Page 28 - Hi-Fi

High-resolution audio, or HRA. It's a term that's banded around a lot, even more frequently of late thanks to more and more technology adopting its practice (2015 is the year it hit the mainstream it would seem!) But have you ever wondered... what exactly is high-resolution audio? And, more importantly, why should you care?

Well, quite frankly, if you're into your audio (and I think it's fair to assume you are since you're reading a hi-fi blog) then high resolution is something you should definitely

One of the best things about this industry is that it's becoming more and more accessible to everyone all the time. When streaming first appeared as a viable source, it was only by spending a small fortune could you join the streaming ranks. While it is still possible to spend a pretty penny in your pursuit of streaming heaven, it's also possible to make a small upgrade to your existing system and turn it into a full blown hi-fi streaming system! This is no sorcery, it's pure innovation in the form

Streaming. It's powerful, it's versatile and its potentially infinite. We're huge fans of it here at Audio Affair (I'm actually streaming internet radio through my work PC and via my Yamaha NX50s, just in case you were curious!) and even the most hardened analogue-aficionado will admit it's getting better and better all the time. Will it ever surpass CD or even vinyl in terms of sound quality? Some say never, some say yes and many will say it already has - including us! High resolution 24-bit is

Hi-fi has a long and illustrious history that spans well over a century. A miasma of cutting edge technology fueled by a pure passion for art is nothing to be sniffed at - be that the delicate intricacies of speakers, the complex science of cables or the long and varied history of sources - it's all a part of the great history of hi-fi, and the very reason we audiophiles are connected like we are. This blog is dedicated to the history of the source, and how it has developed over the years.

The

Streaming - it's the future of hi-fi! Sure we love our more traditional sources, but there's something about the truly unlimited nature of streaming (and the world of music that it opens up) that we just can't resist. As with everything else hi-fi related, there are several price points along the way - from the delightfully budget to the decadently pricey. Of course, you get what you pay for. But that doesn't mean there isn't an excellent system to suit. So, in the spirit of the source of the future,

The miniBlink... is a little special. We have loved it since the day we were sent it for demo (long before it hit the shelves!) and we have been recommending it as a low cost (yet hi-res) alternative to a full blown streaming system ever since. We've even offered it as a prize in a few competitions, and made it a 'Product of the Month' last year. But just in case you have yet to hear of the miniature hero, here's a little bit of info...

What the miniBlink is is actually very simple. It's a wireless

How do you play your music? There's so many different ways of storing and listening to music in 2015, we thought we'd dedicate August entirely to the source.

Whether you're a die-hard vinyl fan or keep your music strictly digital, the source is arguably the most important part of your system.

At Audio Affair we like music in every format - so long as you're enjoying it, that's all that matters. Here's our rundown of what's available, click the title link to browse products in that category... Although

As convenient the world of hi-fi can be right now, there's still no replacement for the warm, lush sound of the oh-so-elaborate, yet oh-so-delicious valve sound.

At Audio Affair we love that valve sound just as much as you do. and our friends at Icon Audio produce some of the finest valve products around. Since we've refit the showroom, we've got a huge range of Icon Audio products on display. If you'd like to hear any of these impressive bits of kit, then head on down to the Audio Affair Showroom

When you work in retail (of any sort) and you particularly like a product, you make sure you get plenty of that product in, because you know that the world will like it as much as you do. Sometimes this happens so well, you find yourself with the very last of the stocks.

That's now the case for us with the two Sansui items that we stock - we quite literally loved them to their deaths.

Okay, we're being a little dramatic there. We loved them to their discontinue-ment (?!). But that's good news for

We've said it before and we'll say it again: analogue is complicated. Turntables are tricky. Phonostages are odd. Cartridges, anti-skating weights, platters and belts... all makes for something that requires an intense level of attention to detail in order to be a marked success. Vinyl is a labour of love, and there is no easy way around it.

... well. I say no easy way. There are plenty of little gadgets and gizmos out there that will make the whole thing a little bit easier. And when of those