Audiophile News, Opinion and Insights

Goodwill isn’t always just a place that you take your old Armani pants to donate and get a write-off for your tax returns. Goodwill can be a line item on the Purchase and Sale Agreement when you sell a business… Read More »

Joe Cali was my boss when I had possibly the greatest college job ever, which was selling the world’s most expensive audiophile systems with Joe and his then-partner, Mark Levinson, at the Cello Music and Film Showroom in West Hollywood.… Read More »

Rarely, if ever, do I mention that I live in Pacific Palisades, California in my reviews or opinion pieces. If it is ever relevant in an article or social media post, I say that I live in Los Angeles, which… Read More »

Anyone who has had even a minimum exposure to the audiophile hobby knows how expensive it can be. Let’s face it, the gross majority of non-audio hobbyists would think anyone who would spend over one million dollars on a stereo… Read More »

Bowers & Wilkins is trusted by music professionals the world over to deliver the most detailed, natural and immersive sound available. The brand has a long-established pedigree not only in the manufacture of reference-quality loudspeakers, but also in category-defining headphones,… Read More »

Today’s audiophile gear has gotten so good and so affordable that it is amazing. We talk a lot about Chi-Fi, but that is far from the end of the volume of top-performing audiophile gear in the market today. There are all sorts of… Read More »

The Pi8 McLaren Edition, a new version of the award-winning Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 wireless earbuds has been unveiled, developed in collaboration with McLaren Automotive and the McLaren Formula 1 Team. The new earbuds build on the success of the award-winning… Read More »

PS Audio just announced its all-new PMG Signature Series of top-of-the-line ultimate-performance audio components. The four models in the series include the PMG Signature Preamplifier, PMG Signature 512 PureStream DAC,PMG Signature Phono Preamplifier and PMG Signature SACD Transport. All are… Read More »

For audiophiles, driving with music blasting from the speakers in our car audio system is a ritual that makes long commutes bearable and road trips legendary. Installed premium car audio systems have evolved significantly over the years, with upgraded components… Read More »

Rotel DX-5 Stereo Integrated Amplifier – a sleek integrated amp that delivers 33 Watts/channel into 4 ohms (25 Watts/channel at 8 ohms) via a class AB internal amp. The 768kHz ESS ES9039Q2M Sabre DAC ensures ultra-low noise (100 dB SNR)… Read More »

Being exiled from our home because of the Palisades Fire, we are now living 125 miles south in San Diego, which in a matter of days has jogged some long-forgotten, geographically specific audiophile memories. When I was in Music and… Read More »

SVS today announces their new 5000 R|Evolution Series subwoofers. The two new models extend the subwoofer technology platform previously developed for the brand’s flagship 17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers, bringing reference performance to lower prices and smaller enclosures. Comprised of the SB-5000… Read More »

Anyone who has seen the 1997 feature film Boogie Nights (or lived through that times as an adult) knows that, for an American man in the 1970s, your masculinity was often significantly defined most by what car you drove. Muscle… Read More »

Orchard Audio just announced that the PecanPi+ Streamer Premium has received Roon Ready certification from Roon Labs. The PecanPi+ Streamer Premium is a plug-and-play high-resolution music streamer. Control music wirelessly using your phone, tablet, or computer. The device can also be connected to… Read More »

It wasn’t all that long ago when no self-respecting audiophile would listen to the same system for both stereo and their multi-channel home theater setups. Most thought that a purist two-channel audiophile system that was carefully set up could provide almost holographic… Read More »

WiiM just introduced the Vibelink Amp—a powerful 100W per channel amplifier designed for high-fidelity sound across digital and analog sources. Ideal for passive speakers and existing streamers, it seamlessly integrates into any setup. The Vibelink Amp delivers rich, dynamic audio with nearly… Read More »

 PS Audio announces the release of The Audiophile’s Guide, a comprehensive 10-volume series on every aspect of audio system setup, equipment selection, analog and digital technology, speaker placement, room acoustics, and other topics related to getting the most musical enjoyment from an audio… Read More »

Luxury Audio Group and its partners have put together something special for AXPONA 2025, April 11-13 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center, 1551 Thoreau Dr. N, Schaumburg, IL, 60173. The active exhibit and demonstrations will feature a curated… Read More »

It was pre-pandemic and I got an unexpected call from audiophile icon Dan D’Agostino, the founder of Krell and the impresario behind his namesake brand of uber-high-performance audiophile gear. He wanted to know if I still owned my 1997 Porsche… Read More »

A trusted source with inside information into the inner-workings of Best Buy and more specifically, Magnolia, has told FutureAudiophile.com that McIntosh electronics will no longer be sold in the national chain. Initially we learned that this more would not be an… Read More »

The audiophile hobby is on the verge of its first major demographic change since its inception back in the early 1960s. That might not be a popular or uplifting topic with some of the OG audiophiles, but it is a… Read More »

Bowers & Wilkins, the renowned high-end audio loudspeaker brand, together with luxury supercar maker and Formula 1 team McLaren, today announce an extension to their strategic long-term multi-year partnership which sees Bowers & Wilkins become Official Audio Partner across McLaren Automotive… Read More »

While space is at a premium, music lovers still want the highest, no compromise quality from their personal audio. The new Rotel DX-3 combines an exceptionally well specified, high-performance headphone amplifier, preamplifier and stand-alone DAC in a superbly designed single component measuring an efficient 215mm x… Read More »

The idea that a really cool television shouldn’t be part of your stereo system is one of the worst cliches of the audiophile hobby. Let me get this right … I am supposed to not hang a gorgeous 65-inch UHD… Read More »

Our chosen hobby essentially consists of two ways to listen to the music our carefully curated systems produce. We listen in two basic ways – firstly, for simple pleasure, and secondly, for sonic examination and evaluation. Everyone does the former;… Read More »

Rotel just announced announced a significant strategic shift in its U.S. market operations. Effective March 1, 2025, Rotel will directly distribute its renowned Rotel and Michi products to dealers across the United States through its newly established entity, Clear Wave… Read More »

Audiophiles will debate all sorts of topics with enthusiast passion, but one thing that most of us agree on is that your listening room is the most important component of your system. Some audiophile systems are lucky enough to be… Read More »

Orchard Audio is thrilled to announce it is expanding into the headphone market with the launch of Valencia, the first ultra-high-performance 17wpc, class AB, balanced headphone power amplifier. Valencia is designed to drive the most demanding headphones, while remaining clean… Read More »

One of my favorite professors in college was named Ken Lopez. He was the former president of JBL Professional and an overall great guy. This guy knew audio in ways that were tangential, but very important to my overall education… Read More »

Most commonly, emails and notices start well before the show actually begins. Websites allow interested visitors to see what brands exhibitors demoing products will showcase. These same exhibitor lists allow consumers to expeditiously map out their favorite rooms and the… Read More »

One of my best industry friends is an absolute king maker in terms of building and managing the top selling and performing audiophile brands. He’s been the president and/or CEO of a few of the most lofty brands out there… Read More »

When the desire to upgrade a component becomes reality, audiophiles are faced with the burdening decision of how best to resolve the used component that the new joyous purchase will replace. One option is to simply trade it into the… Read More »

Let’s not fool ourselves … there are sadly very few women involved in the audiophile hobby. I would be shocked, if we did a study of 1,000 people who attended one of the growing number of regional audiophile shows, we… Read More »

Simply put, no one factor impacts the sound of your audiophile system more than the acoustics of your listening room. Some audiophiles are blessed to have a dedicated listening environment where they can address their acoustical issues without much push-back or spousal approval.… Read More »

Audiophiles were shocked when the well-hated but billion-dollar consumer electronics brand, Bose, bought McIntosh (read our coverage here) from its most recent investment group owners. What shocked me, as an industry insider, was that they didn’t look to cherry-pick some… Read More »

As I sit here typing, we are a few days away from my wife and kids moving back into the house after a pretty major kitchen cabinet upgrade in our home. A few years ago, I had purchased some good… Read More »

HIFIMAN, a leader in high fidelity personal audio, today announced the debut of a new DAC/headphone amplifier with an integrated WiFi card that allows for lossless wireless streaming of high-resolution audio.  The new SERENADE Wireless desktop DAC/headphone amplifier (SRP: $999) is a compact,… Read More »

PML Sound International, a global leader in premium audio manufacturing, is excited to announce the acquisition of GoldenEar, a renowned name in high-performance audio, from The Quest Group. Effective January 1, 2025, GoldenEar will join Paradigm, Anthem, and MartinLogan and… Read More »

One of the founding principles in the Mission Statement of FutureAudiophile.com was to take on the challenge of finding newer, younger and more diverse audiophiles for our hobby. This is no small feat, as I have learned over the past roughly two… Read More »

BLUESOUND, the original wireless hi-res multi-room music brand, proudly announces that its highly anticipated flagship wireless music streamer, the BlueSound NODE ICON (buy at Crutchfield), is now available worldwide. Starting at $999, the NODE ICON is the pinnacle of Bluesound’s… Read More »

Defining an audiophile is a very interesting question and one with any number of reasonably correct answers. Speaking strictly, and in accordance with the English language’s derivation from Latin, the first part of the term, “audio,” relates to anything we… Read More »

There are a lot of back stories that don’t get told in the audiophile press for mainstream consumers. Often, these stories are pretty incredible. The back story of how Krell was almost sold is a recent one that ended in… Read More »

There are a lot of tweaks that you can make to an audiophile turntable. Many of them make big differences, as the analog nature of spinning vinyl discs benefits from having excellent setup. The reality for nearly every audiophile today is… Read More »

Vincent Audio is now shipping a new, updated edition of one of its most popular hybrid integrated amplifiers to date. Shipping this month, SV-500 MK (SRP: $1,499.95 USD) builds on the foundation of its predecessor, SV-500, with the addition of HDMI and… Read More »

Heritage Auctions of Dallas is in the early days of a one-month auction of Music Memorabilia. The auctions will end on December 4, 2024. The two headlining lots are the original illustration art for the album cover of Elton John’s… Read More »

At its lowest common denominator, involving oneself in the practice of the audio arts, what we practitioners known as the audiophile hobby, is quite simple to understand. Audiophiles want, demand, and are always in search of an immersive, dynamic and… Read More »

Andover Audio just announced the launch of the SpinBase 2, the next evolution of its award-winning turntable-speaker system. Maintaining the clean, classic design of the original SpinBase, the new model dials up the aesthetic with heathered fabric wrap and Andover’s iconic… Read More »

Mainstream loudspeaker company, Bose, announced today that they are purchasing Upstate New York based, McIntosh. McIntosh is one of the most iconic brands in the history of audio and bring a respected electronics brand to pair with Bose. Italian loudspeaker manufacturer, Sonus faber,… Read More »

When you think about it, audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts should really have a lot in common. Any good home theater starts with great sound reproduction, and audiophile gear is all about producing studio-quality audio. The surround sound part of… Read More »

HIFIMAN is about to ship ARYA UNVEILED, the latest addition to HIFIMAN’s acclaimed Arya series of high-end planar magnetic headphones.  The ARYA UNVEILED (SRP: $1,449) features the company’s new Magnetic Veil, a removable back panel that protects the headphone. Also included is HIFIMAN’s… Read More »

For the past 31 years, I have lived in Los Angeles. However, I grew up in Philadelphia, which can be a pretty strange place on any number of levels. Despite its proximity to New York, which is a simple, one-hour… Read More »

Wireworld Cable Technology, one of the world’s most respected brands of high-performance audio and video cables, is introducing their next generation ‘Series 10’ audio cables. These new cables incorporate several technical and visual improvements over the previous ‘Series 8’. The… Read More »

Vacuum tubes, historically speaking and consistent with what are used in today’s audio systems, were invented, according to most sources, in 1904 by John Ambrose Flemming. In 1907, New York inventor Lee de Forest patented a tube design similar to… Read More »

It is always exciting when a brand like Rotel sends you a component from their flagship lineup. Rotel, a blue-chip, value-based brand, is known for making quality audiophile-grade components. The P5 Series 2 from Rotel’s Michi line is a preamplifier… Read More »

Qobuz, the French pioneer of high-quality music streaming since 2007, takes a major step with its launch in Japan, the world’s second-largest music market. This strategic expansion marks a decisive turning point in the international development of the platform, reinforcing… Read More »

It is no secret that I am a fan of many of the growing number of regional audiophile shows. Do they have their issues? Sure, they do, but where is there a better place for audiophiles to experience some of… Read More »

 WiiM is excited to announce the integration of its powerful WiiM OS into Audio Pro’s newest speakers. This collaboration combines Audio Pro’s over four decades of expertise in speaker design with the feature-rich and user-friendly WiiM OS, resulting in a dynamic listening… Read More »

The Revox B77 is a true icon in the audio world. Famous and awarded for its outstanding sound reproduction and high-quality, sustainable construction, it sets the standard for analog audiophile excellence.  As a Revox product, it reproduces music exactly as… Read More »

The first installment of this How to Creatively Save Money to Buy Audiophile Gear (read it here) was quite popular, so we are back with some more ideas on how to stash some dough away for that new streamer, turntable,… Read More »

Ask almost anyone, audiophile or not, if they’ve ever experienced ringing in their ears, and the answer will likely be yes. For about 10 percent of the U.S. population, however, this persistent ringing is more than just a fleeting experience… Read More »

Qobuz, the French pioneer of high-quality music streaming, launches Studio Student, a brand new offer aimed at students who are passionate about music and top-notch sound. Enrolled students ranging from 18 to 25 years old will be able to access Qobuz’… Read More »

With the new EPIKORE Series, DALI draws upon its expertise in over 40 years of loudspeaker research and development. ​The natural evolution of the acclaimed DALI EPICON series — inheriting several innovative technologies from the DALI KORE flagship speaker —… Read More »

Audio-Technica, a producer of innovative audiophile experiences for more than 60 years, recently opened TECHNICA HOUSE – New York, a unique marketing salon dedicated to connecting the various artistic communities — music, art, fashion, cuisine, and more — that make the… Read More »

HIFIMAN just debuted a new Goldenwave tube headphone amplifier at the recent CanJam SoCal 2024, featuring pure analog sonics that are unique to this model. The new Goldenwave GA-10 (SRP: $1,599) is an audiophile-grade headphone amplifier that features the SEPP (single-ended push-pull)… Read More »

One of our favorite ultra-high-end audiophile dealers and one of the publication’s best industry friends, Sunil Merchant, and his Sunny Components in Covina, California, was recently robbed on Father’s Day 2024. The robbers were “pros” on one level, in that… Read More »

SVS, a leading manufacturer of high-performance speakers, subwoofers, and accessories, proudly announces a new flagship subwoofer series, 17-Ultra R|Evolution. A complete reimagining of subwoofer design for the Ohio-based audio brand, innovations abound in the new series making it the most… Read More »

Bowers & Wilkins, has introduced two new premium finishes to its portfolio of high performance, multi-award-winning over-ear headphones, Px7 S2e and Px8. The new Px7 S2e Ruby Red and Px8 Dark Forest finishes expand on the already extensive range of… Read More »

NAD Electronics just announced the NAD M10 V3 BluOS Streaming Amplifier is now available. Building upon its predecessor the M10 V2, the M10 V3 features improved audio performance and the latest generation of technologies including MM Phone Input and Dirac… Read More »

Mistelbach, Austria – September 24th, 2024 – Pro-Ject Audio Systems is proud to announce the latest edition to the T Series of turntables, the T1 EVO, T1 EVO Phono & T1 EVO BT. Improvements include a classic groove-slayer in the Ortofon OM10 MM phono cartridge, a larger… Read More »

Last week, I spoke with one of my high-end audio dealer friends, as he was in need of rightfully venting a little bit after a highly organized client demonstration of some ultra-expensive audiophile electronics ended up in an unsalvageable situation.… Read More »

When I brought my first audio system home from the store, way back in 1973, I was so very excited. At the time, I had no music, because it then took every penny to my name to purchase the system… Read More »

There are a lot of colorful personalities in the audiophile business. When I was exiled from audiophile publishing between the end of 2019 and 2022 because of the non-compete that I signed after the sale of HomeTheaterReview.com and AudiophileReview.com, I… Read More »

Throughout Totem Acoustic’s 38 year storied history, the 2-way monitor loudspeaker has played a very significant role. Think highly musical, accurate, perfect phase coherency and three-dimensional expansiveness, all the while, yielding performance that defies their size. This company has been… Read More »

Putting aside the huge percentage (year to year) gains in sales that vinyl enjoyed during the pandemic, we really live a digital world when it comes to audio, and that world is almost all streaming as of 2024. Physical media… Read More »

In a world where silence is golden but noise is embraced, protecting your hearing is truly a defensive art – especially for audiophiles. From the roar of traffic to the potentially harmful volume settings on the devices that live dangerously… Read More »

BLUESOUND, the original wireless hi-res multi-room music brand, just announced three new wireless music streamers, the NODE NANO, NODE, and flagship NODE ICON. A slim and compact streamer, the new NODE NANO is the perfect entry streamer, offering only the… Read More »

I was at JBL a year or two ago for a media event, possibly a pre-CEDIA preview and part of the day was spent in a conference room listening about how Harman has been spending lots of time and money… Read More »

For those of us who make our living selling things, in my case, advertising, there is a certain joy in working with a truly professional salesperson. Somebody who isn’t pushy. Somebody who knows their products as well as how they… Read More »

The worlds of high-performance audio and home theater should get along better than they do most of the time. Most good AV stores that sell audiophile components also sell home theater systems. In these magical systems, home theater things connect… Read More »

MartinLogan just launched its latest subwoofer lineup. Featuring the Dynamo® Foundation, Dynamo® and Abyss® Series, this new lineup is poised to be a benchmark in compact bass performance, offering a diverse array of advanced features and masterful artistry. “We’re thrilled to offer high-quality audio solutions at an exceptional value while preservingeverything that makes MartinLogan unique,” said Allan Tarrant, Senior Vice President of MartinLogan. “Our newest subwoofers exemplify our commitment to innovation and excellence inaudio engineering. With their design for seamless integration with any brand of speaker, they are aversatile choice that enhance any home audio system.” “We are excited to bring powerful, precision bass into homes in a way that complements anyenvironment,” said Andrew Lindsey, Product Manager at MartinLogan. “Each model has beenmeticulously engineered to deliver a… Read More »

Vinyl’s unexpected comeback as a format for audiophiles was one of the many shockers of the pandemic. Audiophiles of all ages decided to get back into playing the 100-plus-year-old format for various reasons. Some people love listening to a musical… Read More »

For audiophiles looking to take their streaming and local music management to the next level, Roon is a music management and organization system that works with both music from your library and some streaming systems. You may think that this… Read More »

Each month in 2024, it seems like I have been to another audiophile show. The Tampa show was in February. Dallas was in March. AXPONA was in early April, and soon, I will park my wide-load in a seat and… Read More »

To be an audiophile is not just to love audio gear, but also the music that is played back on such a high-performance music playback system. Audiophiles live and breathe good sound, with a whole lot of emphasis on music,… Read More »

SVS, a leading manufacturer of high-performance speakers, subwoofers, and wireless audio products, proudly announces the addition of the SVS SoundPath Speaker Level Subwoofer Adapter to its growing line of AV accessory solutions. Many integrated amplifiers and legacy stereo receivers lack… Read More »

Bowers & Wilkins is finding itself branded in more and more luxury cars. Why did a publicly-traded medical products company spend $1,000,000,000 to buy a bunch of audiophile and home theater brands? Many were left asking that question when the… Read More »

Is anybody else tired of the word “billionaire” being used so often in modern media and society? I am. There are reportedly 2,800 billionaires on the planet Earth that is host to roughly 8,200,000,000 human beings. Here in the richest… Read More »

I’ve discussed the importance of hearing health and hearing loss prevention in previous articles, and my genuine hope is that at least a few readers were inspired enough to take my recommended preventative measures to heart. Who knows, maybe a handful of elder millennial… Read More »

Swedish room correction and digital audio company, Dirac and Bluesound Node (read the review), makers of high fidelity multi-room streaming devices, just announced a collaboration to integrate Dirac’s award-winning Dirac Live Room Correction solution into select Bluesound device like the… Read More »

If we lived in a perfect world, we might seek audiophile components that do nothing other than sound great. There are examples of such products out there, such as ATI amplifiers, which up until recently used to be handmade right… Read More »

One of the business books that I have always loved is Trout and Ries’ The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing (buy at Amazon) which I believe was originally published back in the 1970s. One of the key elements of the… Read More »

Sometimes, in life, things seem too good to be true. In the audiophile world, nowhere is this more prevalent than when talking about Chi-Fi (Chinese-made and often sold direct) gear. If you still not hip to Chi-Fi check out my… Read More »

The University of the South was not a school that I had heard of until my audiophile friend, classical recording engineer and former Absolute Sound and Stereophile writer John Marks, told me about their audiophile listening room. A priest at … Read More »

One of the key editorial tasks that we took on was taking on audiophile lore and cliché and seeing how it holds up over time. We’ve recently stepped into the “all DACs sound the same” topic (hint: they don’t). We’ve… Read More »

Unless someone comes up with a highly innovative alternative, connecting all those various components in our audiophile systems still requires the use of cables. Some people believe cables absolutely improve sonics, while others feel all cables are the same, with… Read More »

For 20 years, there have been some faint voices discussing demographic issues that the audiophile hobby has, mainly being the fact that the hobby is nearly all-male and predominantly supported by Baby Boomers who are now aged into their 70s.… Read More »

There are a lot of things to love about the audiophile hobby, from its long past dating back to the 1960s (perhaps even before depending on your historical outlook), as well as the rich potential that listening to music has for today’s… Read More »

 It is likely the audiophile forum Audio Science Review that should get credit for starting this thread talking about digital to analog converters and the vast improvements in today’s DAC chips. The question was “Do All DACs Sound the Same?”… Read More »

Don’t feel bad if you can’t tell me the unique differences between an audiophile endpoint and a music streamer. It is a bold new world where streaming music services have delivered basically full access to damn close to every album… Read More »