My HI-FI system after trying 70 pair of speakers. 

Well slowly i do understand Alan Parsons. “Audiophiles don’t use their equipment to listen to music. Audiophiles use your music to listen to their equipment”.

Focusing on building a system that sounds pleasant to one’s ears, instead of chasing audio nirvana.... your advice makes perfect sense for every sensible person. The idealized “perfect system” does not exist.

My younger son came in while watching, "Audio porn dad...Really?" 🤣

Such a nuanced approach, with sensitivity to multiple perspectives. Your humility and intelligence are the perfect antidote to the fevers of so much in audio discussion.

Thomas, you’re a total madman! Above all, I love your passion for HiFi. I totally understand, but when I bought new speakers, I auditioned maybe 20 pairs or so, then bought my Tektons. Also, love your different vs. better attitude. It is so true, especially in regards to something as personal as music and it’s means of delivery via HiFi components. It’s certainly a balancing act, and that list of gear you’ve tried is nuts! Love it! Thanks for another great vid, Thomas.

Well said! "..there's NO best item..." etc. Horses for courses. Discovered this long time ago and I often have a giggle when someone declares a component as "best" 1) Synergy 2)Objective 3) Personal taste / preference. Even the type of music one listens too matters.. This for me, is the HIFI Gospel after decades searching for perfection.

Thank you Thomas! Wise words indeed. It's a journey, and the view is different if you've hiked for half the day to reach the peak, or been driven 30 minutes in a bus. We really appreciate your honesty.

Don't be afraid to use an equalizer either. It'll trim your equipment to make it better to listen to, its just like changing amps and you can get even more from your equipment.

I do like your precision in explaining what you want from your speakers. It is a relief to hear it instead of the useless babble on other sites. Cheers.

Thomas, I find you very refreshing in the fact, your knowledge in hi fi is accurate and enormous. Switching out and listening to hifi is very time consuming though, like you say. Keep up the good work.

I must say those Silverline speakers are absolutely gorgeous.

Funny story, my favorite speakers to listen to music on is from a brand I always avoided. I remember coming across the brand when I was younger and thinking "they must be bad, nobody ever talks about them." I always focused on the brands reviewers were talking about or "the hot new thing" in articles online. One day I met a guy in a local shop that sells used audio equipment. We started talking about music and gear and immediately clicked. (Rare, not a lot of people around here are into audio) Anyways, we started talking more about our personal systems and he invited me over to give his budget system a listen. I remember arriving and walking in to see two bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer. I've seen many speakers but I didn't recognize these. He told me they were the Boston Acoustic VR-M60's and Boston Acoustic PV1000 subwoofer. I quickly realized that's why I knew very little about these speakers because I always overlooked that brand. I stayed open minded though and sat comfortably numb as he qued up Pink Floyd (one of my favorite classic rock bands). Within the first 15 secs after sound started pouring out from these bookshelf speakers and sub I was literally stunned. I've heard this track a million times and it's never sounded so......Alive, Detailed, Clear, Massive, Spacious.... so Perfect? I knew immediately after I left I had to look them up and purchase a pair. I found out they are a bit older came out in the early 2000's for $1000 pair. It was their flagship bookshelf speaker. I'm really surprised they aren't better known online or in groups but they did release before the social media boom. The price to performance is insane but I guess the people that do know about them swear by them and try to keep it a "hidden gem." I'm still using them to this day and enjoying every moment of it.

My approach I think is different as I generally want differences in my system from my friends as we all have different spaces, and tastes. What we have found is that there are a lot of ways to get to a really good experience for less money than some of the mega buck systems we've experienced at the audio shows. Each of us has a different approach with different gear and great results. We have a group of five guys that hung out (before Covid) and enjoyed audio and music. Plus I have a second group of guys a group of 4 that also are on the same quest. I say enjoy the quest, enjoy the music and enjoy the company of good friends That to me is what the hobby is all about.

Must be a UPS driver and his chiropractor who thank you for your contribution to the economy... And 2:05 says it all....THANKS Thomas!

ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE AND IT IS REFLEXIVE OF MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND OBSESSION 😊 YOURS IS MUCH DEEPER THAN MINE BUT MINE HAS BEEN OVER A 50+ YEARS 😍😍

I found that lifting a speaker 10cm+ of the ground can have a good impact on tightening the bass. I just started with room eq and DSP, and its like getting a new speaker for each curve I design. Really impressive technology at this point. Buying a speaker and putting it somewhere random is playing Bingo. With dsp you increase your chances tenfold of getting good sound.

I love your analogy to different types of food French, Italian or Chinese.

Ive realized that alot of stuff isnt really better, just different. Strengths are all different, ive had many speakers around 100 sets also, ive settled lately on the ls50 and edifier s2000 pro, biggest or baddest ive had well no, but they do everything just fine and easy to move around and look great. Its a tough journey. To help others out here, ones i couldve lived with for good are klipsch forte, ar3a, kef c80, ads L570 and ads L630, klh model 6 and 23, many i couldve lived with, but here we are, for now im keepin what ive got and im plenty good with it.

This is a complete surprise, I thought you would choose a focal as your main speaker or one of . And my impression was that you did not like the ares 2 that much in your review but it made its way to your system. . Great 👍 video

There are two types of people: firm mattress people and soft mattress. It's not even a choice, your body will respond to one over the other. I think the same applies to audio.

You are a tough customer like I am! Like you I gave up on trying to assemble the perfect system. With my modest income I have built a 'pleasant' system combining musicality with precision. I wish you a great holiday and see you in 2022!

What a Dude! You killed me with the food analogy. And yes indeed! There would be 1.5B people challenging on that! I'm African. I like to change cuisine. As one should. Brilliant video!

What I ultimately learned from this video is that ignorance can truly be blissful, trust your ears... 😊👍

Hey Thomas, you mentioned how much you love the piano on angel, may I recommend you then listen to Eurielle, song is called rescue me, and you will want to hear the accoustic version. The piano is stellar, and she sings like an angel. Her voice is amazing and will test the imaging capabilities of your system. In case you are interested. By the way, love your videos!!!

Fantastic gear, my wife would go mad if I purchased all that.

What you're discussing in the first few minutes is "gravitas" Thomas. And I totally agree. Piano must have a serious bottom note in any system. Try early Nina Simone! I won't say what my speakers are except they're British and were £1800 when they were made about 25 years ago. The bass is soft, the mid range is fabulous. Treble is smooth but not as transparent as modern designs. I use little chunks of foam in the ports to tune the bass - various sizes and shapes - but too much takes a little air out of the sound, can sound a little claustrophobic. My speakers have a backwards leaning baffle.

But "Angel" has an upright Bass playing the root note in unison with the piano. It certainly has impressive bass in my system.

There's no evidence that suggests that when we listen to something we all hear the same thing. Some people may hear the bass differently than others for example. Same thing with color, there's no science that what I call red is what you see as red. I like the review.. keep up the good work.

Glad I am not the only person who blocks off ports with a pair of socks to control bass. Cheap acoustic treatment and very useful storage when I run out of clean socks!

I like that little audio comparison at the end. Listening to it through some good planar magnetics shows how much better the tigirs are.

WoW!! I loved the very simple, soothing way of talking, fixed to the integrated intention of the topic, covering detailed comparisons & Very comfortable listening with tranquil environment all around you!! Explains enough, how soft minded & a self-thinker you are!? Lovely.... 😍

Completely understand. Though I'm more of a vintage guy, I do run multiple systems because they DO have their own sound. Unlike you I do not believe one system is better than all the others. My mood, I guarantee you would tire even of that $300K system after enough time. Nothing sounds the same after enough time with it. It ceases to surprise, amaze.

So good. Our journey is so much enjoyable. Even we can never be able afford to have that super high end system

From financial sense , rather than spend on 70 Pais of speakers to emulate your friend 300k system, just invest in this 300k system.

Just watched your video on the two speakers you decided to keep.i think you had more pairs of speakers than I did. I got tired of moving big speakers in and out of my house.so,i designed and built my own speakers.never had to worry about those issues again.i still own about 30 pairs of speakers and about 20 amplifiers.i like to change things up and discover great system match's.

As a long-time project manager, one thing I learn is setting realistic expectations for the outcome you are trying to delivery. Perhaps spending 70% of the 300K so that it gives 95% of its performance is a more realistic goal? :-) Your overall gears seem to be at around 100K+ range. Don't give up on your initial goal yet, from your list, you seems have not tried Wilson audio, Gershman and ATC products, you are young and your audio conquer is far from over!

I don't believe one speaker can totally capture the ideal for ALL the listeners; therefore, for myself, I found a speaker that had a foundation that had some very good engineering. From there I have slowly and methodically improved my speakers . . . and associated equipment. As I find an affordable possibility that I think I can handle financially, I will go cautiously in that direction -- listening to many opinions -- all of which I may reject or agree with . . . and I find that when a great majority of opinions agree, then their reviews or opinions are worth my discretion to investigate. This is part of the journey in audio and part of the fun. If the pursuit of good and realistic parameters of music is not enjoyable -- then I eliminate the aspect of aggravation and keep the rest . . . and that includes narrow people, who wish to manage, control, or manipulate my taste and try to make it into theirs. I am too much of an individual with my own mind, my own taste, etc. to become someone else's clay to be molded into a shape THEY WANT. :-)

Just want to thank you (and several other RU-vid channels) for setting me on a path towards audiophilia. I have always been the type to obsess over small details no matter what I’m doing, and this hobby is giving me a new outlet for channeling that energy. I thank you, but my wallet does not!

This is what you call telling it as it is. Good job thank you. No one fit all.

Thomas, I know few small hi-fi shops that don't have as many hi-fi equipment as you have, it's so great to have different systems in the house for different kind of music and of course the mood that you're in, thanks for the videos.

I think you nailed it, Thomas.... this should be the first video any aspiring audiophile should watch, and revisited many, many times throughout the journey for the sake of reality checks. Well done.... thanks!

this was the most random thing I've ever been recommended on RU-vid... I have no idea what's happening hahaha omg thanks thomas you seem like a good guy lol

We have very similar tastes and pursuits, 2 channel listening is an obsession and we have came to many similar conclusions around taste vs good or bad better labels. Nice video.

great video, the more you are in this hobby, the more you know the weakness of your system. You are so lucky to test so many speakers and we are so lucky to have you sharing with us the experience in such a honest.way. Thanks.

Thank you for your generous gift to Drs. Without boarders and thank you for your channel! I appreciate your input and knowledge of audio equipment!

The differences between pieces and parts of audio is so much more complicated than most people realize. I'm still learning things. Take those Silverline for example. The design of just the front of those speakers is a shape and distance between drivers to minimize the baffle effect which should net you a better linear response. Compare those performance characteristics to speakers that aren't designed the same way is going to very by a huge amount. I mean, the front design of a speaker can change your +-dB on varying frequencies by 6dB when you factor in the room and factoring in a pair makes that greater. This is why I sometimes envy people who can spend huge amounts to have one system all built to work together and setup by a pro. But, at the same time this is a hobby and take away something I like to do. Mix and match and play with things.

this is possibly one of your best review, thanks Thomas! I thought you could tell us the price more openly. I think priceyness of something is highly subjective, and you are entitled to your definition of highend price. But with your experience, it would benefit many of us, who can't afford to go through your amount of cash you put in. Thank you.

It's always a real pleasure watching your video, but this one is definitely one of the best !! So Thank you !!

Always enjoy watching your videos. Thanks for sharing your journey. Now you can start saving for your kids college fund. Of course you know sooner or later you'll get that itch again.

Hi.. Thomas I been watching your video for a while now and I thank you for sharing your experiences and great reviews of hi end gears. Because of you sharing what you learned I was able to quickly feature out want in a system and because of limited budget I have to hunt for a vintage amplifier that have the sound that I'm looking for and a tube preamp that I my self did some modification. Right now I have a adcom gfa5500 with upgraded caps a ar-ls22 preamp with upgrades tubes and op-amps and bought a pair of tannoy d700 and I added a custom made super tweeter on top. This combination is just outstanding to my ears and to all of my friends that I invited to listen to it. Thank you sir for all of your effort and I very much appreciate it.

Coveting your neighbor's goods is what drives the economy. You're a good member of society.

I love your videos, as soon as I heard what you said about the piano in the song Angel, I felt the neccesity to hear it in my system (everyone of us believe to have the best system but also ask himself, it is as good as I think) Anyways it pass the test (for me) 🤣🤣. Greetings from Costa Rica.

Hello Thomas, great video. I think your honesty is spot on. The reality is that money matters, but what matters most is if you are enjoyin* what you have and having fun. The type of music you listen to makes all the difference. Thanks for your videos.

Very good channel . Well done Thomas

I really enjoy your honesty. It is very refreshing. Crazy question from a novice, why not put together a system with the different speakers that give you what you want to hear for the music you are listening to at the time? I guess I am missing the point?

Hi Thomas! I'm glad I came across your posts. I appreciate your ideology regards different sounding ancillaries that you finely tweak,tune to your liking and tastes. I enjoy listening to people like yourself that have a passion like myself that I can only learn from. Great stuff my friend from Glasgow,Scotland.👍😊

Hi Thomas. Try to seek out a pair of SB Acoustics ARA bookshelves for audition. Either the Beryllium or non-beryllium version has that kind of organic midrange which you might like. Pretty deep organic bass too for a bookshelf. Not expensive even tho their drivers are used in Wilson Audio, Von Schweikert etc speakers :)

I've came to your conclusion long before you did! Well, better said, before you" accepted " your conclusion, I'm sure that at same point you have anticipated that but it was a matter of" acceptance "... 😊 (pardon my English). In your case I can highlight two things : 1." the journey " - you are one of the most lucky man! Due to the fact that you have auditioned so many gear! 2. Thus - your channel was born, so the really beneficiary of that (your audio journey) are we, your followers! And I thank you for that!! 👍 👍 Nice explication about the bass piano. This maybe will put to an end the endless discussion - why should we buy a speaker with those huge range of hz, the human ear it only hear so limited range of frequency... (haters).. Well, that's why! The details makes the difference! Once again, nice video and exceptional explanations! 👍 👍 👍

very interesting thomas. listening to your reasons for chasing the perfect sound has allowed me to mellow out on my expectations too on my own system. its not always about how much youve spent on things.

YES DUDE ! I am close behind you having listened to about 65 pairs of speakers !!! LOL I LOVE IT !

Hey Thomas! Recently i wanted to share different experinces with different types of amps, vintage, new and last of them not very expensive hiends (i hope😊). I ve saw your videos with amps and speakers, DACs and i was very surprised that you've also switched speakers and amps...and had different oppinions regarding the other reviews! This kind of passion and hobby doesn't let you be indifferent to your senses and it is all about what you hear and how do you receive music in your artistic vission! Because in my oppinion, to make a very well balanced audio system is an art! You have to feel every note...every breath! Thank you for sharing your experinces with us! I have also some vids, but not as higher standards with room acoustics or gear! Unlike you😊! I am at the beggining and i will follow you untill my best in this hobby!

Great video! It's nice to see you play diverse music!! Many audiophiles only play audiophile music which is easy to play on an audiophile system and which is usually boring for a none audiophile like 95% of the world! For me I need a system that can play everything so at least 95% of my visits can enjoy! Keep up the great videos!! I love seeing other people's systems since im not into review cause I won't be upgrading anything!👍

Thomas, thank you for spending your time making these videos that we all enjoy.

Keep it up I think the way you put together these vieos are first rate. Actually what comes straight out of the garden , wild(land/sea) ,and farm is better. From down east. Keep listening

I took me a long time to realize what I am searching for. I was like that old U2 song! But now i know I am personally all about warm, luxurious midrange.

Yes, there is a very disingenuous reviewer here on RU-vid who loves to say this $300 amp is as good as that $3000 amp and so on. He is a pretty boy who is more into interior design and "features" than the best and most accurate sound. I fully appreciate your more honest reviews that does not interject any ego or "show biz". I can relate to your painful journey. You are SO RIGHT that one person notices this or that, but people who are true audiophiles have MANY different aspects of sound they listen for. Most go completely unnoticed to those who are not interested enough to listen this closely. I appreciate your humility.

Love what you are doing very honest and experienced opinion and feedback.

Love your reviews and discussions Thomas. Very full, detailed and straightforward consideration.

I enjoy your commentary style, very informative and your down to earth manner of speaking.

Great comparison. I say this because everyone's ear is different. Everyone processes music differently. People that are music connoisseurs like us have a tendency of finding what is missing from the sound rather than hearing what's present and enjoying that. ( myself included) I think it's very difficult to be completely satisfied with a system and the sound you are hearing from it. When you don't have a budget I think that chase can be endless, but when are operating with a budget like me 😁. You have to be very happy with the system that we have and enjoy the quality of music that it produces. I recently come across your video's and enjoy them very much. Love the simplicity of them.

Thanks for delineating crucial ideas for audiophiles and lots of food for thought and speakers to try!!!

Interesting video! I'm just about to settle down as well. 2 very different but exceptional speakers is the plan. I chose one that has great tone/timber, strong dynamics and very natural sound. The other excels with detail, refinement, tight bass and balanced presentation. After swapping gear for over 2 decades I'm convinced you can't have it all in one setup.

Tks Thomas for a story about systems of your own so wonderful and long awaited!

Excellent video! I think your resolution is the "best" possible solution if you enjoy the music and the process of discovery. Thanks for sharing!

More than one system is an excellent decision. Congrats on your new setup.

I always enjoy your videos. Thanks again, great stuff!

"so after going through 70, 80 pairs of speakers, I have 2 that I'm not selling. The first one is basically awful; no midrange, no top end, and has a lot of problems....." THOMAS ARE YOU INSANE???

I have been through probably about the same amount of speakers...my wife says I don't like stereo systems I like to hook them up I'm beginning to believe her

I surely did hear a difference at the end of your stereo review. Your mic is really nice, sounds full and rich even through my phones speaker. Thanks for the insight

Another great video. The last two videos you have shown categorization of gear in terms of sound and tier. I think that helps us understand where a piece of hardware will fit within our systems and what how it will alter the sound we are getting. The only thing better would be if a product is overpriced for what it does or if it is good bang for the buck

That was fantastic, thank you for sharing all your thoughts!!!

I share your thoughts Thomas on needing multiple systems. The human ear is an instrument. Thanks for the video.

What a noble caring thing to do Thomas...

Man Thomas! I really found your perspective helpful. Good stuff!👍🏾

I have an audio set that consist of two Focal Chorus 706 bookshelf sort of speakers and an active cheap german subwoofer to lend a hand in the low register powered by an entry lever Denon amp. It is about 1K system.I'm so happy with the way my gear sound..I'm an avid music listener about 6-8 albums daily. I avoid like the pest listening to expensive gear because i am fully aware when I go home and turn on my gear they will sound like crap.So dear Thomas had not you been at your friends place and listened 300K gear you might have been surely enjoing your 10K gear.Curiosity killed the cat.Now you have two choices A 300K audio no wife.B Wife and no 300K gear. Up to you and good luck.

You should try a bundle of drinking straws in the bass port. This actually lowers the tuning a few hertz, and adds friction (which effectively adds mass) and it lowers the peak of the port output. Socks almost totally blocks the port, making it an air suspension design. Also, you can control bass by placing the speaker so the distances from the woofers and the port to all the room boundaries - share as few common divisors as possible. So, the distance from the floor, back wall, ceiling and side walls need to be 1', 3', 5', 7', 11', 13', 17' etc. If the lower woofer is 1' from the floor, and the upper woofer is 2' - then raise the speaker by 6". If the speakers are 4' from the side wall, and the upper woofer is 4' from the floor, and/or the rear port is 4' from the back wall, then move them to change on of those relationships. If the port is 1' above the floor, it should be 3' away from the rear wall, and 5' away from the side walls. The objective is to spread out the room modes, so they don't reinforce each other.

I'd never thought I would see a Lian Li case in living room entertainment unit

Your videos are very helpful, thanks for your passion and and sharing your ideas and experiences. Seems like stereo systems are like race cars in the fact that when you gain something in one area you lose something in another. A car that is quick off of the line is great for drag racing but not so much for top-end Speed and vice versa. I was raised listening to am transistor radio the size of a deck of cards. I can enjoy music from various sources. But I am wanting to try out a tube hybrid integrated amplifier but I would also like to get a solid-state 500-watt amplifier to see how my Cerwin Vega e712 300w 3-way floor standing speakers would respond. They are sensitive and it does not take a lot of power to drive them but I have a feeling that with a lot of Headroom they would really open up. Added aperion super tweeters with that folded ribbon design and extended the high range frequency tremendously. For me that's the only thing they were lacking because they deliver bass and mid-range by the truckload. I am so close to pulling the trigger tekton double impact and Raven osprey hybrid integrated amp. But now I have got to check out the tube amplifier you have. Decisions decisions! I listen to Jazz and rock and roll and I do like the crank it up and rattle the windows at times. Probably need two systems! Tube for warm jazz and acoustical session. Solid state for Rock and pissing off the neighbors!

Funny but I completely understand the role bass plays in our appreciation of chords. Mind you I'm no musician, just prefer deep, grounded speakers. Mines are Fyne 502's.

Did you with try radiotehnika s-300?? Very good sound 25hz from 25khz

Im the same,as soon as I had any concept of bass in music it has been my main drive....and image :~} oh and midrange....and its always sweet to hear different cymbals...oh and...

Thomas your comment will save a lot of people a lot of money, but from what I understand is us ‘Audiophools’ will not listen, we like to make the same mistake then think back and regret of not listening to you. The beginners are arrogant and the veterans have lost faith lol. Thanks for the awesome video sir!

All my respect for having such experimenting so many systems already...If one day you have a chance, please try to grab a listening session with a pair of Cabasse la Sphere...They have totally "enlightened" me and the hi fi hunter that i was before..

Rule of 3: you need 3 of everything. Cycling: mountain bike, road, city. Motorcycles: track, sport touring, cruiser. Boats: fishing, wake board, deep hull ocean. Vehicles: offroad, sports car, daily. Audio is no exception. You could build a system just to compliment one single track or genre. Otherwise you have to compromise somewhere. At the high end, there is no better, just different.

awesome review / comments. pros and con on all systems and the way you are attacking the problem is fantastic. for me a simply one system (good or bad) is what im chasing after.

I highly recommend the first awesome CD by TAKE 6 . It will make or break any System, regardless of the price!!

all i played was classical guitar - Marantz 8b - paragon e preamp -raga 1st ed - and rogers ls35a - i know what the rogers sound like. great reviews Thomas - you care about the music.

MJK - Thomas, as "humbuckerpickups" and others have said, there is a grand piano, an upright bass and a drum kit credited on the jacket for the song Angel. I can say with absolute authority the lowest octaves of a grand piano cannot hit you in the beltline like an upright bass or any stringed bass for that matter. I have played in several bands over the years and knew immediately when you said Sarah Mclachlan's Angel had “no bass” and only a grand piano that you were mistaken. So much for "being able to walk around the musician" in "3D" when auditioning the best speakers money can buy. LOL... I know it's an imaginary walk, but real musicians enjoy a soundstage effect and LOVE the instruments and the performance itself.

A VERY HONEST review...

Have you tried covering the tv with a blanket while llstening to music.? I've heard people say they degrade sound quality.