hear (haha)! I urge all your viewers to always protect their most personal and dear audio gear of all. Take it from me, trying to listen to the music you love through the din of around the clock tinnitus is something I wish on no one.
Hey Randy, please check out the Jamo S 808 sub. At only $114, that 8" sub might be the best budget solution to compliment these bookshelf speakers. But, will it be "musical," or muddy? Im looking forward to that review amigo. Maybe a budget sub shootout for those under $200? I bet there are a few gems out there that could help people put together a solid little 2.1 system. Keep these videos coming!
This is an awesome channel! I have found a lot of useful information here as I am new to the hobby. I had 2 Amazon Echo Premium sound speakers paired with their Echo sub as a home theater and it just wasn't cutting it for me. It would constantly disconnect while watching movies. Needless to say it was overly annoying... After returning them I stumbled upon your channel in doing some research and I got straight to work. I ordered the Aiyima T8 DAC and the Aiyima A07 Amp. I had a pair of old Sony SS-MB105H kevlar cone speakers laying around I had bought years ago and never did anything with and it was a night and day difference. In shopping I came across a killer deal on a Moukey MAMP4 2 channel with tone controls and Bluetooth that was marked down from $79.99 to $49.99 and had a $20 off coupon so for $29.99 I had to grab it just to have. I picked up a Polk Audio PSW10 10" powered sub for $40 locally and then found a set of Polk Audio towers with 2 smaller Polk RM101's and a Polk RM202 center channel for $100. What I was thinking of doing is using the A07 for the tower speakers and using the Moukey for the 2 RM101's and the RM202. Since I am new to this I wasn't sure if the Moukeu can power the 3 speakers since it is a 2 channel amp. Can the center speaker be split between the 2 channels? negative from the left and positive from the right or vice versa? I'm not knowledgeable on wattages and ohm ratings in this regard. I may order a 2nd A07 Amp as I was planning to just wait till the Sony 3 ways you mentioned in several videos to go on sale. Also I used your affiliate link in my Aiyima orders. Thanks for doing what you do!
Looks like Polk released a new updated Monitor XT line, hope you get a chance to listen to it and see if its an improvement over the older T line. Maybe see how it stacks up against the updated SE line from polk too. They are like $150-$250.
Hi Randy... Your videos of cheap setups are amazing and functional. Can we make it even less expensive? I'm thinking of a 3.5mm stereo PC jack or Bluetooth- both channels fed into one mono amplifier setup and one speaker? It's not about the money at this point, its about saving space. Any ideas / videos would be appreciated.
So many people nowadays have never listened to clean, loud, undistorted music that it’s a shame. Everyone should try just a cheap system that’s actually decent, and you’ll never look back to a usb portable speaker
Great review, Randy. I bought the Micca RB42's two years ago and really couldn't be happier. I have them in a fairly large living room and they fill it nicely. They are on tallish stands about 8 feet from my listening area. They are powered by the Yamaha A-S301 integrated amp, so it can be done. I would love to try some of your choices, but honestly can't imagine besting the Micca's. Thank you, Randy.
I am very pleased with my Fosi DA-2120C and Jamo S803. Definitely on a budget when choosing things, but it is pretty nice sounding. That Fosi has sub out, optical, USB, aux, and bluethooth. Plus a remote and preset EQ and bass and treble control through the remote.
Still really happy with the Sony SSCS5's I grabbed from amazon for a song because they had a non existent scratch and someone returned them. It's time for a new amp so I can put together something in my bedroom so I'm keeping an eye out for sales with the consume till you drop season upon us.
I got a budget 2.1 system and happy with it. Wharfedale 220,D10 sub Rotel RA-980BX. But then I just want to listen to music, I use my Sennheiser hd 560s with Earstudio ES100. I think it's sound fantastic for the price.
Thanks for this. Under $250 is almost impulse buy territory for a new kitchen setup for me. Right now I use a set of JBL 104s (non bt model) connected to an echo dot for kitchen music, but it doesn't really fill the area; I have to play them louder when doing the dishes. No complaints though; I only paid $50 for them during a bf sale.
A noble effort. The pundits are right: there's never been a better time to play music inexpensively. Perhaps not gloriously, but pretty well, anyway. Especially pop music, rap, blues, metal. Vocal? Well, how does Adele sound singing into a U87 at 4 inches with a pop filter after autotune, dbx 266xs, pultec, and plate reverb? I'd guess nice, but who knows? ;)
Hi. Thanks for the excellent video! I'm learning so much. Could you tell me what's the difference between the aiyima d03 and d05. The d05 is better? It's worthy? Thanks in advance!
First of all: Good morning! I hope that you're having a nice day. Anyway. Have you had the chance of listening to the neumi center channel? I ask because the regular ones seem to have a bit of a weird bump because of Port resonance and i was considering buying two centers for left and right.
Hi Randy, I'm learning and discovering so much with your guides, reviews and advices, thank you! I'm just about to buy my first Hifi audio system, but I don't know where to put some more money, speakers or amp, what would you do? Best regards.
Awesome information! I’d love to get ur opinion on what u think would work good on some old ADS tower speakers.. I’d like Bluetooth and something that would sound good for music as when I work I like to listen to loud music with great bass..
Any thoughts on Kanto passive 5.25 with a Loxjie A30? Would going up to Kef Q150 orQ acoustics 3030i be that much better? Any other suggestions in between are welcome. Looking for a punchy and clear speaker, not overly bright. Thanks, great channel Randy.
The Elac are already no longer on sale at Crutchfield, but they are at Amazon, for the same prices- $215 for the B5.2, $250 for the B6.2, and $454 for the UB52. The others, the Jamos, JBLs, KEF Q150, and MA Bronzes are still on sale at Crutchfield, as well as some others. Also, the KEF Q150 and MA Bronzes are on sale at Amazon at the same prices as at Crutchfield
I got the sony for 88 bucks and got the 100 watt fosi bluetooth amp, fantastic speaker and amp. Got their non bluetooth that's higher watts coming later in the week. The larger one might drive some modest floor speakers. Very good value
thx for the video. i'm very decided to buy the zen dac v2. because i think is a well dac amp with balanced output or the ifi go blue becouse are very complited solution. but no SW output like you show in this video. do you think that i must change my decicision for your recomendations? best regards from Barcelona!
привет, спасибо за ваш обзор, отличная работа! Помогите определиться с выбором, Aiyma d03 или Loxije a30? На данный момент Loxije примерно в два раза дороже, есть ли смысл переплачивать с учетом того что Aiyma имеет больше мощности? Я склоняюсь к покупке D03, не пожалею ли я потом что не купил A30?
Made an impulse purchase including the RB42s, AD18, and the Polk PSW10. Thought I did a good job selecting the gear, and this video confirms it kind of lol THANKS! :) Should have waited and copped the Sony's. THEY'RE 88 BUCKS RIGHT NOW ON AMAZON WTF
@@ufarkingicehole Now that's just nasty. Ignore him, NorthDakotaBeast Bone, he's just jealous because your handle is more confusing than his. Enjoy the hell out of your system
@@jimfarrell4635 hahaha. Well then. Shots fired... lol. Kidding. I have both the Micca and Sony. The Miccas are alright for a desk top but the Sony SSCS5 are a bit better. Hopefully he is happy with what he has. I've had the smsl 300 (similar to the Ad18 ) and its what got me buying chifi. I was impressed. Tried dozens of different components and have had fun experimenting. I will never be happy so if you can get that with the ad18 and Miccas, I'm envious...
@@ufarkingicehole More of a headphone guy, but this setup has most def fulfilled my needs for the time being. I'm a little salty about jumping the gun, but can't be too mad. Appreciate y'alls input :)
@@northdakotabeast1547 anytime man! If you have any questions , someone can probably give you some good insight and peoples experience trying different components can possibly help you save time and Money Most of the CAM reviews are pretty spot on.
Not only can you get reasonably good audio equipment cheap, but buying music doesn't have to be expensive either. With the vinyl renaissance, lots of stores have re-released new vinyl for usually $20 to $30 a pop. The old originals often sound better. I once found a very rare and desirable record (that was selling for $1,500)) in a thrift store for a buck. There is one on ebay right now as a Buy It Now for $1,499. I think his price would have a better shot if it was 1990 though. The market does ebb and flow. Another two records that were rare enough and old enough that I had never seen before that I found was an amazing coincidence. At tat point I probably had looked through 500,000 records in my time. I remember it was a sunny Saturday afternoon. There was a Goodwill on Pacific Coast Highway. My eyeballs almost popped out when I spotted it looking through the bins. About a half hour later I almost fainted when I found another copy of it in a box among other stuff at a sidewalk sale. I had never seen a copy of it before and all of a sudden I find 2 copies within a half hour. I have never seen one in the many decades since. The LP was selling for about $400 at the time. Getting struck by lighting I'm sure would have been more likely. Exceptional, or what I would consider exceptional vintage gear is rare but sometimes possible to find in cheap places like those. Most people don't usually think of records being highly valuable (most aren't but many are) and they don't think of audio equipment as being of great worth either. Find yourself some vintage Marantz model 9 power amps, a model 8 preamp and a pair of old Electro Voice Patrician speakers. If someone offers you $30,000 for the grouping, just look at them and smile, and tell them "you're not that dumb."
I’m tossing up getting a second hand $100 basic receiver with some analog inputs and an optical input to drive some Tannoy 605 speakers I picked up for cheap, or buying the AIYIMA D03. What would you suggest? Thanks!
Randy I always love your vids even when I don't have a clue what you're sharing with me. Fiber op... coaxial...balanced inputs...DAC ...?? I have Marantz CD 6005/PM 8005 intgrated/Wharfedale E4.3/K lips h To 600M. I would like to Pre-DAC the 6005. Could you, would you suggest a component to me? You once mentioned that the Topping E30 was pre amped. I've never heard you mention this DAC use any other time. I don't stream, not yet snyway, I'm mostly vinyl. I buy most things through Music Direct but, you know, the want me to sell my car to upgrade my CD player. Help?
For fun, I connected this small amplifier to the kef ls50, I must admit that I was amazed. My expensive Hiend 50W amp is not that much better at all. Kef ls50 requires an amplifier of at least 100 W, at least that's what they say, and the whole time I thought there was no point in connecting that cheap Chinese amplifier. I don't believe in Fosi's 100w, but they obviously have the power to drive such demanding speakers. Audiophiles would say that what I've done is crazy, but I'll have to do some side-by-side testing and see what sounds better. Also i use Topping d30 in that combo. All the best to Fosi.
Hey man new to the world of audio setups, but really love your videos since you explain it pretty well and I'm trying to set up a home studio. I was wondering what cables do you use to hook up the Fosi amp directly to the Sony SSCS5?
I want to enjoy my CDs again. The Sony's are $180 right now so I am little hesitant to pull the trigger on them. Would the Jamo 803's bee good for listening to a lot of female vocals like the Cranberries and Sarah McLachlan? Or would the Sony be better?
Did you know Fosi has a BL20A ! It’s the same as the BT20A but with a Pre-Out and remote control. It uses the same TPA3116 chip set for 100W per channel. I use the pre-out to connect an old active sub to complement my Sony SS-CS5. You can only get the BL20A direct from Fosi. That’s cheap audio.
How is the Fosi BT20As without AptX-HD for music nor APtX-LL for lip lag? I need two, one for music and another setup for movies. Thanks for all your work.
So in a pinch I've even been able to use a Jabra clipper hands free as a Bluetooth receiver. Instead of the wired earbud/mic combo I plugged my Hercules 2.1 PC speakers from over a decade ago into the Jabra's 3.5mm jack. Both these used on Ebay will probably come in under $30 (in my case its free as I had them lying around). With my phone streaming Amazon Music HD from across the room I kid you not, I had a decent system going!
