Robert Harley tells you what you need to know to become a better listener and better buyer of quality high-fidelity components. With this book, you will discover how to get the best sound for your money; how to identify the weak links in your system and upgrade where it will do the most good; how to set-up and "tweak" your system and get maximum performance from equipment you already own; how to read equipment reviews; and, most of all, how to become a more perceptive and appreciative listener. This book makes hi-fi more fun!.

In 15 fact-filled chapters and four appendices - covering everything from the basics to technical matters (in plain English!) - this book helps you to reap the benefits of Mr. Harley's years of reviewing experience, saving you time, trouble, trial and error. Your knowledge is as important as your money, maybe more so, because it's possible to assemble a wonderfully satisfying stereo system for far less money than you might think.

Highlights of the expanded, revised and updated Third Edition...

Expanded to 640 pages

More than 270 photos and illustrations

550+ item glossary of audio terms

New sections cover

New acoustic treatment products

High-resolution digital audio

DVD-Audio

Super Audio CD

Making your digital purchase future-proof

Loudspeaker placement in asymmetrical rooms

Entirely new chapter on multichannel audio

More system set-up secrets

Entirely new chapter on home theater

How to add home theater without compromising music performance

New digital technologies: Upsampling, digital-audio servers, portable players, MP3, hard-disk recording, and more

High-resolution digital interfaces and copy protection

Digital radio-Sirius and XM Satellite Radio

Robert Harley's highly controversial Audio Engineering Society paper that takes on the audio "objectivists."

These are just a few of the secrets you will learn...

High end sound at low prices; how to do it cheap and still do it right

How to find the one loudspeaker in 50 worth owning

Why it sounded good in the showroom but doesn't at home

The $5 alternative to $200 digital interconnects

Why all "100 watt" amplifiers don't sound the same

What reviewers don't tell you about tubed amplifiers

Five home theater mistakes and how to avoid them

How to make your speakers sound up to 50% better in 10 minutes - at no cost to you

Ten turntable tweaks. Two of them are free.

How to forget about the sound and enjoy the music.