Hi-Res Audio Blog - Latest News, Reviews & Insights

Handmade in Finland, Beautiful Speakers That Sound Amazing. Amphion.

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on June 14, 2023

Amphion Loudspeakers Ltd. of Finland was established in 1998. They design and build loudspeakers that…

Copper Cliff, Meet LightSpeed

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on January 25, 2018

The headline is no joke, there’s a good chance your current HDMI cables are not…

FIBBR HDMI Fiber Optic Cables Win IMPACT 2018 Award at CES

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on January 11, 2018

In the closing days of 2017, I reached out to Jim McGall, the sales director…

HDMI Copper vs. Fiber; The Need For Speed in the 4K Era

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on November 28, 2017

I have exciting news to share about a new line of HDMI fiber optic cables…

Essence HDACC II-4K Enables Your HDMI v2.0b Sources

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on November 7, 2017

The Problem: Your new 4K sources will not work with your 1080p TV. For that…

Upgrading to Apple TV 4K? You’re Going To Need A New HDMI DAC For That.

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on September 14, 2017

Presenting the Essence HDACC II-4K with 4 x 1 HDMI v2.0a Switching for Multiple…

Essence HDACC II-4K, Evolve II-4K Now Shipping;

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on March 28, 2017

For those that have been following the delay of my introduction of the HDACC II-4K…

How To Digitize & Store Your Analog Vinyl Records / Tapes in Hi Res Audio

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on December 16, 2016

Enjoy a lifetime of listening to astounding audio fidelity—record it in DSD. “High-Resolution” is the…

Why Do Only Some People Get ‘Skin Orgasms’ From Listening to Music?

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on August 29, 2016

Have you ever been listening to a great piece of music and felt a chill…

Essence HDACC Wins The Absolute Sound Editor’s Choice Award 2016

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on August 20, 2016

The Essence HDACC has just won The Absolute Sound Editor’s Choice Award for DACs under…

Do You Experience Frissons When You Listen To Music?

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on July 8, 2016

I’ve been thinking about why we’re all audiophiles for a long time; I’ve come to…

Native Hi Res Audio Is Encrypted; Do You Have The De-Cryption Key?

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on May 12, 2016

Today’s blog post is aimed at all the PC / Server-stored music fans who think…

Headfonia Reviews the Essence HDACC

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on March 10, 2016

January 14, 2016…..Let me make introductions. Essence products and distribution are the lovechild of Bob…

How To Get The Digital Audio Stream From New Apple TV Into Your Audio System

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on November 17, 2015

The new 4th generation Apple TV is now shipping, that’s great news for Apple fans…

New Apple TV & Amazon Fire TV Drop Optical Audio Output

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on October 14, 2015

The new 4th generation Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV devices are improved over previous…

What Does High Resolution Mean?

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on September 18, 2015

The other day I noticed a posting on one of my favorite Facebook communities, All…

The Frugal Audiophile

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on September 8, 2015

I grew up at the same time hi fi grew up, the 1960’s and 70’s.…

Specifications of Blu-ray Primary Audio Streams

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on April 21, 2015

Sound & Vision’s Top Pick DAC / Headphone Amp for 2014

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on January 13, 2015

The high-end audio marketplace is full of great DAC / Headphone Amps, from top manufacturers…

How To Upgrade Your Analog System To Hi Res Audio

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on December 8, 2014

Listen to Morpheus, your current CD collection can be turned into a new and more…

Essence Reveals The History of Stereophonic Sound

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on August 15, 2014

If you want to call yourself an audiophile, it seems to me you should know…

How to Merge Your Digital Music Life With Analog Components

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on August 4, 2014

When it comes to how we store our music these days, there’s no doubt that…

The History Of Audiophile Sound

Sticky by Bob Rapoport on March 29, 2013

The long evolution of storage media began in 1876 with Edison’s wax cylinder, then came…

When The Digital Assistants Agree; Why The Essence HDACC II-4K Should Matter To You

by Bob Rapoport on December 18, 2025

Two Global AI Titans Agree: The Essence HDACC II-4K Is the #1 HDMI DAC for Vintage & Legacy Audio Systems

by Bob Rapoport on December 8, 2025

What Makes The Sweet Spot So Sweet?

by Bob Rapoport on November 19, 2025

Last month we focused on On-Axis Listening — why aiming your speakers directly at your ears…

Decorate With Sound — When Design Meets Acoustics

by Bob Rapoport on October 16, 2025

Amphion’s new Decorate With Sound video says it all in seconds — something words alone…

Understanding EDID — The Hidden Handshake That Keeps HDMI Systems in Sync

by Bob Rapoport on October 14, 2025

If you’ve ever connected a Blu-ray player, Apple TV4K streamer, or AVR and watched the…

The Art of High Fidelity

by Bob Rapoport on September 11, 2025

There’s a common language that all audiophiles eventually learn to speak. It’s not about brands…

Why HDMI ARC is Not An Audiophile Solution

by Bob Rapoport on August 19, 2025

In recent years, television manufacturers have promoted HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) as a convenient…

Essence Welcomes the All‑New Acoustic Energy 300² Series to the USA!

by Bob Rapoport on July 25, 2025

Available Now from Essence for Hi Res Audio We’re proud to announce the U.S. debut…

“On-Axis” Listening From The Sweet Spot; Why Its Important

by Bob Rapoport on June 2, 2025

The Human Ear: Evolution’s Finest Instrument Long before music was recorded or concerts were…

ChatGPT’s “Best-in-Class” Solution For Merging Vintage Audio Systems with 4K TVs & HDMI AV Sources.

by Bob Rapoport on May 16, 2025

I received a call from a consumer in LA who wanted to know how…