The Ultimate Goal of a Home Stereo System.

Setting up a dedicated stereo system can be very satisfying. It opens up the possibility to hear "deeper" into the music and experience the music as the artist intended. Clarity, soundstage and transparency are the top 3 qualities that we strive for when setting up a stereo system in Edmonton, Alberta.

SEE ALSO: A Guide to Creating the Ultimate Entertainment Experience with Home Automation in Edmonton

Solutions for Common Mistakes

• Improper Speaker Placement: Poor speaker placement will have a huge effect on the perception of sound quality. Each model of speakers will have slightly unique placement guidelines but forming an equilateral triangle with the speakers and the listener is a good starting point.

• Ignoring Room Acoustics: The room in which the speakers are setup in can be a huge contributing factor to the sound quality. Everything from the room dimensions to the furnishing can affect the sound quality. While changing room dimensions is difficult; we offer various options of acoustic treatment that look great and will significantly decrease the rooms affect on sound quality. 

• Using Poor Quality Cables: Using low quality cables can be the bottle neck of a system. It is important to use cables containing copper and/or silver of an appropriate gauge. Steer clear of copper clad aluminum wire.

• Neglecting Source Quality: It all starts with the source. A low quality source will always result in low quality sound regardless of the upstream equipment. Selecting a high quality sources such as hi-res streaming, CD, vinyl, etc. will result in excellent sound quality.

• Overlooking Equipment Compatibility: Ensuring all components such as amplifiers and speakers are compatible. Properly pairing equipment in terms of power handling and impedance is critical.

• Not Using a Proper Amplifier: An underpowered or overpowered amplifier can cause distortion or even damage to the speakers. Selecting am amplifier with the correct power specifications for a particular pair of speakers is crucial

• Skipping Break-in Time: Allowing new speakers and components time to break-in is an important step to achieving high quality sound. Speakers specifically are made up of moving parts that are "stiff" when they are new.

• Not Calibrating the System: Most modern processors and integrated amplifiers come with room compensation or calibration software. These can be used to make adjustments to the audio signal to compensate for room deficiencies. 

• Ignoring Listening Position: The seating position can greatly affect the perceived sound quality. We recommend experimenting by moving the seating position forward and backward. 

• Focusing Solely on Gear: While the components that make up the system are important; the listening environment and your personal preferences greatly impact the overall experience. It's important to find what sounds best to you. We are the oldest audio store in Edmonton and we are dedicated to helping you determine what is best for you.

By avoiding these mistakes you will take your listening experience to the next level and get the most out of your audio system!

 If you have any questions feel free to give us a call or stop in and chat with us.