SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Made-in-Germany Hi-Fi and Playback-Control Software from T+A Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

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 without software.

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

Dynaudio's Otto Jørgensen: Made in Denmark and Elsewhere Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

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 and truly tell where it’s made.

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

The World's Greatest Speakerman? Sandy Gross: From Polk to Definitive to GoldenEar and Beyond Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

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 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

Dr. Sean Olive on the Harman Target and Its Myriad Alternatives Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

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. 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

A Completely Different Speaker—Ole Siig of Treble Clef Audio Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

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, 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

Hi-Fi Entrepreneur Peter Lyngdorf—The Follow-Up Interview Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

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 also the founder the the HiFi Klubben retail chain, which has nearly 100 stores throughout Europe.

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

All-Disc Playback: Rob Jones, President of Magnetar Audio North America Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

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 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

Back to Speaker Basics: Axiom Audio’s New Performance44 Series Jan 03, 2025

Show notes

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 joined by Ian Colquhoun to discuss the value engineering that made the company’s new Performance44 loudspeaker line possible.

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

2024 SoundStage! Awards for Products of the Year and Outstanding Achievements Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

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 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

Stereos: What's the Stuff in the Middle? Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

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 between them at all.

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

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