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How Much Power Does the Average Audiophile Really Need?
There has been a popular saying bouncing around the automotive industry for years, especially among those who like high horsepower gasoline engines – “There’s no replacement for displacement.” Essentially, this means the more horsepower, and equally important, the more torque… Read the Review »
Meze Audio Strada Closed-Back Headphones Reviewed
Meze Audio was founded in in 2011, when Antonio Meze, who was travelling for business with his Fender Stratocaster, wanted a pair of headphones that he could connect with musically in the same way that he did with his instrument. From… Read the Review »
Where Does a Young Audiophile Experience a Great Stereo System?
During our recent event at Harvard University, where we donated a $150,000 audiophile system to the Shelemay Audio Lab a few weeks back, a number of really fascinating conversations were had. One was with the 33-year-old PhD. director of the program, John… Read the Review »
PSB BP12 Subwoofer Reviewed
The moon landing was faked. 5G is going to control your mind. It keeps getting crazier, too. Did you know the Earth is flat? Worst of all: subwoofers are not loudspeakers, just accessories! To me, this last conspiracy is the most interesting.… Read the Review »
Marten Parker Trio Floorstanding Loudspeakers Reviewed
Marten is a Swedish high-end loudspeaker manufacturer, founded in 1998 by Leif Mårten Olofsson. To this day, it’s still run as a family business in Gothenburg, Sweden. It began with a deep personal obsession: why don’t speakers sound like real… Read the Review »
GoldenEar SuperSub X Subwoofer Reviewed
GoldenEar Technologies was founded in 2010 by industry legend Sandy Gross, Don Givogue, and Bob Johnson. The company quickly became known for their Triton series of speakers, which integrated powered subwoofers into the main cabinet, a design hallmark of Gross… Read the Review »
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Wireless Earbuds Reviewed
Despite what you might see in the news – with celebrities and athletes reverting back to wired headphones for whatever reason – true wireless earbuds are more popular than ever and here to stay. Improvements in battery life, DSP, noise… Read the Review »
The Ultimate Audiophile Elixir is Not Streaming, Vinyl or Unlimited Access to Music
Fresh back from our event at Harvard University where we (along with our clients/partners) donated a $150,000 audiophile system to the Shelemay Audio Lab in their music school, we have had a good chance to check in with the Generation… Read the Review »
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature Speakers Reviewed
When I was offered the opportunity to review Bowers & Wilkins Signature version of their third-generation 705 stand-mount speakers, I jumped at the chance. I have previously reviewed the 702 S2, 702 S2 Signature and the 702 S3 floorstanding models.… Read the Review »
Fosi Audio Box X5 Phono Preamplifier Reviewed
It’s easy, as a columnist, to forget the “why.” Sure, it’s fun to review oligarch audio and even high end into the multiple kilo bucks range, but a vast majority of music enthusiasts just have more important things in life… Read the Review »
SVS SB17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofer Reviewed
Youngstown, OH-based SVS began in business with the idea of creating a high-performance yet affordable subwoofer long before the current regime made them into the industry player that they are today. Today’s SVS recognized the need for subwoofers in two-channel… Read the Review »
Shocking New Audiophile Hearing Upgrade Going Viral With Enthusiasts
When I was in college and working with Joe Cali and Mark Levinson, selling the world’s most expensive audio systems at Cello Music and Film Los Angeles, I wanted to be just like my mentors. I know that I am a very good audiophile… Read the Review »
Peachtree Audio Carina X Integrated Amplifier Reviewed
Peachtree Audio was founded in 2007 and operates out of North Carolina. In recent years, they have made a name for themselves by utilizing a direct-to-consumer model and leveraging the newer class D amplification technologies such as Hypex NCore and … Read the Review »
Is the Law of Diminishing Returns a Real Thing for Audiophiles?
The audiophile hobby is many things to many enthusiasts. For some, the first goal is all about the glorious reproduction of recorded music, sonic excellence being the end result. For others, it is the thrill of the chase for new and… Read the Review »
Paradigm Defiance S12 Subwoofer Reviewed
Paradigm has been in business now for close to 45 years and they have built a reputation based on blind testing and scientific measurements, historically leveraging the NRC (National Research Council of Canada) facilities to help actualize their philosophy and… Read the Review »
Piega Coax GEN2 611 Floorstanding Speakers Reviewed
The Piega Coax GEN2 611 is a $21,995 Swiss-made floorstanding loudspeaker built around a proprietary coaxial ribbon driver and an aluminum enclosure. The Piega Coax GEN2 611 model sits approximately in the middle of the current Coax product line. As… Read the Review »
How and Why to Creatively Hide Your Audiophile Cables
There is no one category with more controversy in the audiophile hobby than cables. Noel Lee, the founder of Monster Cable and the genius behind the Beats brand of headphones that would ultimately would be co-opted by Dr. Dre and… Read the Review »
16 Tips to Inspire Women to Learn to Love an Audiophile System
To say that the audiophile hobby is a bit of a sword fight is a complete and total understatement. Don’t believe me on how male dominated the audiophile hobby is? This year, attend any one of the many, very well-organized… Read the Review »
ELAC Debut ConneX DCB61 Powered Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed
Audiophiles, in general, are a strange lot. We speak in what many would describe as a foreign language, dream about cables, cords, and codecs, and we spend an unhealthy amount of time fantasizing about racks (of the AV variety, that is). We pour… Read the Review »
Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx252MP Power Amp Reviewed
It is no secret that I am a bit of an audiophile extrovert. I will talk to people anywhere and everywhere – especially at an audiophile show and especially younger audiophiles. When asked, nearly without exception, younger audiophiles will tell… Read the Review »
MartinLogan Grotto 15 Subwoofer Reviewed
MartinLogan has carved out an impressive place in the audiophile hobby. They are, at present, the likely leading and perhaps best-known manufacturer of electrostatic speakers in business today. Ranging in cost of up to nearly $120,000 per pair, their speakers… Read the Review »
Arcam ST25 Network Streamer Reviewed
I have been keeping an eye on the new Arcam lineup over the past year or so. Harman, Arcam’s parent company, has been showing off the brand’s gear at their CES and CEDIA booths in recent years. The traditional Arcam… Read the Review »
Benchmark HPA4 Headphone/Line Amplifier Reviewed
In 2025, I have had a nice run of headphone amplifiers. I have had the opportunity to review a wide range, from the small and inexpensive up to the $3,500 and a bunch in between. This has provided me with… Read the Review »
Bowers & Wilkins DB1D Subwoofer Reviewed
If there is an audiophile company that needs no introduction, it’s Bowers & Wilkins. Their legendary speakers are used in some of the most famous studios in the world, including Abbey Road and Skywalker Ranch. When I learned that I… Read the Review »
Dali Opticon 8 MkII Loudspeakers Reviewed
I’ve been an audiophile since the mid-1980s. Since that time, I’ve owned more loudspeakers than I can remember, and I’ve listened to several hundred beyond those that I ultimately purchased. I have owned countless passive speakers and a few powered… Read the Review »
The Future of the Audiophile Hobby on Display at Harvard University’s Shelemay Audio Lab
On February 11, 2025, FutureAudiophile.com, donated a $100,000, plus a 2.1-channel, reference-level audiophile system to Harvard’s Shelemay Audio Lab. Program director John Pax is a 33-year-old PhD who is promoting the health, lifestyle and musical advantages of listening to music on a… Read the Review »
Dutch & Dutch 8c Active DSP Loudspeakers
Audiophiles can be a fractious lot – if you doubt that, dip into any online discussion of MQA. Yet there’s one truth that almost all of us accept: in the pursuit of high fidelity, room acoustics plays a huge role,… Read the Review »
Dali KUPID Compact Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed
We all know the struggle. A new piece of gear pops up in your Instagram feed (you follow us for this very reason), catches your eye, and suddenly you’re smitten and in full-fledged research mode. Weeks, maybe even months of reading, watching,… Read the Review »
Fosi Audio ZA3 Balanced Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
It was some time ago that I was able to demonstrate that it is entirely possible to capture the essence of loving music through a $500 audiophile system (read the article). The “TL;DR” of this article is simple: Synergy and… Read the Review »
REL Acoustics Serie S 212 Black Label Subwoofer
The REL Acoustics Serie S line, in second position to the Reference Line, has undergone a full revamp six years in the making. The Serie S line comprises four models featuring new amplifiers, drivers, and enclosure designs. The Serie S… Read the Review »
Should You Keep Your Audiophile System Always Powered Up?
Before leaving for the 2025 Capital Audiofest (read Jerry Del Colliano’s 15 Thoughts article here)in Rockville, MD, I took the time, as is my custom, to completely power down my entire audio system. I also took the extra precaution of… Read the Review »
U-Turn Orbit Special Turntable Reviewed
With so many respectable turntables on the market right now in the less-than-$600 market, it can make it hard for any of the different options to really stand out. The Orbit Special by U-Turn Audio finds itself directly in that… Read the Review »
When is the Best Time to Replace an Audiophile Component?
“Because things eventually wear out and need replacing…” This simple answer to a presumably simple question – why I should replace something audiophile – carries a bucketful of stipulations and conditions. There is no one perfect answer, despite the nearly… Read the Review »
The QUAD 303 Amplifier Reviewed
The QUAD 303 amplifier, the subject of this review, was developed as the companion to the recently introduced QUAD 33 preamplifier (read the review), with both intended to be modern versions of the British manufacturer’s iconic original QUAD 33 and 303 units introduced… Read the Review »
FiiO K15 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier Reviewed
My first thought when I learned that I was receiving the FiiO K15 desktop DAC and headphone amplifier was that the name was a mouthful, which was quickly followed by excitement, as FiiO is one of the Chi-Fi brands that… Read the Review »
Orchard Audio Valencia Headphone Amplifier Reviewed
In recent years the folks at Orchard Audio have grown a reputation for providing Class-D GaN amplifiers (learn more here) with value that far exceed their price, so when I had the opportunity to review a headphone amplifier that they have brought to… Read the Review »
Michi S5 Stereo Power Amplifier Reviewed
Halo brands, which were once relatively rare, have become more and more common. Mercedes-Benz, which is already an ultra-premium brand, has Maybach, which takes performance, luxury and exclusivity to an even higher level. Toyota, which is known for reliability and… Read the Review »
Peachtree Audio Stereo X Class D Power Amp Reviewed
The audiophile hobby often struggles with change, even when looking a game-changing new technology right in the face. When audiophiles find something that we like (think tubes or Class-A power amps), we then stay quite loyal to these concepts –… Read the Review »
VPI Industries Signature 21 Turntable Reviewed
I would imagine Harry Weisfeld’s initial main goal, when he started his company in 1978, was to make a turntable he could sell to a few enthusiasts in and around his Cliffwood, New Jersey home – not surprisingly, the current… Read the Review »
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