SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

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

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 manufacture of products of its type.
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 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions00:21:43 Unexpected lessons00:26:24 Outro music: “Get it Right” by Water on Mars

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

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 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions/What gets built where and why?00:14:44 The software factor00:26:36 “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran

Dynaudio's Otto Jørgensen: Made in Denmark and Elsewhere

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 Announcement00:00:31 How Jupiter drives development00:15:00 The manufacturing process00:31:46 “Raising the Stakes” by T Bless and the Professionals

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

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 Announcement00:00:30 Introductions00:09:55 The origins of Polk Audio00:21:30 That famous labcoat advert00:26:01 Lights, camera . . . action?00:29:14 The road to Definitive00:36:02 Music Break: “Hypnotized” by Ian Post00:37:02 GoldenEar and the art of the demo00:43:05 A Triton by any other name00:54:19 Outro: “Blown Again” by Morphlexis

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

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 Announcement00:00:30 Introductions00:02:09 A deeper dive into the origins of the Harman target curve00:18:26 Music Break: “Rush Hour” by Peter John00:19:24 Everybody and his brother has a target headphone curve00:38:02 Outro: “Piano Concerto (Ravel)” by Ohad Ben-Ari

A Completely Different Speaker—Ole Siig of Treble Clef Audio

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 Announcement00:00:30 The origins of Treble Clef00:21:00 Music Break: “Heavy Traffic” by Amos Ever Hadani00:22:20 What makes the TCA-M different?00:53:00 Outro: “Baker St” by Duffmusiq

Hi-Fi Entrepreneur Peter Lyngdorf—The Follow-Up Interview

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 Announcement00:00:30 Origin stories00:20:12 Music Break: “Less Than Tomorrow” by Raphaël Angelini00:22:44 A different approach to room correction00:54:09 Outro: “The Desert” by Patrick Ussher

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

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 Announcement00:00:30 The road to Magnetar00:23:23 Music Break: “IDK” by Modern Aquatic00:24:15 The intersection of home theater and hi-fi00:37:47 Outro: “Let's Not Rush Out and Tell Everyone” by Glories