The Audiophile Corner
Systems, classics worth hunting, restoration. For the buyer going vintage and second-hand — not for someone unboxing their first turntable.
LISTENING CHAINS · 01
Curated Listening Chains
Why a system is more than the sum of its parts. Before choosing what to buy, it helps to understand what holds a system together: the resonance between arm and cartridge, how much power speakers actually ask for, and why two components with the same flaw double it. Three criteria you can check — worth more than any ranking.
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The flagship
Up to £1000
ALL SECOND-HAND
Honest source, amp with built-in phono, sensitive speakers.
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£1500-2500
THE RIGHT STEP
Separate pre and power amp, BBC monitors: precision, not warmth.
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£3000-4000
NO COMPROMISE
All three rules together; the margin for error narrows.
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02 — Ongoing series
The Icons
N.01
The Icons
Published
NAD 3020
Integrated amplifier
MEDIA
Twenty watts that broke the myth of amplifier power.
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N.02
The Icons
Published
Thorens TD 160
turntable
MEDIA
What to check before buying a used Thorens TD 160: the two TP16 arm versions, the suspension, the typical faults and the price bands.
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N.05
The Icons
Published
Rogers LS3/5a
speakers
MEDIA
The BBC LS3/5a standard explained: the licence nature, the 15 and 11 ohm versions, what to check when buying and the two price tiers.
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N.08
The Icons
Published
McIntosh MC2105
amplification
MEDIUM
The blue meters behind the glass: the MC2105, the amp that gave American hi-fi its face. Why it's an icon, the autoformer, and how to buy it used.
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