Hi-Res Audio, High-Res Music: Not the same thing?

Hi-res audio, high-res music: Not the same thing The tracks you’ve ripped from CD are not high resolution, and you won’t find high-res music files at the iTunes, Amazon MP3, or Google Play stores, at least not yet. Upconverting those music files won’t magically transform them into high-resolution tracks, either.  You can’t put in what was never there in the first place. High-Resolution Audio is Not: A 192 kHz up-sampled version of CD An up-sampled and “restored” version of an MP3 A high-resolution digital copy of a vinyl record A high-resolution digital copy of an analog tape A 24-bit recording played...

Heco Direkt 800 BT Review: Bluetooth speakers in XXL format

Previously known for passive loudspeakers, Heco’s Heco Direkt 800 BT incorporates an active all-in-one Bluetooth speaker into its direct line. Does the vintage design also prove itself in the compact class? We found out. Heco Direct 800 BT test The German company Heco has been active since 1949 and has since been developing a wide variety of hi-fi loudspeaker systems. Above all, Heco-Direkt is probably the most unusual series of the North Rhine-Westphalian company. Visually inspired by the rock’n’roll and car culture of the 1950s, the series not only stands out in the company’s own assortment. Always faithful to the prestigious vintage design, the...

Load Up on Bass with DD Audio’s Newest Loaded Enclosures!

PRESS RELEASE Oklahoma City, OK, October 18, 2018 — DD Audio is proud to announce the immediate release of the newly updated LE-S and LE-M lines of loaded enclosures. With a better look and sound than ever before, these loaded enclosures are a perfect addition to any aftermarket or OEM sound system. Everyday, drivers are finding their dream cars complete with their ideal interior and features. They’re happy with everything… right up until the moment they begin listening to their driving playlist. That’s when the happiness fades into frustration as their sound system struggles to deliver the rich, smooth bass tones that should be rhythmically...

Grand German Open Day Coming Soon…

Our commitment to you “We only select products for sale that are really good quality” Three Products – 32 International Awards and Reviews. HECO DIREKT High-end 2-way loudspeaker 16 International Awards and High-End Positive Reviews MCD 1050 HIGH-END CD PLAYER WITH TUBE OUTPUT 9 International Awards and High-End Positive Reviews  MAGNAT RV4 High-end hybrid integrated amplifier with valve pre-stage and Bluetooth® aptX™ 7 International Awards and High-End Positive Reviews Along with these three amazing products we will have the new designed and layout Sound room highlighting the other amazing products we have just landed. Register your interest, break out your...

Bookshelf vs Floor Standing Tower/Speakers

When deciding on what’s right for you, ask yourself the following questions: ·What is my budget? ·Am I using the speakers in a home theatre system with a sub or a dedicated two-channel system without a sub? ·Am I looking for the best quality sound in the mids/highs or just want something that plays loud with a lot of bass? ·Will I be bass managing these speakers? ·Spacing considerations: can I fit a tower in my room?  Will my wife allow it? Just looking at these questions, one may come to the natural conclusion that it’s all about the bass. ...

Test Reviews

One of my competitors said to me about 6 months ago.  He would only stock speakers if they had good reviews from the couple of main reviewers.  No reviews means no stocking or even testing.  This struck me as a bit of a naive comment as what a reviewer hears and says and what the end user hears can be quite different. So I decided to check out some speakers and see how they reviewed.  I chose the Heco Direkt Einklaqng, for a couple of reasons.  The main one was when I looked at the speakers, I judged them on...

Acoustic Research RX-2010 Customer Review

In order to give this a fair go, I didn’t read any other reviews of the RX-2010 and I’ve put in at least 40 hours of listening in a combination of music and tv/movies. I was looking for a small 8-10inch subwoofer to compliment my Wharfedale front speakers, Sony centre speaker and Sony AV receiver. But when I tested the Acoustic Research RX-2010, it blew my socks off. I was thoroughly impressed at the deep bass and believe that it would complement any system to deliver a deep enriching experience whilst not taking up too much floor space. Design –...

Building a Home – What should I Pre-wire?

Are you building a new home?  Wondering what to prewire?  And what about all the new wireless technology? Do you worry if it’s worth it to prewire? I love the analogy Steve Jobs used when asked about PCs, Laptops and Tablets.  He said as good as cars are, we will always need trucks for heavy lifting. The same is true when you build a home.  There will always be heavy lifting to do in the home.  For these applications, you want to use wire. As a rule, we recommend prewire the following items in new construction and remodels: TVs, Projectors...

What is Hi-Res Audio?

Heard about Hi-Res audio and wondering what the fuss is all about? We’ve broken down everything you need to know so you can decide if it’s what your music collection needs. Hi-Res Audio: Next-gen sound Just as 4K and HDR have become the buzzwords of TVs, Hi-Res is the must-have standard for audio gear. You may even have noticed a little gold and black ‘Hi-Res Audio’ logo alongside some products, as if it’s an official seal of approval. But is Hi-Res Audio really such a big deal? It can be if the conditions are right, but there’s a lot of misleading information out there,...

THX Certification

What is it and why do we want it. THX is an acronym for “Tomlinson Holman’s eXperiment.” Holman created THX while he was working with Lucasfilm studio to devise a new standard for audio reproduction to ensure quality and uniformity across all theatre systems that would play the company’s audio. THX certifies that an audio system follows strict rules for ultra high-quality digital sound playback. These systems can be professional theatre or cinema sound systems, surround sound setups, simple home theatre systems, or a surround sound system just for your PC. THX Certification establishes a rigorous set of industry standards for audio...