On this episode of The Front Row Podcast, we’re joined by Chuck Back, Managing Partner of Trinnov Audio and Procella Audio US, for a conversation that digs into one of the most talked about and least clearly explained topics in calibration: target curves. With nearly 50 years in high end audio, Chuck has spent decades designing and tuning systems at the highest levels. He also spent more than 20 years as EVP and General Manager of M&K Sound, where he was an early advocate for home theater and worked closely with dealers, integrators, and technology partners like Dolby, DTS, and Lucasfilm.

Target curves get mentioned constantly, but they’re often treated like a preset you pick and forget. Chuck slows things down and breaks apart what target curves actually are and what they’re trying to accomplish when tuning a system. We walk through some of the most commonly referenced curves, including the well known Harman curve and the classic B&K musical target curve, and talk about what each one is designed to do. More importantly, we discuss how these curves are meant to be used and why they should be treated as tools that guide decisions rather than rules that every system has to follow.

In the second half of the episode, we switch gears and step into Audio over IP, with a focus on Dante. While this technology has been in the professional world for years, it’s starting to show up more often in residential systems. We talk about the problems Audio over IP is especially good at solving, and whether it makes sense to move away from traditional analog setups or go digital if you’re starting from scratch.

If you’ve ever wondered why two systems calibrated “correctly” can sound completely different, or wanted a clearer understanding of how target curves shape what you hear, this episode is a great listen.

We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, ⁠⁠⁠Paradigm Electronics⁠⁠⁠. At Paradigm, sound is not just heard, it’s felt. It’s audio that stirs emotion and is designed to move you.

⁠⁠⁠Paradigm - Authentically Canadian, Acoustically Brilliant.⁠⁠⁠

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