Drawn from Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide series, these daily tips offer concise, expert insight into refining high-end stereo systems. With a half century of experience at PS Audio, McGowan distills complex concepts into practical steps—ideal for us audiophiles seeking to elevate realism, correct system flaws, and make their music come alive.
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The Daily Tip
Tip Number 59: Don’t Mount a Cartridge on Assum...
You bought a great cartridge. You mounted it carefully. The overhang is exact. The sound is good, but never quite right. Dynamics are soft. Detail is thin. You check again—and...
Tip Number 58: Power Cables Aren’t Just Metal T...
Perhaps tou’ve upgraded everything else—interconnects, speaker cables, even USB. Still, the background isn’t as black as you hoped. Dynamics are a touch compressed. The sound is good, but not quite...
Tip Number 57: VTA Affects More Than Treble
You’ve dialed in tracking force, alignment, and azimuth. The stylus rides the groove like it was born there. Still, the sound feels tonally off. Vocals are nasal or thin. Cymbals...
Tip Number 56: Your Chair Is Part of the System
You’ve done everything right—speaker placement, room treatment, cable upgrades. Still, the sound feels off. The stage is flattened. The center image won’t hold. You lean back in your plush recliner,...
Tip Number 55: Vinyl Needs Space Behind the Rack
Your turntable sounds great—until it doesn’t. Bass flattens. Dynamics compress. Sometimes, there’s even a low hum you can’t isolate. You swapped cables. Checked the ground. Everything’s clean. But the problem...
Tip Number 54: Don’t Angle Your Standmounts Lik...
You may have set up a beautiful pair of stand-mounted monitors. Solid stands, perfect triangle. The imaging likely locks in, vocals are clean, bass present—but maybe a little lean. There's...