The term "hi-fi" or "high fidelity" refers to music reproduction quality. It’s a term that been around since the 1950’s. At first, Hi-Fi referred to audio equipment that could reproduce music accurately, as if it was heard during a live performance. In the 1960s, the concept of hi-fi was transformed with stereo sound, adding a new dimension through a second speaker. This change was so significant that hi-fi systems began to be commonly referred to as ‘stereos.’ Today we see a revival of high-quality audio with streaming services offering lossless audio formats. These provide CD-quality sound or better, challenging our perception of what constitutes hi-fi. The resurgence of vinyl records signifies a preference for the ‘warm’ sound of the past, while digital formats offer unprecedented clarity and convenience. The modern definition of hi-fi encompasses various mediums, from vinyl and CDs to high-resolution digital files, each with its fidelity characteristics. The bottom line is this – can you close your eyes and be transported to the studio or concert the day the recording was made? That’s what we call HiFi.

From our decades of specifying and installing the world’s most fabulous and exotic audiophile gear, we know what great reproduced sound can be. It’s not only that experience, but we also regularly attend the Metropolitan Opera, and the world’s great concert halls to train our ears again and again. That’s our reference. To construct a Hi-Fi system, we begin at the source If you play all your music from your smartphone or tablet but still want a traditional hi-fi system, you will want something (a standalone streamer or streaming amplifier) that supports your streaming format. If you play mostly records, however, you will need to think about whether you want the necessary phono stage part of vinyl playback built into your turntable or your stereo amplifier, or if you plan to buy one separately instead – a standalone phono stage will ensure greater versatility when upgrading in the future, and often better sound. Starting with a realistic budget will help you spread your money more evenly. After all, there's no point buying your dream amplifier only to match it with a budget turntable (the flaws of which it will emphasize). All parts of a system – source, amplification and speakers – are equally important and the balance between them should be broadly even. If anything, the weighting might lean more towards your source and amplifier than your speakers.

Your room is your most important component and determinant of your final sound. Stereo speakers react differently depending not only on the size and characteristics of the room they are placed in but also their position in it, and on how close they are to each other and to any walls. Therefore, the best-sounding pair when listening at a dealership might not be the best-sounding pair when you get them home. Low ceilings found in a typical home environment are often a problem as they create harsh comb filtering which damage stereo imaging. High ceilings increase the cubic footage, which is good for low end response, but also require additional treatment to tame damaging reflections. Windows are highly reflective, and blinds make little to no impact on the sound. Is the room open plan and inclined to echo? If not, where are the doors? Given that every room is different, the response of a loudspeaker placed in it is unpredictable. Yet many hi-fi enthusiasts spend lots of money on equipment and next to nothing on the room in which the stuff is deployed. Their professional counterparts are likely to spend more on the room and less on the gear. This is where we add our knowledge and expertise gained from nearly 50 years of designing and installing systems. From cutting edge analysis to listening with our trained ears, we’ll be sure to make your system perform at it’s absolute best.