EN 
FR -
In the debut of his “Super Budget Components” series, Steven Stone spotlights three Chinese-made audio bargains—a $130 Fosi amp, SoundArtist LS3/5A monitors, and a $250 Rod Rain DAC—that punch far above their price.
-
Building on Part 1, this detailed follow-up compares three subwoofer integration strategies—evaluating bass smoothness, articulation, and timing.
-
Pierre recounts how a record theft led him from rock to a lifelong passion for classical music, recommending five era-spanning albums—from Renaissance to Stravinsky—that shaped his journey and still dazzle audiophiles today.
-
Kevin Fielding lays out three subwoofer connection methods in a two-channel setup, showing how precision in crossover settings and time alignment can dramatically enhance bass integration and system coherence.
-
Cyrus Audio’s Stream-XR streamer impresses with its clean, engaging sound and smart BluOS integration—especially when paired with Neil Young Archives, offering detailed playback that rivals higher-end gear in a fiercely competitive market.
-
Jonson Lee explores how excessive dynamic compression is warping our musical experience, comparing classic and remastered waveforms to show how “bigger” sound often means less nuance—and why old CDs may offer sonic salvation.
-
Bowers & Wilkins’ Steyning Research Establishment, launched in 1981 by John Bowers, redefined speaker design through breakthroughs like Matrix bracing, the Nautilus tube, and diamond tweeters—pioneering acoustic innovation that still shapes high-end audio today.
-
At AXPONA 2023, Chad Kassem opened up to Gilles Laferrière about his Cajun roots, a troubled youth, and the early 1980s decision to embrace vinyl just as the world shifted to CDs—laying the foundation for Analogue Productions.
-
Copper Magazine’s Frank Doris recalls his first encounter with Genesis’s Selling England by the Pound in 1973 and hails Analogue Productions’ new 45 RPM reissue as the album’s most sonically revealing edition to date.
-
When Craft Records released a high-end reissue of Thelonious Monk’s Brilliant Corners, author Robert Baird contrasted its audiophile fidelity with the flood of inferior, budget public domain pressings—highlighting a clash between accessibility and sonic integrity.
-
Amid WWII and deep segregation, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm—an all-women, racially diverse jazz band—rose to fame, defying racial and gender norms while electrifying audiences and outshining male counterparts across the nation.
-
Rhino’s new High Fidelity reissues wow with all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray and deluxe Optimal pressings. Standouts include Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth, Van Morrison’s His Band and the Street Choir, and Herbie Hancock’s mesmerizing Crossings.
-
Reflecting on years of digital audio upgrades, Tom Gibbs details how his setup—centered on Euphony Audio servers and Gustard and Topping DACs—has surpassed early streaming efforts, challenging “bits are bits” dogma with revelations on cables, clocks, and file compression.
-
John Bowers’ journey from wartime signalman to founding Bowers & Wilkins charts a life devoted to sonic purity—his relentless pursuit of audio excellence reshaped hi-fi standards and built a legacy still resonating today.
-
Exploring the audible quirks of vinyl, Mike Harkins examines groove echo, background noise, and tracking artifacts—while emphasizing that even audiophile pressings aren’t immune to defects, surprises, or the charm of analog imperfection.
