Listen "“It’s Easy to Look Like an Idiot”"
Episode Synopsis
We’re on Patreon now! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed
Buy-now links for products mentioned herein (As Amazon Associates, we may earn a small cut from qualifying purchases):
🎧Shanling UA1 Plus DAC-Headphone Amp Dongle: https://wclink.co/link/59182/0/4/175794/
🎧Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 Active Noise Cancellation Earbuds: https://amzn.to/3TCpF48
📻Dayton Audio HTA100 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3RUgRW3
📻Dayton Audio HTA200 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3Tyxlof
📻WiiM Amp: https://amzn.to/3TDnflP
💿Yamaha CD-C603BL 5-Disc CD Changer with USB Playback and PlayXChange: https://amzn.to/48wXwjc
🎵Alice Phoebe Lou: Shelter: https://amzn.to/3RXuKDb
📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE
📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0
This week, Brent and Dennis bid adieu to 2023 with a discussion about some exciting new CD players (who could have predicted that would be a thing?!), some thoughts on the validation of the SoundGuys’ target headphone curve, and a back-and-forth list of their favorite audio-related things from this year. And for Patrons: a discussion about Yamaha’s crazy-expensive new headphone amplifier.
Further Reading:
“The CD changer is back – and Yamaha’s new CD-C603 has something I wish mine had in 2005” by Beck Roberts: https://www.whathifi.com/news/the-cd-changer-is-back-and-yamahas-new-cd-c603-has-something-i-wish-mine-had-in-2005
“2023's BEST VALUE CD 'player' does SO MUCH MORE (and for less)” by Darko Audio: https://youtu.be/96JFEBc0xjY?si=RIEJxvgb2T_qbOXh
“Check Out this CRAZY little CD Player! Is the SMSL PL200 Awesome or Awful?” by cheapaudioman: https://youtu.be/DVZ8bH3qYGk?si=7xMe7HRogGI_YzQl
“PlayStation is erasing 1,318 seasons of Discovery shows from customer libraries” by Scharon Harding: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/12/playstation-is-erasing-1318-seasons-of-discovery-shows-from-customer-libraries/
“SoundGuys headphone preference curve validated in AES paper” by AJ Wykes: https://www.soundguys.com/soundguys-headphone-preference-curve-validated-in-aes-paper-102536/
“Do We Really Need All These Target Curves?” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/354-do-we-really-need-all-these-target-curves
“Evaluating the Knowles Preferred Response Curve” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/359-evaluating-the-knowles-preferred-response-curve
“2023 SoundStage! Awards—Best Hi-Fi Products and Outstanding Achievements with Dominique Fils-Aimé”: https://youtu.be/pQf2W60g5T0?si=2136X-GgiOSpz7J2
Darko's 'Best of 2023': https://youtu.be/_JfmG62rfJ4?si=vJThyU_BlotE4l0W
Buy-now links for products mentioned herein (As Amazon Associates, we may earn a small cut from qualifying purchases):
🎧Shanling UA1 Plus DAC-Headphone Amp Dongle: https://wclink.co/link/59182/0/4/175794/
🎧Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 Active Noise Cancellation Earbuds: https://amzn.to/3TCpF48
📻Dayton Audio HTA100 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3RUgRW3
📻Dayton Audio HTA200 Integrated Stereo Hybrid Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Class A/B Amplifier: https://amzn.to/3Tyxlof
📻WiiM Amp: https://amzn.to/3TDnflP
💿Yamaha CD-C603BL 5-Disc CD Changer with USB Playback and PlayXChange: https://amzn.to/48wXwjc
🎵Alice Phoebe Lou: Shelter: https://amzn.to/3RXuKDb
📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE
📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0
This week, Brent and Dennis bid adieu to 2023 with a discussion about some exciting new CD players (who could have predicted that would be a thing?!), some thoughts on the validation of the SoundGuys’ target headphone curve, and a back-and-forth list of their favorite audio-related things from this year. And for Patrons: a discussion about Yamaha’s crazy-expensive new headphone amplifier.
Further Reading:
“The CD changer is back – and Yamaha’s new CD-C603 has something I wish mine had in 2005” by Beck Roberts: https://www.whathifi.com/news/the-cd-changer-is-back-and-yamahas-new-cd-c603-has-something-i-wish-mine-had-in-2005
“2023's BEST VALUE CD 'player' does SO MUCH MORE (and for less)” by Darko Audio: https://youtu.be/96JFEBc0xjY?si=RIEJxvgb2T_qbOXh
“Check Out this CRAZY little CD Player! Is the SMSL PL200 Awesome or Awful?” by cheapaudioman: https://youtu.be/DVZ8bH3qYGk?si=7xMe7HRogGI_YzQl
“PlayStation is erasing 1,318 seasons of Discovery shows from customer libraries” by Scharon Harding: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/12/playstation-is-erasing-1318-seasons-of-discovery-shows-from-customer-libraries/
“SoundGuys headphone preference curve validated in AES paper” by AJ Wykes: https://www.soundguys.com/soundguys-headphone-preference-curve-validated-in-aes-paper-102536/
“Do We Really Need All These Target Curves?” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/354-do-we-really-need-all-these-target-curves
“Evaluating the Knowles Preferred Response Curve” by Brent Butterworth: https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/359-evaluating-the-knowles-preferred-response-curve
“2023 SoundStage! Awards—Best Hi-Fi Products and Outstanding Achievements with Dominique Fils-Aimé”: https://youtu.be/pQf2W60g5T0?si=2136X-GgiOSpz7J2
Darko's 'Best of 2023': https://youtu.be/_JfmG62rfJ4?si=vJThyU_BlotE4l0W
More episodes of the podcast Audio Unleashed
“Headphone Sty”
01/10/2025
“A Yankee Corndog”
17/09/2025
“Kick! Punch! It’s All in the Mind!”
03/09/2025
“Monkeys Farting Into Metal Trash Cans”
20/08/2025
“We’re Free to Suck In a Way AI Is Not”
06/08/2025
“Safe, Predictable, Mass-Produced Crap”
23/07/2025
“Pandering to McDonald’s to Get Free Coffee”
09/07/2025
“Like the ‘NASCAR Fans’ of Audio”
25/06/2025
“Snake Oil is Snake Oil, Right?”
11/06/2025