The Complete Guide to High-End Audio

First off, this book was not written by an engineer and it was not written for engineers or people who expect sound scientific, or at least experimentally reproducible statements of factual, information.If you're interested in learning how to talk the talk on various hi-fi and audiophile themed message boards and comments threads, this is the book for you. If you're interested in a technical (or physical) basis on which to base important monetary decisions pertaining to audio equipment purchases, this probably isn't the book for you.Look, that's not to say there aren't some decent basic explanations of things like reflected waves and the ins and outs of digital to analog conversion.And, while technically the "accessories" section is one small part of the book, and he makes it a point to say that he's "only pointing out what's available", Mr. Harley presents numerous fallacies or unproven audiophile lore (or more accurately, advertising material from "tweak" and cable sellers) as undisputed fact - even in sections having nothing to do with accessories and tweaks - for example he says ALWAYS bi-wire your speakers if the option exists. And he claims that there is SCIENTIFIC proof that digital cables (i.e. USB and HDMI) make an AUDIBLE difference. Elsewhere he claims as though it's settled scientific doctrine that elevating speaker cables makes your speakers sound better. He admits that nobody has any idea why (theories about carpet static are presented - LOL), "Burning in" an interconnect makes your system sound better, and if you don't listen for a long time, they need to be "burned in" again. An expensive (or at least non-OEM) power cable sounds "better" than whatever comes in the box. Had he avoided this totally unnecessary garbage that is clearly only intended not to offend advertisers in his magazine/website, I would have had a lot more respect for him. But as Upton Sinclair said - 'It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it."The rest of the book reads like a well ordered compilation of all the information you are likely to find reading the forums at various websites ranging from total cliquish buffoonery at Steve Hoffman's site to pretty decent information at AV Club, Audiogon or AudioKarma. There are basic and easy to understand primers on all the underlying technologies to today's audiophile world, as written by an author who is unwilling to entertain the difficult questions or controversy. In fact, throughout the book - not just the accessories/cables sections - Mr. Harley refused to even acknowledge where a controversy might exist - directional copper makes a sonic impact? Really? The science on "jitter" and expensive digital cables is settled?! Really??? Other than occasionally admitting that the MOST expensive items - including cables - are not always better (and that some budget systems are excellent or that there are luxury mfg.s who don't put sound quality first), the idea one gets from reading this book is that the VAST MAJORITY of the time, more expensive indeed equals better.And what's with the over-use of manufacturers' photos and diagrams for figures? You'd think that for an asking (cover) price of $44.95 and the resources that this author would be able to bring to bear, they could have developed a few drawings and figures of their own. Instead the whole book reads like an advertisement for the typical high-end manufacturers that magazine writers like Harley love to gush about while also taking advertisement money from them.And BTW, since they do rely so heavily on industry information and treat it as though it's accepted fact, why NOT just provide a list of recommended components in each section? Oh yeah - that's right - because (as he says in the book) - these things change too often (and therefore must be advertised in magazines and written about in future books). What a joke!I wish I had a better book to recommend to the so-called novice audiophile - one which involved the intellectual honesty required to tackle the sheer volume of so-called snake oil being touted in the high-end audio world today. If I stumble across one, I'll certainly return to offer my suggestions, but until then, I recommend cross-checking everything you read in this book with whatever other reputable sources of information on physics or electrical/acoustics engineering that you can find.Again, perfectly passable as a guide and primer for how to talk the talk at various Internet sites, but you don't need to pay $30 to get this information spoon fed to you buy a guy whose paycheck depends on him AND YOU not understanding the physics that matter.

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.

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.

Robert Harley isn't just a stereo magazine editor geek. He has a unique combination of engineering expertise, practicle insight, and decades of experience in the audio field to share. Most surprising was his literary skills, the book reads like it was penned from an IVY league professor. Don;t worry, he doesn't talk over you, but in a very easy to understand manner. Sometimes the subject matter gets advanced, but you can skip over whatever you want. I was surprised how much I didn't know after being in the hobby for over 3 decades. Great book.

Not much choice on this subject matter. Quite comprehensive this one. Please note Amazon UK erroneously list the number of pages as 99. I don't know where they got that figure from, but my copy is Fifth edition and has 555 pages. So quite a serious error on the part of Amazon ; pity about this careless oversight. Anyway, I would suggest getting this, and what little I have read today, since it only arrived today, has been informative, and good at explaining in layman terms, why a dedicated is important, and why dampening vibrations improves audio fidelity. I'm sure I will enjoy the book... I have another book by Robert Harley which is average to good... but this one seems even better. I might update my review once I have read cover to cover. Good luck, and try it, I recommend it.

I have bought three editions of this book - two printed and one electronic. I find Robert Harley's explanations of everything from loudspeakers, through amplifiers and DACs to cables and vibration control all very sensible and pitched at the right level for me. The editions are properly updated and include reference to current technologies and products.If you wish to understand how your hifi works and how to choose your next update, then I would thoroughly recommend this book.

Birthday Gift from one of my sonsFantastic up to date book on all things Hi Fi & StereoHe has told me read the book & stop purchasing speaker cables & or interconnect cables!

Fantastic. Insightful, technical and a great read for anyone interested in audio

Fantastic in-depth explanation of all components in the modern hi-fi chain - what they do and how they link.Written in an easy to understand manner with the options to miss out on more advanced technical details for the general reader.