About
My interest in audio and hi-fi goes back a fair way. In my high-school years, my Dad showed me how to solder an op-amp and a few diodes and resistors onto a breadboard, to create a “fuzz box.” With a cheap electric guitar plugged into one end and a cheap guitar amplifier on the other, it made an absolutely horrendous noise, and I absolutely loved it! It was glorious and I was hooked. I shortly thereafter learnt enough to build a pair of two-way loudspeakers and an “ETI-3000” integrated amplifier – a kit design published by an Australian magazine.
All this was, of course, somewhat of a distraction from more serious pursuits, like classical piano practice and studying for exams. I subsequently undertook two degrees in Electrical Engineering as a result, with an emphasis on musical sound synthesis. Since then I have pursued my interest in audio and hi-fi in various ways, jumping around between commercial equipment, explorations into vintage gear, and the occasional bout of DIY fanaticism.
Statement of Disclosure
John Reekie is an independent freelancer offering services in audio-related technical writing and database-backed website design and management. As a result, some items discussed in his articles may be provided by clients. The HifiZine editorial team feel that any items provided by business clients cannot be the subject of an independent Equipment Review, but that use of such equipment is acceptable in articles in the Technical and DIY and Industry Spotlight sections, subject to approval by the editorial team. Following is a complete list of clients whose products are used or mentioned in any such articles:
- miniDSP