Eight Simple Steps for
Making an A/V Purchase
Nobody has ever claimed that buying audio or video
equipment is simple. There are a lot of stores selling the stuff, and the variety of
equipment available is mind-boggling. To make matters more difficult, differences between
components are subtle at best, although prices can vary from a few hundred to many
thousands of dollars for a particular component. Still, the perfect system for you does
exist. Of course, to find it you may have to spend quite a lot of time shopping, but you
can lessen this by doing some preliminary work before you even talk to a dealer.
- Decide what you need: Everybody has distinctive
equipment requirements, and there are components to suit all of them. But there is very
little point in buying something with a host of features you will never use. Every extra
button costs money, and while flexibility may be a virtue, it really adds up to a waste of
money if it has no application for you. So decide what functions you want and look at
components that provide them and no more.
- Analyze your room: Whatever you buy will have to
operate in the acoustic environment of your own home, and no two rooms are alike. Yet if
you are looking to purchase an audio/video system, the single greatest factor in how it
will sound is the nature of your listening room. A good retailer should be able to
recommend a speaker/amplifier combination that will suit your room, but only if you
provide sufficiently detailed information. Draw a floor plan to scale, marking in exact
dimensions and all windows, doors, furniture, curtains, rugs, and so forth. The hardness
or softness of walls and furniture are very important, so be sure to note on your plan the
materials used in the room. Draw in the intended positions of your new speakers as well,
but be prepared to take your dealer's advice if he suggests better locations for them.
- Research the market: Before you throw yourself on the
mercy of a retailer, make sure you are familiar with what's available and what it costs.
Not only will this give you some idea of what brands have what sort of reputation, but
will also tell you what things are worth. Armed with this, you will be able to establish a
realistic budget. A number of specialist magazines publish directories with prices, and
these are a good place to start.
- Ask your friends: One of the best sources of
relatively unbiased opinion about audio and video is someone who already owns what you are
looking at. You probably know a guy in the office, or a neighbor, who's either an
electronics hobbyist or who has just bought a system, so ask him what he recommends.
- Shop for a dealer first: Where you purchase your
equipment is every bit as important as what you buy. It may be tempting to shop entirely
on price, but the stores with the lowest prices sometimes cut corners on service, and are
more interested in moving merchandise than making sure you have what's best for you.
Specialty shops may charge a bit more, but they want you as a repeat customer, and so are
usually at pains from the start to make you feel like a valued client. On the other hand,
if you are knowledgeable about the equipment already, some real savings can be realized by
buying from a discounter, and most equipment comes with a manufacturer's warranty anyway.
- Test the dealer: If you have to rely on a salesman to
advise you in your final selection, and you probably will, make sure he knows what he is
talking about. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people in audio and video shops, but
there are also some whose technical awareness is fairly shallow. One way to find out is to
read up on a technical point, such as how 6.1-channel surround works, and then ask the
salesman to explain it to you. If he gets it right, stick with him. If he tries to fake
it, shop elsewhere.
- Bring your own material: A critical factor in your
shopping will be how a component sounds. Any store will be only too happy to provide
demonstrations, but the only fair way for you to judge quality is with program material
you know. Pick one or two well-produced discs and take them with you when you shop.
- Start with the speakers: When buying any system in
which audio is an important element, listen to speakers first. They will determine the
overall sound of your setup, and should therefore receive the most attention. Once you are
happy with these critical components, electronics can be chosen that will suit them.
...Ian G. Masters
ian@mastersonaudio.com
|
