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Podcast: Network Amplifiers Are Going to Change Hi-Fi Forever

The last days of gear getishism? Network Amplifiers are the future of hi-fi, offering a one-box solution for audiophiles. Just add speakers.

Ian White, eCoustics Editor in-Chief explains why the gear fetishism that has stunted the mainstream growth of high-end audio for almost four decades is about to run out of runway. Yet that might be the most positive development in years.

How we consume music has completely shifted and whilst there will always be room on the credenza for a turntable, or even a CD player, the reality is that real estate at home is a hot commodity, and most consumers want fewer boxes for their music listening journey.

Just what is a network amplifier and why should you consider one as your last Hi-Fi system? We explain this week on the podcast with some help from our friends at NAD, WiiM, Bluesound, Naim, Cambridge Audio, and more…

Sponsors: Thank you to our sponsor SVS for the support of our programming! They also make a network amplifier that we forgot to mention, the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase.


This episode was recorded on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

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4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. ORT

    March 24, 2024 at 9:50 pm

    I enjoyed this Podcast very much, thank you! Acrylic? Oralyc? 😉

    Listening to Shelly Manne and the Un-Original Cast of “My Fair Lady” on vinyl. Ahhhhh…In all ways and for always, be well gentlemen!

    Poop ORTicus the Ridiculous of the Nutso Holy Church of Schiitites over at Head-Fi.

    Yes, I need to grow up or so I was just told by my spousal unit. Again.

    • Ian White

      March 26, 2024 at 5:30 pm

      ORT,

      Major brain fart that night. From the bunker in the Great White North.

      I do agree that vinyl hits every emotional note for me as well.

      IW

  2. GM

    March 25, 2024 at 11:51 pm

    “…there will always be room on the credenza for a turntable, or even a CD player…”

    While there are no longer any such components in my own networked system, if there were, there’s no reason why they could not be enjoyed over the network throughout the home as well.
    But the ease of access to a hard drive full of tens of thousands of tracks on network attached storage…simply can’t be beat. And I do appreciate the clean appearance of the one-box solution.

  3. ORT

    March 28, 2024 at 3:11 pm

    GM, thou art correct. Convenience is paramount and at this time it is never a complacent choice but rather a sound one. I can play CDs via HEOS and I can also play records throughout our home with it. However the latter does not sound nearly as good as CDs or steaming music.

    I play records when I want to take my time. Records do not sound as good/untarnished as digital sources but they do not have to. They make me feel better in a tactile and emotional way.

    As with the works of The Bard, in audio the song’s the play, if you will.

    ORT

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