Hi-Fi Essentials
Hardware and treatment for a system you already own: headphones, DACs, amplifiers, streamers, isolation, racks and grounding. The next purchase after the system exists.
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This is the upgrade section rather than the starting point. It assumes you have a system, know roughly what it does well, and want to work out what to change next.
The order that usually works starts with the mechanical foundation. A rack that resonates undermines everything sitting on it, so proper support and isolation come first. Then the source, because nothing downstream can recover what a poor source has already lost. Then the electronics, and last the treatments that sit around the edges of a system, such as grounding.
Some of what is here is uncontested. Speaker stands, isolation feet and a rigid rack do measurable and audible things. Other categories, grounding in particular, divide opinion sharply, and we say so on the pages where that applies. What we will not do is recommend something we have not heard, or call a component essential when your system does not need it. Tell us what you are running and what you want to improve, and we will give you a straight answer.
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NEW£5.59 £6.99Inc. VAT ✓ Save £1.40Vibration damper for acoustically insulating smaller loudspeaker boxes. -
NEW£333.32Ex. VATThe Vogel's ELITE TVME 5675 is a motorised single-turn TV wall mount for 40 to 88 inch screens up to 45kg, turning up to 85 degrees automatically when the TV switches on.
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£1,583.33Ex. VAT
Are you passionate about music and desire a unique personal listening experience, yet don’t have the urge to build a “full blown” music system? Are you looking for the perfect desktop solution for a computer-based audio system? Do you already own a high-performance music system and have a craving to listen to headphones without making a compromise? If you already have a MOON system, this can be the control centre for a secondary system. Or do you simply want to get maximum performance from your reasonably efficient, unbalanced headphones? The possibilities are endless…
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English Electric
English Electric 8 Switch Audio Grade 8 Port Gigabit Streaming SwitchSKU: EES0001.001.1
(16 reviews)£470.83Ex. VATThe 8switch by English Electric (a Chord Company brand), is an 8 port GbE Ethernet switch modified and upgraded to our specific requirements for high-performance music streaming networks. -
From£49.17Ex. VATiFi's new iSilencer+ further improves upon the original iSilencer with updated circuitry and iFi's latest Active Noise Cancellation II technology. These updates improve the efficiency of the iSilencer+'s ability to remove electrical noise, resulting in clearer, warmer and more transparent audio.
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£107.50Ex. VATIf one of your audio components suffers from an irritating transformer hum, then the DC Blocker is the perfect product for you. By intelligently blocking DC voltage greater than 1,000mV (the main cause of humming), the DC Blocker can eliminate the transformer hum in your equipment. The DC Blocker manages this while maintaining equipment safety and EMI shielding to ensure there are no negative side effects. Additionally, the DC Blocker can be used anywhere around the world!
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SALEAtlas Cables
Atlas Zeno 1:1 Custom Headphone Cable - 6.3mm to Lemo 3 Pin - 2.5m (Special Offer)SKU: Zeno - 6.3mm to Lemo 3 Pin - 2.5m Ex-Demo
£185.83 £264.58Ex. VAT ✓ Save £78.75Atlas' Zeno headphone cables are designed to offer a significant upgrade over the cables bundled with even very expensive headphones. Brands typically using 1:1 (cable plugs into one earpiece) connectors include AKG, B&W, Oppo and Sennheiser. (Some brands may use more than one type of connection depending on model).
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£29.17Ex. VATWhen a Melco Digital Music Library is connected to a USB-DAC, local stored music will play into the DAC and music selection and control is usually from a Tablet with an App such as Linn Kazoo. Additionally music can be selected and played directly from the front panel OLED and navigated with the Melco front panel buttons. This allows operation even without any network connection and the elimination of network comms improves sound quality. But it may be rather inconvenient to sit by the Melco within touching distance.
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Focal
Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Bluetooth® Active Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black Silver)SKU: Bathys
(2 reviews)£582.50Ex. VATBathys is the first set of wireless headphones with active noise cancelling and high-fidelity sound! Created with the technology from the best Focal headphones, its speaker drivers with Aluminium-Magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome, made in France, deliver detailed, precise and dynamic sound reproduction. Thanks to its battery life of over 30 hours and its active noise cancelling, Bathys plunges listeners into deep silence to optimise their listening experiences. Its design follows in the footsteps of Focal’s high-end headphones. Combined with refined materials, such as Magnesium on the yokes, real leather on the headband or Aluminium for a robust construction, this results in an unrivalled comfort for any head shape. -
£66.67Ex. VATQuantum Science Audio's Organic-Blue Jitters aim to deliver a balanced, sophisticated audio experience with improved clarity and a precise sound profile. Enhanced by QSA's unique quantum techniques, Lan Jitters for streaming networks offer improved phase detail, clarity, and natural sound across all levels. These innovations contribute to a clearer, more immersive listening experience, closer to the artist's original intention. -
£4,958.33Ex. VATThe Gold Note DS-1000 EVO is a high-end streaming DAC and headphone amplifier that combines advanced Dual-Mono D/A conversion technology with broad format support, offering exceptional sound quality. It features easy streaming via platforms like Tidal and Spotify, a Class A preamp stage, and versatile connectivity, making it a top choice for audiophiles.
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£179.96Ex. VATThe BT5227 Twin-Cantilever Arm Wall Mount offers smooth repositioning for screens up to 65 inches (35kg). With three swivel points, tilt adjustment, and depth control, it ensures the perfect viewing angle. Its slim-line design allows close-to-wall installation, while cable management keeps wires tidy. Supporting portrait and landscape mounting, it includes safety screws for security. With VESA® compatibility up to 600 x 400, it's ideal for home or commercial use.
