Guides
Bi-Wiring and Bi-Amping: Worth the Trouble?
If your speakers have two pairs of binding posts joined by small metal jumpers, the manufacturer has given you the option to bi-wire or bi-amp. Both are …
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How Much Amplifier Power Do You Need?
Few specifications cause as much confusion — or as much overspending — as amplifier power. Newcomers assume more watts mean louder, better sound, and that a …
Guides
Building a Great HiFi System Under $1,000
A thousand dollars is enough to build a stereo system that sounds genuinely excellent — better than anything available for the money a decade ago, and better …
Guides
Headphone Amplifiers: Do You Need One?
The headphone amplifier market ranges from $30 USB dongles to reference-grade desktop units costing thousands of dollars. For some listeners, a dedicated …
Guides
Adding a Subwoofer to a HiFi System: When It Helps and How to Do It Right
The subwoofer occupies an ambiguous position in audiophile culture. Home theater enthusiasts embrace them without hesitation. Two-channel purists often reject …
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CD Players and Transports: Why Optical Disc Still Matters
The CD was declared dead so many times over the past two decades that it’s easy to miss what’s actually happening now: a quiet, genuine revival …
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Record Cleaning and Vinyl Care: How to Protect Your Collection
A record’s enemy is not age — properly stored vinyl from the 1950s can play beautifully today. The enemies are contamination, static, and physical damage. …
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Speaker Cables: What Actually Matters
Cable discussion occupies a disproportionate amount of space in audio forums relative to the actual sonic impact cables have. On one extreme you have …
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Tube vs. Solid-State Amplifiers Compared
Few debates in audio run as long or as hot as tubes versus solid-state amplification. Walk into any forum or audio club and you’ll find passionate …
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Open-Back vs. Closed-Back Headphones
Headphone listening has become a serious discipline within hi-fi — partly because quality headphones are often the most cost-effective way to reach a high level …
Guides
Speaker Placement: The Free Hi-Fi Upgrade
You can spend tens of thousands of dollars on speakers and get mediocre sound from them because of where they sit. You can spend a fraction of that on modest …
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Choosing a DAC: What Actually Matters
The DAC — digital-to-analog converter — is the bridge between your digital sources and everything downstream. Every streaming service, every FLAC file, every CD …