PrimaLuna Amps Galore

Oh why, oh why, did I have to find these beautiful amps. I was doing such a good job curbing my hi-fi spending and saving up for a Leica. Now it seems that goal is impossible. Damn you PrimaLuna for making such beautiful fucking equipment.

Jolida for Stereophiles

For all you tube lovers out there, here's some amps for your aural-visual stimulation.

All This Stereo, But No Party

This seems to be a problem with my audiophile obsessions. Even after I getting all of this great audiophile gear together, it still feels like a major pain when trying to get people to interact with the system and listen to their music. AppleTV seems like the closest solution with AirPlay, but what else is there out there? Surely there must be an alternative to throw a fun small party where everyone can listen to their tunes on a sweet system without having to whip out iTunes, throw on record after record, or plug in a computer with an atrocious RCA cable strung across the room?

Pictured: Bathurst Media Cabinet, LG 55lh95 55-inch LED HDTV, Usher 6371 Tower Speakers, some tube amp.

What's In My Bag?

Gorillapod, WD 500GB, Apple Macbook Pro 13", HiFiMAN EF2A headphone amp, Panasonic Lumix GF-1, Grado SR225i, iPhone 3GS, my sketchbook, a bunch of pens, and my Oakley Holbrooks.

CASE-REAL... Mmm-Mmm, Good

What's that? The sound of summer, loves. And to start it all off, audio porn - along with a plan to revamp my desk space for Unplggd's reorganization month.

Vestax Spin DJ USB Controller

Spin—with its seamlessly integrated djay software—allows you to record your mixes as a high-quality audio file, for use in your latest podcast, movie, photo slide show or to make a classic "mix tape". The best part? This $700-bundle of equipment was purchased by Apple and now sells for a mere $250 at the Apple Store. Zing!

Usher S-520 Speakers, Big in Japan

Well, well... aren't you a fine lookin' pair of bookshelf speakers? I think I want to take you home, love. Make you my own. $479 for a pair? I guess those good looks don't come cheap...

What the Hell Is Pre/Pro?

So you've been looking for a new home theater system. You've probably come across all types of wacky terms you've never heard of in your life; DAC's, preamplifiers, amplifiers, and pre/pro's. Well, here's some help, straight from the experts.

If you ignore the cost angle, a Preamp/Amp combo will sound better than any all-in-one receiver. The fact that the amps and the preamp circuitry are actually separated is supposed to be good thing. Some may argue that it's cheaper in the long run to go with separates. Since you can keep an amp for decades, you just need to swap out the pre-amp as new formats become available; however, with a receiver, you need to swap out the entire unit. This argument only makes sense if you're going with the really high end receivers.

The obvious pro-receiver argument is cost. A good receiver can be had for less than $1,000, whereas an entry level preamp/amp will cost you much greater than $1,000. The best inexpensive preamp/amp combo I know of is from Outlaw. Their 970 PrePro/7075 Power Amp combo costs around $1300.

A rule of thumb in home theater and stereo should be like this: 70% goes to speakers and 30% on electronics. If your speakers run $3000, then you should go with separates. Otherwise, stick with an AV receiver until you have enough for the high end.

Art by Netherland.

Stello's DA100 Signature DAC Is Digital Heaven

I think I'm in love. Try the DA100 Signature with any of your digital sources - computer, CD, DVD, cable or satellite TV receiver. You'll be amazed how digital sound can be transformed into something musically seductive and emotionally satisfying.

Gilmore Lite Headphone Amp

Looks like today is filled with audiophile porn goodness. Up to bat is this very well-received piece of aluminum kinkiness, packing high quality sound in a tiny enclosure. Now if it didn't cost $399...

Do I Need An External DAC When I Have An X-Fi?

It depends. It depends if you're a gamer, if you're running a 5.1 speaker setup, or if you're upgrading simply because you heard it was cool. If it sounds fine right now, you probably won't see much of an improvement after vesting hundreds of dollars into the high end audio tech pool, and in all likeliness, you'll end up hating yourself for it without gaining the proper knowledge beforehand and jumping into a hobby that's just for ultrageeks and extremely picky music listeners.

That said, there are plenty of reasons to get a separate, dedicated digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that runs via USB from your computer or feeds out of your digital line-out jack of your current X-Fi card. Not only will the sound become much more clear through your speakers and headphones, but you'll immediately be able to tell the difference between lossless audio and MP3's right off the bat. You should only use your X-Fi's line-out if you're a gamer, as most DACs have no idea what to do with gaming effects such as EAX and CMSS-3D, and will likely cause a slowdown on your PC if not handled correctly.

There are plenty of options out there for USB DACs, coming in flavors of the very-cheap and great value (such as the EMU 0202), or you could go with stylish ones like the Firestone Fubar III. The only limit is the size of your wallet and how much you're willing to prowl audiophile forums like Head-Fi and travel to stores around the country until finally finding something you'll fall in love with. It's a fun hobby, if not addictive like crack - just make sure whoever gets caught in between is someone very supportive of your habit.

Today, You'll Become A Man

For the rest of June, I will be covering something I feel I don't cover enough of on a daily basis - audiophile-grade production and listening equipment. While the majority out there will probably see it as nothing more than technological porno, if you're as passionate about music as I am, you need to look past all that and realize great sound doesn't come free. And I'm not just talking about listening to the birds and the bees either - I'm talking about excellent reproduction, accuracy, and music that makes you feel as if you are there.

First on the list is this incredibly innovative product by Lexicon. The Ionix U22 is the perfect complement to any studio professional preparing to take off to stardom. This 2x2 USB Audio/MIDI Interface comes with XLR/TRS inputs, instrument input, and a wealth of other options that let you connect your studio monitors, plug in your digital piano, and listen to headphones - all from a single interface that's conveniently designed to go in that "dead space" between your monitor and keyboard. Brilliance at its best? You betcha. More to come, so stay tuned.

The Infamous Grado SR80 Reverse Mod

Here's the general idea: You grab a pair of stock Grado SR80's. You grab a pair of HD-414 earpads. Now, you literally pin a quarter down with my left index finger and cut out the hole (carefully) with a Swiss army knife. The whole should be about 25mm across. It doesn't look perfectly round, but pretty good. I'd imagine it would be better with those scalpel looking knives, but this is the best one can do! Now, last but not least, you put them on backwards - hence the "reverse" mod.

PS: Removing that plastic logo also lets in some more air and creates a cleaner look. Proceed with caution if you do!

Headphone Bikini of Choice: The AKG K271 MKII

The AKG K271 MKII, from personal recommendations and unanimous reviews, happens to be one of the most comfortable, besting sounding, isolated headphones available on the market right now. While they're probably not the best looking (I still find the Grado GS1000's drop-dead gorgeous), it's enough for me to put some more mula into the ever deepening hole that is my "tech fund."

Grado GS-1000 Is Cute and Retro, The Best Out There

Are you some kind of low-end audiophile? Prove yourself by checking out the Grado GS-1000's; not only are they probably the most amazing headphones out there today, with some of the best low-volume performance any review site has ever experienced, but its retro modern appeal fits right in to any present day decor without issues. Either way, it's an amazing pair of headphones and I would take the plunge... if I only had $1000 to pay for this indulgence.

Look! More Free Expensive Crap

This round, it's an Audio Research AV100b - an all-in-one tabletop radio with iPod docking powers. And if you know AR, they're audiophile money eaters times ten. Enter the giveaway now and get yours for free.

Orb Mod1 Plus System Giveaway

Ain't nothing like a $999 sound system giveaway to jetstart your week. To enter, need to be a member of Apartment Therapy (free to sign-up) and you'll have to tell us your favorite movie soundtrack in the comments. We'll pick a winner at random Oct. 21, 2008.

JL Audio Fathom 113 Shatters Records, Windows, Kittens' Eardrum

Nothing like an oversized 376lb, 13.5" glossy black subwoofer burning a $3500 hole in your wallet. If you can swallow that, then know this, curious friend - this is the best in its class. At least as of October 2008, it is. High marks from all of the top audio magazines for being the most accurate subwoofer ever made. I'm going to check out one of these tomorrow morning in person. And don't worry, I brought my Girl Talk CD just in case all they have is 3 Doors Down.

What's an Audiophile?

Guys have issues. They like fast cars, computers, gizmos, and having the best home theater systems. However, there comes a fine line that's deludingly ostensible between an audiophile and a man who simply wants the best of the best.

A regular man will settle with a 5.1 system that blasts enough sound to rattle his neighbor's windows. He'll buy some decent headphones from Circuit City, plug it into his iPhone, and be happy with life.

Audiophiles are different. As one of the last persevering nerds, they're mystical creatures. They aren't into listening to music, playing it, dancing to it, or any of the things you are suppose to do with it - oddly enough, they sit around and listen to music trying to hear differences between one brand of ridiculously overpriced cables and another.

One may argue, "C'mon, stereos shouldn't cost more than your house (or a small airplane for that matter)." Partly, this is true. Music naturally is subjective depending on your mood, what you've eaten, who they're with, etc. And honestly, spending $5000 on a pair of XYZ P-3500 cables for a couple of $600 speakers isn't my idea of smart either.

Now, there's a few reasons to get a good stereo. If you've been in a Honda Civic with flat radio that all sounds the same, you'll know what I'm talking about. When a stereo has a sonic signature that annoys you, that's bad. I'm talking about imaging problems, bass boom, harsh treble, and wildly unrealistic sounding violins. A good stereo should give each album its own personal signature, making it sound as good as it was when you first heard the band live, accurate to the flick of the string.

So what's accuracy? It's kind of like asking, "What the hell is juice?" You won't understand it until you've been accommodated with it. And you probably won't know what sounds good, why there's all those stupid stereo magazines, and why there's some 30,000 measurements just for sound. Honestly, most of it's crap and the lowdown is that you simply must set yourself a budget, be sure to shop around for a couple weeks, and finally take the plunge on a set you like the most.

But, if you're looking for a little more, you can always prowl the forums at Head-Fi. The "noobs" somehow always asks a question that's been answered before, so there's plenty of tips to be help you avoid the audiophile delusion of spending more than $10,000 on any type of equipment.

Although I can probably cover many more topics such as analog vs. digital production, audio system jargon, and how to set up a loud speaker system with an old school preamplifier, I'll stop now, before I scare everyone away.

Yamaha Digital Sound Projectors: Too Big For Comfort

This sweet single unit 5.1 sound system features such as HDMI, up-conversion, and also features iPod and XM HD surround compatibility. However, despite its great options, electronics are usually preffered to hold smaller footprints. Hence, that's what she said, "You're too big for me." Read more.