SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

SoundStage! | The SoundStage! Network | Schneider Publishing Inc.
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The official podcast for SoundStage!, featuring host Jorden Guth for seasons 2 and 3, plus hosts Brent Butterworth and Dennis Burger for season 1

  1. From 1528 to 1610: Arendal Sound’s New Speaker Series

    6D AGO

    From 1528 to 1610: Arendal Sound’s New Speaker Series

    This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Thomas Gunvaldsen, Project Lead at Arendal Sound, to discuss his path into audio, Arendal Sound’s evolution, and the design thinking behind the new 1610 series of loudspeakers. Gunvaldsen explains how the 1610 series applies key concepts from Arendal’s flagship 1528 series to deliver high performance at a lower price—and what truly sets it apart from the company’s earlier designs. Sources: “Arendal Sound 1610 Loudspeakers: Near-1528 Performance, Lower Price” on SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNKB5PML1LY  “The Norwegian Speaker Company More Audiophiles Need to Know About: Arendal Sound” on SoundStage! InSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Hmz0cYTBY  “Arendal Sound’s Big Leap” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/arendal-sound-s-big-leap-innovation-impact-and-a-transformational-year/ “Arendal Sound 1528 Monitor 8 Loudspeaker” review by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/2021-arendal-sound-1528-monitor-8-loudspeaker Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:05:42 From car to home 00:08:33 Flirtations with snakeoil and the road to objectivity 00:11:04 A side quest in China 00:15:44 The longest interview ever 00:19:08 Speaker evolution 00:28:33 1610 00:35:00 A lot of holes 00:37:35 Outro music: “Plantation” by Omri Smadar

    40 min
  2. Bryston at 50: Made in Canada, Built to Last, and Looking Ahead

    JAN 30

    Bryston at 50: Made in Canada, Built to Last, and Looking Ahead

    As Bryston marks its 50th anniversary, host Jorden Guth sits down with CEO James Tanner for a wide-ranging conversation about where the company came from—and where it’s going next. Bryston’s roots trace back to medical electronics before the company transitioned into high-performance audio in the 1970s, when Chris Russell began designing amplifiers that would define the brand’s reputation. In this discussion, Tanner reflects on Bryston’s history, its long-standing commitment to manufacturing in Canada, how and why aspects of the famous warranty have evolved, and what the next 50 years could look like for one of high-end audio’s most enduring companies. Along the way, the conversation touches on manufacturing realities, brand recognition, and—inevitably—some Canadian hockey talk. Sources: “The History of Bryston According to CEO James Tanner” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/the-history-of-bryston-according-to-ceo-james-tanner/ “Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:07:40 When’s our anniversary? 00:11:39 Making more, not less 00:14:20 Where does the factory end? 00:15:17 Brand recognition matters 00:18:38 Warranty changes 00:21:49 The next 50 years of Bryston 00:24:40 Two Canadians talking about hockey 00:26:21 Outro music: “Blues for Leo” by Amos Ever Hadani

    29 min
  3. Four Seasons of Sound—From the Beginning to Episode 100

    JAN 16

    Four Seasons of Sound—From the Beginning to Episode 100

    For this landmark 100th episode (Season 4, Episode 22), current host Jorden Guth is joined by original hosts Dennis Burger and Brent Butterworth for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolution of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast. Together, they look back at how the show began, why it needed to change, and how it has grown across four seasons into what it is today. Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:01:04 The origins of the podcast 00:05:23 Passing the baton to Jorden 00:10:40 Technical difficulties 00:15:48 Turn, turn, turn 00:28:31 Why we care where it’s made 00:37:12 We get comments! 00:43:25 Doug’s master plan 00:48:07 Outro music: “Bamba African Market” by Kaleido Sea

    54 min
  4. Electrocompaniet: Born in Norway, Still Built There

    JAN 2

    Electrocompaniet: Born in Norway, Still Built There

    This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Lasse Danielsen, sales and marketing director at Electrocompaniet, for a conversation that blends personal history with company heritage. Danielsen talks about a lifelong obsession with music, the role of happenstance in bringing him to Electrocompaniet, and how those same values are reflected in the brand itself. The discussion explores Electrocompaniet’s Norwegian origins, why the company has chosen to remain based and built in Norway from the beginning, and how designing, assembling, and sourcing nearly all parts locally continues to define its products. Together, they examine how place, people, and long-term thinking shape Electrocompaniet’s sound, identity, and future direction. Sources: “‘The World's Best-Sounding Power Amplifier’ of 1977—Electrocompaniet's Surprising 52-Year History” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/gu49PjqtyiI?si=tm3GF1PuRzHSkU7P “Precision in 1000 Steps: Electrocompaniet’s EC 5 Preamplifier” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/0oY0tx1FAog?si=hTMZICutPbSdszSQ Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions 00:04:57 A fateful conversation 00:07:45 Job transitions 00:10:36 A brief history of Electrocompaniet 00:15:10 The Michael Jackson connection 00:18:30 Another gold-dust moment 00:20:17 Westcontrol enters the chat 00:25:42 A question of off-shoring 00:28:48 New preamp, who dis? 00:39:36 Outro music: “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish

    42 min
  5. It’s T-Time: Inside Norway’s Vinyl Pressing Plant

    12/19/2025

    It’s T-Time: Inside Norway’s Vinyl Pressing Plant

    Host Jorden Guth travels to Stavanger, Norway, to visit T-Time Vinyl Plant, where he sits down with general manager Sigve Håland to discuss how the facility came to be, why it’s located where it is, and how modern vinyl records are actually made. The conversation then moves step by step through the pressing process—from lacquers and stampers to presses, cooling, and quality control—explaining what truly matters for sound quality in today’s vinyl era. Sources: T-Time Vinyl Plant: https://t-timevinylplant.com/ “T-Time Vinyl Plant record pressing” by SoundStage! Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1402154741482521 Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Origin stories 00:04:10 Norwegian . . . vinyl? 00:07:14 Good vibes 00:10:53 Why press locally? 00:12:59 Keep cool, man! 00:16:36 Pellets to platters 00:19:49 QC 00:22:37 What about the rejects? 00:28:17 The future of T-Time 00:30:44 Outro music: “There” by Lake Jons

    32 min
  6. Arendal Sound’s Big Leap: Innovation, Impact, and a Transformational Year

    12/05/2025

    Arendal Sound’s Big Leap: Innovation, Impact, and a Transformational Year

    This week on the 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦! 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵, host Jorden Guth sits down on location with Arendal Sound founder and CEO Jan Ove Lassesen to look back at the company’s most pivotal year to date. Following the launch of the flagship 1528 series—its most ambitious engineering project yet—Arendal Sound has experienced rapid growth and major operational shifts. Lassesen walks through what has changed since the 1528’s debut: how the company approaches R&D and measurement, what its prototyping pipeline looks like today, how shipping and logistics have evolved, and what it really takes to move a product from concept to customer in a global direct-to-consumer model. It’s an inside look at a brand navigating momentum, scaling ambitions, and the challenges that come with success. Sources: “Norwegian Loudspeaker Disruptor: Arendal Sound Founder Jan Lassesen” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/norwegian-loudspeaker-disruptor-arendal-sound-founder-jan-lassesen/ “Exposed: Arendal Sound 1528 Loudspeakers—Key Design Details Audiophiles Need to Know”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nr6ExBq3Ss “The Norwegian Speaker Company More Audiophiles Need to Know About: Arendal Sound”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Hmz0cYTBY Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Catching up with Jan 00:06:28 R&D as a time-saver, Klippel as a space-saver 00:09:26 Prototyping 00:11:37 The long and winding road from manufacturer to consumer 00:20:48 The right solution for the right customer 00:22:52 The shipping problem 00:26:45 The path forward 00:34:00 Outro music: “Somni” by Lake Union

    36 min
  7. Inside VinnieRossi: From Red Wine Audio to the Brama Series

    11/21/2025

    Inside VinnieRossi: From Red Wine Audio to the Brama Series

    This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Vinnie Rossi, founder of VinnieRossi. They trace his path in audio—from the beginnings of Red Wine Audio (a name inspired by the Italian translation of “Vinnie Rossi”) to the creation of the VinnieRossi brand and its flagship Brama series. Vinnie also talks about where his products are built, why those manufacturing choices matter, and how they shape his design approach. Sources:  “About Vinnie Rossi” by Hans Wetzel: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/in-good-company/1007-about-vinnie-rossi Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 Introductions  00:05:26 The road to Red Wine 00:16:32 A change of names 00:33:21 Where it’s made and why 00:39:50 A choice of tubes 00:44:33 Outro music: “Mon Amour” by ANBR

    46 min
  8. Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025: What Made This Year Stand Out

    11/07/2025

    Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025: What Made This Year Stand Out

    Host Jorden Guth talks with SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe about Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2025—what sets it apart from other hi-fi events, their favorite gear finds, and whether optical phono cartridges are the future or just a niche. Sources: Audio Video Show 2025 Coverage from Warsaw, Poland, on SoundStage! Global: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2025-warsaw-poland Chapters: 00:00:00 Announcement 00:00:31 The road to Warsaw 00:04:27 New gear, who dis? 00:09:37 The business of audio shows 00:15:40 Optical vinyl? 00:22:45 Why Jason isn’t holding space for the CD revival 00:27:00 The best of the rest? 00:40:47 Room for improvement? 00:43:50 Outro music: “L.A. Suite: Sunset Blvd / Peatloaf Ave” by Art Against Agony

    49 min
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4.1
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About

The official podcast for SoundStage!, featuring host Jorden Guth for seasons 2 and 3, plus hosts Brent Butterworth and Dennis Burger for season 1

Information

  • Creator
    SoundStage! | The SoundStage! Network | Schneider Publishing Inc.
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast

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