Hannah Reid
Loudspeakers & Acoustics Editor
Based in Melbourne, VIC
Hi, I'm Hannah. Speakers are my thing — specifically, the conversation between a speaker and the room it's in, which is where most systems are won or lost. I did acoustics at uni and never quite got it out of my system. I'll measure your room's bass response and then gently break the news that the $20,000 speakers aren't the problem, the untreated wall behind your sofa is. Stand-mounts on good stands are criminally underrated and I will die on that hill.
28 published articles · most recent August 13, 2026
Hi, I'm Hannah. Speakers are my thing — specifically, the conversation between a speaker and the room it's in, which is where most systems are won or lost.
I did acoustics at uni and never quite got it out of my system. I'll measure your room's bass response and then gently break the news that the $20,000 speakers aren't the problem — the untreated wall behind your sofa is.
Stand-mounts on good stands are criminally underrated, and I will die on that hill.
Articles by Hannah Reid
Turntable isolation: why footfall and feedback matter more than the plinthSuspended floors, speaker vibration and footfall do more damage to vinyl playback than plinth material. Here's how to actually isolate a turntable.
Why your streamer's output stage still shapes the sound at the speakerBits are bits, but the analogue stage after the DAC chip in your streamer still colours what your speakers do. Here's what actually matters.- Subwoofer size versus number: why two small subs beat one big oneA 10-inch sub in two spots usually beats a 15-inch sub in one. Here's the room-mode maths behind why, and when a single big box still wins.
Toe-in angle: the free speaker upgrade nobody bothers measuringToe-in angle changes your speakers' tonal balance and imaging more than most upgrades. Here's how to actually find the right angle for your room.- Speaker stands and boundary distance: the invisible spec on your spec sheetStand height, mass and distance from walls change a standmount's measured bass and imaging more than most upgrades. Here's how to get it right.
- Where you put the DAC in the signal chain (and why it changes the sound)DAC before or after the preamp, streamer or separate box: where the conversion happens in your chain affects noise, volume control and cable runs more than the chip inside it.
- Loudspeaker sensitivity and amplifier matching: what the numbers actually predictA speaker's sensitivity spec and an amp's watts-per-channel number look simple but rarely tell you what you think. Here's how to actually match them.
- Why room correction can't fix your DAC, and your DAC can't fix your roomSplitting out what a DAC upgrade genuinely changes from what only acoustic treatment and correction software can fix, so you spend on the right layer first.
Atmos speaker placement: why height channels fail in most roomsMost Atmos height channels underperform because of placement, not gear. Here's how to actually get overhead sound working in a real room.
Bass management in stereo systems: what your AV receiver manual doesn't explainMost stereo listeners ignore bass management entirely, or get it badly wrong. Hannah Reid explains what it actually does, and why getting it right transforms your system.- Standmount speakers on the wrong stands: why the support matters as much as the speakerYour standmount speakers are only as good as what they sit on. Hannah Reid explains how stand height, mass, coupling and decoupling change what you actually hear.
DAC/amp combos vs separates for headphones: when the stack is worth itOne box or two? Hannah Reid cuts through the marketing to explain when a combined DAC/amp unit is smart and when separates genuinely pull ahead.- Noise isolation vs sound quality: what closed-back headphones actually cost youClosed-back headphones promise isolation, but the acoustic trade-offs are real. Hannah Reid explains what you're giving up — and when it's worth it.
- When to upgrade your amplifier versus your speakers: where the money actually goesSpeakers or amplifier — it's the oldest argument in hi-fi. Hannah Reid breaks down where each dollar genuinely moves the needle, and when the room is the real answer.
- Subwoofer integration: how to match level, phase and delay to your main speakersGetting a subwoofer to truly disappear into your system is harder than it looks. Here's how to dial in level, phase and time alignment so the bass sounds like it's coming from everywhere and nowhere.
- Streaming to passive speakers: how to build a network audio chain that actually worksNetwork streamers, DACs, amplifiers and passive speakers can work brilliantly together — if you understand where the chain can break. Hannah Reid explains how to get it right.
- Bit depth vs sample rate: which actually matters for sound quality?More digits and higher numbers don't automatically mean better sound. Here's what bit depth and sample rate actually do — and where the real gains stop.
- Where to spend your speaker budget: a room-first guide to diminishing returnsSpending more on speakers rarely solves the problem you actually have. Hannah Reid maps where every dollar earns its keep — and where it quietly disappears.
- How to position standmount speakers for the best sound in any roomPlacement does more for standmount sound than almost any upgrade. Hannah Reid explains the geometry, the compromises, and what actually moves the needle.
ProAc Response DB1R: the smallest ribbon-tweeter standmount the brand has ever madeProAc has revived the classic DB1 as the Response DB1R — its smallest ribbon-tweeter standmount yet — unveiled at Bristol 2026. Here's what Australian buyers need to know.
Cambridge Audio L/R Series: the brand's first active wireless speakers take direct aim at KEFCambridge Audio debuts its first active wireless speaker range at CES 2026 — three models, serious specs and a flagship that challenges KEF on its own turf.
JBL Summit Ama review: a $20,000 standmount with pro-audio DNAJBL's range-topping Summit Ama standmount brings horn-loaded compression-driver engineering to the high-end bookshelf. But does it justify its $20,000 asking price?
SVS launches the 3000 R|Evolution subwoofer series at CES 2026: a ground-up rethink of an Aussie favouriteSVS debuted its biggest 3000-series overhaul in over 20 years at CES 2026. Here's what the R|Evolution means for Australian buyers.
SVS enters the soundbar game with the Dolby Atmos R|Evolution and a 600W wireless subwooferSVS debuts its first-ever soundbar at CES 2026, pairing Dolby Atmos with a 600W wireless sub — and the 3000 Micro R|Evolution is already in AU.
REL Acoustics Planar: The Wall-Mounting Sub That Could Change the Game for Constrained SpacesREL's new Planar series breaks from the box format with two slim, wall-mountable subwoofers just 5.7 inches deep. Here's what it means for AU buyers.
KEF expands Extreme Home Theater with two new THX-certified in-wall speakersKEF's new Ci5120QLM-THX and Ci3120QLM-THX bring Uni-Q with MAT and THX certification to the in-wall space. Here's what AU buyers need to know.
Active versus passive in 2026: when the amplifier moves inside the speakerCES 2026 saw no new passive speaker debut — a genuine first. Hannah Reid asks whether giving up your separate amplifier is finally the smart move.
WiSA E goes full-stack: cable-free multichannel takes on HDMIWiSA Technologies launched a three-module WiSA E ecosystem at CES 2026. Here's what it means for wireless home theatre in Australia.