NAD C 700 V2

Making predictions is a risky business. You can look like a genius if things work out the way you say they will, or a doofus if they don’t. In my annual “State of Streaming” feature, which was published February 15 on Simplifi, I made four predictions: Spotify would finally launch its lossless music service; Apple would release its long-awaited classical-music app; Apple might introduce an enhanced version of AirPlay that supports hi-rez audio (and possibly spatial audio as well); and Tidal might make it easier for subscribers to listen to Atmos-encoded multichannel music. I was quite confident about the first two predictions, moderately confident about the third, and only mildly so for the last one.

Read more: Streaming Update—Spring 2023

Canada’s PSB Speakers was founded in 1972 by Paul Barton. PSB celebrated its 50th anniversary on July 1 (Canada Day) last year with the release of the Passif 50 ($2499/pair, all prices in USD): a retro-inspired design that evokes PSB’s Passif I and Passif II models from the 1970s.

Read more: Active Voices: An Interview with Paul Barton and Rob Nicholls of PSB Speakers

Typically, articles predicting developments for the coming year come out in early January, or even late December. But here we are, two weeks into February, and Simplifi finally has a feature outlining what we can expect from music streaming in 2023. Do I feel badly about this delay? Not in the least. Because when it comes to lateness, I have nothing on Spotify and Apple Music. Those streaming giants have both missed self-imposed deadlines by well over a year. With that excuse out of the way, here are three streaming stories I’ll be watching in 2023.

Read more: The State of Streaming—2023

Sometime last spring, it became clear to me that I’d be upgrading my hi-fi setup before the year was out. Not that I was dissatisfied with the gear I already owned—quite the contrary. I loved listening to that system, which comprised an NAD C 658 streaming DAC-preamp ($1999, all prices in USD), a pair of Elac Navis ARF-51 active floorstanding speakers ($3999.96/pair), and an SVS Micro 3000 subwoofer ($899.99). That system has provided countless hours of listening pleasure for me, my music-loving missus, and visitors to our home.

Read more: Gordon's System, Re-Simplifi'd

Since the 1970s, record labels and audio manufacturers have been trying to convince music lovers to move beyond two-channel stereo. Music doesn’t just happen in front of us, argue proponents of surround music; it happens all around us. We could get a better experience if we added speakers beside and/or behind the listening position.

Read more: Mix Master: PMC's Heff Moraes on Making Music in Atmos

How would you rather spend a glorious Canadian autumn weekend? Walking in the park? Taking a drive in the country? Raking the leaves? Or roaming the halls of a generic suburban hotel?

Read more: Toronto Audiofest 2022, Simplifi’d

Lately, I’ve been enjoying the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, which is hosted by Brent Butterworth, senior editor of SoundStage! Solo, and Dennis Burger, senior editor of SoundStage! Access. Brent and Dennis tackle a wide range of topics and do a ton of preparation for each episode. The production is polished, the discussions are well-informed and thought-provoking, and the presentation is casual and inviting.

Read more: The Great Debate: Is Component Hi-Fi Dead?

I never wanted to purchase new speakers. I never wanted to go digital. It all happened by accident.

Read more: Evolving Hi-Fi: My Journey with a Fleet of Devialet Silver Phantoms

The greatest audio show on earth is back. After a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus, the 2022 Munich High End show took place from May 19 to 22. The SoundStage! Network sent a four-person editorial team to Bavaria: founder and publisher Doug Schneider; editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz; Edward Kramer, editor of SoundStage! Australia; and Jonathan Gorse, a UK-based contributor to SoundStage! Ultra. Together, they filed 18 dispatches from Munich, which you can find on SoundStage! Global.

Read more: Simplifi'd Hi-Fi at Munich High End–and Elsewhere

When it comes to consuming music, you can split the SoundStage! team into a few broad categories: those who are big into physical media, those who have fully embraced streaming, those who rely on downloaded and ripped music, and those with feet in all these camps.

Read more: How We Listen

Across the SoundStage! Network, you’ll find coverage of all kinds of audio products: high-end gear on SoundStage! Ultra, affordable components on SoundStage! Access, headphones and accessories on SoundStage! Solo, lifestyle audio here on SoundStage! Simplifi, portable Bluetooth speakers on SoundStage! Xperience, news and events on SoundStage! Global, and all manner of gear on the mothership—SoundStage! Hi-Fi.

Read more: Wayback Playback

  1. Listen While You Work
  2. The State of Streaming—2022
  3. Why "Simplifi"—Five Years Later
  4. The Evolution of BluOS: An Interview with Lenbrook's Andrew Haines
  5. Dolby Atmos Music in Your Home
  6. The Big Switch
  7. I'm Only in It for the Money
  8. Encore! Encore! An Interview with Patricia Barber, Jim Anderson, and Ulrike Schwarz
  9. The New Apple Music
  10. Moving Forward with Formation: An Interview with Andy Kerr of Bowers & Wilkins
  11. Glory Days
  12. Spotify Goes Lossless
  13. In Defense of Streaming
  14. Tinkering Simplifi'd
  15. Simplifi Defined
  16. Going Deep with Artison
  17. A Simplifi Yearbook
  18. A Perfect Pair
  19. The Critical Component
  20. Has the Time Come for Surround Music?
  21. My Top Ten Products of the Last Two Years
  22. Turning Pro
  23. All About That Bass
  24. Gently Down the Stream
  25. Big Events
  26. Rules of the Game
  27. The Name Game
  28. January 1, 2020: The State of Streaming
  29. Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2019, Simplifi’d
  30. Toronto Audiofest 2019, Simplifi'd
  31. Hi-Rez à-Go-Go
  32. Streaming the Classics
  33. Play Nice Together -- An Interview with Rob Darling of Roon Labs
  34. Active Voices, Part Three: KEF's Jack Oclee-Brown
  35. High End 2019, Simplifi'd
  36. Active Voices, Part Two: Axiom Audio's Andrew Welker
  37. Montréal Audio Fest Simplifi'd
  38. Active Voices, Part One: Elac's Andrew Jones
  39. Let's Keep it Simple
  40. A Roon of One's Own
  41. How I Simplifi'd My Wi-Fi
  42. Are Downloads Dead?
  43. Hi-Rez Streaming: Tidal vs. Qobuz
  44. Toronto Audiofest 2018 Simplifi'd
  45. How I Simplifi'd My Hi-Fi
  46. Time to Celebrate: Five Years of Google Chromecast
  47. How Good Can Voice Recognition Get?
  48. Are Smart Speakers Any Good for Audiophiles?
  49. High End 2018, Simplifi'd
  50. Is the Smart Speaker a Dumb Idea?
  51. What's Up with Apple AirPlay 2?
  52. The Spotify Dilemma
  53. CES 2018, Simplifi’d
  54. Farewell, CES
  55. Room Tunes
  56. Social Streaming
  57. CEDIA 2017, Simplifi’d
  58. Classical Prime Time
  59. The Röst Reconsidered
  60. High End 2017, Simplifi'd
  61. Vinyl: There's an App for That
  62. Metadata: Life with Roon
  63. The Internet and Audio: The Good, the Bad, and the Impossible
  64. The State of Streaming
  65. CES 2017, Simplifi'd
  66. Why "Simplifi"

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