An Audio Blog by Walden

Ideas & Insights on Audio & Good Sound

JD 22/09/2026 JD 22/09/2026

LUXMAN L-100 CENTENNIAL: A Century of Japanese Audio Heritage

If you like beautifully made Japanese audio equipment, it is difficult to ignore LUXMAN. The company traces the beginning of its business to 1925. This makes LUXMAN one of Japan’s longest-established names in audio.

JD 21/08/2026 JD 21/08/2026

LUXMAN D-100 CENTENNIAL

If you have a weakness for Japanese technology at its very best, it is difficult to ignore LUXMAN. Few names in high-end audio can draw upon a history as long and as rich. The story began in 1925, and over the course of a century LUXMAN has lived through virtually every major transition in audio: from radio to hi-fi, from valves to transistors, from analogue to digital, and from the Compact Disc to SACD and high-resolution music.

JD 23/04/2026 JD 23/04/2026

Network Players Matter

High-quality Network Players matter in a streaming system. While many devices today combine streaming and digital conversion in a single box, experienced listeners often prefer a dedicated network player paired with a separate DAC. This approach allows each component to focus on its specific task, often leading to greater musical refinement and system flexibility. Understanding the value of a high-quality network player therefore becomes an important step in building a truly high-end streaming audio system.

Jan Dhont 14/02/2026 Jan Dhont 14/02/2026

The EL84. Gracious Sound from a Small Tube.

Very often, it can be difficult to predict how an amplifier will sound. We assume that by reading enough reviews and analyzing technical specifications, we understand how a piece of audio equipment will perform. Given how significant the investment can be, the risk of a wrong choice is considerable. Yet somehow, that risk feels smaller when it comes to an EL84 amplifier.