Frequently asked questions about general hi-fi stuff including various types of equipment, technical concepts and advice for getting the best results.
No, you should never do this. Japan has a different FM band frequency allocation, spanning 76 – 90 MHz. The Australasian, European and North American FM broadcast band spans 88 – 108 MHz. That means that with a Japanese FM tuner, you’ll see a tiny 2 MHz overlap. You’ll be lucky if you can pick […]
Yes, everything human-made requires some form of periodic maintenance, the more complex, the more maintenance, Nothing is exempt from this need. Maintenance, such as cleaning, lubrication, adjustment, or parts replacement, is simply a designed-in element. Complex electromechanical equipment, containing hundreds of parts and often operating decades beyond its intended design life, has the greatest need
Both electronic and mechanical components experience wear over time. Electronic Components Many will know that capacitors degrade over time, specifically wet aluminium electrolytic types. Wear rates vary according to type, quality of construction, thermal loading, age and hours of use. I’ve seen capacitors fail after 5 years and older parts that are still perfect after
There is some risk associated with buying anything, whether old or new. I would argue that it can be even riskier buying modern, firmware-driven, plastic, made-in-China equipment that will likely fail within 5 years and at that point be completely unrepairable. As long as you mitigate your risk, buying older hi-fi gear should not be
Oh, that’s simple: belt drive turntables are cheap to make. Even small manufacturers can tool up to make basic new belt drive turntables. You could just about make your own at home, and that’s how many small manufacturers start out. Direct drive turntable manufacture is quite different, though. It requires considerably more engineering and capital
It depends on the system, sometimes yes, usually no. The sound pressure levels achievable with a hi-fi system come down to two parameters: amplifier power output and speaker sensitivity. These two parameters are inextricably linked. Low-power amplifiers can create realistic sound pressures and dynamics, but only when partnered with sensitive speakers. This all comes down
Are low-power amplifiers acceptable in hi-fi systems? Read More »
That depends on the circumstances. Properly installing and setting up a cartridge with the right hardware and precisely calibrating overhang, azimuth, tracking force, anti-skate, VTA, arm lifter position and height using the correct tools is not a 5-minute job. It can take significant time with a complex deck/installation, and doing this work correctly requires time
I advise you to slowly back away from any guru implying they possess magical powers in relation to designing/repairing/improving/servicing audio gear, and run when safe to do so! Audio gurus are generally associated with pseudoscience and nonsense, often claiming magical powers through ‘secret’ wiring skills, ‘special’ ultra-bad construction techniques and dollops of mystical horse-$hit. Goodness
I’d like you to consider something: we put men on the Moon in 1969, more than 55 years ago. There are three key points here: Take a moment to process that. Do you reckon we could do it now..? I seriously have my doubts, but either way, it tells you a great deal about the
How can vintage audio gear and formats sound so good? Read More »
As of 2025, it’s still either magnetic tape running at 15 IPS, an excellent vinyl playback system, or hi-resolution digital files played back through serious DACs. People are often upset to learn that their favourite digital files were originally recorded onto analog tape, but there is more obscuring of the provenance of digital files than
What’s the highest fidelity, highest resolution music source I can access at home? Read More »
