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

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

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

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

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

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

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.soundstagexperience.com/testbed/mm4/index.php/eisa/2020-2021-awards/2020-2021-home-theater-audio/1463-arendal-sound-1961-series-eisa-2020-2021

Arendal Sound 1723 Tower S loudspeaker review by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1848-arendal-sound-1723-tower-s-loudspeaker

“Arendal Sound 1528 Tower 8 Loudspeaker: “Why I’m Going 3500 Miles to Learn How it Happened” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1920-arendal-sound-1528-tower-8-loudspeaker-why-im-going-3500-miles-to-learn-how-it-happened

Arendal Sound Club: https://club.arendalsound.com/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:04:51 The road to Arendal 00:29:35 “Write a Sentence: The Headbanger’s Confusion” by Art Against Agony 00:30:33 The evolution of Arendal 00:53:35 Outro: “Celestial Rhythms” by Ariel Dahan

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, Poland: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2023-warsaw-poland

Audio Video Show: https://audioshow.pl/

Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:20 Introductions 00:03:53 Millionaire’s Row and beyond… 00:35:16 Music Break: "Emissary" by Art Against Agony 00:36:58 What has changed? What hasn’t? 01:02:15 Outro: “Borderline Love” by Jessy Gerber