About Audio Endgame
I'm Matt, and Audio Endgame is where I write about the gear I actually live with.
The "endgame" in the name is a half-joke every audiophile understands: the mythical final purchase that ends the upgrade itch. I've been chasing it long enough to be honest that it doesn't really exist, but the chase teaches you a lot about what actually matters, and that's what I try to pass along here.
My audio journey
My path looked like a lot of people's. It started with the DAC chips Apple builds into Macs and iPhones, then recording interfaces from MOTU and Universal Audio that quietly out-converted everything else I owned. A FiiO ALPEN 2 in 2015 was the gateway drug; a Schiit Modi Multibit came next. Every box taught me something about what actually matters, and most of that ended up in the writing here.
My system
Every hands-on review and star rating on this site comes from gear I've actually lived with, so it's only fair to show you exactly what that is. When a review says I heard something, this is what I heard it on.
Speakers
- KEF LS50 Meta. The heart of the system and the reference point for most of what I write. Insight and imaging in a small box, and famously power-hungry for their size, which is a running theme in my amplifier writing.
- KEF KC62 subwoofer. Handles the low end so the LS50 Metas can focus on mids and highs, integrated with bass management from the WiiM Ultra.
- DIY Klipsch Cornwall IV clone (in progress). A hand-built, horn-loaded counterpoint to the KEFs: 102 dB sensitive instead of 85, which completely flips the amplifier equation. I'm documenting the whole build, starting with the research phase.
Amplification
- Naim Uniti Atom. An all-in-one streaming integrated amp, 40 watts of Naim's famously musical sound. My long-term take is in the Naim Uniti Atom review.
- Chord Anni. Chord's matching desktop integrated, designed to partner the Qutest. The synergy is real, and it's a big part of why the Qutest became my endgame DAC.
- Rega Brio. A compact, much-loved British integrated. Its rated power is modest for the LS50 Metas, but it drives them with real musicality, and it's what I first demoed the Qutest through.
DACs & streaming
- Chord Qutest. My reference DAC and the box that ended my converter search. The full story is in the Chord Qutest review.
- WiiM Ultra. Streamer, preamp, and room-correction hub that punches absurdly above its price. See the WiiM Ultra review.
- Chord Mojo 2. The portable DAC and headphone amp I take on the road, covered in the Chord Mojo 2 review.
Room correction
The single biggest free upgrade in this hobby is measuring the room, and I use the tools I write about: HouseCurve on iPhone and the WiiM Ultra's onboard correction. The full menu, from phone apps to Dirac Live, is in my room correction guide.
Why trust Audio Endgame
- First-hand where it counts. My hands-on reviews, and any star ratings, come from gear I've actually lived with, the system above. For comparisons, guides, and the wider audio world, I research deeply, and I'm always upfront about what's first-hand versus researched.
- Real opinions, plainly stated. I tell you what I heard, what frustrated me, and who a product is actually for, including when the honest answer is "not you."
- No fluff. The goal is the article you wish existed when you were searching at 11pm, specific, opinionated, and useful.
Who I am away from the gear
By day I'm a senior marketing leader with nearly two decades of experience, which means I'm professionally allergic to marketing that says nothing. I bring that same filter to audio: cut the hype, find the truth, and explain it plainly.
Work with me
Manufacturers and distributors: I'm open to review units and press loans, see Work With Us for what I cover and how to reach me.
Everyone else: the best way to follow along is the newsletter below, or reach me at hello@audioendgame.com.