Jakub Charkiewicz

About Jakub

I founded The Audio Stuff in 2023 and run it as managing director. I write, listen to, score and sign off every review that carries my name, and I present the reviews on the publication's YouTube channel.

My approach to business and to content comes from a lifelong passion for science and physics. That analytical habit is what lets me understand software, acoustics and digital platforms at a fundamental level. Put together with the commercial side of the work, it lets me break the technical detail down for the people reading and watching, build digital campaigns and grow active online communities around them.

Alongside the reviews, my company works in e-commerce, marketing and distributing software licenses online, and I run its social media. My core expertise is business leadership and team management: scaling operations, streamlining e-commerce workflows and mentoring the people I work with. Whether it is the physical properties of sound in a new review, the numbers behind a marketing funnel or the next business decision, I enjoy solving complex problems, and I am always glad to hear from other digital entrepreneurs, tech innovators and creators.

Areas of expertise

• Audiophile headphones - planar magnetic, dynamic, electrostatic, IEMs
• Hi-fi loudspeakers and studio monitors
• R-2R and delta-sigma digital-to-analog converters
• Headphone amplifiers and integrated amps - Class A, AB, D, and tube
• Room acoustics, standing-wave measurement, and bass treatment
• ABX double-blind testing methodology and audio measurement
• The audio industry as a business - ownership, acquisitions and product launches

Jakub's reviews

66 reviews across 8 categories, published Jun 2023 to Sep 2026. Every one has a video on the channel. The reference chain and listening room they are heard on are described in How we test.

Jakub's buying guides

• Best Microphones 3 ranked picks, top pick Austrian Audio OC16 (8.7). Published Sep 2026.
• Best Headphones Under $500 8 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN Sundara (9.0). Published Sep 2026.
• Best Budget Headphones 4 ranked picks, top pick Sivga Anser (8.0). Published Aug 2026.
• Best Hi-Fi Accessories 13 ranked picks, top pick Synergistic Research PowerCell 14 (9.2). Published Aug 2026.
• Best Speaker Amps and Preamps 3 ranked picks, top pick Tonewinner AD-1PA+ (9.0). Published Aug 2026.
• Best Speakers 6 ranked picks, top pick Diora Acoustics Chors 5 (8.5). Published Aug 2026.
• Best DACs 8 ranked picks, top pick Denafrips Enyo 15th Anniversary (9.1). Published May 2026.
• Best Headphone Amplifiers 4 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN Serenade (9.3). Published May 2026.
• Best IEMs 7 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN RE2000 PRO Silver (8.8). Published May 2026.
• Best Open-Back Headphones 14 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3). Published May 2026.
• Best Planar Magnetic Headphones 10 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3). Published May 2026.
• Best Reference-Grade Audio Gear 10 ranked picks, top pick HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3). Published May 2026.

Background

Corrections

22 corrections have been logged on Jakub's reviews, each on the review it corrects with the date it shipped:

Sep 27, 2026

• Synergistic Research Network Router UEF review

  The linear power supply was described as adapted from the Galileo PowerCell; Synergistic Research describes it as similar to its SR LPS UEF. The box contents are corrected to the 5 ft Foundation 12 AWG power cable and the installed SR Pink Fuse; the MiG 4.0 footers are now described as having come with the review unit, since Synergistic Research does not list them in the standard box.

• HIFIMAN Serenade review

  Weight corrected from about 3 kg to 3.9 kg, and Bluetooth removed from the inputs: the unit reviewed is the non-Bluetooth Serenade, which has no antenna socket, per HIFIMAN's published specifications. The DAC is also described as HIFIMAN specifies it, a 24-bit Himalaya Pro module that accepts up to 32-bit/768 kHz and DSD512 over the network.

• Meze 105 Silva review

  Weight corrected from 350 g to 354 g, and the driver described as Meze does (a carbon fiber-reinforced cellulose W-dome with a titanium-coated torus, not a carbon-fiber driver), to match Meze's published specifications.

• Synergistic Research PowerCell 14 review

  Weight corrected from 12 kg to 12.7 kg (28 lb), to match Synergistic Research's published specifications; dimensions added from the same specifications.

• Tonewinner AD-1PA+ review

  Specifications corrected to Tonewinner's own: 330 W per channel into 8 ohms (the 100 W Class A, 300 W Class AB and 500 W into 4 ohm figures were a dealer's), 42 kg, THD 0.008%, SNR 115 dB (108 dB balanced), 10 Hz - 100 kHz, 4-8 ohm loads rather than 2 ohms, a 260-300 W draw in Class A rather than 1200 W, and 16 output transistors for 120 A. The amplifier also has an auto-switch mode, so the con saying it had none was removed.

• Taga Harmony TAV-607F review

  Frequency response corrected from 44 Hz - 25 kHz to 40 Hz - 25 kHz; power handling from 120 W RMS (240 W peak) to 90 W RMS, with 20-120 W as the recommended amplifier power and no peak figure; the reflex port from rear to front; and the 6.5-inch midrange added to the driver list - all to match Taga Harmony's published specifications.

• Taga Harmony PF-1000LPS review

  The PF-1000LPS was called a power conditioner; Taga classes it as a power noise filter (its PC series are its conditioners), so the title, description and product type now say filter. Weight and dimensions added from Taga's specifications.

• Triangle Australe EZ review

  Weight corrected from 40 kg (90 lb) to 38.8 kg (85.5 lb) per speaker, to match Triangle's published specifications; dimensions added from the same specifications.

• Verum Audio Verum 1 review

  Sensitivity corrected from 96 to 107 dB/mW, to match Verum Audio's published specifications; weight added from Verum Audio's specifications.

• AudioMica 4-all-in-1 Cable Set review

  Cable diameters corrected from 11.5 mm for the power cable, with the speaker cable about 1 mm thicker, to about 12.5 mm for the power cable and about 12 mm for the speaker cable, to match AudioMica's published specifications.

• Triangle Borea BR09 review

  Weight corrected from 23 kg to 23.4 kg per speaker, to match Triangle's published specifications; dimensions added from the same specifications.

• Yellowtec PUC2 Mic LEA review

  Dynamic range corrected from 114 dB to 108 dB, to match Yellowtec's published specifications.

• HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth review

  Weight corrected from 400 g to 398 g, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications.

• SMSL DO100 PRO review

  Weight corrected from 1.5 kg to 1.45 kg, to match SMSL's published specifications.

• Tonewinner AD-2PRO+ review

  Weight corrected from 40 kg to 35.9 kg (about 79 lb) net, to match Tonewinner's published specifications.

• Melodika Brown Sugar BSSC3300 review

  The review said this cable uses Melodika's Multi-Gauge Core. Melodika specifies the BSSC3300 as spiral LITZ with single-gauge strands (Melodika lists Multi-Gauge Core for other models in the range, such as the BSSC50), so that claim, its FAQ and its pro were removed and the construction corrected to Melodika's specification.

• HIFIMAN EF400 review

  Weight corrected from 3 kg to 3.08 kg, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications.

• SMSL PS100 review

  The claim that the PS100 is limited to 16-bit is withdrawn: SMSL specifies 24-bit/192 kHz over optical and coaxial and 44.1-48 kHz over USB, and rates the dynamic range at 96 dB. The con, the FAQ and the specifications section now say so; weight added from SMSL's specifications.

• HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless review

  LDAC's ceiling corrected from 24-bit/192 kHz to 24-bit/96 kHz, and the codec list corrected to LDAC, AAC and SBC, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications and owner's guide.

• HIFIMAN Sundara review

  Weight corrected from 372 g to 342 g and sensitivity from 94 to 92 dB/mW, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications.

• HIFIMAN HE-R9 review

  Impedance corrected from 32 to 60 ohms, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications; frequency response, weight and connector added from HIFIMAN's specifications.

• HIFIMAN Edition XS review

  Weight corrected from 400 g to 405 g, to match HIFIMAN's published specifications; impedance, sensitivity and frequency response added from HIFIMAN's specifications.

All 66 of Jakub's reviews carry a Checked stamp, the most recent from Oct 3, 2026.

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