High-End Audio · Audiophile · Home Cinema
Serious sound, honestly reviewed
Independent, hands-on reviews and buyer’s guides for audiophile hi-fi, loudspeakers, amplifiers, DACs, turntables and headphones — plus dedicated home-theatre design for the most demanding rooms in Australia.
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Buyer’s guides
Our “best of” roundups — ranked and explained by players who use the gear.
AmplifiersThe best integrated amplifiersMarcus Vale measures and ranks the best integrated amplifiers on sale in Australia, from budget-friendly hubs to a McIntosh flagship, with honest tradeoffs.
Sources & StreamingThe best desktop DAC/ampsThe best desktop DAC/amps in Australia for 2025 — from the A$189 FiiO K11 to the reference RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Real picks, honest tradeoffs.
HeadphonesThe best audiophile headphonesEleanor Shaw picks the best open-back and planar headphones for serious Australian home listeners, from A$795 to A$2,199.
LoudspeakersThe best standmount speakers for serious listeningThe standmounts we'd actually live with — from the giant-killing KEF LS50 Meta to the near-floorstander R3 Meta and the airy B&W 705 S3.
AmplifiersThe best streaming amplifiers and all-in-one systemsOne elegant box, your speakers, done. From the do-everything Naim Uniti Atom to the vinyl-friendly Marantz Model 40n and the statement McIntosh MA352.
Home CinemaBuilding a home cinema: the core componentsThe backbone of a proper home theatre — a capable AV receiver, a subwoofer that does the heavy lifting, and a true 4K projector.
Featured reviews
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Latest from the team
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Class D amps have won the value war. Here's why I'm still not 100% soldClass D amps now deliver serious power for giant-killer money. Dave Okafor breaks down what you actually gain, and give up, versus solid-state and valve gear.By Dave Okafor
IEM ear tips: the free upgrade that beats most cable swapsEar tips shape IEM sound more than most upgrades costing real money. Here's how seal, bore size and tip material actually change what you hear.By Eleanor Shaw
Cartridge alignment: why the last half-millimetre matters more than the cartridgeOverhang, zenith angle and azimuth decide more about vinyl sound quality than the cartridge you buy. Here's the engineering, explained by a digital guy.By Theo Mensah
First reflections: finding them with a mirror before you buy any panelsBefore you spend a cent on acoustic panels, find your actual first reflection points with a mirror and a torch. Here's the method, and why it beats guessing.By Marcus Vale- Streamer output stage vs speaker sensitivity: matching the digital front end to your pairYour streamer's output impedance and gain structure interact with speaker sensitivity more than most buying guides admit. Here's how to actually match them.By Theo Mensah
- Building a home cinema budget: the spending order that actually pays offWhere to put the first dollar in a home cinema build, and why most people spend it on the wrong box first. A spending order from twelve years of installs.By Jonno Fraser
The team
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Dave OkaforValue & Giant-Killers ContributorGold Coast, QLD
Eleanor ShawHeadphones & Personal Audio EditorAdelaide, SA
Hannah ReidLoudspeakers & Acoustics EditorMelbourne, VIC
Jonno FraserHome Cinema & Custom Install EditorBrisbane, QLD
Marcus ValeEditor · Electronics & MeasurementSydney, NSW
Priya AnandVinyl & Valves EditorMelbourne, VIC
Sofia LaurentHigh-End & Statement Systems EditorSydney, NSW
Theo MensahDigital, DACs & Streaming EditorPerth, WA