SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

Four Seasons of Sound—From the Beginning to Episode 100

For this landmark 100th episode (Season 4, Episode 22), current host Jorden Guth is joined by original hosts Dennis Burger and Brent Butterworth for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolution of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast. Together, they look back at how the show began, why it needed to change, and how it has grown across four seasons into what it is today.
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
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions00:01:04 The origins of the podcast00:05:23 Passing the baton to Jorden00:10:40 Technical difficulties00:15:48 Turn, turn, turn00:28:31 Why we care where it’s made00:37:12 We get comments!00:43:25 Doug’s master plan00:48:07 Outro music: “Bamba African Market” by Kaleido Sea 

Electrocompaniet: Born in Norway, Still Built There

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Lasse Danielsen, sales and marketing director at Electrocompaniet, for a conversation that blends personal history with company heritage. Danielsen talks about a lifelong obsession with music, the role of happenstance in bringing him to Electrocompaniet, and how those same values are reflected in the brand itself. 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 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions00:04:57 A fateful conversation00:07:45 Job transitions00:10:36 A brief history of Electrocompaniet00:15:10 The Michael Jackson connection00:18:30 Another gold-dust moment00:20:17 Westcontrol enters the chat00:25:42 A question of off-shoring00:28:48 New preamp, who dis?00:39:36 Outro music: “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish

It’s T-Time: Inside Norway’s Vinyl Pressing Plant

Host Jorden Guth travels to Stavanger, Norway, to visit T-Time Vinyl Plant, where he sits down with general manager Sigve Håland to discuss how the facility came to be, why it’s located where it is, and how modern vinyl records are actually made. The conversation then moves step by step through the pressing process—from lacquers and stampers to presses, cooling, and quality control—explaining what truly matters for sound quality in today’s vinyl era.
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 Announcement00:00:31 Origin stories00:04:10 Norwegian . . . vinyl?00:07:14 Good vibes00:10:53 Why press locally?00:12:59 Keep cool, man!00:16:36 Pellets to platters00:19:49 QC00:22:37 What about the rejects?00:28:17 The future of T-Time00:30:44 Outro music: “There” by Lake Jons

Arendal Sound’s Big Leap: Innovation, Impact, and a Transformational Year

This week on the 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦! 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵, host Jorden Guth sits down on location with Arendal Sound founder and CEO Jan Ove Lassesen to look back at the company’s most pivotal year to date. Following the launch of the flagship 1528 series—its most ambitious engineering project yet—Arendal Sound has experienced rapid growth and major operational shifts.
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 Announcement00:00:31 Catching up with Jan00:06:28 R&D as a time-saver, Klippel as a space-saver00:09:26 Prototyping00:11:37 The long and winding road from manufacturer to consumer00:20:48 The right solution for the right customer00:22:52 The shipping problem00:26:45 The path forward00:34:00 Outro music: “Somni” by Lake Union

Inside VinnieRossi: From Red Wine Audio to the Brama Series

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Vinnie Rossi, founder of VinnieRossi. They trace his path in audio—from the beginnings of Red Wine Audio (a name inspired by the Italian translation of “Vinnie Rossi”) to the creation of the VinnieRossi brand and its flagship Brama series. Vinnie also talks about where his products are built, why those manufacturing choices matter, and how they shape his design approach.
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 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:26 The road to Red Wine00:16:32 A change of names00:33:21 Where it’s made and why00:39:50 A choice of tubes00:44:33 Outro music: “Mon Amour” by ANBR

Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025: What Made This Year Stand Out

Host Jorden Guth talks with SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe about Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025—what sets it apart from other hi-fi events, their favorite gear finds, and whether optical phono cartridges are the future or just a niche.
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 Announcement00:00:31 The road to Warsaw00:04:27 New gear, who dis?00:09:37 The business of audio shows00:15:40 Optical vinyl?00:22:45 Why Jason isn’t holding space for the CD revival00:27:00 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

Carved from Sound: Diapason’s Alessandro Schiavi and the New Didascalìa

Host Jorden Guth visits Diapason founder Alessandro Schiavi in Brescia, Italy, to talk about his lifelong pursuit of musical realism and the art of building speakers by hand. Schiavi traces his journey from teenage recording engineer to maker of some of Italy’s most beautiful loudspeakers, explains why every cabinet is still crafted locally from aged walnut and olive wood, and introduces his latest creation—the Didascalìa, a stunning two-way floorstander debuting today.
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 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions 00:10:26 The case for natural materials00:15:00 Handcrafted artistry00:20:31 Didascalìa00:31:15 Trying to please all the people all the time00:35:56 Outro music: “Under a Weary Moon” by Ziv Moran

Inside Technics: Where Analog Warmth Meets Digital Precision

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Bill Voss, Business Development Manager (US) for Technics, to explore the brand’s long history within Panasonic and its continued dedication to reproducing music with accuracy and emotion. Voss discusses how Technics has carried its legacy of analog excellence into the digital era, why innovation remains central to its identity, and how the company’s blend of precision engineering and musical warmth continues to deliver true audio bliss.
Sources:
“WHY Music Enthusiasts Still Love VINYL Records!” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/uaastkHfUsM?si=ynTbigAuTdyIL_YT
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:16 Six Degrees of Technics00:12:52 The distinction between Technics and Panasonic00:18:10 Can you call it a comeback?00:26:14 Why vinyl?00:43:44 Outro music: “Stick Around” by Max Hixon