This episode brought to you by AudioQuest

👉 https://bit.ly/4fIkmaU

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

0:00 Intro

0:46 Shanling

7:37 Virtual Hi-Fi

14:05 Co-linear Acoustics

30:45 FitUEyes

51:04 Bluesound

58:32 Qualio Audio

1:03:12 Hiby

1:10:03 iFi / SilentPower

1:20:00 Exact Express & Furutech

👉 As discussed in this episode...

Shanling

🛒 https://amzn.to/4fsQTTM

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/08/shanlings-cd80-ii-is-a-359-tray-loading-cd-player/

Bluesound

🛒 https://amzn.to/4fvnqbN

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/06/bluesound-teases-home-theatre-leaning-powernode/

Hiby

🛒 https://amzn.to/3HulRyl

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/07/hibys-uc10-is-a-29-usb-s-pdif-converter-for-smartphones-tablets/

FituEyes

🛒 https://amzn.to/3UmdNCQ

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/fitueyes-eiffel-rack

Virtual Hifi

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/virtual-hifi-viper

CoLinear Aocustics:

📖 https://colinear-acoustics.co.uk/about

Qualio Audio:

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/qualio-iq30

Exact Express

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/exact-express-earth-jumpers

Furutech

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/furutech-flow-28

iFi / SIlentPower

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/silentpower-omni-usb

w/ Twittering Machines' Michael Lavorgna

👉 This episode brought to you by Bowers & Wilkins

https://bit.ly/4ggz8X0

👉 Darko's choices:

Was (Not Was) - Out Come The Freaks (1984)

🛒 https://amzn.to/44gVK6H

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/55697-Was-Not-Was-The-Woodwork-Squeaks

Thin White Rope - The Ruby Sea (1991)

🛒 https://amzn.to/3GaMEPO

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/236818-Thin-White-Rope-The-Ruby-Sea

Fila Brazillia - Maim That Tune (1995)

📖 https://filabraz.bandcamp.com/album/maim-that-tune-30th-anniversary-re-master

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/67440-Fila-Brazillia-Maim-That-Tune

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (2005)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4la9pm1

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/3010-Bright-Eyes-Im-Wide-Awake-Its-Morning

Thomas Fehlmann - Gute Luft (2010)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4nAyOXH

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/238758-Thomas-Fehlmann-Gute-Luft

Automat - Ostwest (2016)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4lz473T

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/1091919-Automat-Ostwest

Bohren und Der Club of Gore - Bohren for Beginners (2016/2022)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4eCtAq5

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/2079847-Bohren-Und-Der-Club-Of-Gore-Bohren-For-Beginners

👉 Lavorgna's choices:

Mal Waldron - The Quest (1962)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4eVSaml

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/288946-Mal-Waldron-With-Eric-Dolphy-And-Booker-Ervin-The-Quest

The Birthday Party - The Friend Catcher 12" (1983)

📖 https://www.discogs.com/release/377249-The-Birthday-Party-The-Friend-Catcher

Einstürzende Neubauten - Yü-Gung (1985)

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/7604-Einst%C3%BCrzende-Neubauten-Y%C3%BC-Gung

Martha Argerich - Bach (2000)

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/295073-Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Martha-Argerich-Toccata-BWV-911Partita-BWV-826Englische-Suite-No2-BWV-807

Lonely Guest - Lonely Guest (2021)

🛒 https://amzn.to/44ghrDU

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/2381503-Lonely-Guest-Lonely-Guest

Jessica Pratt - Here in the Pitch (2024)

🛒 https://amzn.to/4kq4Vq2

📖 https://www.discogs.com/master/3474940-Jessica-Pratt-Here-In-The-Pitch

👉 Substack for music discovery:

Ben Cardew / Line Noise on Substack

https://linenoise.substack.com/

Philip Sherburne on Substack

https://substack.com/@philipsherburne

Shawn Reynaldo / First Floor on Substack

https://firstfloor.substack.com/

Darko.Audio may earn a small commission from items purchased via affiliate links, as indicated by a '🛒'.

Darko.Audio is an Amazon Associates Program member, an Audio Advice Program member and a Howl Program member.

This episode brought to you by AudioQuest

👉 https://bit.ly/4fIkmaU

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

0:00 Intro

0:51 Zu Audio

4:09 Sennheiser & aptX Lossless

11:11 3D-printed speakers

26:08 Cambridge Audio

34:10 Stack Audio

41:04 Chord Electronics

50:50 OnFilter

1:07:05 Pixies & R.E.M.

👉 As discussed in this episode...

Sennheiser BTD 700 (Yes, I mistakenly call it the 'BDT 700' in this episode 🙄 )

🛒 https://amzn.to/4jRNYEG

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/06/add-aptx-lossless-to-any-smartphone-for-e50/

Chord Electronics Suze Amp system

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/06/chords-suzi-turns-the-hugo-2-2go-into-a-streaming-amplifier/

Cambridge Audio MXW 70

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/06/cambridges-mxw70-is-a-599-class-d-power-amplifier/

Stack Audio:

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/stack-audio-rack-use/

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/stack-audio-auva-70/

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/stack-audio-vinyl-helpers/

Virtual Hifi:

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/virtual-hifi-vibron/

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/virtual-hifi-viper/

OnFilter:

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/onfilter/

Darko.Audio may earn a small commission from items purchased via affiliate links, as indicated by a '🛒'.

This episode is brought to you by AudioQuest

👉 https://bit.ly/4fIkmaU

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

This episode of the Darko.Audio podcast with 6moons' Srajan Ebaen is audio only. Why? Because the subject matter is what we might call 'inside baseball'. Srajan and I pull apart the hi-fi show model to question what we can learn from hi-fi show demos as they currently stand; and how the limitations of show demos prevent the press from relaying meaningful insight to their audiences.

This episode brought to you by Munich High-End 2025

👉 https://www.highendsociety.de/high-end-44.html

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

0:00 Intro

0:59 Pro-Ject

8:46 Kinki Studio

20:02 Shanling

29:57 Meze

47:28 Musical Fidelity

55:33 DMAX

👉 As discussed in this episode...

Pro-Ject Flatten It

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/03/say-buh-bye-to-warped-vinyl-with-pro-jects-flatten-it/

Musical Fidelity X-Tube

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/03/how-to-add-tubes-to-any-dac-streamer-or-cd-player-for-e499/

Shanling Onix Zenith XST20

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/03/the-onix-zenith-xst20-is-a-new-sacd-transport-from-shanling/

Kinki Studio x Vinshine Tai Hang

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/tai-hang/

Meze Poet

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/meze-poet/

DMAX PH61

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/dmax-ph61/

Cables and power products by AudioQuest

🛒 https://audioadvice.io/Audioquest

Hi-fi furniture and speaker stands by Solid Steel

🛒 https://howl.me/ckbW9947Hdi

Room treatment by Vicoustic

📖 https://audioadvice.io/Vicoustic

Darko.Audio may earn a small commission from items purchased via affiliate links, as indicated by a '🛒'.

w/ Auralic's ex-CEO Xuanqian Wang

This episode brought to you by High-End Munich 2025

👉 https://www.highendsociety.de/high-end-44.html

Auralic Aquila X3

👉 https://darko.audio/2025/01/auralic-readies-aquila-x3-network-streamer/

Auralic Aquila X3 online configuration tool

👉 http://x3.auralic.com/

w/ Vivid Audio's Laurence Dickie

This episode is brought to you by Bowers & Wilkins TW IEMs:

👉 https://bit.ly/4ggz8X0

Vivid Kaya series

👉 https://vividaudio.com/kaya/

This episode is brought to you by AudioQuest:

👉 https://bit.ly/4fIkmaU

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

0:00 Intro

0:42 Auralic

24:10 Zu Audio

37:48 T+A

46:54 Aune

59:34 FiiO / Snowski

1:04:23 LAiV

👉 As discussed in this podcast

AURALIC Aquila X3

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/01/auralic-readies-aquila-x3-network-streamer/

FiiO / Snowski Retro Nano

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/01/a-usb-bluetooth-dac-that-looks-like-a-cassette-tape/

T+A Pulsar S130

📖 https://darko.audio/2025/01/tas-pulsar-s-130-are-designed-for-sub-optimal-listening-rooms/

Zu Method monitor & sub:

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/zu-method/

Aune S17Pro Evo

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/aune-s17pro-evo/

Laiv µDDC

📖 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/laiv-uddc/

☕️ PATREON

www.patreon.com/johndarko

w/ Eelco Grimm

👉 https://www.grimmaudio.com/

This episode is brought to you by T+A:

👉 https://www.ta-hifi.de/

This episode is brought to you by AudioQuest:

👉 https://bit.ly/3S9qPmf

w/ 6moons' Srajan Ebaen

☕️ PATREON

www.patreon.com/johndarko

📖 OJAS x KLIPSCH kO-R1

https://www.klipsch.com/uk/products/klipsch-ojas-ko-r1-ko-r1-2-way-multicell-loudspeaker

📖 Aune SR7000

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/aune-sr-7000/

📖 Aune AR5000

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/aune-ar5000/

📖 Focal Diva Utopia

https://darko.audio/2024/10/focals-diva-utopia-is-future-fi-for-cashed-up-listeners/

📖 Singxer SA-90

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/singxer-sa-90/

📖 Shanling CR60

https://darko.audio/2024/09/shanlings-cr60-is-a-269-cd-transport-cd-ripper/

📖 Voxativ Hagen2

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/voxativ-hagen-2/