The bestselling type of speaker for home listening, bookshelf speakers are compact yet capable of delivering rich and room-filling audio. While most commonly used in HiFi setups, they make great desktop speakers and are also a more compact alternative to floorstanders as front L/R surround speakers in a home theater system. Loudspeaker technology has come …
When you think of headphones you most likely think of closed back headphones. These are the headphones with a hard plastic shell on the earcup. While they don’t give you the same sense of openness in the sound you get with open-back headphones, they don’t leak sound and they block more outside noise. That makes …
Floor standing speakers, often simply referred to as floorstanders, are typically the biggest kind of speaker designed for home use. The cabinets are bigger than those of bookshelf speakers, allowing them to project sound further across the room and with more presence and scale. Despite their size and weight, floorstanding speakers don’t leave a big …
It’s impossible not to be blown away by how far PC and video games have come over the last few decades. But it’s not just the graphics. The improvements to audio are just as important when it comes to creating the most immersive experience possible. It’s no secret that headphones are the way to go …
Looking to immerse yourself in one of Beethoven’s legendary symphonies? Or how about some Brahm? Choosing the best headphones for classical music isn’t as simple as buying any expensive pair out there. Instead, we have to consider which headphones are best suited for the musical characteristics of the genre. Different genres of music have different …
Headphones might all look and function the same – wear them over your head and they’ll pump sound into your ears. However, it’s possible to classify any pair as either open-back or closed-back headphones. So what exactly is the difference? Open–back headphones have ear cups with perforated outer shells that let air inside and let …
Center channel speakers play a crucial role in surround sound systems by balancing the total sound of the system and providing a specific anchor location for dialogue and vocals. They bridge the gap between the left and right stereo speakers facilitating the more detailed spatial acoustics that 5.1 and 7.1-channel audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio were designed …
Established back in 2006, British loudspeaker company Q Acoustics is still in its early days. It might not have the rich heritage of other British brands like B&W or KEF, but engineering legendary speakers like the $4500 Concept 300 has made them a recurrent name in audiophile circles. The 3020i comes at a far more …
Among budget audiophiles the Micca MB42X and PB42X are pretty much the only speakers around their budget that come recommended. The Micca MB42X is simply a MB42 with a crossover while the PB42X is a powered version of the MB42X with a built in amplifier. The PB42X appears to hit a sweet spot. For less …
Edifier is a Chiniese audio manufacturer who dominate the Chinese market and are rapidly gaining recognition worldwide. The name might not possess the prestige associated with popular consumer brands like Bowers and Wilkins or Bose, but its products offer good value for money. Think Xiaomi, but in the HiFi space. In this review I’ll be …