Tagged: amplifiers

Film soundtracks push amplifier channels harder and longer than stereo music ever does. Here's why that matters for topology, power supplies and what actually fails.

Forget topology wars. The cheapest way to get real performance from an amp is matching its power and impedance tolerance to your actual speakers.

Forget the tribal warfare. Here's how to actually match valve, solid-state and Class D amps to your speakers, your room and your budget.

Speakers 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.

Sensitivity specs look simple until your new standmounts clip the amp at moderate volume. Marcus Vale explains what the numbers really mean and how to use them.

The power supply is the foundation of every amplifier, yet it's rarely discussed. Sofia Laurent explains what the topology choices actually mean for sound quality.

Electrostatic and planar magnetic headphones sound unlike anything dynamic drivers produce — but they impose real system requirements. Sofia Laurent explains what you actually need to drive them properly.

Bi-wiring and bi-amping promise better sound from speakers with dual binding posts. Theo Mensah cuts through the folklore and explains what the measurements say.

Discrete Class A, op-amp, tube hybrid or pure valve — Jonno Fraser breaks down what headphone amp topologies actually do and how to choose the right one.

Spending more doesn't always get you more. Sofia Laurent maps exactly where the law of diminishing returns bites hardest — and where it still doesn't apply.

Damping factor and output impedance appear on every amp spec sheet, but few buyers know what they're really measuring. Here's what the numbers mean for your speakers.

Output impedance shapes how your headphones actually sound. Theo Mensah explains the engineering behind the number and what it means for IEMs, planars and dynamic cans.

Speaker amplifier matching comes down to sensitivity, impedance and power. Here's how to read the numbers on the spec sheet before you spend your money.

AVR vs AV processor: both decode Atmos, but the engineering tradeoffs are real. Marcus Vale explains what the measurements tell you about each path.

D'Agostino's Momentum Z monoblocks deliver 500W into 8 ohms and 1kW into 4, with Kinetic Drive Regulator power and a network monitoring port.

The Audio Note Oto SE 35 arrives at £5,950 / $5,950 with a new power supply, in-house mains transformer and a reworked phono stage for the EL84 integrated.

McIntosh's MA2375 is an all-tube integrated with 75 watts per channel, a built-in MM/MC phono stage and headphone amp, and no digital inputs at all.

Rega's Solis power amplifier and Mercury preamp debuted at Bristol 2026. Here is what the pairing means for Australian buyers and high-end listeners.

FiiO teased a fully discrete, pure Class A desktop headphone amplifier ahead of Vienna High End. Marcus Vale unpacks what it means for serious listeners.

Ultrafide's Enso INT-125 is a 125W integrated with MM phono, Class AB headphone amp and tone controls, priced at £3,500. Here is how it stacks up.

The Arcam A50 Signature dual-mono integrated amp and CD25 CD player debuted at HIGH END Vienna 2026 to mark 50 years, with Australian pricing confirmed.

Chord Ultima 7 and Blade stereo power amps were previewed at HIGH END Vienna 2026, with specs, pricing and full launch due in September 2026.

HARMAN completed its $350M purchase of Sound United, bringing B&W, Denon and Marantz together. Here is what it means for Australian hi-fi buyers.

Purifi's 1ET9040BA claims distortion below 0.00017%, yet a Stereophile follow-up found defective units. What does state of the art really guarantee?

The $15,000 Marantz Model 10 won EISA's top integrated amplifier award using Class-D. Here is what Purifi modules changed and who should audition it.

Orchard Audio's Starkrimson 25 Mono shows GaN amplification is still being pushed hardest by small specialists, not big brands. Here's what it means.

Chord's Blade is a 0.5U Class G amp built on gallium nitride. Marcus Vale explains why GaN matters for serious audio and what to watch for in September.

The Hegel H150 Prodigy keeps Class-AB with SoundEngine 2, adds the brand's first USB-A input and MM phono, and stands against the Class-D tide.

Active versus passive speakers in 2026: why the amplifier is moving inside the cabinet, what you gain and give up, and who should still buy passive.