HiFi Starters Club – helping beginners navigate the world of HiFi

We do what it says on the tin – help beginners make sense of HiFi. The site was born out of publisher Phil Wright’s son (Oli on the right) getting interested in Hi-Fi. He turned to the Internet for guidance, only to be overloaded with information and opinion. Cue several discussions on where beginners should focus; don’t sweat hi-res for now, speakers are the most important component, good digital can be had for remarkably little money. Etc etc. 

When other friends started asking the same questions the penny dropped; a website focused on the needs of beginners was required. The idea was discussed with numerous people including industry insiders. They all gave it the thumbs up, and here we are. 

Who are we aiming for? Those just getting into audio who don’t know where to start. Those with an initial system who want to improve it. And those who just need something to play music on, for whom HiFi is a means to an end. We should be able to help you all. 

What will we cover? 

  • Reviews are the cornerstone of audio websites. Who are we to argue? 
  • Industry news, through the lens of the beginner. Product launches too. 
  • Knowledge – it helps to know your codec from your elbow. Watch out for Wiki-like articles
  • Case studies, recommended systems etc 
  • Events such as audio shows. Places of interest (manufacturer visits, music venues etc). 
  • Music – playlists of favourite tracks that also happen to sound great etc. From us and from people in the industry.

Throughout we’ll also signpost you to content on other sites that adds to the overall picture. Why not? We can’t be the font of all knowledge. There’s some really good information out there if you know where to look.

Our focus is on 2-channel audio, with systems in the £500-£2,000 arena. Which means £1,000 per component max, more if it multi-tasks (streaming amplifier, active speaker etc). Plus the odd aspirational product – we can all dream can’t we? Reviews will be a mix of deep-dives, where we take time to get to know a product well. And shorter assessments, reflecting the way people actually buy HiFi (after a shop demo for example).

And we will stray from the audiophile path as appropriate. Pro gear can be really interesting (active speakers in particular). Some of you make music as well as listening to it (like Sam, next to Oli above). What kit should you consider? And DJ’ers want great sound too. It’s simple – anything that gets us listening to more music is good.

Happy families

We use the Club domain for a reason – we want to develop a friendly environment where people help each other. Yes it can be done, even online!

Your input will help shape the direction we go in. The gear we look at, the topics we cover, the places we visit. Any aspect of the site. Let us know your thoughts by emailing hello@hifistarters.club. Including how best to get everyone talking. Is that a FaceBook group, another social media option, a proper forum or something else? We’re not going to have Comments enabled yet by the way. Experience says it’s a big job to manage them and we don’t want to get distracted from writing for you. Plus it’s easier to switch Comments on than off.  

Ultimately the aim is to get more people interested in HiFi, having some fun in the process. So please join us, browse the site, and most of all enjoy your music. It is what it’s all about, honest!

Cheers, Phil