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I bought a KICK-ASS HI-FI SYSTEM for €1000 (without hearing any of it first)

Darko Audio

305,409 views

👉🏻 This video was funded by Patreon:
Patreon: johndarko

🎥 Camera: Olaf von Voss
🎬 Editor: John Darko
🕺🏻 Motion GFX: John Darko

🛋 My listening room in 2022:
https://darko.audio/darkos-listening-...

🎵 Song IDs? Playlists of all music heard in this video - and other videos - can be found on PATREON: Patreon: johndarko

0:00 Intro
0:55 Loudspeakers
2:47 Amplifier
4:48 DAC
7:17 Total cost
9:44 How to buy 'blind' (as I did)?

🎛 Hardware seen in this video...

DALI Spektor 2:
🛒 (US) https://amzn.to/388qsEW
🛒 (DE) https://amzn.to/3wj4uam
🛒 (UK) https://amzn.to/3P9LZ0G

Rotel A11 Tribute:
🛒 (US) https://amzn.to/3P8j2BW
🛒 (DE) https://amzn.to/38dTfrB
🛒 (UK) https://amzn.to/3P8cfbG

Topping E30:
🛒 (US) https://amzn.to/3KVcO5p
🛒 (DE) https://amzn.to/3FoiMKK
🛒 (UK) https://amzn.to/37qHTjv

AudioQuest speaker cable:
🛒 (US) https://amzn.to/3ymY9wU
🛒 (DE) https://amzn.to/3Fr4SaO
🛒 (UK) https://amzn.to/3soeLAH

Samsung Frame 2022 55":
🛒 (US) https://amzn.to/3FrziJR
🛒 (DE) https://amzn.to/3vVvOMR
🛒 (UK) https://amzn.to/3w2KMkh

Atacama speaker stands:
https://darko.audio/2018/12/stand-in-...

🎬 Previous videos in this series...

A short film about a kick-ass €1000 hi-fi system (in 2021):
https://darko.audio/2021/07/a-short-f...

A short film about the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1:
https://darko.audio/2020/11/a-short-f...

Your first hifi system:
https://darko.audio/2021/06/a-short-f...

👂🏻 Podcast episodes mentioned in this video...

Podcast #34 – Buying used gear:
https://darko.audio/2022/04/podcast-3...

Podcast #25: For hi-fi beginners ONLY:
https://darko.audio/2021/08/podcast-2...

Podcast #26: More beginner hi-fi talk:
https://darko.audio/2021/09/podcast-2...

📼 Also...

Rotel A11 Tribute & Ken Ishiwata:
The Creation of the Rotel A11 Tribute & CD...

With thanks to Hifi im Hinterhof:
https://www.hifi-im-hinterhof.de/

#rotel #dali #hifi

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Why are/were comments turned OFF?
https://darko.audio/2020/10/why-im-sw...

What the bloody hell am I talking about?
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How is Darko.Audio funded?
https://darko.audio/funding/

Darko.Audio may earn a small commission from items purchased via affiliate links.

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20 Comments

@DarkoAudio Creator 4 years ago Pinned

PLEASE READ *before commenting*!
1) Got a question? Please ask it of the Darko.Audio YouTube community (and not me) as I'm off making the NEXT video
2) All comments here are moderated by a third party: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTWcokaszpW/
3) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please)

@LaMusica-t9w 9 months ago

Yeahhh I love them, I like the way they breath, a specialty on bass.
But sadly, nobody talks about it, like nobody noticed that.

@rafaelmancera-n4o 9 months ago

Hi, can anyone share their experience using the JBL L52 Classic speakers with the Rotel A11 Tribute integrated amplifier? I’m curious about how well they pair in terms of sound quality and overall performance.

@ttoughtask7296 10 months ago (edited)

I built my system from ex display, open box deals from several UK hifi retailers. Biggest saving was on speakers saved over £500 ex display from Sevenoaks

@Joey_OLIVER 11 months ago

I like the Rotel amp. Rotel seems to have hit onto something early on that led to their series of integrated amplifiers that is favored by many that have compared them to other manuf. units. I have a Rotel RA-02 integrated amp and run at times JBL Studio 20 and other times I'll switch to RP600M Klipsch w/ subwoofer. It makes for a good bedroom system.

@samuelbeniuga9116 1 year ago

Anyone knows the speaker stands shown in this video ?

@Retrofi 1 year ago

Hi John. Watching this video in 2025. Just curious, would you replace the Topping with something like a Wii Pro Plus or Cambridge MXN10 now?

@robertanderson7049 1 year ago

I bought a Rotel A8, a pair of Dali Opticon 1 speakers, and a Yamaha CD player. This all cost a bit more than a 1000 Euro. The best price today you will find for an A11 is 799 Euro. The A8 has a great sound, but too lively for me (bright). The volume control is incremental- goes from light 2 to light 3 and no inbetween. So I listend to some other amps and receivers. My wife and I decided on an Onkyo TX-8220 receiver. I am living in Germany now. I cannot believe how much cheaper new audio gear is compared to usa prices. My speakers were 850 Euro a pair. Rotel does make good amps and gear. I am happy with the Onkyo. I have an old Onkyo Integra amp. That sounds very clear and is very mellow. Nice amp, but big and heavy. I have the A8 for sale. If it does not sell I will see about replacing the volume control and keeping it. Putting together a system for 1000 Euros would be hard. The Rotel A11 is at least 799 Euro now. At the least.

@gianlucabassi8853 1 year ago

A11 tribute Is not a real Rotel

@gianlucabassi8853 1 year ago

Rotel A10 MK2 20e dac Dali Oberon 3 cheap Philips or Panasonic Blue Ray Reader with coaxial out. It's a Beast for 1000$

@maman89 1 year ago

Pretty happy with my Dali Spektor 1 paired with a cheap sub and Chifi amp+dac. Bought them totally blind wanting an upgrade from edifier set

The nearest hifi store is 2 and half hour flight + 1 hour car ride from Borneo.

@iztokpsenicnik7119 1 year ago

A11+triangle borea3

@Podkast-q6h 1 year ago

I saw one with 3 month used stated “imaculate as new” was bought 3 months ago still with 1,5 years warranty, for 400€ do you think its worth it or theres something I should be cautious here about the amp performance? Thank you in advance.

@mmgee 1 year ago

Stop, just give me a shopping list!

@Fred-f1r 1 year ago

Rotel a11 mk2 and dali specktor 2 have a warm and dynamic sound since low level too ?

@rlb2444 1 year ago

In 2025 your $1000 system is $1500. Soon with tariffs will be a lot more.

@bigdallyc 1 year ago

I spent around 3K on my system without hearing any of it first. I got the Dali Zensor 3s and paired them with some comparatively expensive used electronics (Musical Fidelity amp, Schitt Bifrost DAC, SVS sub). I'm seriously impressed by the speakers that I got for under $500. Add some room treatments and a good source snd the soundstage is more precise than my friend's Magnapans. I'm in love.

@wekkimeif7720 1 year ago (edited)

These are not the smallest speakers from Dali, but probably smallest ones they still are actively producing :D I bought from recycling center just good condition Dali Zensor Pico speaker pair. They have pretty much same tweeter but smaller wooden fiber woofer and very low sensitivity of 84 dB. But they pair perfectly with 10 inch subwoofer :)

@billy7320 1 year ago

Same did I.
I bought this, without even listening to it or touching it, h*ll, I have not even owned a decent Hi-Fi system before! 🤣
So I made a phone call, to my local Hi-Fi guy, asked him if he could help me with the devices ive been looking on online on their website, and I ened up ordering and paying for, and receiving the sound system.. Ok, i'll tell you what it was:
Denon X4800H
Dali Oberon 9, front speakers
Dali Oberon Grand Vokal, center
Dali Oberon 3, back speakers
Dali SUB E-12 F
1 par Dali Alteco C-1
Man what a sound it have, amazing! But this system cost a bit more than 1000 Euro also 😁