Guides
Turntable Setup Problems and How to Fix Them
Setup problems account for the majority of complaints that experienced vinyl listeners hear from newer ones. “My turntable sounds veiled.” …
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What Is a DAC? Understanding Digital-to-Analog Conversion
Every time you press play on a streaming service, a CD player, or a digital audio file, something remarkable happens before a single sound wave reaches your …
Guides
Amplifier Classes Explained: Class A, AB, and D
When you start shopping for amplifiers, you’ll quickly encounter the terms Class A, Class AB, and Class D. These aren’t marketing grades — they …
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Integrated Amps vs. Separates: Which to Choose?
At some point in every audiophile’s journey, the question arrives: should I run a single integrated amplifier, or should I split the system into a …
Guides
Phono Preamp Basics: MM vs. MC Cartridges
If you’ve connected a turntable directly to a standard line input on an amplifier and been disappointed by the faint, thin, bass-light result, …
Guides
Turntable Setup: A Step-by-Step Guide
A turntable done right is one of the most satisfying audio experiences available. A turntable done wrong — with a misaligned cartridge, incorrect tracking …
Guides
Turntable Cartridges: MM, MC, and Beyond
The cartridge is the most intimate point of contact between your system and the music stored in a record groove. It converts the microscopic physical wiggles of …
Guides
Network Streamers Explained for Hi-Fi Systems
The network streamer occupies an unusual position in the audiophile chain: it’s a relatively new category, deeply tied to software and internet …
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Speaker Impedance and Amplifier Matching
Impedance matching is one of those technical topics that intimidates newcomers but rewards understanding. Connecting the wrong amplifier to the wrong speaker …
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Bookshelf vs. Floorstanding: How to Choose
The bookshelf vs. floorstanding question is one of the most common debates in hi-fi, and one of the most frequently answered with the wrong priorities. The …
Guides
High-Resolution Audio: FLAC, DSD, and PCM Explained
High-resolution audio is one of the most marketed and least clearly defined terms in consumer audio. Definitions vary by retailer and format, claims range from …
Guides
Balanced vs. Unbalanced: Does XLR Matter?
Walk into a professional recording studio and you’ll see XLR connectors everywhere. Walk into most audiophile systems and you’ll see RCA everywhere …