We don’t listen to audiophile components specifically as much as we listen to an entire audiophile system however said audiophile system is made up of key components which makes up the entirety of the system. How these components works is at the core of the audiophile hobby and essential to the overall success of your ever changing audiophile system configuration.
Here is a breakdown of all of the main audiophile components and explanations as to why they are important and/or relevant.
Audiophile Turntables
While turntables have gotten a lot of hype in the past five years, physical media (Compact Discs plus all LPs sold) made up a mere 8.8 percent of the 2022 all-time high record sales according to the music industry lobby group, RIAA. Turntables are 130 year old technology that appeal to older users for nostalgia while appealing to younger consumers because of the format’s analog nature and lack of computer generated blue light. The ritual of playing a LP on an audiophile turntable is a sacred on in the hobby even to this day.
Digital Audio Sources
This category used to include just Compact Disc players but today’s audiophile music streamers are how most people playback music in their audiophile system. Endpoints are simple devices that allow you to connect to streaming services but you need to use their OS to get music playing. Music Servers allow you to use the company’s OS and interface OR some external software like Roon (recently purchased by Harman). They also allow you to put your ripped music files on the music server and play your specific CDs ripped on your music server. We specifically liked the somewhat low cost BlueSound Node for this task. Compact Disc players include a CD Transport as well as a DAC or (digital to analog converter) which is an increasingly important part of a modern audiophile system.
Other Audiophile Sources…
Reel to Reel players are becoming trendy again but they are expensive, have lots of moving parts and there are close to ZERO commercial tapes of any kind of music that you want to listen to.
Stereo Preamps
Stereo preamps raise and lower the volume from your source components. They often include an internal DAC but don’t always have to be included. Some of today’s stereo preamps have HDMI inputs, bass management and/or digital room correction.
Stereo Amplifiers
Amps boost the signal from the preamp and make an analog signal that your speakers can work with. There are tube amps, class-AB amps as well as class-D, Class-A and Class-H amps. They are all different styles of amps and use different designs. Some use semiconductors. Others use OP Amps. Others use semiconductors. ALL benefit from having an excellent power supply. Form factors of amps include monoblock amps, stereo amps, three channel amps, five channel amps, distribution amps (for like a Sonos system). Some people put their amps on the floor of their audiophile listening room. Others rack mount their amps.
Audiophile Loudspeakers
There are nearly countless varieties of audiophile loudspeakers. They range from dynamic speakers to electrostatic speakers to bi-polar speakers to planar speakers to open baffle speakers and beyond. There are bookshelf speakers and floorstanding speakers. There are active speakers (with amps inside) or passive speakers (you use your own amp) available to audiophiles worldwide. The cost of speakers range from say $500 per pair to $500,000 plus per pair.
Subwoofers
Subwoofers are often overlooked by audiophiles but they are a great and low cost way to bring a lot of sonic impact to you audiophile system.,
Improve each of your components and enjoy each step of your audiophile upgrades!