Future Shop Blog

QED has graced the audio world for half a century with innovations and advancements that have brought sound to life. As they celebrate their Golden Jubilee, introducing the Golden Anniversary XT speaker cable is a testament to their dedication and expertise. Not only does it encapsulate five decades of pioneering audio research, but it also represents an exceptional blend of high-quality performance and value (Continue reading...)

From the moment Future Shop staff entered the High End AV show in Hong Kong’s beautiful convention centre, it was clear that this was no ordinary trade show. The long lines of audiophile delegates zig-zagged patiently to experience the largest display of cutting edge high end AV technologies. This display of passion for music and the technologies that enable the human ear to access it, was the one thing that bound delegates and exhibitors throughout this event. (Continue reading...)

This section of our guide will deal with what many people consider to be the central cable in a HiFi system: the speaker cable. This is the cable that runs from an amplifier to your speakers and is the cable that generates the most ‘hype’ and some controversy. But before we get into the materials and variables, it’s important to note something that we will repeat throughout this section- there is no ‘best’ or ‘perfect’ cable for every system. (Continue reading...)

It’s now time to look at power distribution blocks and power conditioners. Distribution blocks are designed to extend one mains outlet into multiple, and higher-end version will have features like filtering or isolated sections. Power conditioners are purpose-built mains filters, designed to eradicate ‘noise’ from the electrical supply, and will also usually have multiple outputs. (Continue reading...)

At Future Shop we believe the first step to upgrading your system, and potentially one of the most important, is to address the power being fed into it. There are a lot of different metaphors and analogies out there to describe the relationship between power and the sonic performance of your system, but the one we think describes it best is thus: power is the foundation upon which your HiFi house is built. (Continue reading...)

Future Shop is a retailer that has catered to audiophiles for the last 16 years, and in that time we have enjoyed serving a discerning and knowledgeable customer base. Recently, though, we have been wondering whether that has made us a little complacent; are we relying too heavily on our customers to have a strong understanding of the different ways in which cables and accessories- what we call “the hidden costs of HiFi”- can improve their experience of their systems?  (Continue reading...)

As a computer-connected interface the Zen DAC makes a well-suited visual complement to the likes of an Apple MacBook and hooking it up is a joy, the process being completely driverless. Just select ‘iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio Output’ in the ‘Sound’ pane of System Preferences. The Mac has no problems powering the DAC by itself, even using its own battery. Here’s a little secret - using a lightning adapter even an iPhone 11 Pro has the juice to power this DAC! (Continue reading...)