Audio at Home

When it comes to electronics, you probably already know that you get what you pay for. An iPod is expensive because of features, design and functions. However, if you’re just looking to store some songs to listen to on the road or take with you somewhere, there are much cheaper MP3 player options. Just keep in mind when you’re purchasing home audio equipment that if something seems too good to be true then it probably is.

You can nearly always find something to do what you want it to for the price you are willing to pay. The question is: does it do it well? You can find some seriously killer deals online - I bought all my home studio equipment online, in fact - but you are not going to create a professional home studio sight unseen. My studio is pieced together with eBay bargains and, though the sound is everything I need for podcasting and playing with music, it certainly wouldn’t be considered professional.

I’ll be covering the components of my DIY home recording studio over the next couple of weeks. For this article, though, I’d like to detail the 5 steps you should take before you buy home audio equipment online.

• Read Articles and Reviews
  They don’t call it the information superhighway for nothing. The internet is overflowing with articles and reviews about anything you can imagine. Even if you are not planning to purchase online, the web is a great place to begin your search.You can either start from a search engine or a trusted home audio equipment retailer, searching within your needed functions and price range. Once you get your decision narrowed down somewhat you can search for reviews of the equipment or recording software.
  
  You should be able to find out pretty quickly if a piece of home audio equipment is worth purchasing or not. It is not a good idea to let user and/or professional reviews be the only factors that help make your decision. Though these reviews can be immeasurably helpful, you have to remember that your needs may not be the same as others’.
  
  Take everything you read about a product with a grain of salt, you never know what someone’s agenda is. And remember, Google is your friend.
• Know Your Seller
  If a product description (whether on eBay or elsewhere) does not give you all the information you need, make sure you get your questions answered. As the buyer, you can and should expect to be treated the same online as you would if you walked into a Guitar Center in person.Be sure to do your homework when it comes to online sellers and retailers as well. It’s easy to get scammed, so read privacy policies, terms and conditions and check for secure connections.
• Take a Test Drive
  It’s great to be able to research and review available products without having to leave your comfy chair. However, if you are purchasing equipment to build your home recording studio, home theater setup or even just a decent sounding docking station for your iPod, you’ll want to try before you buy.Think of it this way: you wouldn’t purchase a car sight unseen, right? The same thing goes for all types of audio equipment. You do not want to purchase a pair of expensive mics only to discover that you don’t like the weight of them in your hand. This may sound picky, but it’s important in the long run. All your equipment needs to play well together and you need to be comfortable with it.
  
  When it comes to audio equipment, the best example of needing to try before you buy is probably a guitar. Even if you don’t own one, I bet you can understand that if you were going to buy a guitar you would want to play it first. Though a home audio receiver or a subwoofer doesn’t seem quite as personal, it’s just as important that you are comfortable with them. Seeing home audio equipment in person will let you make sure that it is just right before you buy it.
• Ask ProfessionalsSometimes a retailer or personal seller will not be able to answer your specific questions. Let’s say your voice has a lot of treble in it and you want to make sure you have equipment and/or software that can correct this at some point in the recording or editing process. This isn’t the most common question so you may need to find a recording expert to answer it.Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you want to make sure you are getting exactly the home audio equipment and/or recording software that you need. Building a home studio on your own can be a daunting task, as can setting up just the right surround sound configuration for your living room. Home audio equipment is often an expensive investment and you shouldn’t commit to any purchases without being completely satisfied that you have all the information necessary to make the right decision.
• Know Your Full Cost
  I can’t stress this enough: don’t forget the shipping! If you are ordering large and/or heavy equipment you could end up paying more for the shipping (especially on eBay) than you do for the actual product. This happened to me with my receiver and, while it still ended up being quite a bargain, the hefty shipping cost took me by surprise.If you are buying from a nationwide retailer like Best Buy or Circuit City you may find it more affordable to do a local pickup. Often these big name retailers will even ship the product to your local store for free if it is not in stock. Then you can pick it up and (a) you don’t have to pay for shipping and (b) you won’t have to be home to pick it up.
  
  Whatever you decide, just make sure you know everything for which you will be charged. And if you are making an investment on an expensive piece of equipment do not skimp on the insurance.

Shopping for home audio equipment online can often be a great experience. You can avoid pushy salespeople, take your time researching produces and often find killer bargains. Just be sure that you put your internet saavy to work and do your homework on all equipment, software and merchants before you commit to any in-home audio investments.

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