HOW TO CHOOSE AND SET UP A STEREO AMPLIFIER

While we like the idea of plug-and-play set-ups as much as anyone, there’s more to getting the best out of a stereo amplifier than simply powering it up on a hi-fi rack, plugging in speakers and going wild with the volume dial.

Wondering where to start? Fear not; we’ll run you through the basics here.

Integrated vs pre/power

If you’ve already bought your amplifier and are now eyeing it up a touch warily with a view to getting started, you may wish to skip straight to the ‘system matching’ section.

But if you’re reading this before you’ve chosen the amp needed to drive your system, you have an important decision to make. Do you go integrated or separate pre/power kit?

The former is the most simple, convenient and space-saving option, packing both pre and power amplification into one chassis. This means everything has been tuned together, saving