Hi-Fi Separates

Deep bass, smooth mids, clear highs – no one who cares about music wants to miss out on good sound. What HiFi components you should pay special attention to can be found in our guide.

The speaker boxes are among the most important HiFi components

If you want to assemble your music system from individual components, you should pay special attention to the speaker boxes. They have a significant influence on the final sound experience, which is why a large part of the budget should be allocated for them. Most speaker boxes available on the market operate on a two-way or three-way principle. Two-way boxes usually contain a tweeter and a midrange driver, which together reproduce the entire frequency range. The sound of two-way boxes is considered particularly natural and homogeneous, but they cannot compete with three-way boxes, which include an additional woofer ( subwoofer).

The Amplifier

Anyone dealing with individual HiFi components will inevitably encounter the question of the amplifier. It is the central interface in every music system, ensuring that the signals from individual source devices, such as the CD player, are amplified. Modern amplifiers generally have very good sound quality, so the main focus should be on the functions that the amplifier offers. Those with power-hungry speaker boxes will opt for a powerhouse that excels in performance, while efficient boxes can deliver high volume even with low power.

Still relevant: The CD

Although in recent years MP3 players or iPods have increasingly been used as source devices, the CD still delivers the best sound. Therefore, a decent CD player, alongside the speaker boxes and the amplifier, is one of the most important HiFi components, which is why a good portion of the budget can confidently be spent on it. In terms of sound quality, modern CD players hardly differ from one another, while the build quality of the devices strongly depends on the price. While cheaper models are usually made of plastic and have a CD drive that does not guarantee long-term reliability, expensive models can shine with solid construction that ensures the CD player reliably performs its duties even after years of use.

Welcome to the present: digital music files

The trend is moving away from CDs towards purely digital music files stored on a desktop PC, a network storage device, or an MP3 player. Therefore, no one assembling their music system from individual HiFi components will want to forgo planning for a purely digital signal source. Especially in this area, it is important to determine individual preferences. For those who want simplicity, they can quickly and easily connect their MP3 player to their amplifier, avoiding the need for an additional device. More complex and expensive is streaming via DLAN or WLAN, where music files are uploaded to a streaming client. The advantage of this solution is its high convenience, as numerous devices ( smartphones, notebooks, etc.) can access the files.

Tips for Buying HiFi Components

• The most important link in a music system is the speaker boxes
• The amplifier should have enough power so that the speaker boxes can produce a sufficiently high sound pressure without distortion
• The CD still offers exceptionally good sound, which is why a CD player is essential
• Modern signal sources are becoming increasingly important, so they should be considered when assembling a music system
• Consider what requirements you have and buy what you actually need. If you don't listen to the radio, you can forgo a tuner. The money saved should instead be invested in the speaker boxes
• If possible, listen to the individual components before purchasing. This saves unpleasant surprises and helps in building your desired system