Most review sites end with a ranking. The Audio Stuff starts from a different question: what will sound best in your system, in your room, on your budget? A 9.3 flagship headphone can be the wrong buy if your amp can't drive it, and the best speaker on the list can overwhelm a small room. Every review spells out who a product suits, who should skip it, and the one catch to watch out for.
The site covers headphones, IEMs, DACs, amplifiers, speakers and the rest of the hi-fi chain. It has no ads, no affiliate links and no sponsored verdicts.
| If you... | Go to | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Already have a product in mind | All reviews | 70 scored reviews, filterable by category, price and sound signature |
| Are torn between two options | Head-to-head comparisons | 35 side-by-side matchups on specs, signature, score and price, with a pick and the reason for it |
| Don't know where to start | Help Me Choose quiz | Four quick, skippable questions about how you listen, and a ranked shortlist with caveats |
Each hub states what earns points in its category, so a DAC is judged on what matters for DACs and a microphone on what matters for microphones.
None of the 12 guides is a roundup of spec sheets. Every pick is a product the team spent weeks with, ranked by its score, and a guide is only published once enough reviews exist to fill it. Popular starting points:
Weeks, not hours. Every product gets at least two weeks of daily listening across multiple sources and genres. There are no first-impression or show-floor verdicts.
One fixed test chain. The product under review is swapped into the same reference system, with everything else held constant. The chain itself is public, and each component in it has its own review.
One published rubric. Scores run from 0 to 10, weighed on five axes (sound, technical performance, build and comfort, system fit, and value), and each score maps to one verdict:
| Verdict | Score band |
|---|---|
| Reference | 9.2 – 10.0 |
| Highly Recommended | 8.2 – 9.1 |
| Recommended | 7.0 – 8.1 |
| Mixed | 5.5 – 6.9 |
| Pass | 0.0 – 5.4 |
The scale is used with restraint. The median across all reviews is 8.1, only three products have reached Reference, and nothing has scored above 9.3.
Changes stay visible. If a score is revised, the old score stays on the review, with the date and the reason. Loaned units are disclosed, brands never see a review before it is published, and negative verdicts go live even when the maker supplied the unit.
Read the full method on How we test.
The reviews come with a toolkit that runs entirely in your browser. You can check whether your amp can drive a pair of headphones with the headphone power calculator, test whether you can hear a difference with the ABX blind test, and verify left/right channels and phase with the speaker & headphone test. Files never leave your device. See all the tools.
The Audio Stuff was founded in May 2023 by Jakub Charkiewicz, who has written 66 reviews and all 12 buying guides. Reviewer Bastien Beauchamp joined in April 2026. Every review is signed by the person who did the listening, and every video on the YouTube channel has a matching written review. Gear from 33 brands has been covered so far, and what gets reviewed next depends on category, merit and reader requests, not on brand relationships.
Is The Audio Stuff sponsored by audio brands?
No. There are no ads, no affiliate links and no paid placements, and brands have no say in what is published. Units lent for review are clearly marked as loans.
Does the site measure gear or just listen to it?
Reviews are based on long-term listening on a fixed chain. Specifications quoted in a review come from the manufacturer and are corrected when the maker's own figures differ. The how we test page explains what a score can and can't tell you.
Is a Reference product the right choice for everyone?
Not necessarily. Reference means a product sets the standard in its class, but your budget, your taste and the rest of your system still decide what fits you best. That is why every review lists who should skip it.
Can I compare two specific products?
Yes. The comparisons section pairs products from the same class and names the better buy on score and price.
Is it free?
Yes. Every review, guide, comparison and tool is free to use, with no account and no paywall.
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