Page 5 - How To

It's no secret that the ownership of a vinyl record collection and a turntable on which to play it on is a labour of love. Vinyl records - and their turntables - aren't as simple as plug-in-and-play, they require care, attention and maintenance to keep them looking, working and, most importantly, sounding their best. But if you're into vinyl, you knew that already.

Our turntable and vinyl accessory range has grown over the last few years and we now stock some of the best vinyl accessories on the

We've talked at great length about the importance of using high quality cables in your hi-fi. Interconnects, mains cables and even digital can all have a significant bearing on the clarity and quality of the signal - which ultimately effects the quality of the sound. And the higher end your system, the more of a difference you will notice. This is just as true with speaker cables - the better the wire, the better the sound that is transmitted between your system and the speakers. But have you spared

If you've been interested in the subject of hi-fi for any length of time, then you've probably seen the word 'valve' banded about a fair bit - and maybe you've seen a few pictures of these enigmatic valves too. Maybe you're even interested in seeing what these strange contraptions do/sound like. Well, we can help. With all of that. And we can even answer the ultimate question: What is a 'valve' anyway?

... What is a 'valve'?

Put quite simply, a valve is a vacuum tube: a sealed container, void of

Cables. They have always been a hot topic in the hi-fi realm, and the subject has never been hotter. The questions on our customers' lips right now are: do cables make a difference? Will any old cable with the right wires and connections for the job do? Is buying a hi-end cable worth it? Well, the answer is - and always will be - yes, but to satiate everyone engaged in this debate, we have collated a list of our favourite cables which don't cost  the Earth, but will still make a big difference

So you've done your research, you've spent your money and you've built yourself the hi-fi system of your wildest dreams... well, as close as you can get at the present time! There's only one way to find out if you've got it fined tuned to perfection though, and that's to test it. Now, there is a very good chance you've attended a hi-fi demonstration of some sort before, either at a show or a personal one with a retailer. And the best way to test the equipment is by playing something with it. Something

You really don't need us to tell you that there's something quite magical about vinyl. However far technology comes, however much digital audio, streaming and even wireless technology comes in terms of sound quality and overall feel. Despite these advances, vinyl is more popular now than it was even 20 years ago, having gone through something of a cultural revival. These days if you can buy it on CD, you can buy it on vinyl. With this continuously increasing interest from both established music

Vinyl. Some say it's had it's heyday, but we're seeing an ever increasing surge in vinyl sales which suggests quite the opposite. And it's not just us - record companies are pushing out more and more new albums on this medium. You can almost guarantee that a new album with any major or medium-sized record label will also be available on LP. Why, you ask? Well, for the purists! You cannot beat the sound of vinyl. A great record with a deck can - in my humble opinion - destroy a similar priced

One thing you can say about the world of hi-fi today is just how many options there are to choose from. With all of this choice - right at your fingertips - it's no wonder choosing an amplifier can be a daunting task! Where do you start? Which 'class' do you chose? What is a 'class'? How many watts do you need? and do valves sound better?

... those are just the tip of the iceberg! Amplification can be a minefield... until now. We at Audio Affair have put together a blog which offers simple and

We’ve spoken a few times about how we’ve noticed an exponential increase in vinyl sales – it’s becoming an increasingly popular format in the hi-fi realm. So it is no wonder I have customers calling me asking how to get the most out of their vinyl. In my last blog I went through some of my favourite care, cleaning and maintenance products for getting the most from your record collection (and for longer), this time we are going to delve into the strange and varied world of phono cartridges and stages!

Convenience. The key to a modern streamlined life: pre-peeled carrots, pre-packed sandwiches -  these and many other little touches make our lives that little bit simpler allowing us to concentrate on the more important things in life. Such as Hi-Fi.

So, what happens when you want to simplify your music collection and thoroughly drag it into this century - vinyl, I love you, but lets face it this blog would never be finished if I kept having to lift the needle from the record!

Let's leave our