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42-631: Hi-Fi News & Record Review is a British monthly magazine, published by AV Tech Media Ltd, which reviews audiophile -oriented sound-reproduction and recording equipment, and includes information on new products and developments in audio. It is the oldest hi-fi title in the world, having been in publication since 1956. Gramophone , "the world's authority on classical music since 1923", might dispute this. Equipment reviews did begin later. As well as hardware, there are also reviews of Super Audio CD titles, and more recently, FLAC downloads. This European music magazine or journal-related article

84-402: A component breakout cable and an S-Video cable. The Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video interface standard designed to maximize the visual quality of digital display devices such as flat panel LCD computer displays and digital projectors. It is designed for carrying uncompressed digital video data to a display. There are four basic connectors: The connector also includes provision for

126-758: A computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater system. The video signal is not compatible with DVI or HDMI , but a DisplayPort connector can pass these signals through. DisplayPort is a competitor to the HDMI connector, the de facto digital connection for high-definition consumer electronics devices. Audio connectors are used for audio frequencies. They can be analog or digital . Single-wire connectors used frequently for analog audio include: Multi-conductor connectors: Digital audio interfaces and interconnects: A phone connector (tip, ring, sleeve) also called an audio jack, phone plug, jack plug, stereo plug, mini-jack, or mini-stereo. This includes

168-549: A family of multi-pin electrical connectors used in a variety of applications. Mini-DIN is similar to the larger, older DIN connector . Both are standards of the Deutsches Institut für Normung, the German standards body. D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector used particularly in computers. Calling them "sub-miniature" was appropriate when they were first introduced, but today they are among

210-441: A listening room to reduce the amplitude of early reflections, and to deal with resonance modes. Other treatments are designed to produce diffusion, reflection of sound in a scattered fashion. Room treatments can be expensive and difficult to optimize. Headphones are regularly used by audiophiles. These products can be remarkably expensive, some over $ 10,000, but in general are much cheaper than comparable speaker systems. They have

252-466: A resurgence in high-res digital files. SACD can be stored as a DSD file, and DVD-Audio can be stored as an FLAC or ALAC file. FLAC is the most widely used digital format for high-res with up to 8 channels, a maximum depth of 32-bit, and 655,350 Hz sampling rate. Uncompressed formats such as WAV and AIFF files can store audio CDs without compression. A preamplifier selects among several audio inputs, amplifies source-level signals (such as those from

294-417: A second data link for high resolution displays, though many devices do not implement this. In those that do, the connector is sometimes referred to as DVI-DL (dual link). So we need to know two things about the connector: For computers: There are exceptions to the above: Older sound cards had no common standard color codes until after PC 99 . The PC System Design Guide (also known as

336-842: A turntable), and allows the listener to adjust the sound with volume and tone controls. Many audiophile-oriented preamplifiers lack tone controls. A power amplifier takes the "line-level" audio signal from the preamplifier and drives the loudspeakers . An integrated amplifier combines the functions of power amplification with input switching and volume and tone control. Both pre/power combinations and integrated amplifiers are widely used by audiophiles. Audiophile amplifiers are available based on solid-state ( semiconductor ) technology, vacuum-tube (valve) technology, or hybrid technology—semiconductors and vacuum tubes. Dedicated amplifiers are also commonly used by audiophiles to drive headphones, especially those with high impedance and/or low sensitivity, or electrostatic headphones . The loudspeaker's cabinet

378-490: A variety of accessories, including equipment racks, power conditioners , devices to reduce or control vibration , record cleaners, anti-static devices, phonograph needle cleaners, reverberation reducing devices such as speaker pads and stands, sound absorbent foam, and soundproofing . The interaction between the loudspeakers and the room ( room acoustics ) plays an important part in sound quality. Sound vibrations are reflected from walls, floor and ceiling, and are affected by

420-638: Is a graphics card port which enables some video cards to have bidirectional (input and output) video transfer through a Mini-DIN , usually of the 9-pin variety, and a specialised splitter cable (which can sometimes also transfer sound). VIVO is found predominantly on high-end ATI video cards, although a few high-end NVIDIA video cards also have this port. VIVO on these graphics cards typically supports Composite , S-Video , and Component as outputs, and composite and S-Video as inputs. Many other video cards only support component and/or S-Video outputs to complement Video Graphics Array or DVI , typically using

462-603: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . See tips for writing articles about magazines . Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page . This article relating to a British magazine connected with culture is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . See tips for writing articles about magazines . Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page . Audiophile An audiophile (from Latin : audīre , lit.   'to hear' + Greek : φίλος , romanized :  philos , lit.   'loving')

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504-404: Is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction . The audiophile seeks to achieve high sound quality in the audio reproduction of recorded music, typically in a quiet listening space in a room with good acoustics . Audiophile values may be applied at all stages of music reproduction –the initial audio recording , the production process, the storage of sound data, and

546-691: Is a standardized optical fiber connection system. XLR connector plugs and sockets are used mostly in professional audio and video electronics cabling applications. XLR connector are also known as Cannon plugs after their original manufacturer. They are used for analog or digital balanced audio with a balanced line Digital audio interfaces and interconnects with the AES/EBU interface also normally use an XLR connector. RCA connectors , also known as phono connectors or phono plugs , are used for analog or digital audio or analog video. These were first used inside pre–World War II radio-phonographs to connect

588-483: Is able to host several signals on the same wire, with the data delivered and shown on the destination set. It is also fully bi-directional, with its full bandwidth used in one direction or the other, or split directions up to its maximum. DisplayPort is a digital display interface standard (approved May 2006, current version 1.4 published on March 1, 2016). It defines a new license-free, royalty-free, digital audio/video interconnect, intended to be used primarily between

630-631: Is also continuing debate about the proper use of negative feedback in amplifier design. The audiophile community is scattered across many different platforms and communication methods. In person, one can find audiophiles at audio-related events such as music festivals, theaters , and concerts . The online audiophile community is even more widespread, with users on web forums and apps such as Facebook , Reddit , and others. These groups are self-identified audiophiles and will often contribute to their communities by mentoring new audiophiles, posting their current audio configurations, and sharing news related to

672-811: Is known as the enclosure . There are a variety of loudspeaker enclosure designs, including sealed cabinets ( acoustic suspension ), ported cabinets ( bass-reflex ), transmission line, infinite baffles, and horn-loaded. The enclosure plays a major role in the sound of the loudspeaker. Depending on the frequencies reproduced, the drivers that produce the sound are referred to as tweeters for high frequencies, midranges for middle frequencies, such as voice and lead instruments, and woofers for bass frequencies. Driver designs include dynamic , electrostatic , plasma , ribbon, planar, ionic, and servo-actuated. Drivers are made from various materials, including paper pulp, polypropylene, kevlar, aluminium, magnesium, beryllium, and vapour-deposited diamond. The direction and intensity of

714-431: Is necessarily subjective, often with subtle differences, leading to some more controversial audiophile techniques being based on pseudoscientific principles. An audio system typically consists of one or more source components, one or more amplification components, and (for stereo ) two or more loudspeakers . Signal cables (analog audio, speaker, digital audio etc.) are used to link these components. There are also

756-476: The DVI connector. This means that in some cases not all components with physically compatible connectors will actually work together. Analog A/V connectors often use shielded cables to inhibit radio frequency interference (RFI) and noise . Several generic digital data connection standards are designed to carry audio/video data along with other data and power: Some digital connection standards were designed from

798-496: The HDMI 1.0 specification. Type C was defined by the HDMI 1.3 specification. Type A is electrically compatible with single link DVI-D. Type B is electrically compatible with dual link DVI-D but has not yet been used in any products. IEEE 1394 (branded "FireWire") is a digital data transfer protocol commonly used for digital cameras (common on MiniDV tape camcorders), but also used for computer data and audio data transfers. Unlike Point-to-Point connections listed above, IEEE 1394

840-544: The PC ;97, PC 98, PC 99, or PC 2001 specification) is a series of hardware design requirements and recommendations for IBM PC compatible personal computers, compiled by Microsoft and Intel Corporation during 1997–2001. PC 99 introduced a color code for the various standard types of plugs and connectors used on PCs. The color codes for audio plugs follow: Newer connectors are identified by their shape and not their colour. For efficiency and simplicity,

882-536: The advantage of not requiring room treatment and being usable without requiring others to listen at the same time. However, many audiophiles still prefer speaker systems over headphones due to their ability to simulate an immersive, rounded sonic environment. Newer canalphones can be driven by the less powerful outputs found on portable music players. For music storage and playback, digital formats offer an absence of clicks, pops, wow , flutter , acoustic feedback , and rumble , compared to vinyl records. Depending on

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924-513: The audiophile community. Among the listeners themselves, audiophiles will commonly differentiate community members between "golden eared" and "wooden eared" individuals. Those who are deemed as having "golden ears" are people who can accurately express the description of a sound or sonic environment, whereas those with "wooden ears" are implied to be untrained in listening and needing more guidance or assistance. These labels are not permanent, however, and people within these two groups can move between

966-400: The beginning to primarily carry audio and video signals simultaneously: Many analog connectors carry both: S/PDIF is an audio-only format carried over electrical coaxial cable (with RCA jacks ) or optical fibre ( TOSLINK ). Note that there are no differences in the signals transmitted over optical or coaxial S/PDIF connectors—both carry exactly the same information. Selection of one over

1008-501: The core source, amplification, and speaker products. Examples of these accessories include speaker cables, component interconnects, stones, cones, CD markers, and power cables or conditioners. One of the most notorious "tweakers" was Peter Belt , who introduced numerous eccentric innovations that included a £500 "quantum clip" that consisted of a crocodile clip with a short length of copper wire attached. Audio societies Audio and video connector Physical characteristics of

1050-787: The early 1990s, CDs were the most common source of high-quality music. Nevertheless, turntables , tonearms, and magnetic cartridges are still used, despite the difficulties of keeping records free from dust and the delicate set-up associated with turntables. The 44.1 kHz sampling rate of the CD format, in theory, restricts CD information losses to above the theoretical upper-frequency limit of human hearing – 20 kHz. Nonetheless, newer formats such as FLAC, ALAC, DVD-Audio and Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) allow for sampling rates of 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz or even 192 kHz. Higher sample rates allow fewer restrictions on filter choices in playback components, and some audiophiles upsample from

1092-432: The electrical or optical equipment include the types and numbers of wires required, voltages, frequencies, optical intensity, and the physical design of the connectors. Any data link layer details define how application data is encapsulated (for example for synchronization or error-correction ). Application layer details define the actual audio or video format being transmitted, often incorporating codecs not specific to

1134-420: The format, digital can have a higher signal-to-noise ratio , a wider dynamic range , less total harmonic distortion , and a flatter and more extended frequency response . The digital recording and playback processes may include degradations not found in the analog processes, such as timing jitter and distortions associated with band limiting filter choices. Vinyl records remain popular and discussion about

1176-571: The groups interchangeably, often depending on the judgement of others within the community. There is substantial controversy on the subject of audiophile components; many have asserted that the occasionally high cost produces no measurable improvement in audio reproduction. For example, skeptic James Randi , through his foundation One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge , offered a prize of $ 1 million to anyone able to demonstrate that $ 7,250 audio cables "are any better than ordinary audio cables". In 2008, audio reviewer Michael Fremer attempted to claim

1218-500: The interface, such as PCM , MPEG-2 , or the DTS Coherent Acoustics codec . In some cases, the application layer is left open; for example, HDMI contains an Ethernet channel for general data transmission. Some types of connectors are used by multiple hardware interfaces; for example, RCA connectors are used both by the composite video and component video interfaces, but DVI is the only interface that uses

1260-437: The largest common connectors used in computers. The DB25 is used for multi-track recording and other multi-channel audio, analog or digital ( ADAT interface (DB25)), and was the standard connector for IBM compatible PC printer connection before USB and other connections became popular. It offered 8 simultaneous data pathways to the printer. Video In Video Out , usually seen as the acronym VIVO (commonly pronounced vee-voh),

1302-495: The original 6.35 mm (quarter inch) jack and the more recent 3.5 mm (miniature or 1/8 inch) and 2.5 mm (subminiature) jacks, both mono and stereo versions. There also exists 4.4 mm Pentaconn connectors . A DIN connector is a connector that was originally standardized by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN). Mini-DIN is a variation. The BNC connector is a very common type of RF connector used for terminating coaxial cable. TOSLINK or Optical Cable

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1344-526: The other rests mainly on the availability of appropriate connectors on the chosen equipment and the preference and convenience of the user. Connections longer than 6 meters or so, or those requiring tight bends, should use coaxial cable, since the high light signal attenuation of TOSLINK cables limits its effective range. High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a compact audio/video standard for transmitting uncompressed digital data. There are three HDMI connector types. Type A and Type B were defined by

1386-415: The output of a loudspeaker, called dispersion or polar response, has a large effect on its sound. Various methods are employed to control the dispersion. These methods include monopolar, bipolar, dipolar, 360-degree, horn, waveguide, and line source. These terms refer to the configuration and arrangement of the various drivers in the enclosure. The positioning of loudspeakers in the room strongly influences

1428-990: The playback (usually in a home setting). In general, the values of an audiophile are seen to be antithetical to the growing popularity of more convenient but lower-quality music, especially lossy digital file types like MP3 , lower-definition music streaming services , laptop or cell phone speakers, and low-cost headphones. The term high-end audio refers to playback equipment used by audiophiles, which may be bought at specialist shops and websites. High-end components include turntables , digital-to-analog converters , equalization devices, preamplifiers and amplifiers (both solid-state and vacuum tube ), loudspeakers (including horn , electrostatic and magnetostatic speakers), power conditioners , subwoofers , headphones , and acoustic room treatment in addition to room correction devices. Although many audiophile techniques are based on objective criteria that can be verified using techniques like ABX testing , perceived sound quality

1470-521: The prize, and said that Randi declined the challenge. Randi said that the cable manufacturer Pear Cables was the one who withdrew. Another commonly referenced study done by Philip Greenspun and Leigh Klotz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that although test subjects were able to distinguish between high fidelity, "expensive" cables versus common use cables, there was no statistically significant preference between

1512-566: The relative merits of analog and digital sound continues (see Comparison of analog and digital recording ). Note that vinyl records may be mastered differently from their digital versions, and multiple digital remasters may exist. In the amplification stage, vacuum-tube electronics remain popular, despite most other applications having since abandoned tubes for solid state amplifiers. Vacuum-tube amplifiers often have higher total harmonic distortion , require rebiasing, are less reliable, generate more heat, are less powerful, and cost more. There

1554-720: The room's contents. Room dimensions can create standing waves at particular (usually low) frequencies. There are devices and materials for room treatment that affect sound quality. Soft materials, such as draperies and carpets, can absorb higher frequencies, whereas hard walls and floors can cause excess reverberation. Audiophiles play music from a variety of sources including phonograph records , compact discs (CDs), and digital audio files that are either uncompressed or are losslessly compressed , such as FLAC , DSD , Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless and Apple Lossless (ALAC), in contrast to lossy compression , such as in MP3 encoding. From

1596-460: The same codec or signal convention is used by the storage medium. For example, VHS tapes can store a magnetic representation of an NTSC signal, and the specification for Blu-ray Discs incorporates PCM, MPEG-2, and DTS. Some playback devices can re-encode audio or video so that the format used for storage does not have to be the same as the format transmitted over the A/V interface (which is helpful if

1638-690: The sound experience. Loudspeaker output is influenced by interaction with room boundaries, particularly bass response, and high-frequency transducers are directional, or "beaming". Audiophiles use a wide variety of accessories and fine-tuning techniques, sometimes referred to as "tweaks", to improve the sound of their systems. These include power conditioner filters to "clean" the electricity, equipment racks to isolate components from floor vibrations, specialty power and audio cables, loudspeaker stands (and footers to isolate speakers from stands), and room treatments. There are several types of room treatment. Sound-absorbing materials may be placed strategically within

1680-546: The source rate to higher rates to achieve different filter properties. CD audio signals are encoded in 16-bit values. Higher-definition consumer formats such as HDCD -encoded CDs, DVD-Audio, and SA-CD contain 20-bit, 24-bit and even 32-bit audio streams. With more bits, more dynamic range is possible; 20-bit dynamic range is theoretically 120 dB—the limit of most consumer electronic playback equipment. SACDs and DVD-Audio have up to 5.1 to 6.1 surround sound. Although both high-res optical formats have failed, there has been

1722-597: The turntable pickup to the radio chassis. They were not intended to be disconnected and reconnected frequently, and their retaining friction was quite sufficient for their original purpose. Furthermore, the design of both cable and chassis connectors was for minimum cost. Initially intended for audio-frequency connections only, the RCA plug was also used for analog composite video and non-critical radio-frequency applications. Video connectors carry only video signals. Common video-only connectors include: The Mini-DIN connectors are

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1764-897: The two cables. Greenspun and Klotz expect that critics of the study will point to the fact that this experiment was not done as a double-blind test , but this critique has a counter in that the study participants felt as though the experiment solely isolated the subjects' opinions on sound quality and nothing more. There is disagreement on how equipment testing should be conducted and its utility. Audiophile publications frequently describe differences in quality which are not detected by standard audio system measurements and double blind testing , claiming that they perceive differences in audio quality which cannot be measured by current instrumentation, and cannot be detected by listeners if listening conditions are controlled , but without providing an explanation for those claims. Criticisms usually focus on claims around so-called "tweaks" and accessories beyond

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