Audioholics

In for review today is the Perlisten R8s, a compact 8-inch sealed subwoofer that promises surprisingly deep bass despite its diminutive size. At $1,995, the R8s isn't cheap, but Perlisten products tend to justify their price with a combination of high performance, premium build quality, and an extensive feature set. With plenty of compact subwoofers on the market, how does the R8s stack up against its competition, and can such a small sub really deliver meaningful bass down to 20Hz?

Much ballyhoo surrounds the concept of amplifier damping factor, and for decades it has been used to explain alleged differences in sound between tube and solid-state amplifiers. Damping factor is fundamentally related to an amplifier’s output impedance and the impedance of the loudspeaker load. The basic premise has some physical validity: a sufficiently low amplifier output impedance can help control the motion of a loudspeaker driver at resonance and elsewhere.

The cost of high-performance audio equipment has steadily increased. At the same time, we have seen a growing number of affordable products from Asia offering impressive functionality and, in some cases, genuinely stunning sound quality for the price. These products have changed what is possible when assembling a budget-conscious audio system. Features and performance that once required a considerable investment are now available for a fraction of the cost.

SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf Speakers Product Name: Ultra Evolution Bookshelf Speakers Manufacturer: SVS Performance Rating: Value Rating: Review Date: September 09, 2026 00:00 MSRP: $ 1,200/pair Frequency Response: 40Hz - 40kHz (+/-3 dB) Sensitivity: 87dB (2.83V @ 1 meter full-space, 300Hz – 3kHz) Nominal impedance: 6 ohms Recommended amplifier power: 20 – 150 watts Dimensions: 14.88” (H) x 8.66” (W) x 11.25” (D) Weight: 18.8 lbs Pros Big, powerful bass Pleasing tonal balance Excellent...

Summer may be winding down, but Audioholics is turning up the volume with an end-of-summer giveaway! This Audioholics giveaway is sponsored by SVS, architects of some of the finest loudspeakers and powered subwoofers available and one lucky winner will have a pair of brand new SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf Loudspeaker delivered to their door.

As my colleague James Larson recently reported, the long-awaited SVS Auto EQ feature effectively improves both measured and subjective in-room bass response on the brand’s 17-Ultra, 5000 R|Evolution, and 3000 R|Evolution subwoofers. But whether or not your subwoofer offers a built-in room-correction solution, you must approach subwoofer placement with care in order to extract the best possible performance from your sub(s).

Hearing loss isn't one-size-fits-all. The three primary types of hearing loss are sensorineural, conductive, and mixed, while other hearing configurations — such as single-sided deafness (SSD) — present their own unique challenges. Understanding these differences is important when deciding whether an Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aid can actually help.

Paradigm Premier 220B v2 Standmount Speaker Product Name: Premier 220B V2 Standmount Speaker Manufacturer: Paradigm Performance Rating: Value Rating: Review Date: August 24, 2026 15:00 MSRP: $ 1,100/pair Paradigm Premier V2 Loudspeaker Series Teaser Frequency Response: 58Hz - 23kHz (±3dB) Sensitivity: 88dB Suitable Amplifier Power Range: 15 - 130 Watts Impedance: Compatible with 8 ohms Dimensions: 14.6” x 8.3” x 12.9” Weight: 20.1 lbs each Pros Superb technical performance Best-in-class...

Before you spend money on a bigger amplifier for your home theater system, make sure you're not giving away valuable amplifier power, headroom, and dynamic range because of a few common settings and setup mistakes. Some of these choices can directly limit amplifier output; others increase the workload on your AVR or reduce the dynamics you actually hear. The goal isn't simply to chase a bigger wattage number.

When I swapped out the included spikes on my speaker stands for a set of IsoAcoustics GAIA III Neo  isolation feet, I was merely trying to address a stability issue caused by my uneven hard floor. Because the feet are individually height-adjustable, I was able to achieve stable contact between the stands and the floor. Problem solved.