"What I've Learned, One Record at a Time"
That’s me on a Wednesday afternoon, halfway through unboxing something new for the demo room.
I’ve had thoughts on kit and setups for years — the odd one’s turned up on Facebook, but this is finally somewhere proper to share what I’ve learned.
Have a browse below, and check back — there’s more going up all the time.
Hi-Fi Blog Gateshead — Latest from Sound Notes
Hi-fi blog Gateshead — Sound Notes is where Andrew writes about what he’s been listening to, setting up and learning across 30 years in hi-fi. Cartridge reviews, turntable setup guides, system matching and the occasional customer story. No press releases, no manufacturer copy — just honest opinion from someone who cares more about the music than the marketing. Browse below or call Andrew on 0191 406 7070 Tuesday to Saturday.
The Art of Precision: Installing Wilson Audio’s Watt Puppy 40th Anniversary
A Northumberland farmhouse. Wilson Audio's Watt Puppy 40th Anniversary in Carbon. And a 1mm adjustment that made the room disappear.
What Our Customers Say — In Their Own Words
A selection of five-star Google reviews from Audio Republic customers — in their own words, unprompted.
Audio Technica AT33xMLB: First Impressions of a Very Promising Successor
Andrew said farewell to the AT33SA after nine years. Its successor has been on the Planar 6 for two weeks. Here are his first impressions — and why he's still listening.
Rega Planar 3 RS, Planar 8, and a Led Zeppelin Collection Worth the Drive
Two Planar 3 RS Editions out the door in a week, a Planar 8 in white that stopped Andrew in his tracks, and a Led Zeppelin collection that might be the finest he's ever seen.
Audiovector QR5 SE: Full Fat, High Calorie, Fantastically Entertaining
Kingdom Come, Thin Lizzy, and a ribbon tweeter that never once veers into shrillness. Andrew on why the Audiovector QR5 SE might be the most versatile loudspeaker at its price.
A Rega Planar 6, Sticky Fingers, and Every Inflection of Mick Jagger’s Voice
A home demonstration, a Rega Planar 6, and a customer with a serious record collection. Andrew set it up, put on Sticky Fingers, and let it speak for itself.
Cardas Parsec: What a Cable Can Actually Do to a System
A customer called with a bright, hard-sounding system. Andrew visited with a box of solutions. The Cardas Parsec cables did more than everything else combined.
Audio Origami PU7 GTS: A Tonearm Worth Your Serious Attention
Andrew has been fitting and demonstrating tonearms for thirty years. When something genuinely stops him in his tracks, it's worth paying attention.
Rega Planar 3 Setup: Cartridge Alignment & Tonearm Adjustment
Andrew walks through the precision setup that separates a turntable that works from one that sounds extraordinary.