Why Does My Hi-Fi Sound Harsh? A Troubleshooting Guide
“It sounds impressive, but after half an hour I want to turn it off.” We…
Hi-Fi Advice & Guides from SMC Hi-Fi Shrewsbury
Amplifier Classes Explained: A, A/B, D — and Arcam’s Class G
Amplifier “classes” sound like grades — as if Class A were the best and everything…
Arcam’s Amplifiers Explained: A5+, A15+, A25+ and the SA Range
Arcam’s current amplifier range looks simple — three integrated amplifiers and two streaming amplifiers —…
Dirac Live in Hi-Fi: Clever Correction or Cheating?
Few subjects divide hi-fi people like room correction. To some, software like Dirac Live is…
Balanced vs Unbalanced: XLR, RCA and What Actually Matters
Turn a serious amplifier around and you’ll usually find two kinds of analogue input: familiar…
Lossless and Hi-Res Streaming: Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Friends Compared
Streaming quality used to be a simple trade: convenience for sound. Not any more. Every…
Vinyl, CD or Streaming: Where Should Your Money Go First?
Every good first system — and every sensible upgrade — starts with the same question:…
Choosing a REL Subwoofer: T/5x vs T/7x vs T/9x
REL subwoofers have a devoted following at SMC for one reason: used properly, they disappear.…
Monitor Audio Silver vs Gold: Which Should You Hear?
If we had a pound for every time someone asked "so what do I actually…
Do Hi-Fi Cables Matter? An Honest Guide
Few subjects in hi-fi generate more heat than cables. One camp insists they transform a…
