The Occasional Podcast

Interview with Josh Meredith and Angela Cardas of Cardas Audio. In this episode The PartTimeAudiophile editorial crew drops their picks for the best audio products of 2020. Josh and Angela also help us answer the age old question: Why Do Radio Stations Always Play The Same Songs Over And Over? S4E10 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music Experience SONUSFABERdotCOM - Artisans of Sound The LSA Group and CorePower - State Of The Art Power At Real World Prices

Interview with Heinz Lichtenegger of Pro-Ject, an high fidelity audio company internationally known for turntables, electronics and speakers. Started in 1991, Pro-Ject dove into the record player business at a time when the world's focus was on the CD. Now a world-wide brand, the turntable maker supplies both its own products and OEM options for a multitude of companies. Owner and President Heinz Lichtenegger joins us to chat about his passion for great sound, the evolution of the turntable...

Everything you ever wanted to know about buying a turntable, records, and getting started with high fidelity analog playback. Interview with Jonathan Derda of MoFi. We dig deep in this episode which covers off on a multitude of subjects centered around getting started with vinyl. How much to spend? What is required? How to get the most out of your system? How to improve the sound from your current turntable? Jon leaves no stone unearthed in this beginner's guide to buying vinyl and record...

Interview with the president of Marantz & Classe Joel Sietsema and Senior Director of Technical Category Management Emmanuel Millot. Very special bonus interview with documentary filmmakers Kevin Smokler and Christopher Boone. Kevin and Christopher recently co-directed a film called Vinyl Nation which focuses on the 10 year run of vinyl resurgence and record collecting we now find ourselves in. It's timely and a ton of fun. S4E7 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music...

Interview with Mats Andersen of QLN Audio. Episode 6 explores two-way speaker design in depth with Mats Andersen, designer and owner of QLN Audio and maker of the highly transparent Signature 3 standmount/bookshelf style speaker. Mats pulls from his deep well of knowledge to chat about 2-way vs 3-way design, benefits, challenges and learnings on the subject. Also, the best audio products of 2020 so far. Special thanks to Rafe Arnott from RESISTORMAGdotCOM for his contribution to this week's...

Everything you ever wanted to know about digital audio. In episode 5 of season 4, we explore the great digital landscape with Alex Brinkman of Auralic Audio. Together we tackle all the hurdles of getting into digital audio, exploring the options and creating a high fidelity, high resolution playback system that is right for you. There is a lot that we cover, so get out your notepad. S4E5 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music Experience SONUSFABERdotCOM - Artisans of Sound The LSA Group...

An interview with Jeremy Bryan of MBL North America. MBL offers some of the most exotic speaker designs on the market. More than merely a driver in a box, the German company creates electronics and speakers that are as expensive as they are unique. Jeremy takes us through a quick history of the company along with some of the finer details on what makes the bespoke technologies different from other transducers. S4E4 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music Experience MCINTOSHLABSdotCOM –...

The Loudness Wars. Special guest mastering engineer Dave McNair and Grover Neville help explain the Loudness Wars. How did we get here? Where are we going? Are things getting better, or worse? Dave and Grover give first hand experience to help us better understand the current state of things in regards to dynamic compression and its effects on popular music. S4E3 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music Experience MCINTOSHLABSdotCOM – Legendary Audio Equipment The LSA Group and CorePower...

An interview with digital designer Rob Watts of Chord Electronics fame. Rob Watts has seen much success in hifi designing under the British brand Chord. With a long history in the semiconductor industry along with heavy chops in digital audio, Rob is a wealth of information with the sales figures to back it up. S4E2 Sponsors: QOBUZdotCOM - Authentic Music Experience SONUSFABERdotCOM - Artisans of Sound ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Omen DW Sale, July 1st At Noon

A beginner's guide to understanding mastering and a buyer's guide to remastered albums. In this episode we explore the acoustic art of Mastering. What is Mastering? What does it mean when an album is Remastered? Does that make an album worth buying again if I already own it? We dive deep with mastering engineer Dave McNair and Grover Neville to unearth answers to these burning questions and more. Co-Hosted by Bryan Beasley. S4E1 of The Occasional Podcast is sponsored by: DCSLTDdotCOdotUK -...

Interview with Nelson Pass of Pass Labs Part 2. In part two of our series with Nelson Pass we talk about design philosophy and the history of his "other project" company, First Watt. Widely considered one of hifi's leading solid state amplifier designers, Nelson talks about the status of the industry, listening habits and his vantage point into the dynamic hobby of audio listening. S3E12 of The Occasional Podcast is sponsored by: VAC-AMPSdotCOM - For When Music Matters WELLPLEASEDAVdotCOM...

Interview with Nelson Pass of Pass Labs. In our season closer, we walk down the history of one of audio's most prolific amplifier designers Nelson Pass. This episode includes stories from his early days, design philosophy and early successes in the hifi industry. Part 1 of our two part series with Nelson. S3E11 of The Occasional Podcast is sponsored by: VAC-AMPSdotCOM - For When Music Matters WELLPLEASEDAVdotCOM - You Can't Please Everyone, So Why Not Please Yourself? ZUAUDIOdotCOM -...

Recap and highlights from FLAX 2020 in Tampa, Florida. Brian Hunter is joined by PartTimeAudiophile contributors Marc Phillips and Dave McNair with all the highlights, takeaways and great sounding gear from the relatively new show on the US scene. Bonus intro interview with show organizer Bart Andeer. S3E10 Sponsored by VAC-AMPSdotCOM - For When Music Matters FLAX 2020 Show Coverage Sponsored by The LSA Group and CorePower.

Interview with Sonus Faber President and CEO Jeff Poggi and Brand Manager William Kline. This episode also features all the latest in hifi news including hot items coming out of the recent consumer electronics CES show in Las Vegas. Co-host Bryan Beasley. SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Made In The US, Starting At $49 AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo

Zach and Bevin Mehrbach from ZMF Headphones get interviewed. Also 2019 year-end roundup of the "best of" audio products according to Bryan and Brian. Special bonus: Two Grown Men Arguing In A YouTube Comments Section. Co-host Bryan Beasley. SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Made In The US, Starting At $49

Extended interview with Von Schweikert Audio's Leif Swanson and Damon Von Schweikert. S3E7 kicks off with a full rundown of the new LCD-1 headphone by Audeze and the RAD-0 by Rosson Audio Design. Damon and Leif drop some knowledge on us about what it's like to make high-end speakers, manufacturing in the US and accuracy in listening. Special bonus "Two Grown Men Arguing On Facebook". Co-host Bryan Beasley. MOON-AUDIOdotCOM - Dragon Audio Cables - Unleash Your Music! AXPONAdotCOM - North...

How to get into reel to reel audio, interview with Greg Beron of United Home Audio. Every wonder what it takes to listen to music on your home stereo with reel to reel playback as a source? In this episode we outline all the ups and down, positive and negatives for one of the most analog-ist type of hifi systems. Co-host Bryan Beasley steps in to share his experience with the platform and UHA R2R expert Greg Beron takes us all the way down the rabbit hole with his high-end, end-game...

Recap and highlights from Capital Audiofest 2019 located in DC. ParttimeAudiophile editor Scot Hull is joined by staff writers Marc Phillips and Eric Franklin Shook along with special guests Grover Neville, Dave McNair and Jameson Mourafetis. S3E5 Sponsored by Schiit Audio - Audio Components Made In The US, Starting At $49. CAF 2019 Show Coverage Sponsored by Verdant Audio and Tenacious Sound

Interview with David Solomon and Dan Mackta, the US Qobuz team. This episode also features a bonus introduction: an audiophile's guide to wireless audio listening - along with 5 wireless headphones reviewed and compared. David and Dan take us through the newest stateside high resolution music streaming service that is shaking up the hifi industry. Co-Host Bryan Beasley. SCHIITdotCOM - Audio components made in the US, starting at $49. ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Loudspeakers, Cables and Cartridges.

An in-depth interview with Jeff Joseph of Joseph Audio plus a full rundown and review of the new Beatle's Abbey Road Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition. Co-host Bryan Beasley discusses the sonic intricacies of the newest Beatles reissue along with all the tasty extras sure to tickle the fancy of any lifelong fan. Jeff joins us at AXPONA this year to give a history of the hifi loudspeaker brand Joseph Audio, some of his favorite sonic tastes and what its life growing up on the east coast in the...