Best Brent Butterworth Podcasts (2025)

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Rock-Solid Sound: Acora Acoustics’ Luxury Stone Speakers 34:31

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43m ago34:31

34:31

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Valerio Cora, founder and CEO of Acora Acoustics Corporation, to discuss the manufacturing of stone speakers (no, you read that correctly), how relying on exotic materials affects decisions about where and how to manufacturer, and what it means to deliver a luxury experience. S…

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“Monkeys Farting Into Metal Trash Cans” 1:03:07

8d ago1:03:07

1:03:07

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent do some sleuthing work to ascertain whether a crackpot article about Tom Waits is A.I. slop or just straight-up plagiarism, and whether or not Dr. Sean Olive has a substance-abuse problem. Then they sort through two lists of speakers that audiophiles all…

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From Cars to Hi-Fi: Toyota Principles Drive the Paradigm Group's Premium Sound 46:59

13d ago46:59

46:59

In this episode, host Jorden Guth talks with Badar Qureshi, president of PML Sound International—the company behind Paradigm, Anthem, MartinLogan, and GoldenEar Technology—about how his years at Toyota shaped his approach to building world-class audio gear. They discuss where and how each brand’s products are made, why lean manufacturing matters in…

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“We’re Free to Suck In a Way AI Is Not” 1:12:53

23d ago1:12:53

1:12:53

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent dive deep into the subject of infrasonics by way of a “studio-quality” MP3 album that tunes baroque music to the planet’s Schumann resonance and thus allows you to be calm and focused (i.e., the sonic opposite of Audio Unleashed), and they also ponder th…

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On the Water (Literally) with Ian Colquhoun of Axiom, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab 31:22

27d ago31:22

31:22

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is is once again joined by Ian Colquhoun, founder of Axiom Audio. This time, they’re on Ian’s boat having a conversation about the ins and outs and what-have-yous of hi-fi manufacturing in the 21st century, with topics including the current trade war, as well as the unconsidered logistics o…

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“Safe, Predictable, Mass-Produced Crap” 59:01

1M ago59:01

59:01

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent ponder the questions that everyone ought to be asking: Why hasn’t anyone tested speaker isolation devices before now? (Like, really tested them, not just gauged their emotional reaction to them.) Why does AI music sound so much more convincing than AI im…

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Silence Speaks: Hi-Fi Truths from an Anechoic Chamber with Andrew Welker 35:18

1M ago35:18

35:18

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Andrew Welker, Chief Product Officer at Colquhoun Audio Laboratories, owner of Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab, This podcast is a first for us: it is recorded entirely inside an anechoic chamber! The two discuss Welker’s history with hi-fi, as well as the importance of…

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“Pandering to McDonald’s to Get Free Coffee” 1:02:56

2M ago1:02:56

1:02:56

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent wonder why Stereophile killed the comments section on their website (besides the magazine’s desperate quest to deprive Audio Unleashed of a reliable source of entertainment). Next, they speculate about how juicy a deal reviewer Cameron Oatley got for voi…

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Inside VECO—KEF’s Breakthrough Active-Speaker Technology 39:11

2M ago39:11

39:11

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined once again by Jack Oclee-Brown, VP of Technology at KEF, to discuss the company’s new VECO technology, what inspired it, how it works, how it was developed, and the new products that rely heavily on it. Sources: “Xio with VECO: KEF’s Revolutionary Velocity Control Technology in It…

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Why We’re Holding Episode 8 — KEF Has Something Big Coming! 1:00

2M ago1:00

1:00

Due to an embargo on confidential information, we have to delay the release of our 8th episode this season until July 8. In that episode, we'll feature a podcast with KEF's VP of Technology, Jack O'Clee-Brown, discussing some exciting new KEF loudspeaker technology!By SoundStage! | The SoundStage! Network | Schneider Publishing Inc.

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“Like the ‘NASCAR Fans’ of Audio” 1:10:06

2M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent yet again ponder the question of whether or not CDs are making a legitimate comeback. Then they deconstruct one of Stereophile’s most controversial columns in ages. And what’s up with Zu Audio’s new speaker. Is this thing legit or what? 💿 Michael Gaughn’…

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Paul Hales Unleashed: The Realities of Global Audio Manufacturing 50:40

2M ago50:40

50:40

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined once again by Pro Audio Technology owner/president L. Paul Hales, who shares his unique perspective about manufacturing in America and overseas, why different products for his different brands are made where they are made, how the current trade war chaos is affecting manufacturing…

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“Snake Oil is Snake Oil, Right?” 1:07:24

3M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent discuss Darko’s coverage of the Munich High End show, including his insistence that he’s noping out of trade shows going forward. Will we really never see him again IRL? Next up: did Audio Judgement do this crossover A/B blind test right … and can a chan…

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Bye-Bye Munich! High End 2025 Recap 39:45

3M ago39:45

39:45

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth chats with SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe about his adventures at High End 2025, the final year in Munich. Jason was there with SoundStage! Contributor Matt Bonaccio and SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider. They dig into the best gear Jason saw, his sense of larger trends, and what th…

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“Steve Irwin and Charles Darwin Owned the Same Tortoise” 1:03:49

3M ago1:03:49

1:03:49

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent catch up with all the news we should have covered last episode, including the Harman acquisition of Sound United, and what it means for the fate of Bowers & Wilkins, Dolby, and the half-dozen audio dealers left in the U.S. Then they ask The Absolute Soun…

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Built in the Netherlands: The Heart of Siltech, Crystal Cable, HMS, and Sphinx 50:38

3M ago50:38

50:38

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is sits down for a one-on-one with Gabi Rynveld, PR and brand ambassador for International Audio Holding, to discuss the history of Siltech and Crystal cable, the importance of manufacturing in the Netherlands, how distinct companies maintain their personality and brand identity under the u…

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“Colorless green ideas sleep furiously” 1:03:23

4M ago1:03:23

1:03:23

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent dig into the news about a new $25/month music streaming service that claims it’s the first to deliver lossless and immersive audio. (Please don’t tell Apple Music or Qobuz or Tidal or Amazon!) Then they look on as an AudioXpress writer does a Marianas Tr…

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The Science and Precision Behind KEF’s Speaker Production 31:43

4M ago31:43

31:43

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Jack Oclee-Brown, VP of Technology at KEF, to discuss the decisions that go into what products are made where, and the intricate relationship between measurements and manufacturing. Sources: “KEF’s Jack Oclee-Brown” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.…

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“Maybe We’re the Chumps” 56:49

4M ago56:49

56:49

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent deconstruct the latest column by Stereophile’s editor-in-chief and contemplate whether his position on spooky woo-woo has devolved in the past decade. Then they ogle cool amps and preamps on AliExpress that borrow revered brands yet cost only hundreds—an…

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Dutch Decibels: The Netherlands-Built Sound of Dutch & Dutch 30:07

4M ago30:07

30:07

This week, host Jorden Guth joins Martijn Mensink of Dutch & Dutch to discuss what aspects of the company’s beloved 8c speakers are made where, how the decision is made to craft some things in-house and outsource other elements, why driver manufacturing and DSP development are very different enterprises, and what the future holds for the design and…

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“More Useful Than Five Years’ Worth of Audio Magazines” 55:47

5M ago55:47

55:47

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent explore the fast-growing world of made-to-order lathe-cut records – and even play one for you! (Prepare to be … well, prepared.) Then they delight in some made-to-order pink noise from Erin’s Audio Corner, and deconstruct Holly Cole’s new made-to-order (…

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Made-in-Germany Hi-Fi and Playback-Control Software from T+A 29:02

5M ago29:02

29:02

In this week’s episode, host Jorden Guth chats with T+A elektroakustik COO Conradin Amft to learn more about the value proposition of where components are manufactured, why German manufacturing still has value in and of itself irrespective of the financial considerations, and why the choice fo where to manufacture is different for products with and…

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“Not Understanding What Nirvana Means” 1:00:14

5M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent stop by Strata-gee to see how Sonos is strategorizing to scramble back to the summit of the sound souk with a new … oh, wait, change in plans! Then they ally themselves (very conditionally) with a British-ish mastering engineer who contends that high-pri…

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Dynaudio's Otto Jørgensen: Made in Denmark and Elsewhere 34:45

5M ago34:45

34:45

This week, host Jorden Guth chats with Dynaudio’s Otto Jørgensen about the company’s manufacturing processes, its massive Jupiter speaker-measuring room and how it compares to anechoic chambers, and why some things must still be made locally from a practical perspective. They also dig into why you can’t look at the “Made in X” label on a component …

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“Fun and Depressing at the Same Time!” 1:10:02

5M ago1:10:02

1:10:02

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent page through the storied Gray Lady (known to some as the New York Times and to Brent as “employer”) and find, to their amazement, an in-depth profile of high-end vinyl company Acoustic Sounds and its iconoclastic proprietor, Chad Kassem. Then they check …

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The World's Greatest Speakerman? Sandy Gross: From Polk to Definitive to GoldenEar and Beyond 58:40

6M ago58:40

58:40

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by industry legend Sandy Gross to discuss his passion for hi-fi and his insider perspective on the three brands he co-founded and remains mostly closely associated with: Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, and GoldenEar Technology. Sources: “The 2024 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Pr…

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“Ignorance Is Such a Rare Commodity” 1:02:05

6M ago1:02:05

1:02:05

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent unexpectedly flip the phase of their podcast by lavishly praising another audio pundit. But they quickly get back to business with an in-depth report on what might be the most preposterous subwoofer review (and most preposterous subwoofer setup) in a lon…

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Dr. Sean Olive on the Harman Target and Its Myriad Alternatives 41:16

6M ago41:16

41:16

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined once again by Dr. Sean Olive, senior fellow at Harman International, to dive deeper into the development of the Harman target curve for headphones, the reason why so many alternative target headphone curves have cropped up in recent years, and what it all means for music fans. Sources: “Sound Researcher Dr. Sea…

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“Make Quad Great Again!” 1:15:51

6M ago1:15:51

1:15:51

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis wonders why a writer for The Atlantic is wondering why his cheap Bluetooth speaker can’t generate the feeling of community he got at a Beyoncé concert, while Brent wonders why Dennis was reading The Atlantic. Then they dig into a recent article on acoustics by one…

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A Completely Different Speaker—Ole Siig of Treble Clef Audio 56:21

7M ago56:21

56:21

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Ole Siig to discuss his history in hi-fi and the development and design of Treble Clef Audio’s distinctive and much-ballyhooed TCA-M active loudspeaker, which the SoundStage! Network video team covered when they traveled to Denmark last year to cover. Sources: “Treble Clef Audio's TCA-M Loudspeaker—Danish, A…

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“It’s Like Jan Brady!” 1:01:26

7M ago1:01:26

1:01:26

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent discuss Danny Ritchie’s diagnosis of the legendary Wilson WATT/Puppy; can he find the cure for questionable engineering? Then they ponder whether Spotify is truly evil, and what malice might lurk in the hearts of other streaming services. And they wrap u…

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Hi-Fi Entrepreneur Peter Lyngdorf—The Follow-Up Interview 58:29

7M ago58:29

58:29

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by hi-fi industry legend Peter Lyngdorf for a supplemental chat, following the release of SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider’s one-on-one video interview on the SoundStage! Network YouTube channel. Peter Lyngdorf is the founder of many hi-fi brands, including DALI, Lyngdorf Audio, Steinway Lyngdorf, and he is a…

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“A Penthouse Forum Thing?” 1:14:20

7M ago1:14:20

1:14:20

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent discuss how spending money and seeing measurements can influence subjective listening impressions, take a weird vicarious trip to a Japanese Kissa, and listen to a direct comparison between the same digital master delivered on a variety of different medi…

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All-Disc Playback: Rob Jones, President of Magnetar Audio North America 39:52

8M ago39:52

39:52

Do discs matter anymore? This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Rob Jones, president of Magnetar Audio North America, to discuss the brand’s high-performance universal disc players, the fuzzy lines between hi-fi and home theater, and the future of physical media. Source: “Magnetar UDP900 4K Ultra HD Universal Blu-ray Disc Player–DAC” by Roger Kan…

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“Inner Detail Inception!” 59:38

8M ago59:38

59:38

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, while the Audiophiliac (Steve Guttenberg) questions whether we can trust audio reviewers, Dennis and Brent decide whether we can trust Steve Guttenberg. Then they make the mistake of watching one the audio world’s cringiest videos, in which audio icon Mark Levinson t…

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Back to Speaker Basics: Axiom Audio’s New Performance44 Series 33:11

8M ago33:11

33:11

Axiom is a Canadian loudspeaker brand founded by Ian Colquhoun in 1980. It was one of the first companies to adopt the design principles based on the research Dr. Floyd Toole was conducting at Canada’s National Research Council (NRC). Today, Colquhoun not only owns Axiom Audio, but also Bryston and Magnum Dynalab. This week, host Jorden Guth is joi…

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“The Streisand Effect” 1:06:01

8M ago1:06:01

1:06:01

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis dig into the latest drama surrounding a sus audio manufacturer trying to suppress bad press; riff on yet another article about the increasing appeal of vintage audio gear; and talk about king-of-all-audio-media John Darko’s experimentations with diff…

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2024 SoundStage! Awards for Products of the Year and Outstanding Achievements 39:18

8M ago39:18

39:18

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider to discuss the 2024 SoundStage! Awards for Products of the Year and Outstanding Achievements. Doug gives the insight on what the awards me and how they are chosen, as well as explain the special awards video SoundStage! created with singer Kellylee Evans. Sources: “The 2024…

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“Not Only Clickbait, But Ragebait!” 56:57

9M ago56:57

56:57

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis bemoan the sordid tasks mainstream tech journalists are forced to do these days; dig deep into the current state of audio recording methods as an excuse to promote Brent’s new album; and shine a light on a great review of FiiO’s new portable CD playe…

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Stereos: What's the Stuff in the Middle? 54:21

9M ago54:21

54:21

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by podcast producer and SoundStage! Access editor Dennis Burger to discuss his latest editorial, “The Stuff in the Middle.” The premise: everyone understands what source devices are. They also know speakers. But these days, most normies doesn’t have a clue what black boxes go in between—if there’s anything betw…

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“This Took a Turn for the Kinky!” 1:09:31

9M ago1:09:31

1:09:31

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis welcome headphone expert and friend of the podcast Lauren Dragan to answer the question: does the new hearing-aid functionality of Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 really work, or is it just another quickly tacked-on feature everybody else will have to copy? Bu…

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Norwegian Loudspeaker Disruptor: Arendal Sound Founder Jan Lassesen 59:46

9M ago59:46

59:46

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Jan Lassesen, founder of Norway’s Arendal Sound, to discuss the company’s origins and history, its distinctive philosophy, the benefits of direct-to-consumer sales, and the evolution of the product line that has led to the 1528 series. Sources: EISA Awards: Home Theater Audio 2020-2021: https://www.soundstag…

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“Celebrating Sonic Diversity!” 1:03:01

10M ago1:03:01

1:03:01

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis learn a thing or four about how everything they thought they knew about modern class-D amps was totally wrong; discuss some new FTC rules that might actually affect the audio industry (or at least, the high-end audio industry), and dig into a review …

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Warsaw Audio Video Show 2024 Recap - Traveling | Warsaw Vibe | Rooms and Demos | Bad Music 1:05:53

10M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe to discuss Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2024, including what was different about this year, what was the same, and what it all means for the state of the hi-fi industry. Sources: SoundStage! Audio Video Show 2024 coverage from Warsaw, …

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“If Marc Maron Can Do It, So Can We!” 53:39

10M ago53:39

53:39

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis finally lift the lid on the secret Audiophile Society project Brent has been teasing for months, dive deep(ish) into the subject of soundstage in headphones, and check out a new video from Audioholics’ Gene DellaSala about whether or not you should u…

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Rebroadcast: Bernie Grundman, The Music Master 40:20

10M ago40:20

40:20

Host Jorden Guth’s new baby finally made his debut, so we’re taking a break again this week and resharing one of our favorite season 2 episodes, in which Jorden was joined by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to discuss what mastering is, what it isn’t, how it differs from remastering, and why vinyl sometimes sounds better than digital. …

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“The One with Sandy Gross!” 1:08:25

11M ago1:08:25

1:08:25

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis are joined by industry legend Sandy Gross—co-founder of Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, and GoldenEar Technology—to reflect on the legacy of Sound & Vision and its forebear Stereo Review, following the news that S&V is ceasing print circulation. A…

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New Loudspeakers Galore - DALI | Treble Clef Audio | Radiant Acoustics | Arendal Sound | Focal 53:03

11M ago53:03

53:03

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider to discuss all of the hot new speakers coming out right now, including models from DALI, Treble Clef Audio, Radiant Acoustics, Arendal Sound, and Focal. They dig deep into the specifics, and also touch on why so many new and noteworthy loudspeakers are coming out now. Sourc…

1
“Yub Nub, Baby!” 1:03:30

11M ago1:03:30

1:03:30

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Brent and Dennis discuss the death of music hard drives (and the inevitable doom of all music recordings?); riff on a cut’n’paste review of a Coherence Systems… something or other, and worry whether a podcast they created about the Harman target curve using A.I. migh…

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Take a Break and Reflect - Anthony Grimani on Speakers, Rooms, Acoustics 1:12:31

11M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Host Jorden Guth is expecting another child with his wife. Producer Dennis Burger has a few written reviews to catch up on for the SoundStage! Network. As a result, we decided it is a good time to take a quick break before we resume season 3 in a couple of weeks. But we're not going to leave you hanging with nothing to listen to. Jorden Guth went t…