In this The HiFi Five Special Episode Ron Resnick interviews Mr. Roger Hwang, the CEO of Crystal International Group Inc. and Crystal Claire Cosmetics Inc., who explains the many recent corporate and personnel developments at Audio Research Corporation and at Acora Acoustics.

The HiFi Five Episode 35:  Dynaudio Withdrawal and Distributor Life Today

Guests:

Brian Ackerman -- Founder of Aaudio Imports

Bill Leebens -- CEO of Leebens Marketing and Management

Doug Schneider -- Founder of SoundStage!

Hiram Toro -- Founder of Supreme Acoustic Systems and of Decibel+

Topics:

Is this an isolated case, or the first major warning sign that the economics of importing high-end audio into North America have changed fundamentally?

What role did tariffs really play in Dynaudio’s decision to leave the U.S. market

Are U.S. distributors facing the toughest business environment they’ve seen in decades?

Who really pays the tariffs on imported high-end audio—the manufacturer, the importer, the dealer, or ultimately the consumer

How today can foreign imported brands compete against domestic brands?

In this Episode 34 the guests and Ron explain thirteen full system recommendations from $500 to $100,000! The HiFi Five supports budget and student audiophiles!

Guests:

Erin Hardison -- Erin’s Audio Corner

Danny Kaey -- Sonic Flare

Eric Neff - Reviewer for HiFi+ Magazine

Andrew Quint -- Senior Writer at The Absolute Sound

Additional Topics:

How should audiophiles divide their budget among speakers, amplifier, preamplifier, source components and cables?

Would you rather have outstanding speakers with modest electronics, or modest speakers with outstanding electronics? Why?

Should audiophiles select the loudspeaker first, and match an amplifier to the loudspeaker, or select the amplifier first and match a loudspeaker to the amplifier?

Which source experiences faster diminishing returns to improving sound quality, digital playback or vinyl playback?

The HiFi Five Episode 33:  Axiss Lawsuit

Guests:

Chad Crawley -- audiophile hobbyist

Erin Hardison -- Erin's Audio Corner

Kerry Harvey -- commercial transactions attorney who has litigated dozens of cases and served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and audiophile hobbyist

Doug Schneider -- founder of SoundStage!

Steven Stone -- Senior Reviewer at The Absolute Sound

The Hi-Fi Five Episode 32:  Getting Kids into Music and Audio

Guests:

May Anwar -- Scientist, college educator, co-founder of M101 Audio and the creator of “Passport to Sound”

Steve Lefkowicz -- Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback

Joe Pavel -- audiophile hobbyist parent

Max Pavel -- audiophile hobbyist kid

Topics:

• Are headphones and earbuds creating tomorrow’s audiophiles -- or replacing traditional stereo systems?

• Could video gaming ultimately do more to create music lovers than the hi-fi industry itself?

• Is streaming producing passionate music fans -- or impatient listeners who never slow down long enough to really listen?

• Is YouTube helping young people discover great music and sound -- or distracting them from both?

• If we could change one thing about the hobby to make it irresistible to younger listeners, what would it be?

THE HIFI FIVE Episode 31:  High End Vienna 2026 Show Report

Learn what really happened at the show, best sounding exhibits, most exciting component debuts and industry discussions!

Guests:

Edgar Kramer -- Editor-in-Chief of SoundStage! Australia

Mikhail Kuzemchenko -- audiophile hobbyist

Carlo Lo Raso -- Editor-in-Chief of Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity

Greg Weaver -- The Audio Analyst on YouTube, Senior Editor at Positive Feedback

The first High End Vienna has come and gone, and opinions are already divided. Did Vienna actually improve on munich? On this episode of The HiFi Five, we ask:

Was moving the show from Munich a mistake -- or a major upgrade?

Why didn’t High End Society secure additional venue capacity instead of effectively encouraging satellite shows?

Favorite affordable and favorite cost no object systems.

Which mega-buck systems failed to impress?

Which affordable systems embarrassed components costing ten times as much?

What products created the most buzz?

The owners of MSB and veteran reviewers tackle some of the biggest -- and most divisive -- questions in digital audio:

Guests:

Daniel Francis -- Co-owner and Industrial Designer of MSB Technology

Jonathan Gullman -- Co-owner and CEO of MSB Technology

Doug Schneider -- Founder of SoundStage!

Steven Stone -- Senior Reviewer, The Absolute Sound

Topics:

Why are some experienced audiophiles still obsessed with “obsolete” DAC chips from the 1990s?  Are vintage multi-bit designs hearing something modern DACs miss?

Non-oversampling and filterless DACs:  More natural and analog -- or technically compromised nostalgia?

Can measurements really tell us what a DAC will sound like?  Which specs matter, which are marketing, and how do you know the measurements themselves are trustworthy?

How should an audiophile’s digital budget be split between DAC and streamer?

USB, I²S, co-axial, XDMI, etc. do digital interfaces actually sound different?   If the bits are the same, what exactly are listeners hearing?

If live music includes ambient noise, why are DAC companies obsessed with “blacker backgrounds” and vanishingly low noise floors?  Does technical silence really sound more believable?

Where should the clock be located?

Have we nearly reached the end of meaningful DAC progress?  Are today’s flagship DACs approaching the ceiling -- or are major breakthroughs still coming?

The HiFi Five Episode 29:  Field Coil Loudspeakers

GUESTS

Frank Doris --  Editor of Copper Magazine, Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback

Rich Pinto -- Founder and Designer, Treehaus Audio

Peter Qvortrup -- Founder and Managing Director, Audio Note UK

Ken Songer -- Founder and Designer, Songer Audio

TOPICS

Why are field coil drivers something special sonically?

Permanent magnets and electromagnets both generate a magnetic field.  Why does the sound coming off the cone sound different when it's moved by one type of magnet versus the other? What is the technical advantage of using an electromagnet?Are most field coil drivers fabricated in-house or bought off the shelf?

Does the type of power supply — tube or solid-state — affect the sound of the driver?

How does the sound change as you change the power supply voltage to the electromagnet?  Why?

Is there any scenario where a permanent magnet driver is the better engineering choice than a field coil driver for a loudspeaker?

Are there any specific objective measurements which demonstrate the technical superiority of field coil drivers?

Can you imagine traditional loudspeakers manufacturers like Magico or Wilson moving to field coil drivers?

The HiFi Five Episode 28:  Multi-Channel for Audiophiles

Guests:

Ulrike Schwarz — Grammy award-nominated co-founder of multi-channel recording firm Anderson Audio New York

Andrew Quint — Senior Writer at The Absolute Sound 

Arian Jansen — founder and designer of Sonorus Audio

Danny Kaey — Sonic Flare, hifi reviewer

The HiFi Five Episode 27:  AXPONA 2026 Show Report with Jeff Dorgay, Erin Hardison, Lee Scoggins and Dave Solomon