@Featured
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 »
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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 »
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 power amp, preamp, turntable, tuner,… Read More »
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, which… Read More »
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 »
Bricasti Design M1 Series II DAC Reviewed
The $12,000 Bricasti Design M1 has been beating oligarch-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 at… Read More »
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 »
MartinLogan Motion XT F100 Loudspeakers Reviewed
When most people think of MartinLogan, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the company’sfamous electrostatic speakers like the CLS or any number of hybrid electrostatic speakers with subwoofers below the electrostatic panel, but in recent years the… Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 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 »
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 »
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 »
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… Read More »
NAD C 3050 Integrated Amplifier Reviewed
The 3050 may be NAD’s newest 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 of… Read More »
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 scenarios.… Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 Desktop Powered Loudspeakers Reviewed
The 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 tailored for… Read More »
Marantz SACD 30n CD/SACD Player Reviewed
Marantz’s 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 it… Read More »