@Featured

JBL's Classic looking but modern design. L52 loudspeakers.

JBL L52 Classic Bookshelf Loudspeakers Reviewed 

JBL is a name that resonates with anyone who’s had even a fleeting interest in high-quality audio. From their humble beginnings in the 1940s, JBL has been synonymous with pushing the boundaries of high-quality sound reproduction. Enter the JBL L52… Read More »



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The Sonos Port is a gateway to a whole-home audio system as well as an endpoint. How will audiophile like streaming on Sonos?

Sonos Port Audiophile Endpoint Reviewed

Do you wanna know when an AV company is the real deal? Some might say that it is when they are sold in Best Buy or Magnolia stores, and that’s a good standard. Before Sonos made that distribution leap, they… Read More »


Benchmark Media's DAC3 B is a hand-rack width, professional audio DAC that audiophiles also love

Benchmark Media DAC3 B Digital to Analog Converter Reviewed

Audiophiles today have more and more digital music options available to them, thanks to the last of the spinning disc players and countless options in the streamer and/or endpoint market. Many of the above audiophile digital source components come with… Read More »


The PS Audio Sprout 100 is one of our favorite small audiophile components.

Should More Audiophile Companies Standardize the Size of Their Gear? 

By Jerry Del Colliano You’ve seen the film This Is Spinal Tap!, right? Even if you haven’t, the chances that you don’t know the joke that goes “but this one goes to 11” are pretty slim, unless you’ve been living… Read More »


The NAD CS-1 is an endpoint more than a streamer and can bring music via the streaming company's app to your system at a very low cost.

NAD CS-1 HD Audiophile Endpoint Reviewed

Why is Wall Street trying to get every classic rock-era artist to sell them their songwriting? Streaming is why. The music business is now the software business, and the software business is good and always has been. Just as you… Read More »


Vinyl's revival didn't revive the music business did but doing away with discs sure did.

Music Revenue Is Booming But Physical Media Sales Are Dead

You know when Wall Street is buying up all of the music catalogs that there is something good going on in the music industry. What’s good is that, according to the RIAA in 2022, gross combined revenue (including all sources)… Read More »


The MoFi UltraDeck turntable with its distinctive yellow belt

MoFi Electronics UltraDeck Turntable Reviewed

Having spent many years producing high-quality remastered LPs, when the newly-established electronics division of Mobile Fidelity decided to manufacture a turntable, a natural segue from recording to source component was born. MoFi Electronics was formed, and today produces turntables, cartridges,… Read More »


The Clarus Power Sextet in Michael Zisserson's audiophile system

Clarus Sextet Power Conditioner Reviewed

The Clarus Sextet is a six-outlet power conditioner with advanced surge protection. The Sextet’s smaller sibling, the Duet, has been a staple in my system for nearly five years. At the time, the Clarus Duet was the first power conditioning … Read More »


Saving money for your audiophile system is a creative process

How to Creatively Save Money for Audiophile Gear

Unless you are into sports like golf or polo as your pastime, the audiophile hobby is one of the more expensive ways that you can spend your discretionary dollars. While audiophiles like you and I are always looking for those… Read More »


Sonus faber Sonetto V speakers in the walnut finish as reviewed by Jerry Del Colliano in his media room

Sonus faber Sonetto V Floorstanding Loudspeakers Reviewed

Thirty years ago was the first time that I saw a Sonus faber bookshelf speaker. I was working in very high-end audio sales at Mark Levinson’s Cello Music and Film boutique, nestled in the Hollywood Hills right above Geffen Records,… Read More »


Victrola Hi-Res Carbon turntable is a modern statement from perhaps the oldest audiophile company on the planet

Victrola Hi-Res Carbon Turntable Reviewed

The Victrola Hi-Res Carbon (buy at Crutchfield) is the latest turntable from the Victrola brand of turntables. While this brand was once thought of as a maker of phonographs, it is now making products like the Hi-Res Carbon, which has… Read More »


Three popular hearing products designed to improve or protect

Three Ear Health Products That Can Save Your Hearing – But Do They Work?

I’ve said it before and I will say it again – the single most important component in any audiophile system are your ears. Surprisingly, this is an often-overlooked topic of conversation among audiophiles, who are (given their age and male-dominated… Read More »


This looks more like a $1,400 amp - not a $400 one...

Monolith by Monoprice M2100X Stereo Amplifier Reviewed

Few mainstream electronics brands offer such a vast array of products and yet still manage to maintain a reputation for quality, customer service, and value as the California-based Monoprice. Looking for a couple THX-certified dual 15-inch 2000-watt subwoofers for your… Read More »


When and exactly how to upgrade your audiophile system is a big part of the hobby

When To Make an Audiophile Upgrade and When To Not Upgrade

Upgrading our audiophile system is a big part of the fun in this hobby. Maybe we want to simply heighten our musical enjoyment by improving the configuration of our audio system. Perhaps recent listening experiences at an audiophile dealer, an… Read More »


Orchard Audio Starkrimson Mono Amps are small physically but pack 150 watts per channel of class D GaN power

Orchard Audio Starkrimson Mono Block Amplifier Reviewed

Orchard Audio is a six-year-old audiophile electronics company that is the brainchild of an electronics engineer named Leo Ayzenshtat. Leo has earned his stripes by designing digital electronics for satellites. Yes, the ones that orbit the Earth and cost more… Read More »


The Bluesound Node installed in a small audiophile system.

Bluesound Node Music Streamer Reviewed

The Bluesound Node music streamer (buy at Crutchfield), with its built-in DAC (digital to analog converter), provides a convenient way for consumers to access their preferred music streaming service from the Internet, or from digital music files stored on a… Read More »


Audiophile speakers in an audiophile showroom

Exactly How Your Standard 20 Percent Discount Is Likely Putting Your Local Dealer Out of Business

By Jerry Del Colliano  Anybody who’s been in the audiophile hobby, even for a little while, knows that when they enter the realm of the audio salon or stereo store, they can pretty easily ask for (and get) a 20-percent-off… Read More »


The Pro-Ject X1 B turntable comes in a real walnut wood veneer as well as hand-done high gloss white or black paint.

Pro-Ject X1 B Turntable Reviewed

The Pro-Ject X1 B (buy at Crutchfield) is a $1,299 mid-range, belt-driven audiophile turntable that is a clear step above the plethora of $350 to $500 more entry-level players flooding the market today. The Pro-Ject X1B turntable features 33, 45, and 78 RPM… Read More »


The Mobile Fidelity Master Phono is designed by industry legend, Peter Madnick.

MoFi Masterphono Phonostage Reviewed

Founded in 1977, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, better known today as MoFi, has been a leader in producing high quality, remastered, specially plated and pressed versions of previously released LPs. In the late 1980s, they added uniquely remastered Compact Discs… Read More »


RBH's 61-SF is their $1,600 per pair audiophile bookshelf speakers

RBH 61-SF Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed

RBH’s latest offering, the 61-SF from their Signature Series of audiophile products, sets a compelling standard in the realm of bookshelf speakers. At a glance, this smaller audiophile speaker boasts an unassuming yet sleek design, but it is what lies… Read More »


For many watch enthusiasts, a Patek Phillipe is the holy grail of timepieces

Limited Edition Gear Will Bring Urgency and Collectability to the Audiophile Hobby 

It is hard to feel bad for that guy who just spent $275,000 on that new V8 Ferrari, but how do you tell him that no matter how little he drives his Prancing Horse from Maranello, Italy, and no matter… Read More »


Totem's Bison Floorstanding speaker installed in an artful audiophile listening room.

Totem Bison Tower Floorstanding Speakers Reviewed

The market for floorstanding audiophile speakers in the $2,000 dollar range is incredibly diverse, and quite competitive. You can find a pair of speakers in nearly any color, as well as many different shapes and sizes, at this price range.… Read More »


MartinLogan's Motion Foundation F2 Speakers in their three finish options.

MartinLogan Motion Foundation F2 Floorstanding Speakers Reviewed

$2,000 for a pair of floorstanding speakers might be the most competitive price point in all of the audiophile market. $400 wireless Bluetooth headphones can give this two-grand speaker category a run for the money for a brutally competitive audiophile… Read More »


Today's automotive and aviation SIMs are nothing short of amazing toys for big boys with a lot of money to spend

The Next Generation of Audiophiles Are Spending Big Bucks (and Time) Gaming

Have you ever eaten at Din Tai Fung? It is a Taiwanese soup dumpling restaurant that is the only “chain” to have earned a Michelin Star, which is about as lofty a culinary goal as there is in the world of fine… Read More »


Adcom GFP-915 stereo preamp taking photos on Eric Forst's fireplace outside of Chicago

Adcom GFP-915 Stereo Preamplifier Reviewed

I recently had the opportunity to review Adcom’s latest update on the Nelson Pass-designed Class-AB $1,395 GFA-555ms power amplifier, and walked away quite impressed by its combination of ample and clean power, retro appeal and astonishing value. As is the story with… Read More »


ROBLOX is the right language to reach today's Gen Alpha kids.

NHL and Gibson Guitars Teach Audiophiles That Finding Younger Enthusiasts Is Possible Today

If you want to get the attention of my 11-year-old Vincenzo (Enzo, for short), you would be well-served hitting him up on ROBLOX. This seemingly low-resolution video game in the metaverse has him and every boy (and many a girl) every… Read More »


Jay's Audio CDT-3 MK3 CD Transport is a top-loading unit like the old Mark Levinson No. 31

Jay’s Audio CDT3 MK3 Compact Disc Transport Reviewed

Streaming music is all the rage for audiophile of all ages and at any level of progress in the hobby. Vinyl has had an unlikely comeback with today’s youth, perhaps as an anti-technology statement to their often-too-connected or too-much-blue-light world… Read More »


STAX Edifier Spirit S3 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones on a mixing console with the Edifier App in play

Edifier STAX Spirit S3 Wireless Headphones Reviewed

STAX is one of the longest-standing, most trusted headphone brands in the audiophile world. Their amazingly open-sounding, often tube-powered, electrostatic headphones are not just high-performance, but today are actually collectable. The highest end of the STAX lineup is the STAX… Read More »


Every audiophile is looking for the Nth degree of performance but how much does one need to spend to get there?

Do You Have to Spend a Fortune in order to Own a Truly Serious Audiophile System?

There are those outside our beloved hobby who might claim audiophilia is little more than a collection of technological snobs. Others may feel audiophiles are certifiably crazy. They point to the lunacy of the cost of upper level audio systems… Read More »


The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 speakers are used at both Abbey Road Studios and Skywalker Ranch on the pro side of things.

Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Loudspeakers Reviewed

The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 is the latest version of the British audiophile speaker company’s top-of-the-line stand mounted, two-way, front-ported loudspeaker, priced at $8,500 per pair. Two-way stand mount monitors have an audiophile fanbase since they benefit from diminutive… Read More »


The Peachtree Audio GaN 1 is an amp designed for streamers who want that Class-A or "tube-like" sound without all of the grief/heat that comes with tubes and/or Class-A amps.

Peachtree Audio GaN 1 Gallium Nitride Power Amp Reviewed

I have been fortunate enough to experience GaN amplification since it first dropped into the audiophile world about five years ago. I have even replaced a trusty Parasound A21+ amplifier) that was  in my audiophile gear collection for over a… Read More »


Getting a receipt from the actual shipper is key to "tendering" your shipment.

What To Do With Your Audiophile Boxes (Revisited) 

In a perfect world, no right-minded audiophile would ever throw away his or her equipment boxes. None of us live in a perfect world and, for many of us, storage space comes at a tremendous premium. How to manage your… Read More »


FIIO R7 stereo preamp for $699 has a very out-of-the-box, tall form factor unlike many other audiophile components

FIIO R7 Stereo Preamplifier Reviewed

Let’s start with the fact that FIIO is a Chinese company. I’m not sure I’m ready to call the R7 Chi-Fi, however. I’m not sure we have an Oxford definition of the term Chi-Fi, but to me that term is… Read More »


The Edifier S1000W powered speakers can be used in a desktop OR audiophile configuration

Edifier S1000W Powered Speakers Reviewed

In a perfect world, we would all have a workspace that is perfectly positioned in front of our best small audiophile loudspeakers. In the real world, we tend to be tethered to our devices, our laptop or, in my case, a… Read More »


The Pass Labs XP-22 is the two-chassis stereo preamp priced at $9,999

Pass Labs XP-22 Stereo Preamp Reviewed

Nelson Pass’ name is on the front door of Pass Labs and for good reason. He is very possibly the most important amplifier designer to walk the Earth. Here’s something that not every audiophile knows but is true, though: Nelson… Read More »


This is NOT The French Laundry... it is a laundromat in France but close enough to make our point.

How to Get the Most Out of an Audiophile Demo

Imagine you walk into your favorite local audiophile dealer to spend some time listening to the latest and greatest gear on display. Years ago, most professional stereo salespeople had a short stack of their best Compact Discs ready to play… Read More »


PSB T800 reference audiophile loudspeakers matched with NAD Master Series electronics

PSB Speakers Synchrony T800 Loudspeakers Reviewed

Back in the early 1990s, the PSB Speakers Stratus Gold earned its place as one of my favorite loudspeakers of all time. Even today, these legacy loudspeakers represent some strong, music-first engineering that sets a meaningful bar for what a… Read More »


Orchard Audio's Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amp reviewed

Today’s Disruptive Class-D Amps Are Changing the Audiophile Hobby Very Much For The Better

There is a sea change going on in the audiophile hobby coming from the world of electronics – specifically via a whole crop of new-school, Class-D amplifiers (learn more here). These amps are designed around any number of somewhat modern… Read More »


The Tekton Design Lore Reference in a Bugatti-like blue finish

Tekton Design Lore Reference Speaker Reviewed

Tekton Design is no longer merely known as the other speaker company from Utah. Today, the company is its own unique phenomenon from the world of audiophile loudspeakers, as head speaker designer and company owner Eric Alexander  has found a… Read More »


STAX's new headphone amp

STAX To Introduce the SRM-D10 II Portable Headphone Amp for Just Under $1,000

STAX just introduced the SRM-D10 II portable headphone amplifier, available for sale from the first quarter of 2024. Featuring significant updates from the original SRM-D10, the SRM-D10 II continues to elevate listening experiences for STAX fans worldwide.  The SRM-D10 II… Read More »


Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed

Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed

If you’re not a modern-day oligarch audio, times may seem uncertain, money a little tight. But if you’re also an audiophile, you still have your system hopes and aspirations. Your dream might be to own an audiophile power amp that… Read More »


They say if you want to be a millionaire in the wine business that you should start with 20m. The same is said about the speaker business!

Secret Designers Often Offer Great Audiophile Value Products

The audiophile hobby has always been a bit of a cult of personality, based around mostly male, Baby Boomer engineer types, whose main purpose in life is to find the highest possible quality music playback performance from any and all… Read More »


Adcom GFA-555ms is the latest version of the legendary Nelson Pass designed amp priced at $1,395 today

Adcom GFA-555ms Power Amplifier Reviewed

Adcom was once one of the most dangerous audiophile creatures on the planet back when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth—when sporting a Sony Walkman was quite stylish. This era predates my audiophile journey by about a decade, but I have… Read More »


The NAD M33 is a Master Series product and capable of more audiophile feats than most other components in the market today be it DAC, Preamp, power amp, room correction and more

NAD M33 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

The NAD M33 (buy at Crutchfield) is so much more than an integrated amplifier that it’s a shame that we have it listed in our audiophile amplifier category. Unfortunately, we don’t have a Swiss Army Knife of Audio Components category… Read More »


Boulder's 1110 stereo preamp stacked with the Boulder 1160 stereo power amp

Boulder 1110 Preamplifier Reviewed

It has become a somewhat common trend to try and eliminate a stereo preamp, particularly in digital-only systems. Connecting an amplifier directly to an audiophile DAC, to some, saves money on component costs, cable costs, and, theoretically, provides a shorter… Read More »


You just need one winning Powerball ticket to have anything you want from the audiophile world

What Would Your Audio System Look Like After You Won Powerball?

Accepting that you are repeated loser can be a tough pill to swallow when you have any modicum success in your professional life, but this is where I stand today. The reason for my malaise is that, no matter how… Read More »


NAD M33 Master Series integrated amp is a good example of a modern, all-in-one solution.

What’s Better: Separate Audiophile Gear or All-in-One Integrated Components?

In the very early days of musical playback, as far back as the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, most music devotees bought a console audio system. These units were the ultimate all-in-one. A single, large cabinet housed the stereo power… Read More »


Classe Delta PRE Stereo Preamp reviewed

Classé Delta PRE Stereo Preamp Reviewed

Classé is one of the most respected electronics brands in the audiophile world, but the last handful of years have been a bit tumultuous for the company. They’ve been spun-off, sold, and re-sold. Their current owners are thankfully Masimo Consumer,… Read More »


REL T/7x Subwoofer reviewed

REL Acoustics T/7x Subwoofer Reviewed

REL Acoustics is a well-known subwoofer manufacturer with fourteen different models across five lines. Unlike many hi-fi companies, REL only makes subs, with a focus on how a sophisticated subwoofer design can extend the capabilities of even the most exotic… Read More »


Used vinyl is being sold at over $100 per LP at this L.A. food event that caters to young, tech savvy enthusiasts

L.A.’s Thriving Food Scene Brings Young People Together (and They Love Vinyl)

My wife and I recently realized that during our COVID-era lockdown, we inadvertently got away from many of the things that we really enjoyed doing. But for now, we are back out and enjoying life and trying to restore some… Read More »


The Bricasti M1 Series II DAC has a long history of meaningful yet affordable upgrades

Bricasti Design M1 Series II DAC Reviewed

The $12,000 Bricasti Design M1 has been beating oligarch audio-level DACs exceeding $50,000 in performance since 2010. It has won numerous awards over its tenure and made it into the engineering studios of world-famous music halls and countess audiophile systems… Read More »


MartinLogan XT F100 speakers in a wood finish

MartinLogan Motion XT F100 Loudspeakers Reviewed

When most people think of MartinLogan, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the company’s famous electrostatic speakers like the CLS or the more modern MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL floorstanding speakers or any number of hybrid electrostatic speakers with… Read More »


2023 FutureAudiophile.com Gear of The Year Awards

FutureAudiophile.com 2023 Gear of the Year Awards 

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been doing FutureAudiophile.com for a whole year now, but since our late-2022 launch, we’ve reviewed over 150 audiophile components ranging from very high end to sub-$200 Chi-Fi integrated amps and seemingly everything in-between. Getting back in the… Read More »


My wife is becoming an unexpected audiophile so I feel compelled to get her a Dark Side of the Moon T-Shirt for Christmas

Why I’m Buying My Wife a Dark Side of the Moon T-Shirt for Christmas 

Sitting in our living room with the inward-facing French doors open to let the cool evening ocean breeze waft in, I cued up my audiophile system for some chill, trip-hop, loungy/electronic jams as my wife and I had a rare… Read More »


The Boulder 1160 is one of the lower end amps in their lineup priced at $36000

Boulder Amplifiers 1160 Stereo Amp Reviewed

Nestled slightly south east of Boulder, Colorado, is a high-end audio company whose name is synonymous with world-class, high-performance gear: Boulder Amplifiers. In fact, Boulder is generally considered by many savvy audiophiles as one of the best overall electronics brands available… Read More »


Magnepan Speakers are a bi-polar planar design

Audiophile Lingo You Need to Know Part 3: Different Types of Speakers

Loudspeakers are somewhat of a marvel. Where electronic components are designed to efficiently move electrical signals from one place to the next, speakers have the unique job of converting those signals to the mechanical vibrations we perceive as music. Without… Read More »


Laufer Teknic's The Note Speaker is one of the most visually dramatic on the market today with its tall-thin, multi-driver design

Laufer Teknik The Note Line Array Loudspeaker System Reviewed

Quantum physicist and well-known audio engineer Mark Porzilli, someone who has been designing award-winning audio products for decades, has, since 2019, been updating and perfecting his third and latest line array loudspeaker system: The Note. Manufactured by Laufer Teknik, The… Read More »


Here is the AGD Productions Alto stereo preamp stacked on top of the no-heat, Class-A-sounding, matching Tempo GaN power amp

AGD Productions Alto Stereo Preamplifier Reviewed

It is no secret that we at Future Audiophile are fans of GaN technology and have a great deal of respect for AGD Productions for getting on the bleeding edge of this technology. I was so thrilled by AGD Productions… Read More »


AMPED America AAP-1 stereo dream installed in an audiophile listening in Pennsylvania

Amped America AAP-1 Stereo Preamplifier Reviewed

We’ve been pretty psyched here at Future Audiophile about Amped America’s presence on the audiophile astral plain. What’s not to love? The company’s affordable Class D amplifiers like the AMP 2400 utilize the same core technologies as amplifiers costing six times… Read More »


Nothing says "expensive audio" like Mark Levinson's Cello gear from the 1990s

Why It’s Still Important to Review Really Expensive Audiophile Gear

Longtime audiophile reviewer Steven Stone was being shy in a recent phone conversation. As far as I can tell, he coined the phrase oligarch audio which describes audiophile components that are priced north of $100,000. By anyone’s measure, that is… Read More »


NAD C 3050 is a retro-looking but forward thinking integrated amp with every cool feature we could hope for at a very fair retail price

NAD C 3050 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

The 3050 may be NAD’s newest audiophile integrated amplifier, but it takes little more than a casual glance to see that it’s been inspired by some of their most meaningful legacy products – ones that helped guide the first steps… Read More »


RBH's thin get powerful 6500-SF speakers installed in Eric Forst's reference listening room

RBH 6500-SF Floorstanding Loudspeaker Reviewed

RBH Sound knows a thing or two about speaker design. The Utah-based company has been doing it since the mid-1970s, producing OEM speakers for major players such as McIntosh and JBL before pivoting to focus on their own in-house speaker… Read More »


Where to get something like a vintage McIntosh amplifier repaired?

How To Get Out-of-Warranty Audiophile Electronics Repaired

After my article about three recent in-warranty repairs, my publisher, Jerry Del Colliano, asked me to write about out-of-warranty audiophile repairs. Those are the ones that you can expect to have to pay for. Basically, there are three out-of-warranty repair… Read More »


Magnepan LRS+ dipole loudspeakers have caught a lot of recent attention in the audiophile community

Magnepan LRS+ Loudspeakers Reviewed

Magnepan’s LRS+ ($995 per pair) is a somewhat modestly sized planar speaker that operates as a dipolar design, meaning the room contributes to the sound of the speakers more than you’d expect with a typical pair of dynamic speakers. They’re… Read More »


Wilson Audio WATT PUPPY speakers installed in Jerry Del Colliano's Brentwood, California screening room complete with RPG acoustical treatments and a neatly installed fabric wall

Reducing Background Noise Can Get You Big Audiophile Gains 

A few years before COVID, I walked into a listening room at a CEDIA show in Denver for an audition of Wisdom Audio’s latest powered and room-corrected speakers. Calling it a room is a stretch, mind you, as these demo spaces are easily assembled… Read More »


The Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra 2.0 Gallium Nitride amp is the latest new player in the GaN amp game

Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra 2.0 GaN Amplifier Reviewed

Few industries have a wider range in terms of the sizes of companies creating products for public consumption than does the audiophile market. Some companies, such as Harman and Sony, are multi-billion-dollar conglomerates. Others, such as like Orchard Audio, are… Read More »


Kanto ORA powered speakers in an audiophile desktop setup

Kanto ORA Desktop Powered Loudspeakers Reviewed 

The Kanto ORA Two-Way Active Wireless Reference Desktop Speakers by Kanto Living offer a refreshing blend of audiophile performance and versatility. Immediately, I was drawn to these speakers and their ability to produce clear and vibrant sound, which seems uniquely… Read More »


Marantz SACD 30N disc player reviewed

Marantz SACD 30n CD/SACD Player Reviewed

The Marantz SACD 30n SACD player (buy at Crutchfield), like the recently reviewed Model 30 integrated amplifier, has a blend of old-school features and design with modern technology. Marantz calls the SACD 30n a complete digital source player, and while… Read More »


How to prevent audiophile hearing loss from a professional's perspective

How Should Audiophiles Think About Hearing Loss as They Age?

The human ear is quite an amazing piece of audio gear. It’s an intricate yet vast system of tiny, superbly-tuned components working in sync to convert mechanical energy into what we interpret as sound. Most people, audiophiles included, will go… Read More »


Spin-Clean Record Cleaning Kit with all of its fluids

Spin-Clean Record Washer Deluxe Kit Reviewed

In a world where digital streaming dominates the music landscape, there’s a certain charm and nostalgia that comes with spinning vinyl records. For audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike, the warm tones and nostalgic sound of vinyl offer a unique and… Read More »


Pass Labs XA25 Class-A amp reviewed

Pass Labs XA-25 Audiophile Power Amplifier Reviewed

How many people back in the day really knew how special a car designed by Enzo Ferrari was? Today, years after his death, an Enzo-era design from Modena is almost always more than a million-dollar investment. When it comes to… Read More »


All about audiophile warranty repairs

Are Warranty Repairs Even Worth It Anymore?

One of the ugly truths of consumer electronics is that stuff breaks. When we’re lucky, a malfunction occurs while the product is still under warranty. But what do those warranties actually cover, practically speaking? The following stories draw from my… Read More »


Tekton Design Matrix Monitors reviewed

Tekton Design Matrix Monitor Loudspeakers Reviewed

Tekton Design is well known as a disruptive force in the world of audiophile speakers, what with their mix of distinctive design, high value, dramatic dynamics, and even exotic, custom paint jobs. The one thing missing in their very extensive… Read More »


Marantz Model 30 Integrated amp reviewed

Marantz Model 30 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

Marantz’s Model 30 integrated amplifier ($2,999 buy at Crutchfield) has a blend of old-school features and design with modern technology, but perhaps not in the way most audiophiles might anticipate. The Model 30 has a classic, old-school interface and feel,… Read More »


Bass traps from Paul Wilson's reference audiophile listening room

Want a Better Sounding Hi-Fi System? Fix Your Room First

For most audiophiles, the road to sonic nirvana often follows the path of increasingly better equipment. Many of us spend decades and untold thousands of dollars replacing an existing something for a something better – all in the hopes of… Read More »


Classe Delta Stereo amp reviewed by Jerry Del Colliano

Classé Delta Stereo Amplifier Reviewed

Long before Classé became part of Masimo Consumer (the parent company that also owns Polk, Definitive Technology, Denon, Marantz, and Bowers & Wilkins), the company was making some of the highest-performance audiophile components in the market. I’ve owned past versions… Read More »


Bluesound Powernode Edge Streamer and amp reviewed

Bluesound Powernode Edge Streaming Amplifier Reviewed

When I first looked at the Bluesound Powernode Edge (buy at Crutchfield) streaming amplifier and noticed its retail price of $649, I was taken back to my younger self in the late 1980s when I purchased a Yamaha stereo receiver… Read More »


Music Hall MMF 1.3 turntable reviewed

Music Hall MMF 1.3 Turntable Reviewed

The Music Hall MMF 1.3 (buy at Crutchfield) is a high-value turntable priced at a mere $349.99 that nonetheless comes equipped with an Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge, a built-in phono stage, as well as an electronic 3-speed (33-1/3, 45, and 78… Read More »


Tube amps in an audiophile demo

How to Do a Killer Audiophile Demo 

We talk a lot about how the future of the audiophile hobby needs to be inclusive. We need to ditch some of the old-school standards and practices like only listening in a messy listening room by yourself versus having your… Read More »


SVS SB-3000 audiophile subwoofer reviewed

SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer Reviewed

In today’s subwoofer market, the SVS SB-3000 subwoofer will be a sweet spot for many in terms of performance, features, and value. It’s far from the most-expensive sub on the market – in fact, it’s not the costliest subwoofer in SVS’s lineup… Read More »


The Apple iPod changed everything in the audio world in many ways for the better

What If Everything We Thought We Knew About Hi-Fi Was Wrong?

For the past few months, I have been somewhat obsessed with these new Gallium Nitride (GaN, for short) amplifiers. Long-time Stereophile writer and classical music recording engineer John Marks was the first to hip me to the concept via an … Read More »


Monoprice Monolith B5 bookshelf speakers reviewed

Monoprice Monolith Audition B5 Loudspeakers Reviewed

Monoprice has become known for their exceptionally high-value products, often sourced from China. But while the affordability has long been the draw for many shoppers, Monoprice also has a higher-performance lined of amplifiers and speakers and headphones and so forth… Read More »


Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 Audiophile Loudspeakers reviewed by Jerry Del Colliano

Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 Loudspeakers Reviewed

Many audiophiles know what a Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series loudspeaker typically sounds like, or at least we think we do. I’ve reviewed my fair share and even been blessed enough to own a couple of pretty cool Bowers &… Read More »


All your need to be an audiophile is a set of earbuds

All You Need to Be an Audiophile is a Pair of Earbuds

At the AXPONA audiophile show in Chicago this past spring, I had a conversation with a well-respected member of the audiophile community, on the manufacturer side, who was talking about the future of the hobby. His premise was that for… Read More »


U-turn Audio Orbit Plus reviewed

U-Turn Orbit Plus Turntable Reviewed

Vinyl has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in recent years, capturing the hearts of music enthusiasts seeking an immersive and nostalgic audio experience and a disconnect from an increasingly online world. As the demand for audiophile turntables continues to grow, music… Read More »


The Fosi BT20A integrated amp is almost impossibly priced at $99.

Fosi Audio BT20A Pro Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

The first review published in Future Audiophile was an SMSL integrated amplifier (read the review) that cost less than $175. It is a great little amp with an extensive input and feature set in a small chassis. Today, I’m going… Read More »


Few speakers image better than Bowers & Wilkins 801s which are used at Abbey Road Studios

Audiophile Lingo You Need to Know: Part 1, Speakers         

The audiophile hobby is guilty of a lot of things, perhaps the most painful of which is our overreliance on often-confusing terminology. This is the case for nearly every category of the hobby. On the pages of FutureAudiophile.com, we try… Read More »


NAD C 558 Audiophile Turntable from the top down

NAD C 558 Turntable Reviewed

The NAD C 558 (buy at Crutchfield) is a well-crafted, audiophile-grade, belt-driven turntable that is priced fairly but not quite at the bargain-basement levels you’ll often see from more mainstream brands. NAD’s top turntable sets itself apart in its class… Read More »


The Schiit Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG DAC Reviewed

Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG DAC Reviewed

The Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG (Yggdrasil+) is one of three currently available versions of the company’s flagship, audiophile digital-to-analog converter. OG—in case you’re not familiar with early-1970s street slang or early-1990s hip-hop culture—stands for “Original Gangsta,” because it is the original… Read More »


What is oligarch audio? Steven Stone looks into the term

Oligarch Audio Is Not the Same as High-Performance Audio

My publisher, Jerry Del Colliano, says I coined the term “Oligarch Audio,” but because I form all my thoughts in a spoken and written language, in my case English, I doubt I’ve ever had a completely original thought in my… Read More »


RBH SVTR Active loudspeaker reviewed

RBH Sound SVTR Active Speaker System Reviewed

RBH Sound from Layton, Utah, has been making audiophile speakers for close to 50 years but doesn’t always get the attention they deserve in the audiophile press.  Perhaps this is because they started off as an original equipment manufacturer (known in the industry… Read More »


SVS Prime Pinnacle Speakers reviewed

SVS Prime Pinnacle Floorstanding Loudspeaker Reviewed

SVS, with its 20-plus year history of producing critically acclaimed subwoofers and audiophile-grade speakers at real-world prices, continues this legacy with its latest floorstanding speaker offering: The SVS Prime Pinnacle Floorstanding Speakers (buy at Crutchfield). Designed to fill a niche… Read More »


VPI Classic Turntable Reviewed by Paul Wilson

VPI Industries Classic Signature Turntable Reviewed

When Harry Weisfeld founded VPI Industries in 1978, he probably could have never imagined his modest company, initially known for making record weights and isolation bases, would become the market leader it is today. His first commercially successful turntable was… Read More »


Audiophile Baby Proofing Revel Speakers and AC Power

An Audiophile’s Guide to Baby Proofing Your Stereo System

There were a lot of things that shocked me during the pandemic. Having sold HomeTheaterReview.com and AudiophileReview.com about 100 days before the shit hit the fan with a global  pandemic, I was trying to figure out at nearly 47 years old… Read More »


The AGD Productions Tempo GaN amp reviewed by Michael Zisserson

AGD Productions Tempo di GaN Amplifier Reviewed

Have you heard of Gallium Nitride (GaN) audiophile amplifier technology? If not, let me let you in on a little audiophile secret: unlike loudspeakers, which haven’t benefited from a major technological breakthrough in generations, GaN amplifiers represent a total rethinking of how… Read More »


Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Audiophile Loudspeakers Reviewed

Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Loudspeakers Reviewed

The Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 floorstanding speakers ($7,000 per pair – buy at Crutchfield) represents the company’s latest take on the largest model in their 700 series line, which resides just below their reference 800 series. In between its… Read More »


How to hide a Television on a lift - audiophile style

Why Do Some Audiophiles Hate Mixing Audio with Video?

Audiophiles have a long  and strange relationship with video, be it TVs or projection. Many old-school audiophiles refuse to put a television between their best audiophile loudspeakers when home theater enthusiasts use this configuration as the basis for their entire… Read More »


The Music Hall a.25.3 audiophile integrated amp reviewed by Andrew Dewhirst

Music Hall a25.3 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed

The a25.3 is the latest integrated amplifier from Music Hall. This $650 integrated amplifier produces 50 watts of power per channel into 8 ohms, and 75 watts per channel into 4 ohms, and it comes equipped with Bluetooth, a moving… Read More »


SVS Prime Wireless ProStreamer reviewed by Michael Zisserson

SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase Reviewed

Welcome to the age of the modern audiophile, where products like the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase (buy at Crutchfield) make it possible to buy an entire audiophile system for under a grand. Manufacturers have been clamoring to make one-box… Read More »


Audiophile increasingly stream their music which allows more and more zero-cost ways to find exciting new acts, albums and genres.

How to Dig out of Your Streaming Music Rut and Find Some Kick-Ass New Music

One of the biggest conundrums in the audiophile world is how some change-resistant audiophiles haven’t embraced the amazing power of streaming music. For the cost of one Compact Disc per month, you can have access to nearly every recording made,… Read More »