This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth chats with SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe about his adventures at High End 2025, the final year in Munich. Jason was there with SoundStage! Contributor Matt Bonaccio and SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider. They dig into the best gear Jason saw, his sense of larger trends, and what the upcoming move may or may not mean.
Also, sandwiches.
Sources:
High End 2025 coverage on SoundStageGlobal.com: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2025-munich-germany
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Introductions
00:05:39 Spools of wire
00:10:37 What do air hockey tables and turntables have in common?
00:14:31 The sound of speakers
00:22:07 More techno!
00:26:19 Black boxes
00:29:46 The future of High End
00:38:44 Outro music: "Look Up” by Diffie Bosman
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39:45
Built in the Netherlands: The Heart of Siltech, Crystal Cable, HMS, and Sphinx
This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is sits down for a one-on-one with Gabi Rynveld, PR and brand ambassador for International Audio Holding, to discuss the history of Siltech and Crystal cable, the importance of manufacturing in the Netherlands, how distinct companies maintain their personality and brand identity under the umbrella of one manufacturer, and more.
Sources:
“The Rolex of Hi-Fi Cables - Siltech's Flagship Royal Crown Series”: https://youtu.be/yN-nEreboLE?si=gTkHHRv4FGSwsyB-
“Ultra Hi-Fi: Crystal Cable's "Core" Silver-Gold Cable Line—the Diamond Series 2 Update”: https://youtu.be/vpWM6DeyXDE?si=GPM0Sgo8QqTyy6o_
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 The origin of Crystal Cable
00:12:40 HMS Elektronik enters the chat
00:22:47 New/old brand or old/new brand?
00:43:00 Don’t forget the music
00:47:50 Outro music: "Thaïs" by Jules Massenet, performed by Ohad Ben Ari
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50:38
The Science and Precision Behind KEF’s Speaker Production
This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Jack Oclee-Brown, VP of Technology at KEF, to discuss the decisions that go into what products are made where, and the intricate relationship between measurements and manufacturing.
Sources:
“KEF’s Jack Oclee-Brown” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/kef-jack-oclee-brown-the-tangerine-waveguide-blade-loudspeakers-aspirational-hi-fi/
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Discussions about quality and quantity
00:09:45 Lab standards vs. line standards
00:23:10 What about headphones?
00:28:37 Outro music: “Ohio Country” by When Mountains Move
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31:43
Dutch Decibels: The Netherlands-Built Sound of Dutch & Dutch
This week, host Jorden Guth joins Martijn Mensink of Dutch & Dutch to discuss what aspects of the company’s beloved 8c speakers are made where, how the decision is made to craft some things in-house and outsource other elements, why driver manufacturing and DSP development are very different enterprises, and what the future holds for the design and manufacture of products of its type.
Sources:
“Martijn Mensink On the Magic of Dutch & Dutch”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/martijn-mensink-on-the-magic-of-dutch-dutch-active-speakers-cardioid-dispersion-acoustics/
"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeakers Reviewed" by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1270-dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeakers
"Intro to Dutch & Dutch and the 8c Active Loudspeaker - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2R9lEJH4Og&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork
"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeaker in Detail - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW-6R5HP8SE&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Introductions
00:21:43 Unexpected lessons
00:26:24 Outro music: “Get it Right” by Water on Mars
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30:07
Made-in-Germany Hi-Fi and Playback-Control Software from T+A
In this week’s episode, host Jorden Guth chats with T+A elektroakustik COO Conradin Amft to learn more about the value proposition of where components are manufactured, why German manufacturing still has value in and of itself irrespective of the financial considerations, and why the choice fo where to manufacture is different for products with and without software.
Closing music: “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran
Sources:
“44 Years of T+A—Germany's Hi-Fi Giant in Detail”: https://youtu.be/lzW18SuAJW0?si=SUjQkUfzU-obTWDv
“T+A Elektroakustik Criterion S 230 Loudspeaker” by George de Sa: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1932-t-a-elektroakustik-criterion-s-230-loudspeaker
“The T+A Elektroakustik R 2500 R Proves Why the Stereo Receiver Might Make a Comeback” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/system-one/1938-the-t-a-elektroakustik-r-2500-r-proves-why-the-stereo-receiver-might-make-a-comeback
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Introductions/What gets built where and why?
00:14:44 The software factor
00:26:36 “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran
Netherlands