The HiFi Five Podcast

The HiFi Five Episode 39:  Is Vinyl All That?
Guests:
Jefferson Douglas -- CEO of Tubelandia Music
Mike Lavigne -- audiophile hobbyist
Amadeus Meitner -- Managing Director, EMM Labs and Meitner
Doug Schneider -- founder of SoundStage!

Topics:
Which is the best sounding format, and what does best sounding mean?
When great vinyl beats state-of-the-art digital, what are we really hearing -- the format, better mastering, or better gear?
If master tape is the ultimate reference, which gets closer: vinyl or digital?
If an LP was recorded, mixed or mastered digitally, what exactly do you gain by playing it on vinyl? Can mastering digital onto vinyl actually make it sound better?
Where does another $25,000 buy you more sonic improvement -- vinyl or digital?
Twenty years from now, will vinyl still be a reference-quality format -- or mainly a collectible experience while digital becomes the unquestioned reference?

The HiFi Five Episode 38:  Buying Used Components and Repairs

Guests:
Morrison Agen -- Hardcore HiFi, a dealer and component repair and restoration business 
Jay Caceres -- Jay’s Audio Lab, a dealer in used components 
Peter Glenn -- Director of Quality Assurance at The Music Room, a dealer in used components
Jim Yager -- audiophile hobbyist

Topics:
Is buying used actually the smartest way to build a great high-end audio system?
What high-end components are safest to buy used -- and which are the biggest gamble?
What components are easiest to resell -- and which ones can you get stuck with?
Are used high-end audio prices getting ridiculous -- or are today’s prices actually justified?
How big does the used discount have to be before you’re willing to give up the security of a factory warranty?
What actually breaks more often:  relatively new high-end components or vintage gear -- and are tubes or solid state easier to keep running?
How does Jay’s Audio Lab and The Music Room determine their buying prices and their selling prices?

The HiFi Five Episode  37:  Southwest Audio Fest 2026 Show Report
Guests:
Chad Crawley -- audiophile hobbyist

Gary Gill -- founder and organizer of the Southwest Audio Fest and Capital Audio Fest

Matt Philpot -- YouTube channel Everyday Audiophile

Keith Rochelli -- audiophile hobbyist

Joey Veloso -- President of the DFW Audiophile Club

Topics:
Was Southwest Audio Fest better than last year—or did it take a step backward?
Which new components were the biggest surprises… and which failed to impress?
Favorite exhibits?
Best affordable systems?
Can you really judge a six-figure audio system by how it sounds in a hotel room?
Do the most expensive systems actually sound the best at an audio show?
What was the biggest piece of industry gossip or insider information we heard at SWAF?

In this The HiFi Five Special Episode Ron Resnick interviews Mr. Roger Hwang, the CEO of Crystal International Group Inc. and Crystal Claire Cosmetics Inc., who explains the many recent corporate and personnel developments at Audio Research Corporation and at Acora Acoustics.

The HiFi Five Episode 35:  Dynaudio Withdrawal and Distributor Life Today
Guests:
Brian Ackerman -- Founder of Aaudio Imports
Bill Leebens -- CEO of Leebens Marketing and Management
Doug Schneider -- Founder of SoundStage!
Hiram Toro -- Founder of Supreme Acoustic Systems and of Decibel+

Topics:
Is this an isolated case, or the first major warning sign that the economics of importing high-end audio into North America have changed fundamentally?
What role did tariffs really play in Dynaudio’s decision to leave the U.S. market
Are U.S. distributors facing the toughest business environment they’ve seen in decades?
Who really pays the tariffs on imported high-end audio—the manufacturer, the importer, the dealer, or ultimately the consumer
How today can foreign imported brands compete against domestic brands?