We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

📚 Budget Travel For Dummies by Geoffrey Morrison: https://amzn.to/3uiIPlp

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week’s episode starts with a question from our first Patron: Why are headphone measurements the way they are? From there, we dig into a Dolby Atmos kerfuffle from Stereophile, and opine about whether the death of music journalism is a plague or merely a symptom of a larger problem.

Further Reading: 

• “Why do so many neutral headphones have a big drop in their frequency curve between 9k and 10k hz?" by u/Jirb30: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/19d6tfv/why_do_so_many_neutral_headphones_have_a_big_drop/?share_id=iWE7oKjr0pL4tsxKQqJTb

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

💿The Dark Side of the Moon (Blu-ray Audio): https://amzn.to/3ObQ59n

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week, a text message from storied audio scribe Darryl Wilkinson prompts our pundits to ponder the pairing of pot and hi-fi. Then they contemplate the societal and sonic ramifications of a new $750,000 speaker from Sonos Faber; explore some cool new audio announcements from CES; and wonder what delights the new Auracast Bluetooth technology might bring.

Further Reading: 

• “New dispensary and music lounge opens in Uptown Minneapolis” by Tommy Wiita: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/new-dispensary-and-music-lounge-opens-in-uptown-minneapolis

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week, Brent and Dennis dig into listener email, discuss some headphones that read your freaking mind, try to figure out whether GR-Research is praising or burying some Polk speakers, and ponder the merits of $4,000 active bass traps vs. much cheaper solutions.

Further Reading: 

• “Neurable Partners with Master & Dynamic to Launch Brain-Computer Interface Enabled Headphones” by Joao Martins: https://audioxpress.com/news/neurable-partners-with-master-dynamic-to-launch-brain-computer-interface-enabled-headphones

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

🎧Shanling UA1 Plus DAC-Headphone Amp Dongle: https://wclink.co/link/59182/0/4/175794/

🎧Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 Active Noise Cancellation Earbuds: https://amzn.to/3TCpF48

📻Dayton Audio HTA100 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3RUgRW3

📻Dayton Audio HTA200 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3Tyxlof

📻WiiM Amp: https://amzn.to/3TDnflP

💿Yamaha CD-C603BL 5-Disc CD Changer with USB Playback and PlayXChange: https://amzn.to/48wXwjc

🎵Alice Phoebe Lou: Shelter: https://amzn.to/3RXuKDb

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week, Brent and Dennis bid adieu to 2023 with a discussion about some exciting new CD players (who could have predicted that would be a thing?!), some thoughts on the validation of the SoundGuys’ target headphone curve, and a back-and-forth list of their favorite audio-related things from this year. And for Patrons: a discussion about Yamaha’s crazy-expensive new headphone amplifier. 

Further Reading: 

• “The CD changer is back – and Yamaha’s new CD-C603 has something I wish mine had in 2005” by Beck Roberts: https://www.whathifi.com/news/the-cd-changer-is-back-and-yamahas-new-cd-c603-has-something-i-wish-mine-had-in-2005

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

Master Handbook of Acoustics, Sixth Edition 6th Edition by F. Alton Everest: https://amzn.to/4aixQbO

Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week, Brent and Dennis talk about one of the best values in hi-fi, dig into the physics of something that doesn’t seem likely to work, and debate whether Spotify is ripping off small artists.

Further Reading: 

• “WiiM AMP review: flying high on value for money” by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2023/11/wiim-amp-review-flying-high-on-value-for-money/

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

This week, Brent and Dennis talk about Miami’s best audiophile bar yet, discuss audio gear recycling with someone who knows what’s what, and take a virtual walk through Capital AudioFest 2023 thanks to Stereophile’s coverage of the show.

Further Reading: 

• “The Listening Bar at Kaori May Be Miami's Best Audiophile Bar Yet” by Douglas Markowitz: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/the-listening-bar-at-kaori-is-miamis-best-listening-bar-yet-18149917

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

• Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

This week, Brent and Dennis give audiophiles what they’ve been begging for: an in-depth discussion about Taylor Swift’s new re-recorded version of 1989. They also discuss a brilliant video about testing where the tone of a microphone comes from, as well as a new earphone from JLab that represents the first commercial product to be explicitly voiced to follow the Knowles Preferred Listening Response Curve.

Further Reading: 

• Taylor Swift masters dispute: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Swift_masters_dispute

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

High Performance Loudspeakers: Optimising High Fidelity Loudspeaker Systems 7th Edition by Martin Colloms: https://amzn.to/3tYQ01y

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

This week, Brent and Dennis answer the questions that everyone is asking: How do you get high-res audio from Apple Music? Why do smart people believe weird things? Why do audiophiles hate Beats?

Further Reading: 

• "Apple Music’s hi-res plumbing is still leaky" by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-musics-hi-res-plumbing-still-leaks/

• "HI-RES AUDIO & Apple Music done right (& WITHOUT an iPad)" by Darko Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxCt9cwmqXU&ab_channel=DarkoAudio

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

This week, Brent and Dennis remember Gary Merson of HDGuru.com, who passed away this month; answer the burning question as to whether or not unplugging your hifi from the wall even once will forever ruin it sounds; try to figure out what the heck a firewall for speakers is; and take a look at some really cool speaker technology by way of Stereophile’s show coverage.

Further Reading: 

• “Obit: Gary Merson, Founder of HDGuru.com”: https://hdguru.com/obit-gary-merson-founder-of-hdguru-com/

We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

This week, Brent and Dennis discuss Lenbrook’s acquisition of the highly controversial MQA codec and all the patents that come along with it. They also dig into a hot mess of a review from Stereophile about a hot mess of an amplifier: the Infigo Method-3 monoblock, and opine about a new music-generating AI that’s leaps and bounds better than any of its forebears.

Further Reading: 

• "Lenbrook Group Rescues MQA High-Resolution Audio Technology" by Mark Sparrow: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2023/09/19/lenbrook-group-rescues-mqa-high-resolution-audio-technology/?sh=bb4e60d5847f