Page 3 - Monthly Archives: January 2015

So, streaming. You're probably aware of it by now. To say that it has taken the hi-fi world by storm in recent years would be a significant under statement. It's convenient, it's cool - and thanks to recent advances in technology, the sound quality has improved exponentially. There really isn't much of an excuse not to jump aboard the stream train - unless money and space are contributing factors. A dedicated streaming unit takes up space and can be a little pricey. But let's back up a bit, on the

A phono stage is an absolute necessity when playing vinyl on a turntable.  To put it into basic terms, the output level from a turntable is considerably lower than a 'line level' unit such as a CD player. A phono stage - also known as a pre-amp - brings up the output level so it can be played by modern systems. When vinyl was the default format many decades ago, a high-quality amplifier was built-in to turntables as standard. But as the popularity  of the format waned, so did the quality of the

Naim  are a brand with a long history of innovation, inspiration and sheer dogged-determination. You can't help but admire a brand that will joyfully roll up their sleeves and give pretty much anything (hi-fi related, of course) a very good try. And in the case of Naim, they almost always come up trumps. But when you are willing to try your hand at pretty much everything, it can often lead to a back catalogue of weird and wonderful experimental products that never quite saw the light of day...

KEF The Reference. If you're reading this, I can almost guarantee you know what it is that I'm talking about. There isn't much out there that is quite as iconic as this incredibly desirable range. When it comes to hi-fi... where do your loyalties lie? Some of you may well have them, but from working in hi-fi we often witnessed our customers happily chop and change and try out new brands when they upgrade. Sometimes they go back to their original preference, sometimes they don't. But what we have

Over the Christmas holiday we've been running a photo competition over on our Twitter and Facebook feeds offering our readers a chance to win a £50 Audio Affair Voucher. Well, after much deliberation, we've chosen a winner... But you'll have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find out if it's you!

We've contacted the winner by social media, and will be sending on instructions for how to claim the £50 voucher. Thanks to everyone who entered, it's great to see you enjoying your hi-fi no matter