Bryston is one of those legendary high-end brands that some audiophiles take for granted. Founded in 1962, Bryston is based in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, and the company just keeps going about its business making great components without a lot of fanfare. It does, however, have a long roster of musicians who rely on Bryston gear …

Stereo as a consumer audio format dates back to the late 1950s with the introduction of the stereo LP, but monophonic LPs didn’t fade all that quickly. They continued through the late 1960s for a few reasons, starting with the fact that monos were cheaper than stereo LPs, and some folks preferred the sound of monos. Retailers hated the “double …

No doubt, the world is a dangerous place, but if you stop and read all the dire warnings that come packed with audio gear and other devices you’d never let your guard down. If you think I’m being overly dramatic, go ahead and read your amplifier or phone owner’s manual, the warnings usually start on page one, and they aren’t …

I get off on the sound of live and recorded music, but sometimes the sound interferes with the enjoyment of the music. For example, I wouldn’t go to Carnegie Hall to see my favorite acoustic artist if the only available tickets were in the upper balconies. I say that because in the past when I’ve been way up there, I …

First things first: the Fluance RT81 turntable‘s build quality is way above what I’d expect from a $250 turntable (with free shipping in the US). It puts the $309 U-Turn Orbit Plus and $449 Rega RP1 turntables to shame. The solidity the construction of the medium-density fiberboard base is noteworthy, and my sample’s real walnut grain finish was stunning. This …

The sure-fire way to improve the sound of any audio system is to get better speakers, but if you like your speakers, adding a sub will be a profound upgrade. My neighbors Sara and Kevin have a great audio system (more on that later), but it wasn’t living up to his expectations, so he asked me to drop by their …

The high-end headphone scene never ceases to amaze me. Competition is fierce, especially at the upper reaches of the high-end, $1,000+ headphones that are still getting better all the time. Not only that, the Hifiman HE400S ($299, £219, AU$419) is easy to recommend to folks who want to get a taste of high-end sound without breaking the bank. It’s a …

When did you fall in love with music? Or should I put it this way, when did you fall in love with the sound of music. No one would doubt that the sound at a live concert changes the way you feel about a tune you’ve heard countless times on ear buds or the speakers in your phone. The music …

I make my living searching for great-sounding audio gear, music, and movies, but I also have to suffer horrendous sound from time to time. Take for example those wretched tiny Bluetooth speakers that make vocals sound like a small animal struggling to get out of a trap. If you’re satisfied with that, good for you, but for the same money …

Are you ready for a weekend of binge-listening to new sounds? Here’s the latest round up of albums that caught and sustained my attention. Radiohead — A Moon Shaped Pool Definitely my favorite Radiohead album since “Amnesiac,” and it’s loaded with great tunes. Starting with “Burn The Witch,” a string driven romp, and “Desert Island Disk” that has a quiet, …