Item Audio

SEE US AT THE IDEAL HOME SHOW UNTIL APRIL 1st!

Stand 1J91

1.5% off everything!

When you use a payment method other than credit card (debit card, BACS payment, bank transfer, cheque, cash (remember cash?)) we save money. So we think you should too . . .

Try before you buy . . .

You'll note from our diverse selection of products from the best manufacturers you've never heard of, we're not your average box-shifters. We specialise in helping novices and gurus alike to maximise their listening pleasure with sagely judged purchases – which usually involves eschewing 'conventionally distributed' big-brand names with their attendant legions of greedy middle-men. We help you buy at factory direct prices. We spend most of our time listening to customers' needs and recommending the best value solutions, from their first DAC, to their first £20K DAC.

Crucially, we believe it's essential for you to listen to one or more products at leisure in the comfort and familiarity of your own home and system, without sales pressure. So most of the products we carry are available for free one-week home loan. If you've ever been disappointed by the reality of this week's hyped-up widget, or shaken your head in disbelief at how wrong that rave review was, you'll appreciate being able to step off the merry-go-round of conflicting internet advice and incoherent forum chatter and simply decide for yourself whether a product is right for you.

Why not try a bunch of digital cables at price points you can't afford - just to see what the fuss is about? Whichever DAC you're interested in, snag a bunch of converters and power supplies to see whether all its inputs sound the same. Organise your own bake-offs with our gear . . . all we ask is that you cover the cost of the outbound shipping and return the items to us in the same state they arrived. For security, we pre-authorise a card payment before delivery, but you're only billed if you keep the equipment. Simples.

You're also welcome to visit us for an audition in North Staffordshire where we have the full range of our bespoke audio computers and high-end speakers on display.

Making computers make music
NEW: Compare computer transports here >

The CD is dead: for ambience, iPods and streamers rock; for audiophiles, computers rule. We're evangelical about the potential of the PC as a worthy source for high-end systems. We're also on a mission to improve the life of the person chained to a workstation with high-end near-field systems delivering studio-quality music while you work.

We audition hundreds of products a year, sifting synergistic components from snake-oil, and only sell products we believe to be the best at the price. We're serious about fun.

We believe that digital done right is a world apart from the compressed, jittery, unnatural sound that a generation of MP3-fatigued music lovers have grown up with. We're convinced that on a budget there's nothing to touch Tripath amplification: fabulous sounding and kind to the environment. We know that even USB and power cables matter, but we promise never to flog you something more expensive than you need and we actively encourage all manner of informed DIY experimentation with reams of free advice and links to further reading.

Whatever your poison, regardless of the depth of your pockets, we'll have something to make your PC sing.

Joel Partch | Item Audio