Image Copyright AlexRoz, 2011 Used under license from Shutterstock.com
As with most things in life, you can blow a tonne of money on the best home audio set-ups for some seriously impressive kit, or opt for something more reasonably priced and put what you’ve saved towards seeing some live gigs or a clubbing trip to Ibiza in the Mediterranean. Either way, a great sound system makes the best music come alive in your front room. If you want your system to work harder for you by doubling-up for home cinema, read my Best Home Cinema Set-Ups blog.
iPods and Smartphones
I have some great news for you: these days, small is big. Huge, even. With an MP3 player like Apple’s iPod touch, or a smartphone from the likes of HTC or Windows Phone you’ve got the potential for a huge music collection. Hook it up to even the most basic of speakers and you’re away. You’ve the flexibility of setting up playlists and crucially, the music won’t run out. Pair it up to a dock like the Bose SoundDock and you’re set. The downside? MP3 sound quality just isn’t as good as CD.
Internet and DAB radio
The other day I was on my smartphone using the WiFi in a London hotel, e-mailing my sister in Sydney while listening to Triple J, her local Sydney radio station. Amazing. How? Phone apps and websites like TuneIn can stream over 5,000 radio stations direct to your laptop or phone. Want to enjoy the New York vibe? Try East Village Radio. Some Colombian salsa? Steel drums from St Lucia? Good ol’ country and western from Kentucky? It’s all on there. Hook up to an amp and speakers and it’s a free trip anywhere in the world. Brilliant.
The radio itself is much-improved too with the arrival of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) or DAB radio. It broadcasts with information, like track listings, sound quality is better and most radio recall station names not frequencies - much easier. Some radios even let you pause and rewind live broadcasts. So make sure your set up includes DAB.
Top tips for your home audio set-up
- The amp is central to your separates system. Aim to spend 40% of your budget on it, 30% on a CD player, 20% on speakers and 10% on quality cabling.
- Floorstanders can offer superior sound-quality, but are more intrusive than shelf-speakers.
- Flexibility is key – the more inputs and outputs, the more future-proofed your set up. Sadly, these will cost more too.
- Think 21st century - wireless, AirPlay and digital. Wireless means you can stream to other outputs around your home or across the world, via wireless or AirPlay, Apple’s iTunes wireless set-up. HDD (digital hard drives) can hold your vast music library. So don’t confine your thinking to just a traditional set-up of CD player, amp and speakers.
Best all-in-one systems
For a basic all-in-one, great value with superb sound at the price, try the Denon D-M38DAB – digital radio, CD player, iPod input and all in a stylish, neat package.
More costly, but a tidy piece of kit belting out with excellent sound quality is the Marantz Melody range – amp, speakers, CD-player, digital radio and MP3 dock.
Best separates systems
Picking and choosing the best elements to build your ultimate home sound system offers choice, quality and flexibility but at a price. For a budget option, try the Yamaha A-S500 amp, Marantz CD6003 CD player and Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 speakers.
A more expensive set-up could combine a Cyrus 6XP amplifier, Audiolab 8200CD CD player and EB Acoustics EB2 speakers.
Headphones
Don’t forget, home audio doesn’t have to mean irritating your neighbours, nor waking up your date as you celebrate by rocking out to some old-school AC/DC. For that, you’ll need some headphones from one of the best makers out there, Sennheiser. Just don’t let her catch you doing air-guitar.