Audio equipment is an essential part of experiencing music, and since much of my day is spent listening to all kinds of records, I gradually became more interested in the equipment itself. Over the years, I expanded my knowledge of audio and began reading more about the history of audio engineering, different design philosophies and the people behind some of the most important developments.We have quite a variety of audio equipment in our office, and I think it is important to know something about the background of the components you are using, rather than simply treating them as tools.One of the finest high-end turntable manufacturers is [Clearaudio](http://clearaudio.de/de/direct/), whose turntable has become an important part of our listening system. We are particularly impressed by the combination with their MC cartridge, which sounds incredibly detailed and analytical while remaining very musical. It reveals an extraordinary amount of information from the record.Our system also includes equipment from the renowned British high-end audio company [EAR](http://www.earyoshino.com/), founded by the legendary audio engineer Tim de Paravicini. We use one of their celebrated tube phono stages, which pairs beautifully with the Clearaudio setup. The result is an exceptionally transparent and engaging sound, with the two components working together in almost perfect synergy.We also use equipment from several other manufacturers, including Pro-Ject, whose components have formed part of our magazine’s listening setup over the years.

Modern high-end audio can sound very different from vintage equipment, but there is a certain magic in both. Whether new or old, it is really about finding the right component and, perhaps even more importantly, the right combination.

We are constantly experimenting, like every slightly obsessed audio enthusiast, and there is something particularly rewarding about combining vintage equipment with modern high-end components. Sometimes that contrast creates a sound that neither approach can quite achieve on its own.One of our favourite vintage pieces is the Acoustic Research AR9 loudspeaker, a model with a fascinating history. You can read more about it in our article featuring one of the engineers involved in its development.

We are also very proud of our series called *Vinyl Of The Day*. We feature every vinyl record we receive from bands and labels, and you can see an example below.At Psychedelic Baby Magazine, we believe it is important to support the enormous amount of work musicians put into their releases and to help spread the word whenever we can. Alongside each record, we also include a link to the artist’s website, Bandcamp or social media page, making it easy for our readers to discover more of their music and support them directly.

We will be publishing more articles about audio in the near future, and we hope you will enjoy them. At the same time, we have many music features, interviews and other articles in the works, so there is plenty ahead to keep us busy.Enjoy!