[listenermark]

What are three pieces of advice you would offer your younger self entering this hobby?

Here's mine:

1. Avoid horn speakers.
2. Speaker sensitivity isn't especially important.
3. Watch the used market to see what new gear people are keeping/selling.

[Early B.]

Mine would be the exact opposite of your top two. My third one would be: Don't buy solid-state gear.
 

[JCarney]

Three pieces of advice to give my younger self before diving in, hmmmmmm...

1. Look used first for gear you are interested in.
2. Do more exploring with DIY kits. More for the money, and flexibility to change something on the fly.
3. Minimalist approach.
3a. Fix the damn room!

JCarney

[Tyson]

Only one piece of advice:  Just buy the piece of gear you really want in the first place.  It will save you $$ in the long run.

[cementhead]

It's the room, It's the source, It's what sounds good to you! Not the reviews...

[FullRangeMan]

What are three pieces of advice you would offer your younger self entering this hobby?

Here's mine:

1. Avoid horn speakers.
2. Speaker sensitivity isn't especially important.
3. Watch the used market to see what new gear people are keeping/selling.

2. Speaker sensitivity isn't especially important.
Buy a 3-way Magnepan 84dB 4ohms (3 ohms most of the freq range) and you will need a expensive 500W Solid State monster amp.

Buy a 2-way Klipsch RF7 new or used 101dB 8ohms or similar and you will choose a plethora of small tube amps as Decware SE84 Zen Triode 2Watts $1200 new.
http://www.glowinthedarkaudio.com/amps.html

[mix4fix]

It's the room, It's the source, It's what sounds good to you! Not the reviews...

I agree. Enjoy it. Stop caring what others think. It's your system, not theirs.

 

[WGH]

I couldn't offer my younger self any advice, I would do it all exactly the same. Stereophile and The Absolute Sound didn't exist, stereo boutique showrooms hadn't been invented yet and no audio shows either. We had a couple hobby technical magazines that never wrote about sound, just measurements. Low powered Heathkit and single driver coaxial speakers was state of the art. Come to think of it not much has changed. I have enjoyed every piece of equipment and stereo I put together over the last 60 years.

1. Have fun
2. Go to audio shows or join a club if your town has one, the hardest part at the beginning was getting a point of reference to judge my stereo's sound.
3. Buy used, that expensive shiny new toy will always become a door stop in a couple of years. The used market was non-existent when I started.

[SteveFord]

Do not be close minded.

[Letitroll98]

Invest wisely
Don't believe her
Keep working out

[timind]

Only one piece of advice:  Just buy the piece of gear you really want in the first place.  It will save you $$ in the long run.

But how do you know what you really want until you've tried 15-20 different options in your system long-term?

My advice in order of importance:

Optimize room and speaker position.

Buy used, as often as you can, to find out what you enjoy most.

If you like a piece from a manufacturer, moving up that manufacturer's line doesn't always mean you'll like the more expensive piece...if I had a nickel.

[AllanS]

In this context my younger self was still in his late 50’s and I’m only coming to appreciate this a couple of years later.
1) Learn and plan first.  Define expectations and constraints.  Know how and why they might be in conflict.
2) Speakers
3) Room and setup before anything else.  Great gear is only as good as 1 and 2.
4) Reviews rarely if ever include anything about 3.  Your ears in your room is what matters. 

[JLM]

1.)  Develop an optimized room (proper shape, not small, well insulated, dedicated to listening, correct set up).

2.)  Find loudspeakers that fit the room (fills the room but not too big).

3.)  Stream CD (or better) quality music.

[kmmd]

Everything matters
Your system, your ears, your likes
Be wary of recommendations made by individuals with owner bias

[nlitworld]

 

Plan ahead and stick to a budget, not a credit card limit.
Don't go down the HT route
DIY = fun projects + better gear - money

[Early B.]

But how do you know what you really want until you've tried 15-20 different options in your system long-term?

I have an example -- I dabbled in entry-level tube gear 20 years ago. I knew there was better stuff out there, but it was a lot more expensive. It took me 20 years to finally spend more money on tube gear. Now I own what I should have purchased a long time ago. The same is true for my truck. I should have acquired what I wanted 7 years ago, but I didn't want to spend the extra money.

   

[FullRangeMan]

Do not be close minded.

I would add:
= Dont let paid magazines and audio sites plenty of advertisers brainwash you.
= Read books as Ryder or Tomer on audio tubes, some are free online.
https://www.tubedepot.com/t/other-stuff/books
= If possible take a basic electronics training.

[FullRangeMan]

Plan ahead and stick to a budget, not a credit card limit.
Don't go down the HT route
DIY = fun projects + better gear - money

Don't go down the HT route
+1. Music and action movies dont mix well.

[FullRangeMan]

Have just posted this topic to help new members at the Starting Block Circle.
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=186622.msg1956736#msg1956736
if there are any change you think will improve please inform here that I will add.

[Zuman]

1. Family is more important than gear. Stick to an equipment and music budget that is appropriate for your circumstances and spend time with people, not just your system.
2. Listen long and often before locking in an opinion about what matters and what doesn't, and what's good and what isn't.
3. Before deciding on an equipment upgrade, try moving your gear and your listening position around. You might end up with new priorities.