The Complete Guide to High-End Audio

Very educational.

I wish I had purchased this book several years and several thousands of dollars earlier. It would have saved me a lot of aggravation and money. This book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in stereo sound and in getting the biggest bang for their buck when building or upgrading their sound systems.Mr. Harley is extremely knowledgeable and experienced with high-end audio. He is the editor-in-chief of The Absolute Sound, one of the premier audio magazines on the market. However, despite the breadth of his knowledge he is still able to explain things in a very accessible way.Don’t be put off by the title, specifically the “High-End” part. This book is not just for those with unlimited bank accounts – here high-end signifies the quality of the music not the cost. Of course, one can spend virtually limitless amounts on audio gear, but as Mr. Harley illustrates, (and shows you how) you can also get incredible sound with a reasonable budget.The title “The Complete Guide to High-End Audio,” is an accurate description – it is incredibly thorough, covering every topic COMPLETELY. One of the things I really appreciated was the way that he structured the chapters. Each chapter begins with the basics and get progressively more detailed until it ends in very technical information. Mr. Harley stated that he did this by design, so the reader can pick what level he or she wishes to delve into, i.e., you can just read the first part of each chapter and learn a great deal in an extremely accessible way, or you can continue through to the end of each chapter and really be able to hold your own in discussions with veteran audiophiles.I recommend this book without hesitation.

Robert Harley is controversial. He is carrying the mantle of Harry Pearson and J. Gordon Holt and is a leading exponent of the subjective school of hifi journalism. For those who believe that subjective evaluation is the only legitimate approach, this book has a lot to offer. For those who believe that measurements and objective criteria for evaluation have a place, this book will disappoint. For those of us who think that a blend of both are valuable for evaluation, this book is worthwhile. The book is well written and Harley is well schooled in his subject. While not afraid of controversy, he is also not afraid to advise his readers to use their own ears and form their own impressions of all things audio. The book is meant to be a reference rather than be read cover to cover. Chapters are broken up in a logical manner to facilitate the use of the book on an on-going basis. There is enough new material to make the latest edition (4th) worth buying for those who have the 3rd edition.

I got what was essentially a new book, even though the description said 'good'. I couldn't be happier. Support this vendor.

I have been an audio guy for the last 30 years and never before have I read a book that taught me so many things that I did not know. As a result, I have taken steps to make changes to my audio system.The only area of the book that will struggle to keep up is the latest examples of digital audio. I am sure minor revisions could solve that. Nonetheless, this section is pretty current.

Good guide to audio.Very comprehensive. A very good review.A bit arrogant about stereo vs multichannel but not to bad.He thinks you need a $20K+ stereo with all separate components to have great sound.Also a tube-aphile after admitting the high and low frequencys are worse than solid state.Over all well worth the money.

The book tries to approach too many topics (from how to chose magazines to electronics) and on my opinion it's too informal on the technical aspects of it. Maybe it fits well to the average reader but if you're already a technical guy I'd advise you to look for something else.... Too Shallow IMHO. I really expected more details about audio formats and about how DACs work.

This is a wonderful resource filled with up to date and objective advice. I recommend the physical version to use as repeated reference. Just know you want the latest version (it is now on the 5th edition). Mr. Harley is not pushing any particular brand or format. I don't know how it could be better. It makes my music enjoyment better and gives direction to what tweaks of your music system make the most sense. But it is not geared to put you on the quest for more stuff. Rather, how to best enjoy whatever investments you want in high end audio.

A comprehensive guide to audio equipment

A good guide for having has a support for decisions concerning your equipments

Thorough and complete text book on high-end audio reproduction. Well written with plenty of references and real life examples. Highly recommended.

This is one of the most interesting book i've ever read about music. It teaches you that is not impossible to afford an high end system and, mostly, that you have to like what you like. I recommend it, even if it's a very long read.

Well explained topics and also allows the reader to go deeper if he/she desires. I believe every enthusiast should have this book.