Audio Unleashed

“An Underserved Demographic of Lunatics”

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We’re starting things off light this week with a quick discussion of Apple’s new Adaptive Audio feature, and how it relates to similar tech from other headphone manufacturers. Brent digs into how and why he plans to quantify the processing as objectively as possible.
Then the chains come off, and we dissect/deconstruct/demolish a particularly troubling editorial written by Alta Audio owner Michael Levy about why measurements are flawed. After a bit of technical discussion, we’re joined by our old friend, SoundStage! Founder Doug Shcnieder, who gives us his opinion from a publisher’s perspective about everything wrong with Levy’s anti-scientific screed. 
Buy-now links for products mentioned herein (As Amazon Associates, we may earn a small cut from qualifying purchases):
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0
Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms 3rd Edition by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3CTarOB
Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions by James Randi: https://amzn.to/44goJ7M
Storm the Book by Tim Minchin: https://amzn.to/3JximVT
Further Reading: 
"What is Apple Adaptive Audio? The new AirPods feature explained" by Harry McKerrell: https://www.whathifi.com/news/what-is-apple-adaptive-audio-the-new-airpods-feature-explained
"AirPods redefine the personal audio experience": https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/06/airpods-redefine-the-personal-audio-experience/
"The Problems with Electronic Testing of Audio Equipment" by Michael Levy: https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2023/6/4/g1c930jr4kbgvj7ea5ry5wfr6cp7cd
"Alta Audio Alyssa loudspeaker" by Jim Austin: https://www.stereophile.com/content/alta-audio-alyssa-loudspeaker-jim-austin-december-2020
"Alta Audio Adam loudspeaker" by Rogier van Bakel: https://www.stereophile.com/content/alta-audio-adam-loudspeaker
The SoundStage! Network: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/
“Storm” by Tim Minchin: https://youtu.be/jIWj3tI-DXg
Tim Minchin's Storm the Animated Movie: https://youtu.be/HhGuXCuDb1U
@Daily HiFi on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyHiFi

“Nobody Actually Ate Tide Pods”

Erin’s Audio Corner is back! This week, we dig into a new segment from Erin called “Off the Top,” in which he teaches you how to form a first approximation of a speaker’s performance without ever having heard it. It’s not quite the same as reading the new edition of the Loudspeaker Design Cookbook, but it’s a better speaker education than most audio reviewers have. We also dig into some insanely expensive monoblock amps that were exhibited at High End 2023 and discuss the factors that contribute to their price and the justification for the same. Should we be treating uber-high-end audio gear as high-performance equipment or luxury goods? Should you believe a rave review of any amplifier?
 
Lastly, Brent schools Dennis about the rising trend of sped-up music, why it exists, how it’s being used, and who stands to benefit. Dennis also gives Brent a crash course on LoFi Beats and the communities cropping up around the genre.
 
Buy-now links for products mentioned herein (As Amazon Associates, we may earn a small cut from qualifying purchases):
 
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0
 
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 7th Edition by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/43tYPNI
 
Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change by W. David Marx: https://amzn.to/43qZfVa
 
Further Reading: 
"Off the Top: Genelec 8381A" by Erin's Audio Corner: https://youtu.be/djQx1g2IS_o
Voice Coil Magazine: https://audioxpress.com/page/Voice-Coil-Magazine
"Dan D'Agostino's Dazzling Unveil of the New Relentless Epic and Epic 800 Monoblocks and Momentum MxV Integrated" by Jason Victor Serinus: https://www.stereophile.com/content/dan-dagostinos-dazzling-unveil-new-relentless-epic-and-epic-800-monoblocks-and-momentum-mxv
Campfire Audio Trifecta ‘Astral Plane’: https://campfireaudio.com/shop/trifecta-astral-plane/
"The Rise of the Sped-Up Remix" by Reanna Cruz: https://www.vulture.com/2023/03/sped-up-remix-pinkpantheress-sza.html
Your Morning Coffee: https://yourmorning.coffee/home#weekly-podcast
"So Help Me God, I’m Going to Eat One of Those Multicolored Detergent Pods" from The Onion: https://www.theonion.com/so-help-me-god-i-m-going-to-eat-one-of-those-multicolo-1819585017
“Mighty Vibes Vol 1: Lo-fi Beats to Doodle To” by Critical Role: https://youtu.be/XVQVXDKKlHQ
"Loneliness on social media: LoFi Community + reflections" by Alice Cappelle: https://youtu.be/CaeHnUAYTSM?t=680

“München! It Has Ümlauts on It!”

High End Munich 2023  just wrapped up, and although Brent and Dennis didn’t get to go, they took the opportunity to dig through everyone else’s coverage to find some of the best and most intriguing new products. They also discuss Dr. Sean Olive’s online crusade to get Atmos music mixers to do their jobs, and also peruse a new tech review website that was obviously written by a large language model similar to ChatGPT. 
 
Further Reading: 
"High End 2023 Listening Session: ESD Acoustic’s Biggest System in the World" by Jason Thorpe: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2023-munich-germany/1094-he-2023-listening-session-esd-acoustics-biggest-system-in-the-world
 
High End 2023 - Munich, Germany: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2023-munich-germany
 
Stereophile’s Munich 2023 coverage: https://www.stereophile.com/category/munich-2023
 
Munich 2023 coverage at HiFiPig: https://www.hifipig.com/category/high-end-munich-2023/
 
Dr. Sean Olive on Twitter: https://twitter.com/seanolive/status/1659958602290044929
 
Smart Carting About Us: https://smartcarting.com/about-us/
 
“Hasbro/ Wizards focusing on A.I. DMs is proof that they don't understand D&D” by u/peterpeterny on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/10el42v/hasbro_wizards_focusing_on_ai_dms_is_proof_that/

“Somebody Throws Foghat At You”

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Audio Unleashed, the new, independent podcast by Brent Butterworth and Dennis Burger. This week, Brent and Dennis discuss the utility of high-end audio reviews, opine on the demise of MQA, and ask whether our A.I. overlords are ready to replace us or not, at least in the domain of audio production. Sources: “Mastersound 845 Compact integrated amplifier Measurements” by John Atkinson: https://www.stereophile.com/content/mastersound-845-compact-integrated-amplifier-measurements
AMA w/ Jesse @ TIDAL: https://www.reddit.com/r/TIdaL/comments/12hr68f/comment/jfuo1ng/
 
MQA Enters Into Administration: https://www.hifipig.com/mqa-enters-into-administration/
 
Darko Audio Podcast #46 – AXPONA 2023 review + MQA goes into administration: https://darko.audio/2023/04/podcast-46-axpona-2023-review-mqa-goes-into-administration/
"A Comparative Study of Music Mastered by Human Engineers and Automated Services" by Mitchell Elliott and Song Hui Chon: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=21888