The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

If you've heard it, you know. And if you know, well.... you just know. The best vinyl reproduction of music just smokes the very best of digital. It wipes the floor with it. But with the amount of money required to reach this height on the black discs versus an investment in excellent digital playback, is it worth it? Why is vinyl perhaps more audiophile, or at least, why do the two mediums sound so different?

It begins with four Klipsch speakers and three turntables. Add subwoofers, room treatment, cool lights and eager dancers. Don’t forget the earplugs! In this episode of The Hifi Podcast, Darren and Duncan answer a couple of listener questions, one specifically focused on creating the perfect music-based party space. Also, this week’s recommended album is a timeless holiday classic that should be in every audiophile’s library.

They’re the backbone of the hifi hobby, and without them, there would be no music in our homes. But how much do you actually know about speakers? What makes different drivers sound different, and why are there still new design approaches invented to this day? This week’s podcast features loudspeaker design expert Chris Brunhaver, who offers his deep experience in the field as the boys begin to explore the topic of speakers, speakers, speakers.

Audio tweaks and system adjustments come in all different sizes. No matter your system setup, the many moving parts nearly always offer room for improvements — some small, and some very large, hiding in plain sight. In this podcast, Darren and Duncan continue the discussion about system and component modifications, touching on speaker tweaks, capacitor and resistor choices, isolation and cables. As always, a listener question is answered and the album of the week is another can’t miss.

There's a certain mentality that develops in the minds of audio tweakers and modders over time, which is that anything can be improved. Once a positive change is heard from a tweak or two, you tend to get hooked on the idea. Not only is this approach to the audiophile hobby fun, but it's also a healthy way of understanding what actually makes a difference in our audio systems. In this episode, Darren and Duncan talk about why there is room for improvements, and where those can be found.

In this age of work-from-home life, small and personal audio has become more important than ever. While many might instinctively reach for a pair of headphones to fill the silence, in this podcast Darren and Duncan extol the virtues of a fine-tuned nearfield audio system. Excellent speakers positioned properly on a desktop can possibly offer better acoustics than a bigger rig, as the room is taken out of the equation...

If you've hung around hifi audio long enough, chances are you've seen one of your favorite audio brands struggle to stay afloat, go up for sale, get bought and eventually change slightly from what you knew and loved. In this episode, Darren and Duncan chat about this phenomenon, and answer a few interesting questions from listeners.

In this episode, Duncan talks about building a pair of mini monitors after listening to LS3/5 and LS3/5A speakers at work, and Darren fully isolates his DIY 18" subwoofers. Then, the guys tackle a couple of excellent listener questions, including a broad question of how - and where - to add tubes to a hifi system to take it to the next level.

"Golden Ears" is a term that's used to describe someone with superior listening skills. Often it's referenced when talking about a mastering engineer or a reviewer of high end audio gear, but the fact is, anyone can have Golden Ears. It's a skill that's developed through practice, and in this episode, Darren and Duncan break down their top five ways you can improve your skills.

In audiophile circles, there is a stigma against switch-mode power supplies, and something of a glorification of linear supplies as the two relate to our audio devices. But are these leanings justified? Is the real truth actually this black and white? In this week’s episode, Darren and Duncan take a deep dive into the workings of power supplies for audio products, answering these questions and revealing what makes a power supply good — no matter which type it is.