Buyers Guides > Audio

System Matching Made Simple

Several times we have been asked: 'I've put this system together and it sounds great, but is it well-matched?'. The answer to is very simple - if it sounds great then it is, perforce, well-matched. Yet it seems many people still don't know what governs 'what goes with what', so perhaps the following will be of use.

In general terms, you can use just about any hi-fi source with any amplifier, and (within reason) that amp can be used to drive any speakers. Actually amp/speaker matching is a little more complex than that, but as long as you ensure the amp you choose is at least as powerful as the speakers' minimum input rating, you won't go far wrong.

Too little amp power can cause distortions and, in extremis, speaker damage, whereas using an amp more powerful than the speakers' maximum recommended input wattage is unlikely to cause problems.

Matching components on sonic grounds is even simpler. Take our comments on the way various products sound - that they're 'warm', 'bright' or whatever - and remember that combining, two or more components with the same kind of sonic character is usually a recipe for disaster.

Better by far to temper a bright-sounding CD player with a warmish amp and speakers, enabling you to get a more 'liveable-with' sonic balance. But in essence, there's only two things you need for successful system-matching and they are your ears.

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