SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

Host Jorden Guth talks with SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe about Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025—what sets it apart from other hi-fi events, their favorite gear finds, and whether optical phono cartridges are the future or just a niche.
Sources:
Audio Video Show 2025 Coverage from Warsaw, Poland, on SoundStage! Global: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2025-warsaw-poland
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 The road to Warsaw00:04:27 New gear, who dis?00:09:37 The business of audio shows00:15:40 Optical vinyl?00:22:45 Why Jason isn’t holding space for the CD revival00:27:00 The best of the rest?00:40:47 Room for improvement?00:43:50 Outro music: “L.A. Suite: Sunset Blvd / Peatloaf Ave” by Art Against Agony

Host Jorden Guth visits Diapason founder Alessandro Schiavi in Brescia, Italy, to talk about his lifelong pursuit of musical realism and the art of building speakers by hand. Schiavi traces his journey from teenage recording engineer to maker of some of Italy’s most beautiful loudspeakers, explains why every cabinet is still crafted locally from aged walnut and olive wood, and introduces his latest creation—the Didascalìa, a stunning two-way floorstander debuting today.
Sources:
“Diapason Didascalìa — Rethinking the Two-Way Loudspeaker” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/V94uSXjLeqE 
Diapason: https://www.diapason-italia.com/en/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions 00:10:26 The case for natural materials00:15:00 Handcrafted artistry00:20:31 Didascalìa00:31:15 Trying to please all the people all the time00:35:56 Outro music: “Under a Weary Moon” by Ziv Moran

This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Bill Voss, Business Development Manager (US) for Technics, to explore the brand’s long history within Panasonic and its continued dedication to reproducing music with accuracy and emotion. Voss discusses how Technics has carried its legacy of analog excellence into the digital era, why innovation remains central to its identity, and how the company’s blend of precision engineering and musical warmth continues to deliver true audio bliss.
Sources:
“WHY Music Enthusiasts Still Love VINYL Records!” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/uaastkHfUsM?si=ynTbigAuTdyIL_YT
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:16 Six Degrees of Technics00:12:52 The distinction between Technics and Panasonic00:18:10 Can you call it a comeback?00:26:14 Why vinyl?00:43:44 Outro music: “Stick Around” by Max Hixon

In this episode of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, Étienne Gautier, product director at Simaudio, joins the conversation to discuss the launch of the Moon 371 integrated amplifier. He explains the thinking behind the new model, the company’s design and engineering philosophies, and why the 371 is the first step in Simaudio’s forthcoming Compass Collection series. From the roots of the company’s innovation culture to the technologies inside the 371, Gautier provides an insider’s view of how Simaudio is shaping its next generation of products.
Sources:
“Meet the Moon 791: Simaudio’s Next-Gen Streaming Integrated Amplifier”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-quykEscBH0
“The Moon 371’s Secret Amplifier Weapons: MDCA and MHP Explained”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nbJaSVR17A
“Simaudio’s North Collection: The Future of Hi-Fi?”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-north-collection-the-future-of-hi-fi/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions and the obsession with oligarch audio00:02:56 What’s in a name… and some numbers?00:12:51 What better time than now?00:19:47 A different sort of power supply00:21:55 Remote options00:30:29 What’s to come?00:32:13 Outro music: “Entre les Doigts” by Sarah Benasouli

We all know the saying: “Good things come to those who wait.” And it’s true once again. While our current episode is finished, we must wait until September 30 to launch it because of an embargo from Simaudio. But come next Tuesday, we’ll be back with an episode that reveals all the details about a compelling new product from this well-established Canadian hi-fi brand.

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage’s Doug Schneider and Dennis Burger to discuss three issues holding hi-fi back and how we’d fix them. Is there too much emphasis on astronomically priced products? Is the industry ignoring potential new customers? Are there just too darned many speaker companies? .
Sources:
The Record Centre: https://therecordcentre.com/
“The Dynaudio Contour Comeback: Legacy and 20 Black Edition Loudspeakers”: https://youtu.be/xJ1GvkM6ats?si=ZCjvuqvH-piOB90m
“The Most Dangerous Myth in Audio”: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1174-the-most-dangerous-myth-in-audio
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions and the obsession with oligarch audio00:16:49 What even is an audiophile?00:19:52 Record shops as the new nexus of hi-fi?00:27:05 Part of the problem or part of the solution?00:30:22 Are there just too many speaker companies?00:35:17 Why bother?00:58:19 What we’re listening to00:59:31 Outro music: “Chasing a Hurricane” by Leva & Patric Lemieux

This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Valerio Cora, founder and CEO of Acora Acoustics Corporation, to discuss the manufacturing of stone speakers (no, you read that correctly), how relying on exotic materials affects decisions about where and how to manufacturer, and what it means to deliver a luxury experience.
Sources:
“What’s Fresh at the Florida Audio Expo? Acora Acoustics . . .” by Jason Davis: https://youtu.be/_q7pMJ3LSjs?si=6CuOUDp72lZLX-h0
Acora Acoustics: https://acoraacoustics.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions00:02:44 Acora Acoustics’ origin story00:10:37 Would off-shoring be more or less expensive?00:16:45 Working with truly unique materials00:22:33 A question of burn-in00:27:38 Heavy metal thunder?00:30:35 What defines a luxury experience?00:32:55 Outro music: “The Ice Cream Booth” by Ziv Grinberg

In this episode, host Jorden Guth talks with Badar Qureshi, president of PML Sound International—the company behind Paradigm, Anthem, MartinLogan, and GoldenEar Technology—about how his years at Toyota shaped his approach to building world-class audio gear. They discuss where and how each brand’s products are made, why lean manufacturing matters in today’s unpredictable world, how the pandemic affected production, and the surprising parallels between crafting high-performance cars and high-fidelity speakers.
Sources:
 
“Paradigm's Prestige Series | SoundStage! InSight” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/_q7pMJ3LSjs?si=6CuOUDp72lZLX-h0
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions and getting to know Badar00:03:14 How to decide what gets made where00:10:17 GoldenEar enters the chat00:12:11 The ABCs of supply chains00:17:31 The chaos of COVID and its lingering effects00:25:34 Applying the lessons of the past to the future00:35:11 Long-distance quality control00:43:38 Outro music: “Nuevos Colores” by Tomas Novoa