SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

Audio Video Show 2023 Highlights - Warsaw Vibe | Good and Bad Shows | Bringing Matt | Best and Worst Products

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra senior editor Jason Thorpe to discuss Warsaw 2023, why it’s such a special show, what it’s like to be there, and what it was like to see it through the eyes of a young audiophile.
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:01:07 What makes Warsaw special? 00:27:12 Music Break: "Let Me Show You" by Eldar Kedem & Floating World00:28:47 A vicarious walkthrough of the show00:50:20 The soundtrack to Jason’s life

Dan Laufman on the Value of Emotiva - Origin | Hi-Fi Manufacturing | Profits | Ethics

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Emotiva’s Dan Laufman to discuss the origins of his passion for hi-fi, the history of electronics manufacturing in the neoliberal era, how to make an profit in the audio business ethically, the long hard road to revitalizing North American manufacturing capabilities, and the virtues of being inclusive instead of exclusive. 
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:01:11 The road to Emotiva00:23:01 Music Break: "Terems" by Amit Sagie00:24:07 The realities of 21st century manufacturing00:55:02 The soundtrack to Dan’s life

Martijn Mensink On the Magic of Dutch & Dutch - Active Speakers | Cardioid Dispersion | Acoustics

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Martijn Mensink of Dutch & Dutch to discuss how an old clock radio incubated a love of music that developed into a passion for good sound that evolved into a career in speaker design. During the course of the conversation, they explore Martijn’s history of speaker development, the business ventures that preceded Dutch & Dutch, how the company’s cardioid speaker design is transformative, and where the company is headed in the future.
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:01:02 From AM radio to a life in speaker design00:15:50 Why cardioid speakers hit different00:31:12 Music Break: "Astra" by Magiksolo00:32:31 Room acoustics, app development, and the future of Dutch & Dutch00:50:23 The soundtrack to Martijn’s life

House of Sound NYC - McIntosh | Sonus Faber | The Other Brands | New York | Luxury

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by David Mascioni, Global Director of Brand Marketing for McIntosh, to discuss the origins of the original World of McIntosh Townhouse in New York City, how it developed, why it closed, and how the concept evolved into the new House of Sound at a new location, with much more representation for the entire McIntosh Group and its collaborators. 
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:00:45 David fell in love with hi-fi at the World of McIntosh00:27:54 Music Break: "Tell Me All the Lies" by Funky Giraffe00:28:52 What’s different about the House of Sound?00:43:53 The soundtrack to David’s life

Legendary Laurence Dickie - Bowers & Wilkins | The Iconic Nautilus | Vivid Audio | Loudspeaker Engineering

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by legendary speaker designer Laurence Dickie to discuss his history with Bowers & Wilkins, the design of the iconic Nautilus, how his thinking on speaker design has evolved over to years, whether or not he draws inspiration from nature, and why his speakers are an exercise in engineering, not industrial design.
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:01:05 The road to Bower & Wilkins and beyond00:25:40 Music Break: "The Magnetic Buzz" by Moon Walk00:26:33 Convergent evolution vs. convergent design01:02:23 The soundtrack to Laurence’s life01:04:45 "Golden Diamond" by Shahead Mostafafar

Six Months into a PhD in Hi-Fi - Learning | Controversies | Revelations | The Future

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and podcast producer Dennis Burger to discuss what Jorden has learned in six months of hosting the podcast, since he’s been able to speak to some of the hi-fi industry’s most influential and respected luminaries. As Doug often tells him, “Talking to these people is like getting a PhD course in hi-fi.” So has doing so helped Jorden? Listen and find out.
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:01:48 Lessons learned from the experts00:23:43 Music Break: "Baby I'm Stuck in a Cone" by Ge Filter Fish00:24:38 Artist’s intent, analog vs. digital, and more00:40:45 What’s next?00:47:52 The music that moves us

Monitor Audio: From Concept 50 to Hyphn and Beyond - Into Hi-Fi | Making Monitor Audio Speakers | The Response

This week on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, host Jorden Guth is joined by Monitor Audio global marketing director Michael Johnson and technical director Michael Hedges to discuss how the Concept 50 speaker was developed; how it evolved into the company’s new flagship retail offering, the Hyphn; what makes a Monitor Audio speaker sound like a Monitor Audio speaker; and what’s in store for the future. 
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 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:00:40 How Michael and Michael fell in love with hi-fi00:06:38: Making speakers the Monitor way00:24:27 Music Break: "Dollshade" by Van Crankin00:25:29 How the Concept 50 and Hyphn actually came together00:33:26 The response so far…00:40:49 We love rock’n’roll

Anthony Grimani on Speakers, Rooms, Acoustics - Dolby to THX | Rooms| Hi-Fi vs. Home Theater | Speakers | Room Correction

This week on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, host Jorden Guth is joined by Anthony Grimani, former director of technology for THX and founder of Performance Media Industries, to discuss his history with Dolby and THX, why the room is such a crucial component of any sound system, home theater vs. hi-fi, room correction, and whether the world needed yet another speaker company.
Sources:
Grimani Systems: https://www.grimanisystems.com/
Performance Media Industries, Ltd.: https://pmiltd.com/
Sonitus USA: https://www.sonitususa.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:01:06 From Dolby to THX and beyond00:06:34 Why the room is a crucial component00:21:49 Home theater vs. hi-fi?00:28:09 How to start dealing with the room00:42:55 Music Break: "Talk" by Con Davison00:44:09 Did we really need another speaker company?00:55:36 How to find the right speaker for your room00:58:30 Is room correction the answer?01:08:04 No, but seriously, what is hi-fi?