(b) — Categories · 03 Hi-fi and audio
Used hi-fi gear, checked over video by an expert.
Amplifier, turntable, player or speakers: a hi-fi expert has you test every control and input, listens to the background noise and records the real condition of the unit.
(a) — What the expert checks
The checklist points.
Each point is recorded as compliant, with reservation or not checked. A point that cannot be observed is never presumed compliant. The Basic format covers the essential points; Expert and Premium, the full checklist.
10 points checked
- 01Physical identification
- 02Chassis and connectors
- 03Damage mapping
- 04Stress areas
- 05Chassis and connectors
- 06Controls and selectors
- 07Capacitors and power supply
- 08Analogue inputs
- 09Background noise and hiss
- 10Output power
(b) — What we often find
The defects that matter to a buyer.
- Pots or selectors that crackle when turned.
- Hum, hiss, a silent or unbalanced channel.
- Slack turntable belt (wow), worn stylus.
- Crumbling speaker surround, pushed-in tweeter dome.
- Burnt-out dial lamps, faulty displays or VU meters.
(c) — Preparing the session
What to have at hand.
- The unit plugged in and switched on a few minutes before the session.
- A source and speakers or headphones for listening, the necessary cables.
- For a turntable: a record and, if possible, a strobe disc or app.
- The manual, remote and service invoices.
(d) — What the report does not say
Written limits, not promises.
- Sound is heard through the phone’s microphone: it reveals clear faults, it does not replace a measurement.
- The unit is not opened: its inside is not examined.
- Output power is only recorded if it can be measured; otherwise “not checked”.
(e) — Frequent questions
Hi-fi and audio
Can the expert judge the sound remotely?+
They spot clear faults — crackling, hum, a silent channel, distortion — but do not rate sound quality: that is a matter of taste and listening in person.
Does the unit need to be opened?+
No, never: vintage equipment can hold dangerous voltages. Anything not visible from outside is recorded as “not checked”.
Is a turntable’s speed checked?+
Yes, with a strobe disc or app if you have one; otherwise the point is recorded as “not checked”.
Ready?