Welcome to the in-akustik Academy -
free HiFi webinars
Our audio experts organize regular informative webinars on a broad range of hi-fi topics.
Benefit from our many years of experience and get easy-to-implement, practical tips on all aspects of hi-fi.
Learn how to raise your enjoyment of music to a new level, or find out why your system isn’t delivering the sound quality you would expect, and what measures you can take to improve this.
Join in and let our experts guide you through the fascinating world of hi-fi.
We look forward to sharing our knowledge and enthusiasm with you.
Busting myths about high-end hi-fi cables
HiFi cables are available from just a few euros up to several thousand. How does a simple speaker cable differ from a high-end cable? Electrical engineers often regard the whole topic as “voodoo”. Rightly so?
- How the cable affects the sound of your system
- High-end cables: Myth or real physics?
- What you should never do if you want to get the most out of your system
Positioning speakers
The positioning of the speakers is an often underestimated factor when it comes to the sound of the hi-fi system. In this webinar, you will learn practical and easy-to-apply tips for the optimal placement of your favorite boxes.
- Why does my dream system sound different at home than at the dealer?
- Why are the basses booming and how can I improve the spatiality?
- Why do good speakers alone not ensure good sound?
Tips for better sound
How to awaken your system from its slumber: Find out how you can improve the sound of your system using simple measures. As well as beginners, this webinar is also aimed at all those who want to breathe new life into their beloved hi-fi systems.
- Practical tips based on our vast experience
- Importance of “phasing out”
- Why good sound needs more than "just" good components
Can cable loss be measured?
We take you into the laboratory and investigate the question of whether losses in loudspeaker cables can be measured at all. Of course, we analyze the results and consider the possible relationship between sound and cable.
- Measurements on speaker cables in the lab
- What is the damping factor and what is it important for?
- How is the damping factor measured
- An impressive “listening experiment”
Busting the bi-wiring myth
Single wire? Bi-Wire? Or even bi-amping? In-akustik product developer Holger Wachsmann explains the differences, advantages and disadvantages of the various options for connecting a loudspeaker to an amplifier.
- Myths about hi-fi cables and bi-wiring
- Seemingly trivial details with a big impact. Examples from electrical engineering
- The operating principle of a loudspeaker and the effects of resonance
Importance of power supply
Learn all about the importance of a stable power supply and why it is particularly critical nowadays to ensure a "clean" power supply
- The basics of power supply
- How do network distortions occur, what types of interference are there and how can they be eliminated?
- Standard power cable in the wall vs. high-end power cable
Amplifier concepts
Loudspeaker chassis are passive and require power amplifiers for energy and precision. Our webinar explains the differences between tube, Class A, AB and Class D amplifiers and their influence on sound reproduction.
- Operating principles of transistor and tube amplifiers
- Differences between Class AB and Class A amplifiers
- Meaning of the most important amplifier data
The fascination of sound
The long journey of the audio signal - how technology transports emotions. We take you on the legendary journey of sound from the microphone, through the recording studio, sound carrier, hi-fi electronics and loudspeakers to your ears.
- How is an audio signal created from sound at the beginning of the journey?
- What is the difference between digital and analog signals?
- What happens in the recording studio?
Audio devices "Backstage"
We take a look at the back of the system and reveal the secrets behind the various connections.
- Asymmetrical or symmetrical transmission - what are the differences?
- Optical and electrical transmission - strengths and weaknesses
- In the matrix - connections, designations, functions and compatibility
Cable vs. wireless
Discover the variety of signal types, learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of the different transmission media and understand how they can be used in a hi-fi chain.
- Analog and digital signals
- The transmission media: wireless and cable
- Application examples: LAN, WLAN etc
- Explanation of the necessary components
The myth of bi-wiring
Single-wire? Bi-Wire? Or even bi-amping? Product developer Holger Wachsmann explains the differences, advantages and disadvantages of the various options for connecting a speaker to an amplifier
- Myths surrounding hi-fi cables and bi-wiring
- Inconspicuous details with a big impact. Examples from electrical engineering
- The functional principle of a speaker
- Effect of the resonance
Webinar series: High-end streaming in your own four walls - what you need to know.
Seemingly complicated hardware and software with sometimes incomprehensible technical parameters and countless technical terms? Does that sound familiar? Quite a few music lovers are reluctant to stream their music collection via their home network because of the supposed initial hurdles. For the layman, the advantages and convenience of streaming sometimes seen unattainable. But it's not that complicated. In our four-part webinar series, we explain how to stream music in high-end quality, which devices you need for this, how to copy your CD collection to your computer and how to set up your own media server.
#1 | Rip & copy your CD collection loss-free
Back up your music collection and experience the benefits of high-end streaming! Learn how to rip CDs loss-free and stream them to your devices.
- Loss-fee ripping with free software
- Copy your CD collection to the computer and set up a music archive
- Conveniently browse and stream music in your home network
#2 | Setting up a media server and metadata maintenance.
Learn how to turn your computer into a powerful media server and sort music according to your preferences.
- Use the computer as a media server. What exactly turns a computer into a server?
- Maintain media data sensibly
- Sort and archive music according to your preferences
#3 | Streaming players, DA converters and more from Primare
In the next step, we will show you how the streaming cosmos is merging with the world of traditional, audiophile hi-fi.
- Streaming: symbiosis of comfort and high-end sound
- The network player: bridge between traditional hi-fi and streaming
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Guest presenter:
Siemen Algra, CEO of the Swedish high-end manufacturer Primare
#4 | Primare Prisma – the central control element
In the last webinar, we will introduce you to the Prisma technology. This allows you to control all content and devices in your streaming chain.
- Conveniently manage all functions from your tablet or smartphone
- Use the infinite music repertoire of the most popular streaming applications
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Learn how to effortlessly set up the connection
HiFi cable with silver conductors
Speaker cables with copper conductors, silver-plated audio cables or hi-fi cables with pure silver conductors. What are the differences? Even a pure silver cable can’t work miracles, but it permits maximization of the possibilities. How much should this be worth to us?
- Myth: Silver cables sound "cold"
- Myth: Silver cables sound "cold"
- Silver in the electrical industry vs. silver in the hi-fi sector
Influence of "power cables"
What physical effects occur specifically in the power supply? Is it adequate to have a simple mains connection cable with an appropriate cross-section, or do other nuances play a role?
- When is it worth using high-quality power/mains cables?
- What are the characteristics of a high-quality power cable?
- Standard power cable in the wall vs. high-end power cable
Multicore speaker cable
"Electricity is the only thing that flows through the speaker cable. Two thick copper wires are all you need”. But is that really true? What influence do speaker cables in particular have on the sound of your system?
- The bridge between electrical engineering and high-end hi-fi
- What does a loudspeaker cable actually transport?
- The inductance of the cable - measurement set-up with a 4-wire loudspeaker cable
HiFi for beginners
If you love music and mainly listen to it via Bluetooth speakers connected to your smartphone, sooner or later you will think about upgrading to a better sound.But what do beginners realy need to know?
- What "hi-fi" stands for - meaning & explanation
- Differentiating between "quite nice sound" and high-end sound
- Typical architecture of a hi-fi system
The HDMI guide
From 4K to 10K, HDR to ARC - the HDMI standard is complex and constantly changing. We unravel the mystery behind the abbreviations and explain how to choose the optimal HDMI cable for your needs and provide insights into advanced HDMI functions.
- Influence of color depth on picture quality
- HDMI data rates: How to estimate bandwidth requirements
- Overview of HDMI versions
Holger Wachsmann
Holger found his way to in-akustik in 1996 after training and working as a communications electronics technician, and has made a name for himself in the hi-fi scene over the years. Initially, he was responsible for cable planning and looked after our most important global sales partners. Gradually, his area of responsibility shifted to product development, for which he is now fully responsible. The development of our AIR technology is certainly a true milestone in his creative career.
Marius Ingold
At in-akustik, Marius takes care of the raw material of good sound: electricity. After training as an "electronics technician for industrial engineering" at Siemens, he completed a Bachelor's degree in "Electronics and Computer Engineering". As part of his Master's degree in Embedded Systems, he worked as a student trainee at in-akustik, and discovered his passion for music in the process. He has been working full-time in in-akustik product development for 3 years now, dealing with “electrifying” topics.
Guido Lay
Guido definitely has high-end in his blood. At in-akustik, he has been responsible for marketing our high-end sales brands for over thirty years now. Guido can’t really imagine a life without music (or bikes). He has acquired his extensive know-how through many years of self-education, and has always kept up with the times. Nostalgia meets digital: His expertise ranges from conventional vinyl playback to high res audio streaming. And he also manages our IT ;-)