The Occasional Podcast

Our recommendations for the top 10 best sounding integrated amplifiers from the past 12 months. Marc and Brian run down their best amp picks from cheapest to most expensive. Released in conjunction with the pt.AUDIO Buyer's Guide Summer 2025. You can check out all the "best of" gear from every HiFi category here: https://pt.audio/category/audio-gear-reviews/buyers-guide/ Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/@PT-Audio Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E7 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection DEVOREFIDELITYdotCOM - Nothing Brings You Closer To The Music PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times

An interview with Kevin Hayes Of VAC. The KT88 and the 300b tube are some of the most popular options for HiFi amplification. But what are the differences and why do some amp designers choose one over the other? Kevin explains the situation and also discusses Class A, if amplifiers "warm up", and if tubes sound better in the pre amp or power amp. A very educational and inspirational interview with a tube designer that has been in the business for over 35 years.  Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/@PT-Audio Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E6 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection DEVOREFIDELITYdotCOM - Nothing Brings You Closer To The Music PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times    

Andrew Jones of MoFi Electronics joins the 5-timers club with us this week on The Occasional Podcast. Recorded at AXPONA 2025, this episode tackles the finer talking points of loudspeaker bass design, as well as all the new interesting bits on Mr. Jones upcoming MoFi Electronics flagship floorstander, the Sourcepoint V10. Andrew Jones has a long history with high fidelity design, working for speaker brands like KEF, TAD, Pioneer and Elac. In this episode Andrew discusses some audio myths, A/B comparisons and what the idea of "better" truly means within the context of audio listening. Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/@PT-Audio Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E5 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection DEVOREFIDELITYdotCOM - Nothing Brings You Closer To The Music PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times

Live from Chicago, IL - The cast and crew from PartTimeAudiophile's coverage of AXPONA 2025 weigh in. Held April 11-13 in the Schaumburg Convention Center, this episode reports back on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the largest high fidelity audio event in North America. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. Special thanks to Marc Phillips and Graig Neville. Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/@PT-Audio Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E4 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in Texas, Starting At $49 THEVOICETHATISdotCOM - For The Joy Of Music

Our picks for the top 10 best sounding speakers from the past 12 months. Marc and Brian rundown their best speaker picks from cheapest to most expensive. In preparation for the upcoming AXPONA show in Chicago, the pt.AUDIO staff presents some of the best speaker listens since the last show. Much has been updated, revealed and redeemed. Also don't forget to check out the show sponsor of this episode: Tidal Audio and The Voice That Is along with Audio Ultra and Artisan Fidelity will be at the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg April 11th and 12th from 10am to 5pm where they will feature three big rooms and the world premier of the new AP1 speaker. Also available for a listen will be the Contriva G3 and Piano G3 speakers, the new Ferios G2 mono amplifiers, the Contros Digital Music Converter, the Prisma preamplifier, TIDAL x Bugatti MP1 and MC1 electronics, Turnbull Audio Cables and more. Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E3 Sponsors: NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in Texas, Starting At $49 AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics

Ever sit at your 9 to 5 and wonder what it would be like to venture out on your own, in your favorite hobby? This is exactly what Zach Mehrbach of ZMF headphones did until he kicked off what turned out to be one of the most successful micro-brands in the headphone space. In this episode we explore some of the growing pains of a small business in personal audio, hunting wood, Steve Jobs and going from a metaphoric "David" to "Goliath". Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram S12E2 Sponsors: NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in Texas, Starting At $49 AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times

Our Season 12 opener is with David Chesky of Chesky Records and The Audiophile Society. Along with creating the high resolution music download service HDTracks.com, David is a composer, Jazz pianist and founder of both the label Chesky Records and a new venture with a focus on 3D sound called the Audiophile Society. In this episode he discusses life as a musician, creator and composer with audiophile pursuits. A great listen for anyone looking to hear more about the latest in HiFi music production, life as a Jazz musician and more. David's latest projects: The Audiophile Society | Music Season 12 Merch is now available! The pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Walnut : 230 Gram | 300 Gram AXPONA 2025 Golden Pass Giveaway link (submit before March 30th) S12E1 Sponsors: NORDOSTdotCOM - A Clear Choice For The Best Connection SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in Texas, Starting At $49 FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo  

An interview with Drew Baird Of Moon-Audio.com. Drew joins the Season 11 finale with tons of unique insights into the current state of the CD - and some of his observations might actually surprise you. In this episode we explore the impacts of physical media on the current audiophile landscape, system matching, the eventual takeover of AI and more. An excellent learning/conversional piece about the current state of HiFi and what to expect to see in the next few years. Drew owns and operates the online retailer Moon-Audio and has an absolutely massive cache of product knowledge including sales trends and behind-the-scenes insights into the industry. A must listen for newcomers, experienced audiophiles looking for the next thing and anyone with a large collection of CDs on their shelf (or in a flip binder). Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E11 Sponsors: DRVINYLdotNET - Hearing Is Believing FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo NAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence    

A huge show with an interview of Nicholas Niespodziani from Yacht Rock Revue! The term "Yacht Rock" is turning out to be quite the hot button topic for audiophiles. With the release of the HBO doc Yacht Rock: A DOCKUMENTARY and Donald Fagan's white hot response to the idea, it has quickly become apparent that not everyone is in love with the term that has caused a massive resurgence in interest from LA-based soft rock bands from the mid 70s and 80s. Yacht Rock Revue has been at the head of that resurgence, riding the wave with musicianship and showmanship like no other. With a massive groundswell of their own, Nick and the YRR crew have not only collaborated with the artists they cover, but have even opened up for Kenny Loggins on tour. Now a music force in their own right, YRR has released two original albums "Hot Dads In Tight Jeans" and the recent "Escape Artist".  In this episode we discuss whether the term "Yacht Rock" is offensive, a mild slight, or downright condescending. Nick offers a unique perspective from someone on the front lines, and shares stories from his experience leading arguably one of the most successful cover bands of all time. https://www.yachtrockrevue.com | Qobuz | Apple Music Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E10 Sponsors: DRVINYLdotNET - Hearing Is Believing FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo NAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence    

Marc and Brian take on pt.AUDIO's coverage of the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa, held February 21-23. This episode reports back on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the Q1 event. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. From warding off gators in the hotel parking lot to 8 foot tall flat panel speakers, this episode tells you everything you need to know about the first big audio event of 2025. Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E9 Sponsors: DRVINYLdotNET - Hearing Is Believing FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo AUDIOQUESTdotCOM — High-Performance Cables & Power Products — Made for You  

An interview with Michael Trei of Stereophile Magazine. Michael joins the show to chat about his historic run with HiFi. In addition to reviews and a regular column with Stereophile, Michael has held nearly every possible position for a real high fidelity enthusiast. This includes (but not limited to) writer, reviewer, distributor, retail sales and even turntable setup-er. His knowledge of the analog spinning disc is deep, and he shares some of his life experiences along with a good helpful chunk of audio knowledge in this interview.  Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E8 Sponsors: PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems AUDIOCAFEBEVERLYHILLSdotCOM - Emotional Musical Engagment

Due to the sucess of our episode on The Anatomy Of An Amplifier With Jason Stoddard, we decided to take a deep dive into headphones with the same format. This week we are joined again by none other than Zach Mehrbach of ZMF headphones. Zach walks us through the "how to" and "know how" of every part that makes up a headphone, from connector to cable to headband - and everything in between. This includes things to look out for in a quality headphone build and the impact of each part, material and design choice.  Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E7 Sponsors: DRVINYLdotNET - Hearing Is Believing FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems pt.AUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times

An Interview With Herb Herichert Of Stereophile Magazine. We met up with Herb at another audio show last year and really got a chance to pick his brain about HiFi, life and even the growing AI trend as it relates to music and art. Herb is one of the great writers for Stereophile and isn't afraid to tackle anything from headphones to the high-end when it comes to his art. There was such an interesting crew the came up from the East Coast during the golden age of HiFi, so we are so honered to have Herb back on the show this week (he orginally appeared with Steve Guttenberg in an interview way back in S9E7). Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, plus the new GOLD! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E6 Sponsors: DRVINYLdotNET - Hearing Is Beliving  FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in Texas, Starting At $49

Our 2025 Buyer's Guide For Audiophiles. Marc and Brian go over some of the best and brightest audio products reviewed and heard for the upcoming year. Broken out into several HiFi categories, the buyer's guide provides some insight into the season's best audiophile products along with some general banter and tips for the hobby. See the full guide in written form at PT.Audio. Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 11. The 800g Record Weight in Copper, just in time for the holidays. (plus the new GOLD!) pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E5 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times

An interview with pt.AUDIO Editor-At-Large (Asia) Richard Mak. Richard joins the show to give us the lowdown on the relatively untapped media markets for areas like Signapore, Japan, China, HongKong and the rest of the Asian. US media for high fidelity gear rarely makes it over to these audio shows, so it was great to have Richard on to tell us about how things might be a little different... and how they are really still the same. Do individual geographic areas really have different sounds for high-end and headphone gear? In this episode we take on some of the unique differences across the global audio scene. Also includes coverage, impressions and best products/rooms from the Singapore audio show. The Season 11 preimer kicks off a whole slew of new stuff, including our pt.AUDIO site rebrand and new MERCH! The new PTA Record Weight in Copper is now available. And for the holiday season - Gold! pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Gold S11E4 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems PTdotAUDIO - Great Sounds Meet Good Times  

Coverage and impressions from Captial Audiofest 2024. Marc, Brian, Grover, Graig and Marc S. broadcast live from the DC event for audiophiles. Full impressions, observations on trends and best of show awards. What rooms sounded like perfection? What new products really impressed? All the new details all a ton of new products get realeased at this East Coast show and we have them all to share with you in this detailed and robust episode of HiFi wondery. This episode's event sponsor is Doug White and The Voice That Is. Doug was showcasing the North American premiere for new TIDAL for Bugatti MC-1 Digital Controller, TIDAL for Bugatti MP-1 Pre amplifier and Turnbull Audio Prestige Audio Cables. 

Interview With Schiit Audio Founder Jason Stoddard. Jason joins the show this week to talk about all the new changes with this budget HiFi brand fenom Schiitt Audio. Starting as a headphone amplifier and DAC company, Jason is futher exanding his wallet friendly offerings into the two channel speaker market with the introduction of three new products and a unified remote control system. Epsiode includes some time with Jason discussing the overall direction of the company, his thoughts on growth, learing from past mistakes and more. The Season 11 preimer kicks off a whole slew of new stuff, including our pt.AUDIO site rebrand and new MERCH! The new PTA Record Weight in Copper is now available. A special, limited launch discount code can be found in the episode. pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper If you are attending Capital Audiofest this weekend, please swing by the Wilson Room and see our CAF 2024 sponsor, Doug White and The Voice That Is. Doug will showcasing his fine selection of brands including Tidal Audio, Turnbull Cables, Dohmann Audio and more. S11E2 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems

The first installment in our series of vintage gear. Justin Weber of ampsandsound joins the show to give his list of favorite vintage amplifiers. Where does one start with vintage HiFi? Which McIntosh amp model fetches the highest price? He also helps identify which amps are worth buying, easiest to repair, and which ones you might want to avoid all together. Its a Top 10 list of vintage gear that you will not want to miss!  The Season 11 preimer kicks off a whole slew of new stuff, including our pt.AUDIO site rebrand and new MERCH! The new PTA Record Weight in Copper is now available. A special, limited launch discount code can be found in the episode. pt.AUDIO Record Weight In Copper S11E1 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! FOCALNAIMAMERICAdotCOM – High-End Hi-Fi Excellence FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems

The best audio products of the year so far, and all the HiFi Highlights and Best Of Show from Pacific Audiofest in Seattle, WA. PT.Audio Editor-In-Chief Marc Phillips rejoins the show straight off the plane from PAF 2024. He gives us the big download on all the best products we have for 2024 so far, and all of his nominations for best of show from the Pacific Northwest event.  The last episode of Season 10 is packed with the highest recommendations from across high fidelity audio with tons of options from the most current round of product launches in the market. A must listen for anyone interested in the latest and greatest for the hobby. S10E10 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics AUDIOCAFEBEVERLYHILLSdotCOM - Emotional Musical Engagment FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems SVSOUNDdotCOM – Join the Sound R|Evolution

Tips and tricks to getting the most out of your vinyl and turntable playback. Dr. Vinyl himself joins the show with updates and suggestions for keeping your alanog playback working its best. Alighment, tubes, warmup and a top list of all the things to look out as you begin your audiophile journey with records and beyond.  Dr. Vinyl Website: https://www.drvinyl.net S10E8 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems SVSOUNDdotCOM – Join the Sound R|Evolution  

The top 3 audio myths are addressed in this episode. What are some of the most common misconceptions that audiophiles encounter when dealing with the hobby at large? Are there any pieces of "advice" that keep newcomers out of HiFi when first starting out? We tackle the issues with the help of our friends at SVS this week.  Special bonus, full (and I mean full) room coverage, impressions, takeaways and best-of-show from the California Audio Show 2024 located in the East Bay of San Francisco. A very special thanks to Gary Yacoubian, Nick Brown, Michael Liang (HiFiInsider on YouTube) and Tristan (PhotoTristan on YouTube). S10E8 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 FERNANDROBYdotCOM - Expert Craftmanship for Elevated Sound Systems  

An interview with Michael Lavornga of TwitteringMachines.com. Michael has a long history as a HiFi writer. His credentials include Stereophile magazine and Audiostream.com - the latter of which he ran for several years before Stereophile shuttered the site along with the personal audio site InnerFidelity. Michael is one of the predominant voices in digital audio, something that has evolved immensely in high fidelity audio in the past 20 years he has been writing on the subject. We sit down to chat about his long history with the hobby, his outlook on high end audio in general and even share a few stories from his experience reporting on the subject.  Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S10E7 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins

Marc Phillips returns from the HIGHEND audio show in Munich Germany. Filled with tons of impressions, product announcements and best sound of the show for 2024, Marc recaps his trip abroad with some of his personal takeaways from the biggest high fidelity event on the planet.  Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S10E6 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

An interview with Andrew Jones of MoFi Electronics. Andrew joins the show once again, this time to discuss the new Sourcepoint 888 floorstanding loudspeaker. Recorded live at AXPONA 2024 in Chicago, we sit down with one of HiFi's most prolific speaker designers to discuss the habits of audiophiles, the Harman Curve, the value of speaker measurments and more. Andrew is a great interview, and is able to commucate various topics in both an in-depth but understandable way. A must listen for anyone just starting out or looking for a bit more information on how things come into being from a manufacturing and design standpoint.  S10E5 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

Live from Chicago, IL - The cast and crew from PartTimeAudiophile's coverage of AXPONA 2024 weigh in. Held April 12-14 in the Schaumburg Convention Center, this episode reports back on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the largest high fidelity audio event in North America. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. Special thanks to Marc Phillips, Matthew Partrick, Grover and Graig Neville. Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd0NF-pYiZLThKkddrmJylA S10E4 Sponsors: ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins  

An interview with Michal Jurewicz of Mytek. The founder and designer of Mytek joins the show with a whole host of information on the latest in digital audio, Class-D and GaN updates. The latest in Class D amplification usually involves GaN technologies, and Michal has his own design and spin on the latest option for power that isn't the hot Class A or even AB technologies preferred by audiophiles. His latest product is a Class D monoblock, and he provides a great explaination as to what the current field looks like for this topology that is creeping into HiFi from the mainstream.  S10E3 Sponsors: AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins

An interview with the founder of Audio Note UK, Peter Qvortrup. Peter shares some of his history and plenty of the audio know-how that he has collected over his very extensive tenure working in HiFi. He brings a fairly unique perspective to some of high end's more well-trodden talking points and offers up his two cents on speaker placement, damping, distorition, spec limits and how we as humans have evolved over time to hear certain things, in specific ways. A really interesting interview with one of high fidelity's more elusive characters. S10E2 Sponsors: AXPONAdotCOM - North America's Audio Expo ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound    

Our season 10 premiere features the cast and crew from PartTimeAudiophile's coverage of the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa, held February 16-18. This episode reports back on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the Q1 event. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. S10E1 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within AXPONAdotCom - North America's Audio Expo ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics

Our 2024 Buyer's Guide For Audiophiles. Marc and Brian go over some of the best and brightest audio products reviewed and heard for the upcoming year. Broken out into 12 categories, the buyer's guide provides some insight into the season's best audiophile products along with some general hifi banter and tips for the hobby. See the full guide in written form at PT.Audio. Don't forget to check out our merch for Season 9, a 100% bronze record weight that is really something behold, and to hold. S9E15 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM – Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM – Listen From Within HIFIROSEUSAdotCOM - The Future Of Music Awaits You

Coverage and impressions from Captial Audiofest 2023. Marc, Brian, Grover and Graig broadcast live from the DC event for audiophiles. Full impressions, observations on trends and best of show awards. What is the current state of Class D and GaN updates! Are children welcome at audio shows? Also, a list of best practices for any first time show goer. This show's event sponsor is Doug White and The Voice That Is. Doug was showcasing the new Tidal Contriva G3 loudspeakers (and Siltech Ruby Crown Cables) in their first US appearance at CAF 2023. Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S9E14 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within

Interview with John DeVore of DeVORE FIDELITY. John joins the show to talk about all things audio and more. This huge and diverse interview covers speaker topics like material resonances, hard dome tweeters, sensory perception, the myth of the skinny speaker and more. It explains why a solid wood speaker cabinets is rarely used and inspires the host Brian Hunter to search for sweeter sounds at low levels. The show also highlights John's other artistic talents including his love for unique and high-end drawing pens.  If you are attending Capital Audiofest this weekend, please swing by the Wilson Room and see this show's sponsor, Doug White and The Voice That Is. Doug will showcasing the new Tidal Contriva G3 loudspeakers (and Siltech Ruby Crown Cables) in their first US appearance.  S9E13 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within MUSICHALLAUDIOdotCOM - No Nonsense, Just Great Sound

An Occasional Podcast Halloween special. The series of events that unfolded at a HiFi retail store in Ogden, UT in 1974 would forever change the small town. One of the most brazen and brutal crimes to ever unfold in the HiFi market is the subject of this SE podcast episode.  Warning: This episode contains descriptions of graphic and disturbing content which might be upsetting for some listeners. Special guest host Bryan Beasley along with Brian Hunter lay down the events of Monday, April 22 and walk through the timeline, case and trial of this terrifying true crime. A very special thanks to Bryan for his many contributions helping put this complex show together. S9E12 Sponsors: HIFIROSEUSAdotCOM - The Future Of Music Awaits You WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins

We deliver a tell-all for everything hot coming out in headphones for the 2023 holiday season. PartTimeAudiophile.com Editor-In-Chief Marc Phillips joins the show to give all the juicy HiFi updates to his immediate trip abroad (he literally jumped on a plane after we recorded this). We discuss all the latest headphone news with on-site interviews from the latest personal audio show in Los Angeles. Are wireless headphones finally coming into thier own? Marc and Brian discuss, along with observations about new tech entering the field and why audiophiles seem to only buy black or silver boxes. This episode also features the top 10 hardest audio brands to pronounce according to our recent Facebook poll. S9E11 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within HIFIROSEUSAdotCOM - The Future Of Music Awaits You

Interview with Andrew Jones of MoFi Electronics (KEF/ELAC/Pioneer fame) discussing crossovers in speaker design. Andrew Jones is one of our favorite people to have on the show because he: 1. knows things 2. shares that knowledge in an articluate manner 3. has a British accent that just makes things sound cool. Crossovers can be a complicated subject when constructing (and purchasing) a loudspeaker, but in this episode, Andrew helps clear up some of the misconceptions on the somewhat cloudy subject of internal speaker hardware. Mr. Jones has two new speakers of his design out right now under the MoFi Electronics umbrella that are raising some buzz in the market - the Sourcepoint 8 & 10. Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S9E10 Sponsors: WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins ACORAACOUSTICSdotCOM - Hear The Truth SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics

Marc Phillips rejoins the show after a quick trip to the coast for Pacific Audiofest 2023 in Seattle, WA. Filled with tons of impressions, product announcements and best sound of the show, Marc recaps his trip to the Pacific Northwest with some of his personal takeaways from the one of the newest high fidelity events to join the circuit.  Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S9E9 Sponsors: WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins ACORAACOUSTICSdotCOM - Hear The Truth SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics

Interview with David Solomon of Qobuz plus T.H.E. Show 2023 Highlights from Costa Mesa. This double header includes a massive primer on how to stream digial audio. Tips, tricks and everything you need to get started with both high resolution music streaming as well as a a deeper dive for those already well versed. David is the VP of Biz Dev at Qobuz and is perhaps one of the most seasoned digial audio guys who still make the rounds within the audiophile show circuit. Recorded earlier this year, we make our way through everything you need to know to grapple and master digtial audio streaming.  The second half of the show features none other than PTA writer Grover Neville. Grover and Brian showcase all the highlights from The Home Entertaiment Show 2023 which takes place in early June every year. Expect all the good, bad and culinary delights of this year's big Los Angeles HiFi show. S9E8 Sponsors: WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins ACORAACOUSTICSdotCOM - Hear The Truth SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics

Interview with Steve Guttenberg and Herb Reichert. Both Steve and Herb have prolific resumes in the audiophile world. Steve has written for CNET, Stereophile, TAS and more - while now dominating the video space on YouTube with over 230k subscribers and millions of views. Herb is a longtime Stereophile writer and reviewer who isn't afraid to take a steady look at budget and personal audio systems in his very approachable and creative writing style in a typically high end, high brow (and maybe high nosed) sea of HiFi reviews. Steve and Herb combined have both brought huge contributions in the media space - efforts that continue to bring in fresh members and serve as an amazing point of entry for so many individuals first getting into the hobby.  S9E7 Sponsors: WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins ACORAACOUSTICSdotCOM - Hear The Truth SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 ZMFHEADPHONESdotCOM - Traditional Craft, Modern Acoustics    

Marc Phillips returns from the HIGHEND audio show in Munich Germany. Filled with tons of impressions, product announcements and best sound of the show, Marc recaps his trip abroad with some of his personal takeaways from the biggest high fidelity event on the planet.  Check out our amazing Bronze Record Weight merch here: PTA Store S9E6 Sponsors: AMPSANDSOUNDdotCOM - Making Better Sound Quality Accessible WOOAUDIOdotCOM - Where Better Sound Begins ACORAACOUSTICSdotCOM - Hear The Truth SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

This episode comes lives from the Chicago event with the cast and crew from PartTimeAudiophile's coverage of AXPONA, held April 14-16. We sound off on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases we saw at the massive 200+ listening room convention. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. Very special thanks to our devious co-hosts, Marc Phillips, Matthew Partrik and Mohammed Samji. S9E5 Sponsors: PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within

This second part of our interview with Garth Powell of AudioQuest has it all. A fresh take on the current state of music, studio misconceptions, reflections on improvisation and even Tibetan throat singing. Also joining us on the show is Liz Miller and Mark Freed from AXPONA. We have all the newest product announcements for the Chicago-based audio event this week (April 14-16) plus visitation tips and show "how tos". Don't forget to check out our new merch at PartTimeAudiophile.com! S9E4 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within AMPSANDSOUNDdotCOM - Making Better Sound Quality Accessible

Interview with Garth Powell of Audioquest. Garth provides some diabolical insights into how to control, alleviate and erradicate noise and hum from your strereo. Packed full with tips, tricks and first-hand knowledge, Garth runs the gamut on the subject of unwanted outside noise permeating into your hifi system. From connection options to controlling your mains, this episode really buckles down and delivers on the "how to" catagory.  S9E3 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within AXPONAdotCom - North America's Audio Expo

An interview with Justin Weber Of ampsandsound. Justin walks us through 5 things to consider when purchasing a tube amplifier. This includes a deep dive into power needs, tube choices, tube colorations, overall topology preferences and more. Justin is both an excellent amplifier designer and a lifelong hobbiest of hifi. This thorough revisitation into tube amplifiers both breaks new ground for the show and adds to our vast knowledge base for listeners. Don't forget to also check out our Guide To Tube Amplifiers from season 6 and our Ode To The 300b Tube from season 7 for even more info on audiophile glass. S9E2 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within AXPONAdotCom - North America's Audio Expo

Our season 9 premiere features the cast and crew from PartTimeAudiophile's coverage of the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa, held February 17-19. This episode reports back on all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the Q1 event. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. Very special thanks to the illustrious co-hosts, Marc Phillips, Matthew Partrik and Scot Hull. S9E1 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within AXPONAdotCom - North America's Audio Expo

Awards Show for the very best hifi product of 2022. Marc Phillips and Scot Hull of PartTimeAudiophile close out the year with an interview representing the mass of nominations and awards for product of the year from the site. Metric tons of high fidelity products were listened to, and there were many outstanding products across all catagories. We reveal our pick for the king of them all for 2022, but also highlight the picks for analog, digital, speakers and more. Check out the full product of the year post on PartTimeAudiophile.com as well as our Best Value of the year award. S8E10 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You VONSCHWEIKERTAUDIOdotCOM - VSA Loudspeakers SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 WHARFEDALEUSAdotCOM - Legendary British Sound – Elevated

An interview with Anthony Chiarella of Specialty Sound & Vision and our 2023 Buyer's Guide Special. Scot, Marc and Brian go over some of the best and brightest audio products reviewed and heard for the upcoming year. Broken out into 12 categories, the buyer's guide provides some insight into the season's best audiophile products along with some general hifi banter and acoustic tips.  The show also features a surprising follow up to our S8E5 Halloween special with Anthony who actually worked at Crazy Eddie's retail chain in New Jersey from 1977-1981, before it was dissolved due to Eddie Antar's criminal prosecution. He shares personal stories from that time and further explores the subject with his first hand experience on the sales floor. S8E9 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You VONSCHWEIKERTAUDIOdotCOM - VSA Loudspeakers SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 WHARFEDALEUSAdotCOM - Legendary British Sound – Elevated

Interview with Sean Casey of Zu Audio and Bart Andeer Of The Florida HiFi Show (Florida International Audio Expo). This week's double header features the proprieter of the Florida Audio Show, plus the return of Sean Casey, a first since his intial appearance in S1E1! Bart gives us the low down on the next big audio show in Tampa coming on February 17-19 2023, plus all his expierences traveling across the globe with HiFi in mind. Sean talks music, creativity, new gear and old, entry-level to his never publicly released flagships.  S8E8 Sponsors: VONSCHWEIKERTAUDIOdotCOM - VSA Loudspeakers SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 WHARFEDALEUSAdotCOM - Legendary British Sound – Elevated

Eric, Grover, Dave and Jameson from the PartTimeAudiophile.com writing staff join The Occasional Podcast to give thier impressions of all the audio gear that was on display at Capital Audiofest 2022 in DC. This episode covers all the showroom highlights and the latest hifi product releases from the East Coast event. Best of show, standout gear and plenty of weekend observations. S8E7 Sponsors: THEVOICETHATISdotCOM - For The Love Of Music ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You VONSCHWEIKERTAUDIOdotCOM - VSA Loudspeakers SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49 WHARFEDALEUSAdotCOM - Legendary British Sound – Elevated

Interview with Andrew Jones of Mofi Electronics. We visit Andrew Jones' (ELAC/KEF/Pionneer) design office in Beverly Hills to get an exclusive first look at his new Source Point 10 concentric loudspeaker, the first release under the new MoFi Electronics brand. Andrew gives us all the updates on the new monitor-sized two-way and devulges his philosophies when it comes to material choice, bracing, crossovers, form factor and more.  If you are attending Capital Audiofest this weekend, please swing by the Wilson Room and see this show's sponsor, Doug White and The Voice That Is. Doug will showcasing the new Tidal Piano G3 loudspeakers (and Critical Mass Systems Ultra Q Rack) in their first US appearance.  S8E6 Sponsors: THEVOICETHATISdotCOM - For The Love Of Music ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You VONSCHWEIKERTAUDIOdotCOM - VSA Loudspeakers SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

An Occasional Podcast Halloween special. What ever happened to Crazy Eddie's chain of electronics stores? In this episode, we explore the rise, fraud and fallout of one of the biggest retail scams that just kept getting bigger and bigger. What started as a small electronics chain grew into 43 stores in four states and an alleged $300 million in sales. If you were around the area in the 80's, the signature high energy "crazy Eddie" commercials saturated the popular culture at the time. His brand of intense media blitz earned a place in the mindset of many, millions of stolen dollars and a crimial investigation. This epsiode also marks the return of co-host Bryan Beasley, special thanks to him for his many contributions helping put this complex show together.  S8E5 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

Interview with legendary speaker designer Andrew Jones of MoFi Electronics. Andrew joins the podcast again to do a deep dive into the design elements of speaker cabinets. His history creating speakers spans the years making iconic hifi from the likes of ELAC, KEF, TAD, Pioneer - just to name a few. In this episode we expore topics like how to get bass out of small sizes, how much damping is the correct amount, what designs have proven to be the most useful for certain scenarios and more. It is pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about the precious enclosures we cradle our drivers in, and maybe a little bit extra for good measure.  S8E4 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49

Brian Hunter covers the large swath of high fidelity product launches that hit the market this week in preparation for the upcoming holiday season. Much of the new gear is highly anticipated flagship offerings as well as some new tech and updated feature sets to established favorites. Includes live show coverage and 6 interviews with manufacturers including DCS, Focal and more. S8E3 Sponsors: ZUAUDIOdotCOM - Any music, amp or room, there's a Zu for You PURISTAUDIODESIGNdotCOM - Let Us Connect You To The Music! INNUOSdotCOM - Listen From Within SCHIITdotCOM - Audio Components Designed & Built in California & Texas, Starting At $49