For a long time, the Audio Technica AT-LP120 has been one of the most highly praised entry-level turntables. While there are plenty of budget turntables that cost under $200, the AT-LP120 offered a big step up for just a few extra dollars. Notably, an elliptical (vs spherical) stylus and the very nice AT95E cartridge, a …
Vinyl has made a big comeback. When the average consumer moved away from CDs to digital downloads and audio streaming services, many others regained interest in the good old record. Some people miss having physical copies of music which they can see and feel. Others want to experience the unique sound that only a truly …
Bookshelf speakers are the bestselling type of loudspeaker, largely owing to their size and versatility. They can be placed just about anywhere and be used within almost any audio setup. While soundbars are all the rage these days, a good pair of bookshelf speakers has the potential to sound a lot better and offer much …
Polk have a somewhat crowded selection of bookshelf speaker options around the ~$200 price point: TSi200, RTi A1 and Signature S15. Despite having the most power, the sound quality on the TSi200 is fairly mediocre. Meanwhile the RTi A1 (full review here) is less powerful than the TSi200, but sounds great and has a beautiful …
House of Marley is an audio manufacturer that was founded in 2012 in collaboration with the Marley family. The company’s eco-conscious identity means they use mindfully sourced materials, such as bamboo, FSC™ certified wood and recyclable aluminum to manufacture their products. Their whole line of products look beautiful, and the ‘Stir It Up’ turntable is …
The biggest draw for active speakers has always been their ease of use. You don’t need to worry about how the amp and speakers wire together, nor do you have to worry about fine tuning them to sound good together. The Fluance Ai40 is one of the very few active speakers in its price bracket …
With the vinyl revival, many people are looking to start listening to music the old fashioned way. There is no debating that vinyl is traditionally an incredibly expensive hobby. The Pioneer PL-990, however, isn’t an expensive turntable. Pioneer are known for their direct-drive DJ turntables. But when it comes to belt-driven turntables, which are better …
After reviewing speakers for years, I’ve become quite numb to the plain box-shaped designs that are all over the market. When I learned that the bestselling budget bookshelf speakers on Amazon were all coming from a Chinese brand known as Edifier, I was eager to try them for myself. The first thing that struck me …
Few loudspeaker brands are as well known as Klipsch, and while some audiophiles snub their sound as being loud and unrefined, others praise their exciting dynamics. For a long time, the Klipsch R-14M R-15M were among the best-selling budget bookshelf speakers, and the 2018 R-41M and R-51M are their direct successors in The Reference series. …
Polk have made a name for themselves for being able to produce some of the most affordable speakers around. Typically we have come to associate ‘affordable’ speakers with being poor quality and lacking in audio fidelity. However, with Polk’s speakers that hasn’t been the case. The are among their most affordable speakers and will definitely …