Setting up your FIRST hi-fi system 

This was such a good down to earth video John, sometimes Hifi can feel really elitist (and of course, it still is) nice to see a content creator such as yourself making a video like this

I worked in a HiFi shop in Melbourne, Australia back in the 90's, selling these Marantz CD Players. They were a great unit (and yes, we sold a shit-tonne of them!). The only niggle was that this series of players (CD43, CD53, CD63 etc) had a common issue in that the wrong grease was used on the Laser Drive Mechanism, which is a sort of worm-drive gear. This grease would clag up, such that the laser couldn't track properly, resulting in these skips that you hear. In the worst cases, the machine couldn't read a disc. The common warranty fix back then was to rip out the old Laser Mechanism and pop in a replacement with the correct lubrication - a 10 minute job! Now, 25 years later, that may not be so simple. If you have one of this series of player with this issue, pop the lid off and have a look at the worm gear that tracks the laser. If the grease is dark brown and crappy looking, there's your problem. It should be white or creamy in colour and texture. I'm a long time out of the game now, but I wonder whether it would be feasible to carefully degrease that gear and relubricate it with an appropriate grease? I wish I still had mine!

The simplicity of that system is like a breath of fresh air. Planning on doing something similar for my office.

While streaming is great, nothing beats an amp and CD player setup. I know the kids all love vinyl, but I’ve been buying CDs since the 80s, and still go back to them for sitting and listening.

American here, we call those RCA cables as well. Never heard it referred to as a cinch cable, but maybe that's a regional thing.

I'm not an audiophile. I just love music. Seeing the content of the video is really appreciated. I really like your attitude towards high fi gear. I always said the most important aspects of this hobby are, room, means, will and time. Turning the clock and buy old skool gear is my way to go. It works, it's usually simple and my ears are satisfied. Thanks again for this Mr. Darko.

G'day it's Shane from Australia. I loved this video I only did something very similar myself recently, going out into my shed and finding my old gear from the late 80s early 90s. And yes I am a hoarder. It was a wonderful weekend spent I really enjoyed the nostalgia of it all. Found my old Technics SUV 60 class A integrated amplifier. My old Technics CD player of the same era. And my Jamo CBR 1305 loudspeakers which where still in great condition. God I saved long and hard to afford those back in the day lol. Brought it all inside dusted it all off and cleaned it properly plugged it all in and WOW! It's transported me back to being a youngster reveling in hifi. Sure it wasn't anything like the $100000 I've spent on my current system. But I still had a ball all weekend pulling out CDs I haven't played since back in those days. A great video thank you so much 👍😁🎧

Amazing. My first 'proper' system comprised of 760 SE, Rotel 935 BX and Rotel 945 AX CD player!

I've been running a vintage setup mostly because of budget and nostalgia - most of it was my dad's - and it continues to blow me away how good a bunch of even budget mid-90s kit can sound. I've got my dad's Mission 731i speakers, with their ridiculous but fantastic "micrometer" stands, and his Denon CD player which packs a pretty nice Burr-Brown R2R DAC chip. Even paired with the ubiquitous Cambridge A1 integrated amp I bought as a poor high school student back then, it sounds great. Far better than anything I could put together new for even double the price.

It's really cool to see you talking about something you're passionate about, while taking the time to explain it in a way I can actually understand. Setting up a sound system is one of the most intimidating things to me, there's so many knobs and buttons it's just overwhelming.

I have 4 of those Mission 760i sitting in the basement, still. Man, I’m old!!! Absolutely LOVED them when I got them in the early 90s, great sounding speakers. Thanks for the trip down memory lane

Theres such a beautiful cinematic quality to the look of your videos and I really love and appreciate that.

Great video and a trip down memory lane - thank you. My first system Celestion SL 600, Carver 1090 Integrated (the only budget amp that can power celestions) and a rotel cd player ... all very very second hand ... and 35 years later still going strong!

I've been waiting for a video like this for YEARS! Thank you!

I had Mission speakers years ago. They were great. Now I want a Rotel CD player. Love your articles.

Loved this video. I'm an old school audio scrounger, and I love building value sound systems that sound great, and then re-homing them (give them away). I learned the magic of DAC's from you; and that has given a lot of vintage / used / dated gear a new lease on life. Bravo.

Thank you, John. As someone who's always been into music but now getting into hi-fi equipment, this video was really useful.

Ahhh John, so many memories. I actually got my old system, from the 80's out of the loft in January. Marantz CD player and amplifier and a dodgy pair of cheap speakers. Lost my B&W's during a row with the ex ! I set the system up and bingo, sounded incredible. Just goes to show 20 odd years in a cold damp loft can still put a smile on your face ! Thanks for sharing.

Love this video. My first system had that CD63SE and Mission (701) with a Musical Fidelity E11 amp and Nordstrom flatline gold/VDH cables. Loved it!

nice nostalgic review! the missions 760 were my first speakers, early 90s!!

I am setting up my first stereo system and got these speakers yesterday for 60 euros. Now waiting to pick up my turntable, cannot wait to try them out. Great video :)

…had the same missions connected to my fathers old amp from late 1970´s..many hours playing lifeforms … and my audiophile journey began..wonderful memories..thanks John.

Love this video. I often think of my first "real Hi-Fi" and how much pleasure it brought me. I don't think it can ever be truly re-captured. I've spent £1000's and years looking for those revelatory moments in the music, now playing around with HiRes and fancy DACs. But I always think back to my NAD 5440 CD player and the fun I had listening to it.

Rotel, Mission and Marantz - oh, the memories :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! John, so good to see the ‘vintage’ gear it brings back so many memories, this first setup gear can change lives. I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 414SL’s, not to listen to, just to have hanging above my desk reminding me of the day I heard ELO’s ‘Jungle’ through them when I was a young teen… it blew my mind. They remind me every day of the start of my amazing journey, I’m sure we all have our own stories to tell on how we all got here, but boy, I’m glad I’m still here, enjoying it just as much as ever.

Love this. I’m always scouting gear from that time period to build separate listening stations throughout the house. My latest is a garage setup where I work on my bicycles. Cheap recycled but reliable gear goes a long way.

Wow, I can't believe my ears when u mentioned the Naim Nait amplifier, after all these years. My vintage setup is the Nait + Linn Kan speakers, both version 1. They are still with me but unfortunately I don't have the Linn Sondek LP12 anymore. Anyway, this was my first proper hifi setup & now connected to a modern CD player, its still enjoyable to listen too. Cheers for taking us back to our vintage hifi gear.

Love it, thank you. Fortunately I kept all my stuff (Technics and Denon) from these days and can still listen to them. Brings back good memories.

This is definitely now my favourite video on the channel! Will send to some of my friends who are yet to get into hifi! The perfect introduction. Thank you 🙌

Really enjoyed this. My first system was pre cd (1982) and had Mission 700 speakers, a dual turntable, Marantz amp and a Sony Tape Deck (can’t remember the model numbers). Loved the sound at the time and it took me many paper deliveries to pay back. Nostalgia in music is so important which even more makes me think that we worry too much about the relative merits of… Enjoy the music and the moment I think.

Wow Mission speakers! What a blast from the past this was! Great video John!

Brings back so many memories about my first system. Thanks John keep it going!

Great pair of videos, John. I wish more reviewers would benchmark current stuff against their fav past systems, to give us a sense of what's changed and how much in hi-fi. And a great explainer of basic audio terminology for beginners, as well as the importance of system matching!

CD player on top of the amp! I was always told the amp should always sit on top of everything else because of the heat it generates.

I have recently bought my old vintage HIFI from the 90’s as always loved it and regretted ever selling it. Yamaha AX-393 amp and Yamaha CDX-493 CD player with TDl RTL2 speakers. It hasn’t disappointed. Cost me all in £80.

So enjoyable . A simple and elegant system - and comparably clear and succinct explanation.

Nice trip down memory lane. Owned the Mission 761 back then with a Sansui CD player and an old Technics amplifier. Stands were DIY copies of Atacamas with Translator speaker cables. Oh, and a Pioneer recordplayer from 1975 was in the system as well. In my small bedroom it worked really well and made me step into the world of audiophiles. But the joy it brought back in the days was so rewarding it still fulfills me with very good memories.

I've watched many of your videos but only just had this pop up in my recommendations. So many memories!! My first proper system consisted of Pioneer PD-S703 CD player, Rotel RA-820AX amp and these Mission 760i's which I seem to remember almost all of the other audio nerds at university also had. Ah the power of What Hi-Fi recommendations! The CD player is still doing occasional duties in the lounge, the amp and speakers went to my dad for his PC set up and hopefully they are still being enjoyed. Many thanks for your entertaining videos and the best of health to you.

Love the video. I'm still running the same Rotel amp with my qacoustics speakers since the Kef coda 7 passed away. Still playing the Artificial intelligence 2 album as well. It's great seeing the cd's that appear...brings back some great memories 👍

Loved this! I’d really enjoy a version of this w currently available gear. Same relative price points and delivery etc. I find I am sliding back to owning just the music that is worth having in physical space. Thanks John!

Seeing that “Trance Europe Express” cd set from Volume reeeeaaaalllyyyy brought me back to the early 90’s when I was buying anything and everything British and latched onto compilation CDs as a way to learn about as many new bands as humanly possible.

Loved this....reminds me of my first separates system, when I went to uni in 93, and spent half of my first year's student loan money on it....Stand mounted Mission 760iSE speakers, Marantz CD52 mkII CD player (I got 2nd hand) and a Marantz PM44SE intergrate Amp....I was considering a Rotel Amp also, but got a good deal on the Marantz, so went with that.....recently bought a pair of Mission 780 speakers (2nd hand) and paired them with a newer Marantz amp (MCR 610), and was just as pleased with the results as I was with with the original system :-)

Enjoyed this very much ……. memory lane stuff, still have the Marantz and used daily by my 91 year old step father. I used to play through a Rotel RB971 power amp hooked to a Kenwood KRV990D AV receiver with Tannoy M3 floor standing speaker, It’s where it began for me…..super!

Love the tangents. Love the filmmaking. Love that there's always a story to your videos, not just a string of information.

I’m 50 now John just started building a retro system can’t wait to experiment thanks for your amazing work 👍🏻🇬🇧

I still have my Rotel RA-02 very similar to the one you show in this very nice video. Thank you!

Mission 760i were my first speakers :) At the moment, they're serving my younger brother vintage Hi-Fi system. I've bought them with the money I've saved from a vacation job I had back then, when I was 16. They still sound good, by the way. A friend of mine bought the Kef Coda 7 - the competitor.

Pure nostalgia making a great point. You do not need the latest and greatest to enjoy music. These components were built to last and to give decades of enjoyment!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane - loved it.

loved this content, so nice to see a vid with 2nd hand kit.......i recently helped a friend build his first separates system of vintage kit.....loved the search, brought back some memories.

Superb video! I still got the Marantz PM7200 as mint as can be. Pressing “Play” on the CD player is still an unbeatable experience. Lovely and tactile and you know pure musical bliss happens as a result

My next to the last CD player was the CD63 Ki Sig. I loved that thing. around 20yrs ago I replaced it with the Marantz CD17 Ki Sig which I still have today & still use on a regular basis. Great down memory lane vid thank you. 👍

Enjoyed your video as usual. Just realized I have been running a vintage system for some time. Most of my equipment is from the early 90's and working beautifully. Did have to have my Magnaplaners rebuilt but for the minimal cost that process worked wonders on these old work horses.

Thanks for such a candid and nostalgic video. My system is pretty similar, with devices from early 90s (late 80’s max). And it does sound very good today. Greetings!

Amazing. 20 years ago my first system was Marantz and Mission. Still have it too.

My first system was a set of Mission 762i and a Rotel RA-985bx integrated, basically the big brothers to John’s system here. Great vid!

Brought back so many memories! Had the same amp, loved my Rotel, technics cd player and Sony floor standing speakers. Had s similar experience to you when I swapped out the Rotel for a more expensive amp, just wasn't as happy, it had lost a little bit of fix. Always remember the start of wages day by deacon blue causing the hairs in the back of my neck to go up, but after I swapped out the Rotel, that no longer happened.

Lovely episode. I had those Missions in my very first setup as a kid and still have them.

Awesome love your attitude to high end audio! Keep it up lad!

Awesome, I definitely enjoyed this one… I have recently revisited some of my early kit too. I had a Rotel RCD 965-BX CD player, RA 971-MK2 amp and Mordaunt Short MS-20i Pearl speakers on Apollo stands, all wired up with Ixos interconnects and Rega speaker cable. I sounded great but I soon jumped on the upgrade chain and bought an Arcam system, which I upgraded even more quickly to a Linn system. I have bought another Rotel system, it’s in the company of Linn, Naim, Cyrus and Meridian systems and it holds its own pretty well, it’s actually really enjoyable… the big Linn system in my dedicated listening room is obviously in a whole different league, but it’s also orders of magnitude more expensive, it’s huge, it has more cables than the stage at woodstock and it needs that dedicated room to do it’s thing… the simplicity of the Rotel system is really refreshing.

Another fantastic video John. Really glad i discovered you're channel when i did. I'll looking to build myself a "vintage/second hand hi-fi system very soon now. Keep up the great work.

These kinds of video's are what I'm always looking forward to

Love the step by step approach for beginners.

I was only searching for some basic information on how to set up stereo components, but I quite liked this video, and your tone and the way you describe these things, so I've subscribed.

A nostalgic list of components here, I remember these all winning best in category and price in What Hi FI. My first system was a Systemdek IIX900 turntable, Arcam Alpha + CD player, Mission Cyrus 1 amp and Rogers LS4a speakers. It wasn't long before I got upgrade fever and changed just about everything over the next few years. Loved the video.

John, you've got me hooked. I went from knowing next-to-nothing about HiFi systems to spending HOURS researching (i.e., reading/watching). Thank you!

You’ve given me major nostalgia vibes. I’ve still got that exact Rotel amp and the matching CD player and cassette deck. I bought them all from Encel hifi in Richmond, Melbourne Australia in the early 90’s. All played through some Jamo loudspeakers. Don’t remember which ones.

Thanks so much, it was like a beautiful trip down memory lane. When I just about got into Bahrain in 97 and bought myself a Pioneer A300R amp, a Pioneer PD-S705 cd player, Pioneer CT-S550s tape deck, Pioneer F403 tuner, Pioneer GR333 equaliser and a pair of Mordaunt Short MS25i, Monster Audio interconnects and Acoustic Research speaker cables. Later on, added an A307R amp and a Sony MD520 minidisc player. Recently added an Audio Technica AT- LP5x DD turntable and a TP Link audio receiver and couldn’t be more happier. Sounded gorgeous back then, and now after all these years still sound just as good. Totally a budget system separates but has worked its magic for me.

Great video and brought back memories of scraping money together for two years to buy a nad amp, mission speakers, sony FM tuner (Annie Nightingale on Sunday nights) + Ariston turntable with some upgraded stylus. The NME was companion to all the equipment. The 90’s was littered with albums with one great single and lots of fillers though….

Just set up my first Hi-Fi rig last week. I'm using a beautiful marantz cd-63 mkii ki signature and its superb

that was a very cool episode my 90s stereo was actually a late 70's or early 80's car stereo alpine front end, pioneer speakers and a alpine amp it was a lovely sounding system but it was in a car... I didn't get my first home stereo until the late 20 teens which was zu audio dirty weekend and rega brio and now I have three different systems great episode it was great hearing your excitement going thru it

I used to have the Marantz cd 63 se, with a Cambridge audio P50 integrated amp, with a set of large wharfedale delta speakers, that brings back memories, great video John👍

Glad you’re enjoying your trip down memory lane, John. I started mine 18 months ago in my study but as I’m older, my gear was from the ‘80s. Inevitable NAD 3020, a Sansui SR222 MkII turntable and the nearest thing I could get to Audiomaster speakers, Monitor Audios. Since then I have taught myself the basics of stripping amps and rebuilding them with upgraded components. Old gear burns stuff out, that CD player of yours is frying it’s laser most likely. I have owned and sold about a dozen different amps, maybe 30 cd players and 10 pairs of speakers. I’ve stopped at a system I always hankered after, which is centred around a Sansui AU217 MkII amp which I have gutted and rebuilt including all the crusty old wires, phono sockets, binding posts, caps, resistors and finally a fully shielded mains cable. I reckon it’s as good as most amps costing £1,000 today. Of course, the turntable has also been fully rebuilt on a new MDF plinth with silver litz rewired arm to high quality phono sockets, allowing my to use really good phono cables. I added a totally nuts Goldring G1042 cartridge. I know I’ve gone over the top but I absolutely love the sound quality of records again. I have a CD player too but that’s just for listening in the background when the radio is rubbish. Matching Sansui TU217 FM tuner, of course. Ultimately, it doesn’t compare with my reference CD system in the lounge, but it really rocks my world when I fancy playing an LP or two. And yes, they are records or LPs, not “vinyl”. That’s something Ford used to put on the roof of your dad’s Cortina GT. 🤣

thanks for the trip down memory lane. As a chap of a certain vintage I feel I have been on the full audiophile journey - from my first 'real' system auditioned at Tottenham Court Road, down a few rabbit holes of bi amping, cryogenics, power conditioning, poring over Russ Andrews latest catalogue, building my own speakers and valve amps, before just accepting that streaming was just easier (and family friendly) ..... great to hear that the 90's system still holds its own.....

Brings back some fond memories.... my first ever system was Mission speakers with Marantz CD player and amp from the early 1990s!

Great video John, I had a very similar system in the 90’s and have very fond memories of that CD player, aah nostalgia 😀

Excellent episode! I enjoy throwback music listening on occasion, assembling what, at the time was my “dream” setup, of Acurus ( Mondial) components, Denon CD player with everything tied together by Audio Magic cables. Very fun video, again.

I have a pair of the same Mission 760i in my guest room, and I agree they are quite nice. Then again I have Mission 775 towers and 77C center for my home theater setup, i love their ‘dryness’. Great video John, keep up the good work.

Finally! I own a piece of kit that was featured on Darko Audio’s RU-vid Channel!!! The Marantz CD-67SE. Seriously John, I am glad you have added to your collection of beginner videos. Hopefully this will introduce you to even more followers who will find your approach to all things audio as refreshing as I do.

That little system is quite simple and musical and will not disappoint !!!

Loving the Artificial Intelligence II inclusion, what an album!

Great video John. .A good classic system.

brings back memories. My 1st system was Mision 761 with Arcam Alpha and Marantz KI signature CD and Ariston Q deck TT The 761's & Q deck are in storage in the loft but the amp and CD are still going strong in my fathers sitting room.

Flashback to my first couple years in college. My best friend had a McIntosh system he took from his parent’s restaurant. He had an amp and CD player. Can’t remember the speakers but we listened to a lot of CDs like Depeche Mode and INXS. In our dorm. Thanks for another great video John!

That’s one of the most useful videos you could’ve made. I remember myself making all kinds of mistakes before doing something right. The questions you answered are definitely what I wanted to ask, when I started))

Excellent video for neophytes, well explained. I purchased used when setting up my current system after a divorce, money was tight had a new Rotel pre-amp processor and I purchased a used Carver av705x for $450, powerful, quiet, and runs cool. Still going strong today. Upgraded my pre-amp to a Marantz av7005 used for $350 very nice improvement. Way to go John

Brilliant timing!! Thanks. I’m helping assemble a system for a friend as I’m often called upon to do, and while the equipment here isn’t really pertinent it’s very handy to get back to basics. I’ll definitely be making her watch this I’ll also be checking whether that CD player is easily available in Oz, although I am striving to get to an optical out option - just in case

I had Mission Cyrus 782s, they were great!

The Marantz CD-63SE is classic with elegant looking. I also bought one in 1990s but already give away to my cousin as gift. Today it still sounds great.

Kinda loved this cos it takes me right back to the early 90s when I was right into hi-fi and now... that's what I went back to when I put a new (old) system together. Currently running a hotroded Rega Planar 3/Audio Technica VM95ML and Rotel RCD-965BX into an Audiolab 8000a and the Mission 760 Special Editions and loving it 😀

Takes me back - my first system was Rotel RCD 965BX, Arcam Alpha 3 and Mission 760i. Still got the Rotel as a spare.

This was a fun video. I sorta remember both of them pieces in hifi shops when we had them. I remember that simple rotel integrated ( or something very similar) demoing a pair of speakers that lead me to my vintage system I still use today. I was sorta surprised at the output and sound of that integrated powering a set of b&w matrix 803 series 2. Would love more like this! Thanks John! Nice tangent!

Great video, John. I own a pair of Infinity SL20 "bookshelf" speakers from the 90's that still sound great; bought them a few years ago in excellent condition from Craigslist for $40. They have an engaging sound, as you mentioned with your system; that's what's important, I think. When your system has an engaging sound, you got it right!

Thank you for bringing us down memory lane… oh how I loved my Marantz CD63SE (and pined for the KI edition which I couldn’t afford) … 🙏

Great video John. I would have found this info INVALUABLE when starting out on my Hi-Fi journey. Big thanks!

I just bought that cd player on Facebook selling site for £40. Times were so simple back then. Love your videos John

Great video John as always, my 1st system was so close to this, I had those speakers, and the cd player but the KI edition, and also the rotel amp, but I had the pre and 2 power amp version, and it sounded great, so good to see them again :)

I have always loved the vids of Darko Audio. They inspire. For the past vids, I have hoped that audiophiles will view and abandon their "old" equipment so that I may pick up some deals on pieces that are still awesome. I connected with this vid alot as I still have all of my gear from the 70s on to the present and it still excites me. Thank you for this one. Very appreciated as always ... of the content, the thoughts, the descriptive language and the video and editing. Regards.

Nostalgia here. My Mission LE700 speakers were in use until 2 years ago. Last moth they went to my nephew who, i hope, will enjoy them for some time.