Page 34 - Hi-Fi

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

The world of real hi-fi can be a bit confusing at times. And this is one of those times: despite the name, a bookshelf speaker shouldn’t be placed on a bookshelf. Yeah, we know. That was a poor naming effort on the part of whoever coined the term. Don’t get us wrong – if you are short on space you can (and will!) be forgiven for utilising them in such a way, but if you want to get the absolute most out of them, they need to be placed on dedicated speaker stands. Even if your book case is a particularly

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

Everyone has a vinyl enthusiast in their life, be they a friend or a family member (... maybe it's you!), but knowing what to get them for Christmas other than a selection of LPs may well pose a challenge. But if that person is indeed a vinyl head, they will love any vinyl-related gift, especially one they wouldn't think to get for themselves!

Storage, care and maintenance may seem a little droll to some, but to anyone who loves their vinyl there is very little of greater importance out there, so

It can sometimes get a bit too serious in the world of real hi-fi. We spend so much time obsessing over the details that we can sometimes forget what it's all about: music and entertainment. And what are those two things about? Fun! Hi-fi is supposed to be fun - or rather - it's the fun enabler. And every now and then a brand realises this and embodies it to its fullest capacity - without letting the quality slip in the process. Anthony Gallo Acoustics is one of those brands!

Dedicated to the memory of Ray Dolby 1933 - 2014

The Dolby brand is a household name - and most of those households will be able to tell you that Dolby is a company immersed in the audio visual realms. But do you know exactly what Dolby built their multi-billion dollar brand on? No? Well, by the end of this article you'll know all about Dolby - and their latest submission to the AV world: Dolby Atmos!

Before we delve into the nitty gritty of all things Dolby, first a very brief word on Atmos. Dolby

Just in case you didn't get the memo... Christmas is coming! Getting caught up in the hullabaloo of buying presents, wrapping presents, writing cards, sending cards and scurrying about with the kids - means sometimes planning the more intricate details of the day itself can sometimes fall to the wayside. Namely - your hi-fi needs. Sure, you've planned the dinner right down to who sits where, you know how to carefully arrange the presents under the tree so the best ones are saved for last - but

It’s a long standing dream in the pursuit of real hi-fi: the separation of a system into it’s basic components. Every unit serving a singular function, resulting in minimal interference from power sources – and the highest fidelity you can manage.

However, actually compiling an entire separates system can be a little daunting, especially if you consider how many variables (makes, models and brands) that can attribute to the overall effect. Having several different units that were designed and built

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

We have found, time and time again, that poor cable quality can be responsible for a whole host of problems in both the audio and visual worlds. Many are sceptical about whether or not hi-end cables can really make a difference - hut we assure you, they do. So much so that we (and many other experts) always recommend spending between 5-10% of the value of your hi-fi on cables to match. It may sound a little steep, but you wouldn't believe just how much of a difference they make. We have a full set