In the fourth-season finale of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, host Jorden Guth and producer Dennis Burger are joined by John Siau, vice president of Benchmark Media Systems. He discusses his background in the broadcast industry and how that experience shaped Benchmark’s engineering-driven approach to audio design.

The conversation explores the evolution of DAC technology, the relationship between hi-fi and professional audio, and the ongoing balance between listening impressions and objective measurements. Siau also explains why he believes accurate measurements ultimately lead to better musical performance and addresses common misconceptions about digital audio.

The episode concludes with a look at Benchmark’s commitment to designing and manufacturing its products in the United States, and why the Syracuse, New York–based company sees domestic production as both a practical and philosophical choice.

Sources:

“Florida International Audio Expo: Aretai and Benchmark Present a No-Nonsense Showstopper”: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/florida-international-audio-expo-2026-tampa-usa/1255-fiae-2026-aretai-and-benchmark-present-a-no-nonsense-showstopper

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:07:09 DACs of a different era 00:10:03 Why hi-res matters for production 00:12:43 What does transparency mean? 00:16:00 Hi-fi vs. pro audio 00:19:09 Listening vs. measurements 00:23:32 Linear phase and the issue of ringing 00:27:50 Nerding out on Nyquist 00:33:41 Born (and built) in the USA 00:40:03 Outro music: “Seven Seasons” by The Days

Sources:

“Yet Another Navel-Gazing Editorial About Boomers, Kids, and the Future of Hi-Fi” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1368-yet-another-navel-gazing-editorial-about-boomers-kids-and-the-future-of-hi-fi “A New Year’s Wake-Up Call for the Hi-Fi Industry” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/2024-a-new-years-wake-up-call-for-the-hi%E2%80%91fi-industry

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:01:27 The hi-fi demographic shift from 10,000 feet 00:10:02 Can video games be hi-fi? 00:13:51 Does the dominant entertainment medium influence the hobby? 00:30:29 Why is “movies vs. music” a thing? 00:43:05 The marketing trap 00:54:36 Outro music: “Strata” by Lake Union

Sources:

“Arendal Sound 1610 Loudspeakers: Near-1528 Performance, Lower Price” on SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNKB5PML1LY 

“The Norwegian Speaker Company More Audiophiles Need to Know About: Arendal Sound” on SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Hmz0cYTBY 

“Arendal Sound’s Big Leap” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/arendal-sound-s-big-leap-innovation-impact-and-a-transformational-year/

“Arendal Sound 1528 Monitor 8 Loudspeaker” review by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/2021-arendal-sound-1528-monitor-8-loudspeaker

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:42 From car to home 00:08:33 Flirtations with snakeoil and the road to objectivity 00:11:04 A side quest in China 00:15:44 The longest interview ever 00:19:08 Speaker evolution 00:28:33 1610 00:35:00 A lot of holes 00:37:35 Outro music: “Plantation” by Omri Smadar 

Bryston’s roots trace back to medical electronics before the company transitioned into high-performance audio in the 1970s, when Chris Russell began designing amplifiers that would define the brand’s reputation. In this discussion, Tanner reflects on Bryston’s history, its long-standing commitment to manufacturing in Canada, how and why aspects of the famous warranty have evolved, and what the next 50 years could look like for one of high-end audio’s most enduring companies.

Along the way, the conversation touches on manufacturing realities, brand recognition, and—inevitably—some Canadian hockey talk.

Sources:

“The History of Bryston According to CEO James Tanner” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/the-history-of-bryston-according-to-ceo-james-tanner/

“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:07:40 When’s our anniversary? 00:11:39 Making more, not less 00:14:20 Where does the factory end? 00:15:17 Brand recognition matters 00:18:38 Warranty changes 00:21:49 The next 50 years of Bryston 00:24:40 Two Canadians talking about hockey 00:26:21 Outro music: “Blues for Leo” by Amos Ever Hadani 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:01:04 The origins of the podcast 00:05:23 Passing the baton to Jorden 00:10:40 Technical difficulties 00:15:48 Turn, turn, turn 00:28:31 Why we care where it’s made 00:37:12 We get comments! 00:43:25 Doug’s master plan 00:48:07 Outro music: “Bamba African Market” by Kaleido Sea 

The discussion explores Electrocompaniet’s Norwegian origins, why the company has chosen to remain based and built in Norway from the beginning, and how designing, assembling, and sourcing nearly all parts locally continues to define its products. Together, they examine how place, people, and long-term thinking shape Electrocompaniet’s sound, identity, and future direction.

Sources:

“‘The World's Best-Sounding Power Amplifier’ of 1977—Electrocompaniet's Surprising 52-Year History” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/gu49PjqtyiI?si=tm3GF1PuRzHSkU7P

“Precision in 1000 Steps: Electrocompaniet’s EC 5 Preamplifier” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/0oY0tx1FAog?si=hTMZICutPbSdszSQ

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:04:57 A fateful conversation 00:07:45 Job transitions 00:10:36 A brief history of Electrocompaniet 00:15:10 The Michael Jackson connection 00:18:30 Another gold-dust moment 00:20:17 Westcontrol enters the chat 00:25:42 A question of off-shoring 00:28:48 New preamp, who dis? 00:39:36 Outro music: “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish

Sources:

T-Time Vinyl Plant: https://t-timevinylplant.com/ “T-Time Vinyl Plant record pressing” by SoundStage! Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1402154741482521

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Origin stories 00:04:10 Norwegian . . . vinyl? 00:07:14 Good vibes 00:10:53 Why press locally? 00:12:59 Keep cool, man! 00:16:36 Pellets to platters 00:19:49 QC 00:22:37 What about the rejects? 00:28:17 The future of T-Time 00:30:44 Outro music: “There” by Lake Jons

Lassesen walks through what has changed since the 1528’s debut: how the company approaches R&D and measurement, what its prototyping pipeline looks like today, how shipping and logistics have evolved, and what it really takes to move a product from concept to customer in a global direct-to-consumer model. It’s an inside look at a brand navigating momentum, scaling ambitions, and the challenges that come with success.

Sources:

“Norwegian Loudspeaker Disruptor: Arendal Sound Founder Jan Lassesen” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/norwegian-loudspeaker-disruptor-arendal-sound-founder-jan-lassesen/

“Exposed: Arendal Sound 1528 Loudspeakers—Key Design Details Audiophiles Need to Know”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nr6ExBq3Ss

“The Norwegian Speaker Company More Audiophiles Need to Know About: Arendal Sound”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Hmz0cYTBY

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Catching up with Jan 00:06:28 R&D as a time-saver, Klippel as a space-saver 00:09:26 Prototyping 00:11:37 The long and winding road from manufacturer to consumer 00:20:48 The right solution for the right customer 00:22:52 The shipping problem 00:26:45 The path forward 00:34:00 Outro music: “Somni” by Lake Union

Sources: 

“About Vinnie Rossi” by Hans Wetzel: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/in-good-company/1007-about-vinnie-rossi

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions  00:05:26 The road to Red Wine 00:16:32 A change of names 00:33:21 Where it’s made and why 00:39:50 A choice of tubes 00:44:33 Outro music: “Mon Amour” by ANBR

Sources:

Audio Video Show 2025 Coverage from Warsaw, Poland, on SoundStage! Global: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2025-warsaw-poland

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 The road to Warsaw 00:04:27 New gear, who dis? 00:09:37 The business of audio shows 00:15:40 Optical vinyl? 00:22:45 Why Jason isn’t holding space for the CD revival 00:27:00 The best of the rest? 00:40:47 Room for improvement? 00:43:50 Outro music: “L.A. Suite: Sunset Blvd / Peatloaf Ave” by Art Against Agony

Sources:

“Diapason Didascalìa — Rethinking the Two-Way Loudspeaker” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/V94uSXjLeqE 

Diapason: https://www.diapason-italia.com/en/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions  00:10:26 The case for natural materials 00:15:00 Handcrafted artistry 00:20:31 Didascalìa 00:31:15 Trying to please all the people all the time 00:35:56 Outro music: “Under a Weary Moon” by Ziv Moran

Sources:

“WHY Music Enthusiasts Still Love VINYL Records!” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/uaastkHfUsM?si=ynTbigAuTdyIL_YT

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions  00:05:16 Six Degrees of Technics 00:12:52 The distinction between Technics and Panasonic 00:18:10 Can you call it a comeback? 00:26:14 Why vinyl? 00:43:44 Outro music: “Stick Around” by Max Hixon

Sources:

“Meet the Moon 791: Simaudio’s Next-Gen Streaming Integrated Amplifier”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-quykEscBH0

“The Moon 371’s Secret Amplifier Weapons: MDCA and MHP Explained”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nbJaSVR17A

“Simaudio’s North Collection: The Future of Hi-Fi?”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-north-collection-the-future-of-hi-fi/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and the obsession with oligarch audio 00:02:56 What’s in a name… and some numbers? 00:12:51 What better time than now? 00:19:47 A different sort of power supply 00:21:55 Remote options 00:30:29 What’s to come? 00:32:13 Outro music: “Entre les Doigts” by Sarah Benasouli

Sources:

The Record Centre: https://therecordcentre.com/

“The Dynaudio Contour Comeback: Legacy and 20 Black Edition Loudspeakers”: https://youtu.be/xJ1GvkM6ats?si=ZCjvuqvH-piOB90m

“The Most Dangerous Myth in Audio”: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1174-the-most-dangerous-myth-in-audio

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and the obsession with oligarch audio 00:16:49 What even is an audiophile? 00:19:52 Record shops as the new nexus of hi-fi? 00:27:05 Part of the problem or part of the solution? 00:30:22 Are there just too many speaker companies? 00:35:17 Why bother? 00:58:19 What we’re listening to 00:59:31 Outro music: “Chasing a Hurricane” by Leva & Patric Lemieux

Sources:

“What’s Fresh at the Florida Audio Expo? Acora Acoustics . . .” by Jason Davis: https://youtu.be/_q7pMJ3LSjs?si=6CuOUDp72lZLX-h0

Acora Acoustics: https://acoraacoustics.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:02:44 Acora Acoustics’ origin story 00:10:37 Would off-shoring be more or less expensive? 00:16:45 Working with truly unique materials 00:22:33 A question of burn-in 00:27:38 Heavy metal thunder? 00:30:35 What defines a luxury experience? 00:32:55 Outro music: “The Ice Cream Booth” by Ziv Grinberg

Sources:

“Paradigm's Prestige Series | SoundStage! InSight” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/_q7pMJ3LSjs?si=6CuOUDp72lZLX-h0

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and getting to know Badar 00:03:14 How to decide what gets made where 00:10:17 GoldenEar enters the chat 00:12:11 The ABCs of supply chains 00:17:31 The chaos of COVID and its lingering effects 00:25:34 Applying the lessons of the past to the future 00:35:11 Long-distance quality control 00:43:38 Outro music: “Nuevos Colores” by Tomas Novoa

Sources:

“Axiom Audio’s Ian Colquhoun and NRC”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/axiom-audio-s-ian-colquhoun-and-nrc-origin-dr-floyd-toole-music-types-twin-tweeters-measurements/

“Axiom Audio’s Ian Colquhoun and NRC” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/axiom-audio-s-ian-colquhoun-and-nrc-origin-dr-floyd-toole-music-types-twin-tweeters-measurements/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and a history lesson 00:06:02 A revolution in manufacturing 00:10:17 Making stuff in the current geopolitical climate 00:13:02 Tariffs and such 00:26:11 The unconsidered logistics 00:29:23 Outro music: “Get Outta Way” by Where’s Lulu?

Sources:

“Axiom Audio’s Ian Colquhoun and NRC”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/axiom-audio-s-ian-colquhoun-and-nrc-origin-dr-floyd-toole-music-types-twin-tweeters-measurements/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and a personal history with audio 00:04:23 The Paul Barton connection 00:05:44 A fortuitous education 00:11:55 Ian Colquhoun enters the chat 00:13:52 The basics of quality control 00:27:06 Problem solving and preparedness 00:31:55 Outro music: “How We Fell in Love” by Tom Meira Armony

Sources:

“Xio with VECO: KEF’s Revolutionary Velocity Control Technology in Its First Soundbar Explained”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K842LVG1Ur0

“KEF's Breakthrough VECO Speaker Technology to Lower Distortion–Explained by Its Inventors”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pXeETlY4uU 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 What is VECO 00:07:54 The inspiration for VECO 00:20:15 The ups and downs of voltage amplification 00:24:05 New soundbar, who dis? 00:31:53 Building a better playlist 00:33:44 Outro music: “Nao’s Lullaby” by Rafi B. Levy

Sources:

“Marrying Hi-Fi with Pro Audio - Paul Hales”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/marrying-hi-fi-with-pro-audio-paul-hales-pro-audio-technology-origins-what-matters/

“What Do Knitting and Hi-Fi Have in Common? (Hint: It’s Politics)” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1339-what-do-knitting-and-hi-fi-have-in-common-hint-its-politics

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:11:13 Supply chains matter 00:14:48 Are trade deficits all that bad? 00:19:49 When American manufacturing makes sense 00:21:38 How tariffs actually work 00:26:59 Why this trade war is unwinnable 00:28:58 How tariffs could work effectively 00:40:42 Looking to the future 00:57:33 Outro music: "Baby I’m Stuck in a Cone” Ge Filter Fish

Also, sandwiches.

Sources:

High End 2025 coverage on SoundStageGlobal.com: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2025-munich-germany

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:39 Spools of wire 00:10:37 What do air hockey tables and turntables have in common? 00:14:31 The sound of speakers 00:22:07 More techno! 00:26:19 Black boxes 00:29:46 The future of High End 00:38:44 Outro music: "Look Up” by Diffie Bosman

Sources:

“The Rolex of Hi-Fi Cables - Siltech's Flagship Royal Crown Series”: https://youtu.be/yN-nEreboLE?si=gTkHHRv4FGSwsyB-

“Ultra Hi-Fi: Crystal Cable's "Core" Silver-Gold Cable Line—the Diamond Series 2 Update”: https://youtu.be/vpWM6DeyXDE?si=GPM0Sgo8QqTyy6o_

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 The origin of Crystal Cable 00:12:40 HMS Elektronik enters the chat 00:22:47 New/old brand or old/new brand? 00:43:00 Don’t forget the music 00:47:50 Outro music: "Thaïs" by Jules Massenet, performed by Ohad Ben Ari

Sources:

“KEF’s Jack Oclee-Brown” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/kef-jack-oclee-brown-the-tangerine-waveguide-blade-loudspeakers-aspirational-hi-fi/ 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Discussions about quality and quantity 00:09:45 Lab standards vs. line standards 00:23:10 What about headphones? 00:28:37 Outro music: “Ohio Country” by When Mountains Move

Sources:

“Martijn Mensink On the Magic of Dutch & Dutch”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/martijn-mensink-on-the-magic-of-dutch-dutch-active-speakers-cardioid-dispersion-acoustics/

"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeakers Reviewed" by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1270-dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeakers

"Intro to Dutch & Dutch and the 8c Active Loudspeaker - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2R9lEJH4Og&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork

"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeaker in Detail - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW-6R5HP8SE&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:21:43 Unexpected lessons 00:26:24 Outro music: “Get it Right” by Water on Mars

Closing music: “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran

Sources:

“44 Years of T+A—Germany's Hi-Fi Giant in Detail”: https://youtu.be/lzW18SuAJW0?si=SUjQkUfzU-obTWDv

“T+A Elektroakustik Criterion S 230 Loudspeaker” by George de Sa: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1932-t-a-elektroakustik-criterion-s-230-loudspeaker

“The T+A Elektroakustik R 2500 R Proves Why the Stereo Receiver Might Make a Comeback” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/system-one/1938-the-t-a-elektroakustik-r-2500-r-proves-why-the-stereo-receiver-might-make-a-comeback

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions/What gets built where and why? 00:14:44 The software factor 00:26:36 “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran

Outro music: “Raising the Stakes” by T Bless and the Professionals

Further reading:

Meet Otto: https://dynaudio.com/magazine/2016/march/ask-the-expert-with-otto-joergensen

Measures of success: how Jupiter delivers Dynaudio’s trademark quality: https://dynaudio.com/magazine/2018/december/how-jupiter-delivers-dynaudio-s-trademark-quality

Ibrahim Electric: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Electric

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 How Jupiter drives development 00:15:00 The manufacturing process 00:31:46 “Raising the Stakes” by T Bless and the Professionals

Sources:

“The 2024 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Products of the Year”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1927-the-2024-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievements-and-products-of-the-year

GoldenEar Technology Triton One.R loudspeakers by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1277-goldenear-technology-triton-oner-loudspeakers

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 Introductions 00:09:55 The origins of Polk Audio 00:21:30 That famous labcoat advert 00:26:01 Lights, camera . . . action? 00:29:14 The road to Definitive 00:36:02 Music Break: “Hypnotized” by Ian Post 00:37:02 GoldenEar and the art of the demo 00:43:05 A Triton by any other name00:54:19 Outro: “Blown Again” by Morphlexis

Sources:

“Sound Researcher Dr. Sean Olive” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/sound-researcher-dr-sean-olive-tonmeister-nrc-harman-and-floyd-toole-target-curves/

“Dr. Sean Olive on 35 Years of ‘Fast Car’” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1259-dr-sean-olive-on-35-years-of-fast-car

Seong-Jin Cho: https://seongjin-cho.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 Introductions 00:02:09 A deeper dive into the origins of the Harman target curve 00:18:26 Music Break: “Rush Hour” by Peter John 00:19:24 Everybody and his brother has a target headphone curve 00:38:02 Outro: “Piano Concerto (Ravel)” by Ohad Ben-Ari

Sources:

“Treble Clef Audio's TCA-M Loudspeaker—Danish, Active, Expensive, and Dazzlingly Original” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/TNV6U9H1Rcc?si=62GFmSq_6iQs5Nw0

“January Snow Days—Treble Clef Audio and the David Chesky Trio” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1933-january-snow-days-treble-clef-audio-and-the-david-chesky-trio

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 The origins of Treble Clef 00:21:00 Music Break: “Heavy Traffic” by Amos Ever Hadani 00:22:20 What makes the TCA-M different? 00:53:00 Outro: “Baker St” by Duffmusiq

Sources:

“How Peter Lyngdorf Became Denmark's Most Prolific and Successful Hi-Fi Entrepreneur” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/QxTsEqlnEC0?si=LcSCeuGEZ2AAzESR

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 Origin stories 00:20:12 Music Break: “Less Than Tomorrow” by Raphaël Angelini 00:22:44 A different approach to room correction 00:54:09 Outro: “The Desert” by Patrick Ussher

Source:

“Magnetar UDP900 4K Ultra HD Universal Blu-ray Disc Player–DAC” by Roger Kanno: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1854-magnetar-udp900-4k-ultra-hd-universal-blu-ray-disc-player-dac

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 The road to Magnetar 00:23:23 Music Break: “IDK” by Modern Aquatic 00:24:15 The intersection of home theater and hi-fi 00:37:47 Outro: “Let's Not Rush Out and Tell Everyone” by Glories

Sources:

“Axiom Audio’s Ian Colquhoun and NRC” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/axiom-audio-s-ian-colquhoun-and-nrc-origin-dr-floyd-toole-music-types-twin-tweeters-measurements/

“Axiom Audio's M100 v4 Loudspeaker”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cdPUHJKx70

“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 What makes Performance44 different? 00:15:00 Music Break: “My Bet” by RocknStock 00:16:12 Why now? 00:30:41 Outro: “Batteries Are for Flashlights, Not for Pickups” by Art Against Agony

Sources:

“The 2024 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Products of the Year” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1927-the-2024-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievements-and-products-of-the-year

“The SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year Awards 2024” by Edgar Kramer: https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/features/929-the-soundstage-australia-products-of-the-year-awards-2024

“Best Hi-Fi Products and Top People 2024—SoundStage! International Hi-Fi Awards” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/FYH1bDPczbA?si=-w2b7pGQudQSmIfU

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 Products of the Year: categories and choosing 00:05:03 Explaining the Outstanding Achievement awards 00:05:03 Outstanding Achievement award winners 00:13:02 Music Break: "The Wassail Song" by The Reed Pittman Trio 00:15:03 Welcome back from the break 00:15:14 Products of the Year: Distinction category (core sites) 00:15:14 Products of the Year: Outstanding Performance category (core sites) 00:24:58 Products of the Year: Outstanding Performance category (SoundStage! Australia) 00:26:53 Products of the Year: Distinction category (SoundStage! Australia) 00:29:16 Products of the Year: Exceptional Value category (SoundStage! Australia) 00:30:22 Products of the Year: Exceptional Value category (core sites) 00:34:22 Where to find the awards (core sites) 00:35:31 Outro: “Jingle Bells” by TEO

Sources:

“The Stuff in the Middle” by Dennis Burger:  https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1317-the-stuff-in-the-middle 

“Do You Care About Features?” by Geoffrey Morrison: https://soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/434-do-you-care-about-features

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:30 Adventures in hi-fi at the Y 00:18:11 “March of the People” Sémø 00:20:20 Are old audiophiles the problem? 00:50:40 Outro: “Null” by VESHZA

Sources:

EISA Awards: Home Theater Audio 2020-2021: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/testbed/mm4/index.php/eisa/2020-2021-awards/2020-2021-home-theater-audio/1463-arendal-sound-1961-series-eisa-2020-2021

Arendal Sound 1723 Tower S loudspeaker review by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1848-arendal-sound-1723-tower-s-loudspeaker

“Arendal Sound 1528 Tower 8 Loudspeaker: “Why I’m Going 3500 Miles to Learn How it Happened” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1920-arendal-sound-1528-tower-8-loudspeaker-why-im-going-3500-miles-to-learn-how-it-happened

Arendal Sound Club: https://club.arendalsound.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:04:51 The road to Arendal 00:29:35 “Write a Sentence: The Headbanger’s Confusion” by Art Against Agony 00:30:33 The evolution of Arendal 00:53:35 Outro: “Celestial Rhythms” by Ariel Dahan

Sources:

SoundStage! Audio Video Show 2024 coverage from Warsaw, Poland: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2023-warsaw-poland

Audio Video Show: https://audioshow.pl/ 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:03:53 Millionaire’s Row and beyond… 00:35:16 Music Break: "Emissary" by Art Against Agony 00:36:58 What has changed? What hasn’t? 01:02:15 Outro: “Borderline Love” by Jessy Gerber

“Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/recording-of-the-month-menu/1175-art-pepper-art-pepper-meets-the-rhythm-section

“Is It Just Me, or Are CDs Too Loud?” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/feature-articles/on-music/944-is-it-just-me-or-are-cds-too-loud

“The Music Man” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/the-music-man-joe-taylor-on-vinyl-and-cassettes-next-gen-audiophiles-curated-music-selections/

Chapters: 00:00:00 News! 00:00:31 Announcement 00:00:51 What does a mastering engineer do?  00:20:56 Musical interlude: “Say No More” by Julian Hartwell 00:23:19 Digital vs. analog and radio vs. streaming 00:35:55 What music moves Bernie Grundman

Sources:

“DALI Epikore 11 Loudspeaker” by Jason Thorpe: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1225-dali-epikore-11-loudspeaker

“New DALI Epikore 9, 7, and 3—‘Affordable’ Flagship Speakers from Denmark” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/BSVHm31EmV4?si=_traJo-IQqWVZZZv

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 New Speakers from ALI, Treble Clef Audio, Radiant Acoustics, Arendal Sound 00:31:36 Music Break: “Mojo” by Jimit 00:32:50 Focal, too. But why now? 00:59:24  “Mirleft” by Guy Buttery

But we're not going to leave you hanging with nothing to listen to. Jorden Guth went through our archives and thought this was a good change to revisit the 12th episode from season 2: "Anthony Grimani on Speakers, Rooms, Acoustics." If you have not listened to it, we think you will enjoy it. If you have listened to it, you might want to listen again because there is a good change you will pick up on something that you didn't pick up on before. Enjoy!

Sources:

“Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor" by Al Griffin https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/39-trinnov-amethyst-dac-preamplifier-processor

Trinnov Audio: https://www.trinnov.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and origins stories 00:09:51 What makes Trinnov different? 00:26:59 The broken promise of Atmos 00:31:59 Music Break: “Once Upon a Time in the West Elevator” by Jamison Dewlen 00:33:17 A deeper dive into old-school acoustics 00:36:23 Why bass misbehaves 00:43:59 How WaveForming works 00:59:24  “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Will Taylor

Sources:

“Theory Audio Design Sys5.2.2.8515 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos Surround Speaker System” by Vince Hanada: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1111-theory-audio-design-sys5-2-2-8515-5-2-2-dolby-atmos-surround-speaker-system

Dr. Floyd Toole: An Oral History 1: https://www.soundstage.life/e/dr-floyd-toole-an-oral-history-1-two-ears-and-a-brain-transistors-rules-and-data/

Dr. Floyd Toole: An Oral History 2: https://www.soundstage.life/e/dr-floyd-toole-an-oral-history-2-ab-tests-bass-athena-brains-rooms-hearing-listening/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions and origins stories 00:30:16 Music Break: “Harpstrings and Chill (Gymnopédie No. 1)” by Lalinea 00:31:19 Hi-fi PA speakers? 00:43:08 The origins of Pro Audio Technology 00:59:40 What really matters in audio? 01:12:14  “Gymnopédie No. 1” by T. Bless and the Professionals

Sources:

“A Vinyl-Apathist’s Quest for His Perfect First Turntable” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1297-a-vinyl-apathists-quest-for-his-perfect-first-turntable

“Confessions of a Recent Vinyl Convert” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1301-confessions-of-a-recent-vinyl-convert

“Record Store Day and Vinyl Culture” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/pulse-menu/1151-record-store-day-and-vinyl-culture

“Read the Instructions! The Perils of Cartridge Setup” by Jason Thorpe: https://soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1231-read-the-instructions-the-perils-of-cartridge-setup

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:15:01 Tea ceremony for music  00:26:39 Music Break: "Homecoming" by Rex Banner 00:27:27 How much difference do cartridges make? 00:36:34 The psychology of sound quality 01:03:08  "Afternoon Dissection" by Chameleon Treat

Sources:

North Collection: https://simaudio.com/en/product-category/north-collection/

“Simaudio’s North Collection: The Future of Hi-Fi?” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-north-collection-the-future-of-hi-fi/

“Simaudio’s Moon 791 Streaming Preamplifier: Uncompromised” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1841-simaudio-s-moon-791-streaming-preamplifier-uncompromised

“Moon by Simaudio Has Exited the Echo Chamber” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1201-moon-by-simaudio-has-exited-the-echo-chamber

“Simaudio’s Étienne Gautier & the Art of Marketing Moon” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-etienne-gautier-the-art-of-marketing-moon-baumgartner-restoration-taskmaster/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 The origins of Simaudio 00:04:03 How manufacturing at home keeps a company nimble  00:22:03 Music Break: "Threads of Smoke" by Tamuz Dekel 00:23:14 Local manufacturing’s impact on repairability 00:49:24  "Alice Loses Her Temper" by Maybird

Closing credits music: “Longitude” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships

Sources:

“Canada’s NRC: A Forthcoming Look at Its Role in the Advancement of Canadian Loudspeaker Design” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1849-canadas-nrc-a-forthcoming-look-at-its-role-in-the-advancement-of-canadian-loudspeaker-design “The Loudspeaker Class of ’74: A Canadian Reunion” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1866-the-loudspeaker-class-of-74-a-canadian-reunion

“Floyd Toole, NRC, SoundStage!—Filming of Our Upcoming Documentary” by the soundstagenetwork on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k8ykCTEOhZI?si=BfcmIAWg1s6BKyQm

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:01:19 The limits of A/B testing 00:04:59 Why you have to measure everything 00:15:42 All about that bass 00:18:40 Athena, assemble!  00:23:47 How our brains make sense of rooms  00:27:28 “Emahoy” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships 00:28:45 Working with the CBC 00:31:14 How hearing loss impacts judgment 00:37:48 Another fateful phone call 00:41:20 L.A. is no place to live 00:44:02 The hint of a corporate target 00:46:22 Herding engineers 00:51:13 Listening tests at Harman 00:53:22 Publishing the Harman research 00:55:55 A feature, not a bugbear 00:58:47 “Horse Latitudes” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships 01:00:10 Evolution or revolution? 01:02:35 The two-sub solution 01:07:54 The birth of Sound Reproduction 01:11:05 Rewriting the book 01:13:42 Unanswered questions and Dr. Toole’s legacy 01:45:59 The music that moves Dr. Toole

Sources:

“Canada’s NRC: A Forthcoming Look at Its Role in the Advancement of Canadian Loudspeaker Design” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1849-canadas-nrc-a-forthcoming-look-at-its-role-in-the-advancement-of-canadian-loudspeaker-design

“The Loudspeaker Class of ’74: A Canadian Reunion” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1866-the-loudspeaker-class-of-74-a-canadian-reunion

“Floyd Toole, NRC, SoundStage!—Filming of Our Upcoming Documentary” by the soundstagenetwork on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k8ykCTEOhZI?si=BfcmIAWg1s6BKyQm

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:04:39 The dawning of the age of the transistor 00:11:05 Two ears and a brain 00:21:28 A fateful interview 00:27:58 Music break: "Turkish March” by T. Bless & the Professionals 00:29:24 Friday afternoon experiments 00:33:54 The differences between musicians and audiophiles 00:38:54 An industry operating without rules 00:49:45 What can we learn from a set of data? 00:54:01 “When I Get Home” by Brian Claxton

Sources:

Dr. Sean Olive on 35 Years of “Fast Car” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1259-dr-sean-olive-on-35-years-of-fast-car

Audio Musings by Sean Olive: https://seanolive.blogspot.com/ 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:04:27 What is a Tonmeister? 00:12:19 Sponsored by Canada’s best and brightest 00:18:10 All roads lead to California 00:24:54 Music break: "Paris Café” by Wesly Thomas 00:26:13 Manager of subjective evaluation 00:36:03 The origins of the Harman target curve 00:42:41 How to train your listeners 00:49:09 “I Will Always Remember You” by Marek Jakubowicz

Sources:

Coverage of High End 2024 - Munich, Germany: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2024-munich-germany

High End Society: https://www.highendsociety.de 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 What’s Munich all about? 00:20:01 Music break: "Scapes" by Gray North 00:20:48 Favorite sights and sounds 00:46:30 “Diagrammatic” by Oliver Michael

Sources:

“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof

Bryston: https://bryston.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:01:52 Bryston’s origin story  00:16:11 Expanding product lines 00:25:40 Music break: "Deadman Pass" by The Talbott Brothers 00:27:32 Bryston in the 2000s and beyond 00:53:25 “Pirate Blues” by Leon Laudenbach

Sources:

Marcela Rada: https://marcelarada.com/

“Audiophile Atmos—Dominique Fils-Aimé Surrounds with ‘Our Roots Run Deep’”: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/encore/1120-audiophile-atmos-dominique-fils-aime-surrounds-with-our-roots-run-deep 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:04:12 An education in audio  00:09:05 Experimentations with immersive audio 00:20:37 Music break: “You Won't Be the Last” by Moon 00:21:29 Maxing mixes that translate well 00:33:06 Different flavors of immersive audio 00:45:39 “Smile” by Aves

Sources:

“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof

Axiom Audio: https://www.axiomaudio.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:03:31 Axiom’s origin story  00:12:30 Busting the myth of different speakers for different music 00:25:46 Music break: “Empty Pockets” by Bamtone 00:26:52 Axiom as OEM 00:30:27 OEM no more 00:29:34 The twin-tweeter controversy 00:47:07 Measurement artifacts 01:08:34 “Wherever I Am” by Bamtone

Sources:

“The History of Anthem Room Correction (ARC®)”: https://www.anthemarc.com/advanced-topics/the-history-of-arc.php

“The Detection Thresholds of Resonances at Low Frequencies” by Olive, Sean E.; Schuck, Peter L.; Ryan, James G.; Sally, Sharon L.; Bonneville, Marc E.: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=7868

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:03:15 IIR vs FIR  00:09:15 Pesky patents and water picks 00:11:58 Untested waters 00:17:01 Music break: “Hulullúlulu” by Art Against Agony 00:08:01 ARC is finally born 00:23:46 Why flat sounds flat 00:26:59 Removing the cap 00:38:56 “First” by IamDayLight  00:40:51 The music that moves Peter

Sources:

“The History of Anthem Room Correction (ARC®)”: https://www.anthemarc.com/advanced-topics/the-history-of-arc.php

“The Detection Thresholds of Resonances at Low Frequencies” by Olive, Sean E.; Schuck, Peter L.; Ryan, James G.; Sally, Sharon L.; Bonneville, Marc E.: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=7868

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:07:58 The Energy 22 crossover 00:15:41 Commerce or science? 00:29:35 Music break: “Precursor” by Aquartos 00:30:22 The five-point preference scale 00:34:54 What makes a good test track? 00:36:01 The circle of confusion keeps spinning 00:50:38 “Day 1” by Aquartos

Sources:

PSB Speakers: https://www.psbspeakers.com/

“PSB's Paul Barton (Part 1)”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/psbs-paul-barton-part-1-music-and-violins-starting-making-speakers-dr-floyd-toole-and-nrc/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:00:44 Why the measurements matter  00:06:07 Explaining diffraction 00:10:04 Waveguides are more than felt 00:16:21 Music break: “Scorched Earth” by Maya Belsitzman 00:17:59 Room correction and exotic materials 00:22:21 Exploring different driver materials 00:24:25 Diminishing returns and setting priorities 00:38:06 “Your Papa and Mama” by Dialgo

Sources:

PSB Speakers: https://www.psbspeakers.com/

Messiah Violin, by Stradivari: https://www.ashmolean.org/messiah-violin-stradivari

“Making the Violin”: http://www.makingtheviolin.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:28 Introductions 00:01:06 The origins of Paul’s love of music and hi-fi  00:12:11 Making speakers in high school 00:14:50 Pre-industrial light & musical magic 00:18:00 The small world of Canadian hi-fi00:21:23 The road to meeting Dr. Floyd Toole 00:29:23 Planting seeds for the future

Sources:

“44 Years of T+A—Germany's Hi-Fi Giant in Detail”: https://youtu.be/lzW18SuAJW0?si=SUjQkUfzU-obTWDv

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:53 The long road to today’s T+A  00:20:44 Music Break: “Finale” by David Morton 00:22:15 Where does T+A—and the hi-fi industry—go from here? 00:34:05 Outro: “Mirrors Sometimes Lie” by Marco Martini

Sources:

Sonus faber Suprema product page: https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/products/suprema

“Suprema: the Sonus faber sonic revolution”: https://youtu.be/8rvz6C-D6Ng?si=f9aCKCfleNgivNRu 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:53 Supreme in minute technical detail  00:38:58 Music Break: “Memory Lane” by Vox Portent 00:22:01 The 30,000-foot view of the Suprema experience 01:06:27 Outro: “Turquoise Soil” by Vox Portent

Sources:

“The Needs of the Many versus the Needs of the Reviewer” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1273-the-needs-of-the-many-versus-the-needs-of-the-reviewer

“Martijn Mensink On the Magic of Dutch & Dutch”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/martijn-mensink-on-the-magic-of-dutch-dutch-active-speakers-cardioid-dispersion-acoustics/

“Speaker and Headphone Measurements Mash-Up”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/speaker-and-headphone-measurements-mash-up-misinformation-what-matters-active-vs-passive-listening/

“Simaudio’s North Collection: The Future of Hi-Fi?”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-north-collection-the-future-of-hi-fi/

Baumgartner Restoration: https://www.youtube.com/c/baumgartnerrestoration

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:05:44 The needs of the many vs. the needs of the reviewer  00:19:52 Music Break: “Threads of Smoke” by Tamuz Dekel 00:22:01 How does Dennis write a review? 00:50:50 Outro: “Turquoise Soil” by Tamuz Dekel

Sources:

“The 2023 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Products of the Year” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1843-the-2023-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievements-and-products-of-the-year

“The SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year Awards 2023” by Edgar Kramer: https://soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/features/832-the-soundstage-australia-products-of-the-year-awards-2023

Audiophile Atmos—Dominique Fils-Aimé Surrounds with Our Roots Run Deep: https://youtu.be/74YJo-KM_Po?si=pWqHAGO6nRCOYomd

2023 SoundStage! Awards—Best Hi-Fi Products and Outstanding Achievements with Dominique Fils-Aimé: https://youtu.be/pQf2W60g5T0?si=iIsNb1Os2lSlkJIH

“Tell Me Taylor Swift Fans Don’t Care About Sound Quality” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1270-tell-me-taylor-swift-fans-dont-care-about-sound-quality

“Seven Shades of AC/DC’s Back in Black–Finding the Best Version to Test Your System With” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/system-one/1280-seven-shades-of-acdcs-back-in-black-finding-the-best-version-to-test-your-system-with

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:05:44 How SoundStage! does it different  00:18:25 Music Break: "Walkabout Australia" by Hans Johnson 00:19:21 Recognizing the people who make the magic happen 00:46:26 Outro: “Too Many Steps” by Oran Loyfer

Sources:

Muraudio's Domain Omni Series Speaker | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/VkHQC8pz2H8?si=Lax4bC_UDAXXxSkj

Axiom Audio's M100 v4 Loudspeaker | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/7cdPUHJKx70?si=bNa83Mkf2R08yY8N

Totem Acoustic's Torrent Technology | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/GTIpO19Eg-k?si=O5M9YYEgUioRq6Vs

Vivid Audio's Giya Series Speakers | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/RT2ytbENY34?si=4RoFWyyMbBN8J8dw

Paradigm's Prestige Series | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/_q7pMJ3LSjs?si=IO6pPLHwz-7714g9

MartinLogan's Neolith Loudspeaker (February 2015): SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/XIinQTD36cE?si=cODB7nSvy2pZ0ORi

Monitor Audio Hyphn Speaker 1 - From Visionary Concept to Cutting-Edge Completion | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/uk5vckG5Imw?si=dL753LtRdgLAE_Cz

Monitor Audio Hyphn Speaker 2 - Advanced Acoustical Concepts and Daring Industrial Design | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/5BTZ5REwjCQ?si=VSEyOua-ZKRjJHRv

Daryl Wilson: Growing Up and Into Wilson Audio: https://www.soundstage.life/e/darylwilson-growing-upand-into-wilsonaudio-the-wilsonhouseholdbuildingwattpuppy-speakersnorth-star-measurements-andlisteningpink-floyd-fridays/

44 Years of T+A - Germany's Hi-Fi Giant in Detail | SoundStage! InSight: https://youtu.be/lzW18SuAJW0?si=AsMDlMuEuCaraWqO

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:00:52 The Two-Day Rule  00:14:16 Music Break: "Ocean Depth" by Veaceslav Draganov 00:15:39 This ain’t marketing 00:21:45 Touring a facility and picking up slack 00:24:35 From Jazz to T+A and beyond 00:34:51 Picking favorites?

Sources:

North Collection: https://simaudio.com/en/product-category/north-collection/

"Simaudio’s Moon 791 Streaming Preamplifier: Uncompromised" by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1841-simaudio-s-moon-791-streaming-preamplifier-uncompromised

"Moon by Simaudio Has Exited the Echo Chamber" by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1201-moon-by-simaudio-has-exited-the-echo-chamber

"Simaudio’s Étienne Gautier & the Art of Marketing Moon" on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-etienne-gautier-the-art-of-marketing-moon-baumgartner-restoration-taskmaster/

"The Maverick" by Baumgartner Restoration: https://youtu.be/LV2eOu14fQM?si=eiVbtAhMteYG2taI

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Greetings and salutations 00:01:07 The development of the Simaudio North Collection  00:23:45 Music Break: "Funkymania" by Omri Smadar and The Original Orchestra 00:25:11 Controlling the North Collection and where Simaudio goes from here 00:51:48 The soundtrack to Dominique’s and Étienne’s lives

Sources:

SVS: https://www.svsound.com/

“The Only True Currency in This Bankrupt World” by Audio Unleashed: https://audiounleashed.podbean.com/e/the-only-true-currency-in-this-bankrupt-world/

“SVS Prime Wireless Pro Active Loudspeaker System” by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/217-svs-prime-wireless-pro-active-loudspeaker-system

“SVS Prime Pinnacle Loudspeakers” by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1358-svs-prime-pinnacle-loudspeakers

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Greetings and salutations 00:06:32 SVS: A brief history  00:22:47 Music Break: "Everyday with You" by Ben Sharkey and Ziggy 00:24:09 How SVS builds its community 00:42:21 The soundtrack to Nick and Gary’s lives

Sources:

SoundStage! coverage of Audio Video Show 2023 - Warsaw, Poland: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2023-warsaw-poland

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:07 What makes Warsaw special?  00:27:12 Music Break: "Let Me Show You" by Eldar Kedem & Floating World 00:28:47 A vicarious walkthrough of the show00:50:20 The soundtrack to Jason’s life

Sources:

Emotiva: https://emotiva.com/

"The True Cost of Saving a Few Bucks: A Q&A with Emotiva's Dan Laufman" by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1144-the-true-cost-of-saving-a-few-bucks-a-q-a-with-emotivas-dan-laufman

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:11 The road to Emotiva 00:23:01 Music Break: "Terems" by Amit Sagie 00:24:07 The realities of 21st century manufacturing 00:55:02 The soundtrack to Dan’s life

Sources:

Dutch & Dutch: https://dutchdutch.com/

Dutch & Dutch 8c Active loudspeaker review by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1270-dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeakers

"Intro to Dutch & Dutch and the 8c Active Loudspeaker" - SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2R9lEJH4O

"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeaker in Detail" - SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW-6R5HP8SE 

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:02 From AM radio to a life in speaker design 00:15:50 Why cardioid speakers hit different 00:31:12 Music Break: "Astra" by Magiksolo 00:32:31 Room acoustics, app development, and the future of Dutch & Dutch 00:50:23 The soundtrack to Martijn’s life

Sources:

“Inside the Incredible World of McIntosh Townhouse - SoundStage! InSight (December 2019)”: https://youtu.be/PeskkKlY4ds?si=SZBLugld9miiLyMp

"McIntosh Sound in the Jeep Grand Cherokee - SoundStage! Talks (January 2021)": https://youtu.be/d7_EoVrq12o?si=Ma7PhS3rS7QSLrX4

"Sonus faber Olympica Nova at World of McIntosh Townhouse | SoundStage! InSight (October 2019)": https://youtu.be/TBJRoH5uGQE?si=4TYfeW9rz7B6rB_U

https://houseofsoundnyc.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:00:45 David fell in love with hi-fi at the World of McIntosh 00:27:54 Music Break: "Tell Me All the Lies" by Funky Giraffe 00:28:52 What’s different about the House of Sound? 00:43:53 The soundtrack to David’s life

Sources:

"From the Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus to Vivid Audio Speakers - Laurence Dickie’s Tapered Tubes (Ep:58)" by SoundStage!: https://youtu.be/dcef8tuxezU?si=6BDD7fWbYLp4ypiG

"A Family of Linear-Phase Crossover Networks of High Slope Derived by Time Delay" by Lipshitz, Stanley P.; Vanderkooy, John: https://secure.aes.org/forum/pubs/journal/?elib=4598

https://vividaudio.com/

https://www.blastloudspeakers.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:05 The road to Bower & Wilkins and beyond 00:25:40 Music Break: "The Magnetic Buzz" by Moon Walk 00:26:33 Convergent evolution vs. convergent design 01:02:23 The soundtrack to Laurence’s life 01:04:45 "Golden Diamond" by Shahead Mostafafar

Sources:

Status and Culture by W. David Marx: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/659558/status-and-culture-by-w-david-marx/

How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel: https://chadorzel.com/?cat=4

Why Amplifiers Don't Sound the Same - Understanding Voltage and Current for Loudspeakers (Ep:71): https://youtu.be/pTeAJJQ9a10?si=huMJjMK62SiAEFCk

Neil Young and Rick Rubin: World Record, Recording on Tape, and Creative Process | Apple Music: https://youtu.be/PZ-AVFpB3KI?si=FcAlAmr3OrXf10r4

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:01:48 Lessons learned from the experts 00:23:43 Music Break: "Baby I'm Stuck in a Cone" by Ge Filter Fish 00:24:38 Artist’s intent, analog vs. digital, and more 00:40:45 What’s next? 00:47:52 The music that moves us

Sources:

Monitor Audio Hyphn Speaker 1 - From Visionary Concept to Cutting-Edge Completion: https://youtu.be/uk5vckG5Imw

Monitor Audio Hyphn Speaker 2 - Advanced Acoustical Concepts and Daring Industrial Design: https://youtu.be/5BTZ5REwjCQ

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:00:40 How Michael and Michael fell in love with hi-fi 00:06:38: Making speakers the Monitor way 00:24:27 Music Break: "Dollshade" by Van Crankin 00:25:29 How the Concept 50 and Hyphn actually came together 00:33:26 The response so far… 00:40:49 We love rock’n’roll

Sources:

Grimani Systems: https://www.grimanisystems.com/

Performance Media Industries, Ltd.: https://pmiltd.com/

Sonitus USA: https://www.sonitususa.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:01:06 From Dolby to THX and beyond 00:06:34 Why the room is a crucial component 00:21:49 Home theater vs. hi-fi? 00:28:09 How to start dealing with the room 00:42:55 Music Break: "Talk" by Con Davison 00:44:09 Did we really need another speaker company? 00:55:36 How to find the right speaker for your room 00:58:30 Is room correction the answer? 01:08:04 No, but seriously, what is hi-fi?

Sources:

"Is the miniDSP EARS the Death of Headphone Measurement? Or its Savior?" by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/152-is-minidsp-ears-the-death-of-headphone-measurement-or-its-savior

SoundStage! Network speaker-measurements resource URL: www.SpeakerMeasurements.com 

Sean Olive on Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car": https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7084958885526065153/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 What we measure with transducers and why 00:25:09 Musical interlude: "You Don't Really Exist" by Nim Sadot 00:26:40 When measurements go wrong and why bass always wins 01:04:01 Brent on the music that moves him

Sources:

The Sweet Sound of KEF's Tangerine Waveguide: https://us.kef.com/blogs/news/the-sweet-sound-of-kef-s-tangerine-waveguide

"KEF Blade Loudspeakers" by Barry Jones: https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/reviews/516-kef-blade-loudspeakers

KEF x LOTUS Partnership: https://us.kef.com/pages/kef-lotus-partnership

Metamaterial Absorption Technology: https://us.kef.com/pages/metamaterial

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Design choices and how they matter 00:20:22 Musical interlude: "Wanting You" by Jamison Dewlen 00:21:34 The value of aspirational products 00:42:11 The soundtrack to Jack’s life

Sources:

"How Good Can the Focal Utopia Headphones Make Remarkable Recordings Sound?" by James Hale: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/art-tech/1104-how-good-can-the-focal-utopia-headphones-make-remarkable-recordings-sound

"Battling Anxiety with Arcade Fire and the Rotel A12MKII Integrated Amplifier-DAC" by James Hale: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/art-tech/1072-battling-anxiety-with-arcade-fire-and-the-rotel-a12mkii-integrated-amplifier-dac

http://jameshale.ca/music.html

https://downbeat.com/site/author/james-hale

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 How SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider inspired “Art+Tech” 00:22:56 Musical interlude: "My Bet" by RocknStock 00:24:05 It’s about the music, silly! 00:39:39 …except for opera

Sources:

"Audibility of a CD-Standard A/DA/A Loop Inserted into High-Resolution Audio Playback" by E. Brad Meyerand David R. Moran: https://secure.aes.org/forum/pubs/journal/?ID=2#:~:text=The%20test%20results%20show%20that,Authors%3A%20Meyer%2C%20E

"Researching HD-Audio: The Truth" by Mark Waldrep: https://www.realhd-audio.com/?p=6993

https://www.aixrecords.com/

https://www.itrax.com/

“Music and Audio: A User Guide to Better Sound: by Mark Waldrep: https://www.musicandaudioguide.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@markwaldrep5143

https://www.artistconnection.net/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Does high-res matter? 00:35:25 Musical interlude: "Concerto in Fm (Bach)" by Ohad Ben-Ari 00:37:21 The most important component of your system 00:41:45 Is MQA a snow job? 00:48:54 The beauty of Bach

Sources:

“Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/recording-of-the-month-menu/1175-art-pepper-art-pepper-meets-the-rhythm-section

"Is It Just Me, or Are CDs Too Loud?" by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/feature-articles/on-music/944-is-it-just-me-or-are-cds-too-loud

"The Music Man" on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/the-music-man-joe-taylor-on-vinyl-and-cassettes-next-gen-audiophiles-curated-music-selections/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 What does a mastering engineer do?  00:20:25 Musical interlude: “Say No More” by Julian Hartwell 00:22:49 Digital vs. analog and radio vs. streaming 00:35:24 What music moves Bernie Grundman

Sources:

“This is Why We Measure” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1240-this-is-why-we-measure

“Should You Buy More Amplifier or More Speaker Than You Need?” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1172-should-you-buy-more-amplifier-or-more-speaker-than-you-need

“NAD Masters M23 Stereo/Mono Amplifier Measurements” by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2912:nad-masters-m23-stereo-mono-amplifier-measurements&catid=97:amplifier-measurements&Itemid=154 

“Atoll Electronique IN200 Integrated Amplifier Measurements” by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2772:atoll-electronique-in200-signature-integrated-amplifier-measurements&catid=97:amplifier-measurements&Itemid=154 

“Is 'Trickle Up' Tech the Future of Hi-Fi?” by Dennis Burger:  https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1243-is-trickle-up-tech-the-future-of-hi-fi

Chapters: 0:00 Announcement 0:20 What we measure 20:43 Musical interlude: “An Issue” by Lalinea 21:52 How much do these measurements matter? 1:03:59 Canadians rock!

Sources:

“The Great North American Loudspeaker Tour: Wilson Audio Specialties” by Jeff Fritz: https://www.soundstageultra.com/twbas/twbas_200908_wilson.htm

Wilson Audio Specialties WATT/Puppy 7 Loudspeakers review  by Jeff Fritz: https://soundstageultra.com/equipment/wilson_watt_puppy_7.htm

Wilson Audio website: https://www.wilsonaudio.com/

Chapters: 0:00 Announcement 0:20 Growing up on Wilson Audio  21:54 Musical interlude: “Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Summer: 3. Presto” by the Dover Quartet 22:18 Reference standards, the importance of time alignment, and the future of hi-fi 47:28 Pink Floyd Fridays and guilty pleasures

Sources:

“Moon by Simaudio Has Exited the Echo Chamber” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1201-moon-by-simaudio-has-exited-the-echo-chamber

"The Maverick" by Baumgartner Restoration: https://youtu.be/LV2eOu14fQM

Taskmaster on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Taskmaster

Hania Rani: https://haniarani.com/

Chapters: 0:00 Announcement 0:20 Why brand awareness matters 5:51 Musical Interlude I: "Jazz it Up" by Wesly Thomas 6:18 In conversation with Simaudio’s Étienne Gautier 23:45 Musical Interlude II: "Jazz it Up" by Wesly Thomas 24:07 The importance of emotional connections

They also dig into Joe’s ongoing “Curator” series of articles, how he finds his inspiration, why he focuses on certain artists, and how he and his daughters influence one another’s musical tastes. 

Sources:

“Experience ‘Xperience’ Anew” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/pulse-menu/1093-experience-xperience-anew

“En Attendant Ana: Juillet" by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/music-and-movie-reviews/featured-releases/1032-en-attendant-ana-juillet

“Savak: Human Error / Human Delight" by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/recording-of-the-month-menu/1112-savak-human-error-human-delight

“James Brown, Curated” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/curator/1099

You can also find links to all of Joe’s “Curator” articles at: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/curator

Chapters: 0:00 Announcement 0:20 Why Joe still loves vinyl 20:06 Musical Interlude: “Freerolling” by T. Bless & the Professionals 20:32 Crafting “Curator” and picking desert-island discs

They also dig into dedicated music players vs. smartphones, whether or not Bluetooth can deliver good sounds, if anyone can do noise canceling better than Bose, and Geoff’s personal recommendations for good in-ears and on-ears for on the road and at home.

By the way, Geoff’s first international trip since the pandemic was in 2022, not 2020, and feels horrified he said the wrong year during the podcast.

Sources:

“Bald Nomad – adventures described in words and pictures” by Geoff Morrison: http://baldnomad.com/ 

“A Bluetooth Blind Test” by Brent Butterworth: http://www.brentbutterworth.com/bluetooth-blind-test.html

@GeoffMorrison on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GeoffreyMorrison914

"Eardrum Suck: The Mystery Solved!" by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/178-eardrum-suck-the-mystery-solved

“Do Noise-Cancelling Headphones Hurt Your Ears? You’re Not Alone” by Brent Butterworth and Lauren Dragan: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/how-do-noise-cancelling-headphones-work/

@inveterate_adventurer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inveterate_adventurer/?hl=en

Chapters: 0:00 Announcement 0:20 Getting to know Geoff 23:09 Musical Interlude 24:15 YouTube, Noise canceling, and whether anybody can beat Bose

Although Jorden has been working for about ten years in high-end hi-fi as part of our video team, to most he is a new face in the hi-fi scene. But he has the experience and he is also keenly award of trends that appeal to young music listeners and to electronics purchasers in general. So when he and Doug start talking about Jorden and his background and where he will take this podcast from here, it quickly turns into a discussion about what the hi-fi industry is doing right and wrong from their perspectives–which Jorden inadvertently turned into a love letter to the UK brand KEF.

The two also take a virtual tour of the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 by way of SoundStage! Global’s coverage by Hans Wetzel and Doug Schneider, and discuss three speakers that really stood out to Doug, which are featured in the coverage, as well as in an article by Doug on SoundStage! Hi-Fi this month.

Sources:

Florida International Audio Expo 2023 - Tampa, USA:  https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/florida-international-audio-expo-2023-tampa-usa

“The Best of Florida International Audio Expo 2023” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1762-the-best-of-florida-international-audio-expo-2023 

From there (38:46 to 55:59), they dig deep to get to the bottom of the most important question in the domain of audio reproduction: what makes a 500-watt amp sound different from a 250-watt amp?

Next (56:51 to 1:21:06): an in-depth conversation with Geoffrey Morrison, the new senior editor of SoundStage! Solo, about his plans for the publication and how his travels influence his taste in and experience with headphones and portable audio in general. Finally, Brent and Dennis take a few minutes to say goodbye and thanks to everyone who made this first season of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast possible. 

Sources: The Absolute Sound: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/

"World Premier - Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Class A Monoblocks" by Robert H. Levi: https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/zesto-audio-eros-500/

Bald Nomad: http://geoffreymorrison.com/

Next up (22:44 to 45:57), they return to the Harman target curve well yet again to talk about a new video from The Headphone Show, which discusses their move away from the Harman curve as a result of their adoption of the B&K 5128 head and torso simulator.

Finally (46:48 to 58:57), they wrap up this week’s episode with a bit of a retrospective and a look toward the future.

Sources:

"Best audio tech at CES 2023" by Hamish Hector: https://www.techradar.com/news/best-audio-tech-at-ces-2023-next-gen-soundbars-headphones-and-earbuds

"Say goodbye to the Harman target" by The Headphone Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut5WeqH0vcs

"New Headphone Measurement Target FAQ" by The Headphone Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-mcdEW66jc

"Introducing the newest SoundGuy: The Bruel & Kjaer 5128" by AJ Wykes: https://www.soundguys.com/introducing-the-newest-soundguy-the-bruel-kjaer-5128-45973/

“A Fond Farewell” by Brent Butterworth: https://soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/366-a-fond-farewell

Next up (27:03 to 45:43), they dig into a piece from Stereophile about the ways in which audio distribution is changing, especially at the higher end. That leads right into a conversation (46:27 to 1:01:40) about JBL hitting an important milestone in the headphone market, and what implications that may or may not have for the validity of the Harman curve. 

Sources:

"The 2022 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievement and Products of the Year" by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1747-the-2022-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievement-and-products-of-the-year

"Henry Kloss, Dead at 72" by David Lander: https://www.stereophile.com/news/11260/index.html

"Sivga SV023 Headphones Offer Outstanding Performance & Value for $450 - Take 2 Headphones" by Mike Perez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUaDnqOEg6w

"Re-Tales #27: Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes in the hi-fi industry" by Julie Mullins: https://www.stereophile.com/content/re-tales-27-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes-hi-fi-industry

"JBL Hits 200 Million Headphones Milestone": https://news.harman.com/releases/jbl-hits-200-million-headphones-milestone

Next up (21:43 to 43:40), they check out a recent video by YouTuber Cheapaudioman in which he blind-tested a mid-level power cable and compared its performance to a stock cable with the same model of amp. More importantly, they dig into the comments section, which is surprisingly constructive.

Wrapping things up this week (44:23 to 56:28), Brent and Dennis skim the surface of a new article by Joseph Taylor on SoundStage! Xperience titled “XTC, Curated,” and also discuss other entries in the series, which dig deep into the history and output of a variety of musical artists. 

Sources:

“2022 Golden Ear: Taiko Audio Extreme Music Server” by Matthew Clott: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2022-golden-ear-taiko-audio-extreme-music-server/

"The Art of Electronics, 3rd Edition" by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill: https://amzn.to/3Pmno96

"Do Power Cables Make a Difference? The Results Surprised Me - Blind Testing the Audioquest NRG-Z3" by Cheapaudioman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im1aKrc3A6E

“XTC, Curated” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/curator/1087-xtc-curated

“Curator” category page on SoundStage! Xperience: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/curator

Next up (22:25 to 39:08), they opine about something of a unicorn: an article about audiophilia in a completely mainstream publication. In this case, it’s a piece by Sasha Frere-Jones in the latest issue of Harper’s titled "Corner Club Cathedral Cocoon.”

In this week’s final segment (39:52 to 57:34), Brent and Dennis watch a new episode of SoundStage! Real Hi-Fi, in which founder Doug Schneider discusses what skateboarding and hi-fi have in common, and why the resurgence of popularity of the former is good for the latter. 

Sources:

"Headphones and the Harman target curve" on Audio Science Review: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/headphones-and-the-harman-target-curve.17914/page-18&mibextid=Zxz2cZ#post-1381960

"Where Are We At With The Harman Curve?" by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/217-where-are-we-at-with-the-harman-curve

"The Relationship between Perception and Measurement of Headphone Sound Quality" by Sean Olive: https://seanolive.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-relationship-between-perception-and.html

"Corner Club Cathedral Cocoon” by Sasha Frere-Jones: https://harpers.org/archive/2022/12/corner-club-cathedral-cocoon-audiophilia-and-its-discontents/

“View of the World from 9th Avenue: by Saul Steinberg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_of_the_World_from_9th_Avenue

“Hi-Fi Will Never Die, Because Skateboarding Didn't - SoundStage! Real Hi-Fi (Ep:48)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksUDpzu8gHA

“Rubik’s Cube: A Craze Ends” in The New York Times Archives: https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/30/business/rubik-s-cube-a-craze-ends.html

"Rubik’s Cube And Spin Master: A $50 Million Deal With Endless Possibilities" by Joan Verdon: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2020/11/15/rubiks-cube-and-spin-master-a-50-million-deal-with-endless-possibilities/

Steve was also kind enough to stick around for the second segment (20:54 to 46:15) to discuss Dolby Atmos for music and movies alike, as well as some particularly disastrous surround sound mixes from the DVD-A/SACD era. 

Wrapping things up this week (46:50 to 1:06:27), Brent and Dennis dig into two speaker-system reviews from Gordon Brockhouse on SoundStage! Simplifi: the new SVS Prime Wireless Pro, as well as the Totem Acoustic Kin Play Tower. Despite being superficially similar, in that they’re both speakers with their own internal amplification, these are actually two quite different products likely to appeal to two very different consumers.

Sources:

"Professor Choueiri perfected SPATIAL (3D) AUDIO!" by Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ484SKyOAc

"SVS Prime Wireless Pro Active Loudspeaker System" by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/217-svs-prime-wireless-pro-active-loudspeaker-system

“Totem Acoustic Kin Play Tower Powered Loudspeaker System” by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/216-totem-acoustic-kin-play-tower-powered-loudspeaker-system

Next (27:03 to 41:30) they unpack the news that Spotify is supposedly introducing a new $20 Platinum pricing tier that adds lossless hi-fi audio, as well as some other new features that are ill-defined as of yet. Will listeners be willing to pay $20 a month for CD-quality music, or is Spotify hoping the other doodads are the biggest draw?

In this week’s final segment (42:21 to 55:17), Brent and Dennis continue a time-honored tradition of vicariously visiting an audio show by way of SoundStage! Global’s coverage thereof. This time around, it’s Audio Video Show 2022, which was held in Warsaw, Poland. 

Sources:

"Lavardin ITx20 Review" by Alan Sircom: https://hifiplus.com/articles/lavardin-itx20-integrated-amplifier/

“The Most Important Algorithm Of All Time” by Veritasium: https://youtu.be/nmgFG7PUHfo

"Spotify could be readying a hi-res audio Platinum plan" by David Nield: https://www.techradar.com/news/spotify-could-be-readying-a-hi-res-audio-platinum-plan

"Audio Video Show 2022 - Warsaw, Poland" by Doug Schneider and Jason Thorpe: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2022-warsaw-poland 

Next (14:58 to 30:48) they pontificate a bit on a new review of the Nordost QNet network switch and QSource linear power supply in Stereophile, except they really don’t talk much about the review itself. Instead, they use it as a springboard for a discussion about which components make a real difference and which components don’t. They also answer the age-old question: “What’s the all-time best jazz-backed beat poem about critical thinking?”

In this week’s final segment (31:24 to 52:10), our dynamic duo uses SoundStage! editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz's “Europe Tour 2022” series as an excuse to talk about factory tours, the value thereof, and whether or not engineering tools can truly be considered beautiful. 

Sources:

"THX Spatial Audio on Qobuz: Listen with ANY Headphones!" by Jacob Green: https://www.audioholics.com/audio-technologies/thx-spatial-audio-qobuz

"Playlist: THX Spatial Audio" by Qobuz USA: https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/playlists/thx-spatial-audio-exclusive-tracks/10766496

"NAD C 399 Integrated Amplifier-DAC" by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1179-nad-c-399-integrated-amplifier-dac

"Storm" by Tim Minchin: https://youtu.be/jIWj3tI-DXg

"Giant Steps: A Player's Guide To Coltrane's Harmony for ALL Instrumentalists" by Walt Weiskopf & Ramon Ricker: https://amzn.to/3S6rT7M

“Björk: Sonic Symbolism”: https://pod.link/bjork

"Europe Tour 2022: Arriving in Vicenza and Visiting Sonus Faber" by Jeff Fritz: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1136-europe-tour-2022-arriving-in-vicenza-and-visiting-sonus-faber

"Europe Tour 2022: Sonus Faber Speaker Production and Design Lab" by Jeff Fritz: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1137-europe-tour-2022-sonus-faber-speaker-production-and-design-lab

Next (23:00 to 35:56) they dig deep into SoundStage! Global’s coverage of CanJam SoCal 2022. What were the highlights of the show for Brent? And which products did Dennis wish he could hear for himself? 

Wrapping things up this week, (36:38 to 46:25), they riff on some recent coverage of a new reel-to-reel tape machine by Metaxas & Sins that looks like it was designed by and for Tony Stark. If this is the future of high-end audio, count us in!

Sources:

"Why Surround Sound Doesn’t Make Sense for Music" by Andrew Heinzman: https://www.reviewgeek.com/129509/why-surround-sound-doesnt-make-sense-for-music/

"Jesse Ray Ernster & Bob Clearmountain on Mixing: 'We’re in!'" by John Baccigaluppi: https://tapeop.com/interviews/151/jesse-ray-ernster-bob-clearmountain-mixing/

"CanJam SoCal 2022 - Irvine, USA" by Brent Butterworth: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/canjam-socal-2022-irvine-usa

SoundStage! Newsletter Signup Form and Focal Celestee headphones giveaway (until Oct. 31, 2022): https://soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2698&Itemid=601

"2022 Golden Ear: Metaxas & Sins Tourbillon T-RX Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck" by Jonathan Valin: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2022-golden-ear-metaxas-sins-tourbillon-t-rx-reel-to-reel-tape-deck/

"Metaxas And Sins T-RX Portable Reel To Reel Finally In Production" at HiFi Pig: https://www.hifipig.com/metaxas-and-sins-t-rx-portable-reel-to-reel-finally-in-production/

Elusive Disc: https://elusivedisc.com/music/reel-to-reel-tape/

The Tape Project: https://tapeproject.com/

Next up (24:34 to 38:36) they react to the reporting on the announcement and release of Apple’s new second-generation AirPods Pro earphones, specifically the claim that these things block “two times as much noise.” Or is it “two times more noise”? And what do either of those things even mean? (Hint: they don’t mean the same thing.)

In the third segment (39:11 to 49:30), they dig deep into Gordon Brockhouse’s exciting new review of the JBL L75ms Integrated Music System for SoundStage! Simplifi. This all-in-one music player combines forward-thinking connectivity and crossover design with retro-yet-timeless styling, all wrapped in a gorgeous walnut cabinet, and Brent and Dennis are here for it.

Sources:

"SoundID SR for Headphones: A new Headphone Tuning Standard" by Helmuts Bems: https://www.sonarworks.com/blog/research/white-papeR

“Apple’s new AirPods Pro can cancel twice as much noise” by Chris Welch and Jay Peters: https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/7/23327631/apple-airpods-pro-new-second-gen-specs-price-release-date-features

"Phiaton 900 Legacy Bluetooth Headphones" by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/headphones/349-phiaton-900-legacy-bluetooth-headphones

“JBL L75ms Integrated Music System” by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/211-jbl-l75ms-integrated-music-system

Next up (15:26 to 37:09) they dig into the August issue of AudioXpress, which is dedicated to acoustics and acoustical treatments. Unsurprisingly, Brent and Dennis have opinions about how the high-end audio industry covers room acoustics, including the fact that the most thorough and conclusive research on this subject has largely been ignored.

And for something completely different (38:06 to 51:00), they discuss a recent SoundStage! Access article by Dennis about Midjourney, a text-to-image neural network that might give some insights into public perception of the audiophile hobby. 

Sources:

“Sacred Bones Resurrects the Objectively Greatest Audio Format: The 8-Track” by Grace Scott: https://www.creem.com/fresh-creem/sacred-bones-records-sacred-8-track-townes-van-zandt

“8-track player shootout” by Brent Butterworth: http://nebula.wsimg.com/70d6cc9f190ef501628c12bc8abc0c89?AccessKeyId=DF4B3AC4447AE4612BF0&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 [PDF]

“Acoustics and Great Audio Electronics in audioXpress August 2022”: https://audioxpress.com/news/acoustics-and-great-audio-electronics-in-audioxpress-august-2022

"Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms (Audio Engineering Society Presents) 3rd Edition" by Floyd E. Toole: https://amzn.to/3D029FY

“What Do Our Future A.I. Overlords Think About Hi-Fi?” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1212-what-do-our-future-a-i-overlords-think-about-hi-fi

"I Went Viral in the Bad Way: A few lessons from my mistake" by Charlie Warzel: https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/galaxy-brain/62fc502abcbd490021afea1e/twitter-viral-outrage-ai-art/

Next up (14:27 to 28:28) they springboard off an article about the 60th anniversary of Stereophile to discuss how that publication changed the way we read and write about audio, how the industry has changed since the magazine launched, as well as how much it has changed since John Atkinson became editor in the late 1980s. 

Finally (29:09 to 47:43), they dig into SoundStage! Hi-Fi’s coverage of the 2022-2023 EISA Awards. What are these awards, how are they selected, who votes on them, and which of the awards resonates most with Brent and Dennis? 

Sources:

“Data Suggests Inflation-Impacted High-Income Consumers are ‘Trading Down’” by Ted Green: https://www.strata-gee.com/data-suggests-inflation-impacted-high-income-consumers-are-trading-down/

"60 Years of Stereophile!" by John Atkinson: https://www.stereophile.com/content/60-years-stereophile

"Do That Voodoo That You Do" by Brent Butterworth: https://archive.org/details/home-theater-october-1996/page/n120/mode/2up?view=theater

"EISA's Best Products of 2022–2023" by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/eisa/2022-2023-awards/2022-2023-hi-fi/1730-eisas-best-products-of-2022-2023-hi-fi

"Sonus Faber Omnia Wireless Music System review" by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/203-sonus-faber-omnia-wireless-music-system

"EISA HI-FI AWARDS 2022-23" by Darko Audio: https://youtu.be/reAviL5aRk4

They follow that with a discussion (16:05 to 38:05) about a new blog post from The Absolute Sound’s Tom Martin that effectively presents bad measurements as proof that measurements are bad.

Finally (38:54 to 51:20), they dig into part two of Copper Magazine’s coverage of the AES Europe Spring 2022 convention, specifically a paper titled “Survey of User Perspectives on Headphone Technology.” There are some interesting revelations here. Will they influence the way Brent reviews headphones? And what do these data tell us about where, when, and how people are using headphones? The results might surprise you. 

Sources:

"KEF LS60 Wireless Active Speaker System” review by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/209-kef-ls60-wireless-active-speaker-system

"Philosophical Notes: What Is the Trouble with Measurements?" by Tom Martin: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/philosophical-notes-what-is-the-trouble-with-measurements

“AES Europe Spring 2022, Part Two” by John Seetoo: https://www.psaudio.com/copper/article/aes-europe-spring-2022-part-two/

“Survey of User Perspectives on Headphone Technology” by Milap Rane, Philip Coleman, Russell Mason, and Søren Bech: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=21669

Next up (16:24 to 28:15), they dig back through the Stereophile archives to discuss a review of the Monitor Audio Studio 20 loudspeaker written by Robert Harley in 1991, complete with measurements by John Atkinson. Monitor Audio is a brand beloved by Brent and Dennis alike, so this throwback review gives them both the opportunity to reflect on just how much has changed in the world of loudspeaker design in the past 30 years. 

Finally (28:50 to 39:20), they dig into James Hale’s latest “Art+Tech” column on SoundStage! Experience, in which he explores the music of Charles Lloyd through a pair of different iFi Audio DACs, including the same Zen One Signature, which Dennis recently fell in love with and added to his reference stereo system. Somehow or another, though, this leads right back to a discussion about vinyl. 

Sources:

"Mobile Fidelity UPDATE New details on the current Controversy" by The 'In' Groove: https://youtu.be/mrahjsfJBc8

"Mobile Fidelity - Interview on Mastering With Shawn Britton, Krieg Wunderlich & Rob LoVerde" by The 'In' Groove: https://youtu.be/shg0780YgAE

"Michael Fremer from Tracking Angle Focus on the MoFi Video" by 45 RPM Audiophile: https://youtu.be/Xl15-RC3wMU

"Did Mobile Fidelity Lie?? The evidence examined (with a surprise at the end!)" by poetryonplastic: https://youtu.be/S6kFRQ9NTDw

"Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab VINYL, oops!" by Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac: https://youtu.be/B-_1lL3tfS0

“Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece” by Ashley Kahn https://www.dacapopress.com/titles/ashley-kahn/kind-of-blue/9780306815584/

"Monitor Audio Studio 20 loudspeaker review" by Robert Harley (First Published on Dec 1, 1991): https://www.stereophile.com/content/monitor-audio-studio-20-loudspeaker

"The iFi Audio Zen One Signature and Go Bar Open the Door to Charles Lloyd’s Chapel" by James Hale: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/art-tech/1075-the-ifi-audio-zen-one-signature-and-go-bar-open-the-door-to-charles-lloyd-s-chapel

"iFi Audio Zen One Signature Digital-to-Analog Converter review" by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1197-ifi-audio-zen-one-signature-digital-to-analog-converter

Next up (24:44 to 36:46), they geek out over a really wild new speaker from Pitt & Giblin, which looks like a steampunk analog audiophile dream, but is powered by the latest in active class-D technology. That leads right into a sort of philosophical musing by John Darko of Darko Audio about a category he’s dubbed “Future-Fi.” 

Finally (37:18 to 51:10), they dig into a piece by SoundStage! editorial overlord Jeff Fritz about why audio journalists review some brands and not others. This gives Brent and Dennis the opportunity to discuss their somewhat different philosophies about what to review and why, and how PR and brand recognition play into the products they write about. 

Sources:

“Ansuz Acoustics Sortz” by Anthony Kershaw: https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2022/3/15/p3by3j4tge7ua99hujode955rfnuqg

SEESII Portable TinySA Spectrum Analyzer: https://amzn.to/3z2EsKK

Australian Manufacturer Pitt & Giblin's New Dynamic Duo” by SoundStage! Australia News Editor: https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/news/677-australian-manufacturer-pitt-giblins-new-dynamic-duo

"Is this the future of hi-fi? (I think it might be)" by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2022/07/is-this-the-future-of-hi-fi-i-think-it-might-be/

“The Curious Case of Avalon Acoustics” by Jeff Fritz: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1122-the-curious-case-of-avalon-acoustics

Next up (15:51 to 34:44), they take a call from Gordon Sauck, owner of Innovative Audio, Canada’s “largest vintage audio emporium.” Gordon shares some thoughts about Dennis’ recent article on the appeal of vintage gear, as well as some anecdotes about what his customers are looking for, what they’re buying, and what he considers the golden age for stereo receivers.

Finally (35:36 to 56:08), Dennis picks Brent’s brain about Chi-Fi earphones. What are they, why is Brent reviewing so many of them here recently, and is that term problematic or what? 

Sources:

McIntosh LB200 Light Box: https://shop.mcintoshlabs.com/collections/gifts/products/lb200-light-box

“Why Is Vintage Audio So Hot Right Now?” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1196-why-is-vintage-audio-so-hot-right-now

Innovative Audio homepage: http://vintageaudio.ca/

“KZ x Crinacle CRN Earphones” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/earphones/334-kz-x-crinacle-crn-earphones

“CCA C10 Earphones” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/earphones/319-cca-c10-earphones

“NiceHCK DB3 Earphones” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/earphones/339-nicehck-db3-earphones

“TinHiFi T3 Plus Earphones” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/earphones/340-tinhifi-t3-plus-earphones

Next up (17:46 to 44:32), SoundStage! Founder Doug Schneider calls in to discuss gear measurements from a publisher’s perspective. Are they bad for business? Do they alienate manufacturers? Are they useful to readers? And how do they help subjective reviewers support or defend their observations?

Wrapping things up (44:32 to end), Brent and Dennis give their thoughts on one of the most overused but poorly defined terms in audio: “resolving.” What does it mean in terms of speakers? Is “highly resolving” a good thing or a bad thing? A few videos from PS Audio’s Paul McGowan might give us some insight.  

Sources: SoundStage! Network landing page: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/

”Introducing dCS Lina” by TAS Staff: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/introducing-dcs-lina

“You Don't NEED an Amplifier” by Crinacle+ https://youtu.be/a3moaaOpYZM

PSB Speakers - 50 Years | Full Documentary: https://youtu.be/i_qy0dZDX8Q

“Can Speakers Be Too Resolving?” by PS Audio: https://youtu.be/6XFn8JPIr40

“Resolving Loudspeakers” by PS Audio: https://youtu.be/qPpr9g_i7xw

“What Speakers Have Resolving Power?” by PS Audio: https://youtu.be/PkErAEp7y0o

“What Measurements Can We Hhear?” by PS Audio: https://youtu.be/KHTYqOm3Y8c

Next, the coverage of High End 2022 in Munich continues in the form of a discussion with SoundStage! editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz, who calls in to give his hot takes. 

Wrapping things up, Brent and Dennis ask and attempt to answer a simple question: How long does it actually take us to evaluate the sound of a new piece of audio gear? The answer may surprise you. 

Sources: "How We Listen" by Gordon Brockhouse: https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/feature-articles/204-how-we-listen

"Listener Preferences in Streamed Music" by Jon Allan and Susanna Leijonhufvud: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=21557

“High End 2022 - Munich, Germany” by Doug Schneider, Jeff Fritz, Jonathan Gorse, and Edgar Kramer: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2022-munich-germany

"High End 2022: Jeff's Hot Takes" by Jeff Fritz: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2022-munich-germany/1015-he-2022-jeffs-hot-takes

“A Short Film About the KEF LS60 Wireless” by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2022/05/a-short-film-about-the-kef-ls60-wireless/