Crutchfield: The Podcast

Cohosts J.R. and Eric are joined by Crutchfield's in-house A/V demo expert, Dave. The trio talk about what makes a great demo as well as their favorite (and least favorite) demos that they've experienced during their time at Crutchfield. Then, J.R. reveals results from a company-wide poll of Crutchfield employees' favorite scenes to throw on and put their home theater system to the test. Tune in to hear if any of your favorite scenes are included in the conversation. If they aren't, be sure to let us know in the comments below. Looking for some great music to test an audio system? Check out our Spotify profile! (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4z0kIU5KvlzbK0wUBDJiEa) And if you want to get a sense of what new speakers can do before you buy them, try out our SpeakerCompare tool. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/BI5) Read episode transcript

Acclaimed speaker designer Andrew Jones returns to the podcast... er, Crutchfield LIVE... to discuss his latest creation, MoFi's SourcePoint 10 bookshelf speakers. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/BEV) He discusses an assortment of topics with J.R., from his decision to join MoFi's team to his thinking behind his newest design to his feelings on car audio. It's a casual and always entertaining conversation. And if video is your preference, check out the interview on our YouTube channel. (https://youtu.be/2T0M3492BcE)

J.R. and Eric can't resist kicking off the show with a little hard selling in the spirit of Black Friday deals (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B5F) but then quickly segue into an easygoing interview with Crutchfield employee Tara. Tara leads our video and social media team — she's a self-professed headphone addict (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B5G) and has also been a Sonos fan (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B5H) from the very start. During their chat, she and J.R. chat about their history as onscreen cohosts way back when, their favorite old gear, and Tara's totally one-of-a-kind treehouse (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B5I), which is a full-functioning listening and screening room. If you're in need of A/V inspiration, this episode is not to be missed!

When we talk about Legendary Service at Crutchfield, Norm is always top of mind. In this audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube and Facebook, J.R. chats with Norm about his history as an A/V installer, his expertise, and what he does at Crutchfield these days. Plus, the duo answer customer questions about all kinds of gear.

Our headphone guy Jeff (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B0Q) got the rare opportunity to chat with Grammy award-winning mixing engineer Manny Marroquin (http://www.mannymarroquin.com/). A veteran of the music industry for over 30 years, Manny has worked with the best artists in the business, including Alicia Keys, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, and Kendrick Lamar. Jeff talks with him about his history in the business, his studio, his groundbreaking restaurant and live venue (https://www.verse.la/), and his recent work with Audeze (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B0R) designing the Audeze MM-500 open-back planar magnetic studio headphones (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/B0S). Before, after, and at spots in between the interview, J.R., Eric, and Jeff provide the "Crutchfield take" on Manny's philosophy and work. Before all is said and done, J.R. breaks out the new Audeze MM-500 headphones for Eric and J.R. to try out for themselves!

J.R. introduces this audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube and Facebook. He talks with Mark of Car Audio Fabrications (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4FiN46mPTtkJxzRXJY21lQ), a YouTube channel devoted to making the car audio gear we sell look and sound great in all sorts of vehicles. Be sure to check out the Crutchfield Live episode with Mark (https://youtu.be/VaeYWaGOz6Y) to see the custom builds that he talks about in the episode!

Eric H. returns as co-host, and J.R. interviews Dolly in our corporate sales department. In this episode they discuss building a home entertainment system over time, musical tastes, and Dolly's work designing A/V systems for retail clients. Plus, J.R. decides he might have a future as a music rights enforcement officer! Oh, and visit https://www.crutchfield.com/learn/crutchfield-podcast.html to see Eric's pic of his improvised soundproofing.

J.R. and Crutchfield staff writer Eric A. (not to be confused with regular cohost Eric H.) chat with Chris Stringer (Syng CEO/Chief Design Officer) and Chris Kyriakakis (Syng Chief Audio Scientist) about Syng's Cell Alpha powered speaker. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/ATQ) They discuss balancing design with audio performance, the true meaning of stereo, the concept of "sweet spots" and a lot more. It's an informative discussion that might challenge your ideas about what home audio can and should be.

J.R. welcomes Advisor Tony to the show in this mash-up of two episodes of Crutchfield Live, which you can catch every other Thursday on YouTube and Facebook. The duo walk us through the process of qualifying Tony's 2010 Mazda 3 using our vehicle selector tool (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9X9) and then using filters to narrow down choices for all types of car audio gear. Some of the gear discussed includes: Hertz car speakers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9XA) Boss car stereos with Apple CarPlay (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9XB) Kicker subwoofers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9XC) JL Audio amplifiers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9XD) Plus, J.R. answers a number of customer questions, including one that a listener named Buzz sent into the show! If you'd like to have your question answered on the podcast, send an email to us at podcast@crutchfield.com.

Cohosts J.R. and Eric are back in the studio to discuss a recent interview with Advisor Rodell, who's really into wireless gear (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T1). They chat about all kinds of topics, from similarities between Crutchfield and a fine dining experience, specialized short throw projector screens (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T2), covering songs by Katy Perry, and JBL's recent visit to our HQ (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T4). Check out some of the gear they talk about: Eton Aqualite solar powered lantern and water bottle (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T6) NAD D 3020 V2 integrated amp and DAC (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T7) Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ear noise-cancelling headphones (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T8) Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 portable Bluetooth speaker (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9T9) Portable chargers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9TA) Plus, don't forget to check out what's happening on our livestream show, Crutchfield LIVE (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9TB).

In this episode we have something very special — Jeff, our resident headphones pro, conducts an exclusive interview with speaker visionary, Andrew Jones. Andrew shares his philosophy behind speaker design, his reasons for joining the team at MoFi, and what's next for him. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9PV) But before that, enjoy this audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). J.R. plays the "ported vs. sealed" game with Matt, our mobile electronics catalog editor. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9PW)They take music suggestions from Live viewers and compare notes on the best sub style for job. Then, Jeff walks J.R. through his visit to AXPONA, an audio electronics expo in Chicago. Intrested in finding out more about Jeff's AXPONA experience? Check out his photos and read the full story. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9PX)

J.R. and Eric are joined by Chris, Crutchfield trainer and resident Jeep pro, to discuss the ups and downs of owning a Wrangler, as well as ideas for customization. J.R. also interviews Crutchfield employee, Wendy, about her Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, all the upgrades she's made since buying it, her many off-road adventures, and the cool stuff she does with our Corporate Sales department (https://business.crutchfield.com/Corporate/Index.aspx). Some of the gear discussed in this episode includes: Polk Audio car speakers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9OK) JBL's DSP4086 8-channel amp with digital signal processing (crutchfield.com/r/9OL) JBL BassPro 12 ported powered sub (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9OM) Garmin's Overlander® portable navigator for off-road use (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9ON) Wrangler-specific audio gear (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9OO) If you'd like to find gear for your Jeep Wrangler, be sure to enter your vehicle info before shopping (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9OP). And if you need a little inspiration, check out the gear Chris installed in his '06 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9OR).

Who doesn't love free stuff? J.R. delivers the details on our regular gear giveaways (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9MP) which we announce on our live-streamed video show, Crutchfield Live. You can catch it every other Thursday on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). This special audio version of Crutchfield Live #10 reveals what else J.R. has added to his Subaru Crosstrek (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9MQ), Advisor Dylan's experience with the Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth® speaker (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9MR), staff writer Jeff's picks for best audiophile headphones (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9MT), and more. Be sure to tune in next time when cohost Eric in an original podcast episode to discuss Jeep Wrangler-specific audio gear (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9MU).

J.R. and Eric introduce this audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). First, J.R. talks with Peter, one of our in-house marine audio experts, about the benefit of using tinned copper wire (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9L5). Then, he chats with Advisor Cam about our handy Connect ID shopping tool that makes getting help from an expert easier than ever. And finally, J.R. circles up with Zak from our video team to discuss DACs (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9L6) and some quirks he found when streaming high-resolution audio (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9L7) using a web browser. Plus, J.R. answers customer questions about ported vs. sealed sub boxes (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9L8) and more!

J.R. and Eric are back for Season 3! This time, J.R. interviews Crutchfield legend, Charlie Pastorfield, who helps craft our online experience for mobile electronics shoppers. Charlie is also a well-respected musician with decades of experience in the music industry (https://www.skipcastro.com/skipcastrobandstory.htm). He chats with J.R. about writing songs during the pandemic, his gear-buying addiction, and the philosophy behind his enviable home audio system. Meanwhile, Eric grapples with his feelings about Steely Dan, and they guys discuss big questions like, "What makes an audiophile?" and "Does quality speaker wire really matter?" If you're into high-fidelity audio, this is an episode you won't want to skip. Some of the gear discussed includes: Polk floor-standing speakers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9JT) Elac amplifiers and speakers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9JX) NAD amplifiers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9JZ) McIntosh amplifiers and more (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9K0) Panasonic DP-UB9000P1K 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9K1) You can see some Charlie talks about in his home studio, including his Linn Sondek turntable and his guitar collection, in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1PZBPWsys8&t=413s). Also, check out the story of his one-of-a-kind Telecaster guitar, made from the wood of a tree Thomas Jefferson planted (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/9K2).

It's our final bonus episode before Season 3 arrives in March. Check out this audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). J.R. and Eric review news from this year's Consumer Electronics Show and what technology to look for in 2022. Some of the gear discussed, like Mark Levinson's No. 5909 wireless noise-canceling headphones (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/97J) and Sony's Airpeak S1 quadcopter drone (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/97K), are available for order or pre-order now. Plus, J.R. gets exclusive access to a virtual walkthrough of Klipsch's CES booth and finds out what's next from them. (https://www.crutchfield.com/brands/klipsch.aspx) Enjoy, and we'll talk to you again in Season 3!

It's yet another special audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). First, J.R. talks with Advisor Francis about the differences between OLED and LED TVs. (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/95D) Then, he and Cris from Crutchfield Tech Support discuss what we know about upgrading car audio gear in electric vehicles. J.R. and Eric A. wrap up the show, chatting about cool home audio gear from Wharfdale (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/95E), ELAC (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/95F), Parasound (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/95G), Syng (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/95H), and more!

Check out another special audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which you can watch on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). After watching Dune in both an IMAX theater and Eric's home theater (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/91R), J.R. and Eric chat about the best parts of each experience. Also, Cris from Crutchfield's Tech Support (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/91S) stops by to talk about component car speakers (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/91T) and how his team of experts help customers every day. Staff writer and demo pro (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/91U), Dave wraps up with the show with J.R. and they chat about integrating new and vintage gear.

Check out this special audio version of our live-streamed show, Crutchfield Live, which is available to watch on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/crutchfield/live_videos/). J.R. talks with a bunch of our category experts about the latest car and home audio, answers viewer questions, and shares holiday shopping advice. Some of the gear discussed in this episode includes: Sony Mobile ES Series speakers and subs (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8ZU) Sony Mobile ES Series XAV-9500ES digital multimedia receiver (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8ZV) Enclave Audio home theater speaker systems (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8ZW) Andover Audio turntables and components (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8ZX) Phono preamps (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8ZY) Be sure to stick around until the end of the episode for helpful tech tips, and look out for our next bonus episode in early December!

It's the end of Season 2, and what better way to celebrate than by answering real questions from real customers. J.R. and Eric cover a range of topics from car and home audio to vehicle warranties to whether you should buy or rent a modem. Here's a full episode breakdown: - Why do your holiday shopping now? - What's a good way to compare speakers when shopping online? - Will buying a router improve home internet speed? - What's the best way to build a home audio system around one component you love? - What's the best way to wire a sub (for your home and your vehicle)? - Can you add a new stereo to a '17 Wrangler Unlimited on a budget? - What should you keep in mind when matching car amps and subs? - Will upgrading factory audio gear void your vehicle's warranty? - What should you keep in mind when matching car speakers and stereos? - Will you lose your factory USB and aux inputs when installing a new car stereo? - What are J.R.'s and Eric's ideas for outfitting a '94 Ford Probe? And, of course... the links! - Check out J.R. and guests every other week on Crutchfield Live, streaming on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/crutchfield/videos)and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/crutchfield/videos). - Make shopping home and car speakers easier by using SpeakerCompare™ (https://www.crutchfield.com/r/8VR). Thanks for listening and talk to you again soon in Season 3!