52: Dr. Paul Returns! | Parasound Halo Hint 6 Review | BMW Audio Upgrades from 2020-10-26T20:01:09

Dr. Paul Anderson is back in the house, chatting about his most recent iteration of his system, which includes the Dali Oberon 1, a MUCH cheaper DAC than his $7k Aesthetix, and more!  We review ...

51: How To Introduce Your Friends to Hifi | Jabra Elite 75t Review from 2020-10-16T17:44:35

It's an amazing thing to be able to "re-introduce" our friends to music again.  Think about this: In a sea of Spotify, mp3's, and bluetooth, Some people under the age of 35 LITERALLY may have NE...

50: Setting Up A New Listening Room From Scratch | KEF LS50 Wireless vs. Passive | Getting Scammed with Used Gear from 2020-07-01T21:06:30

On today's episode I tell a story of how I (almost) got scammed buying a pair of KEF LS50's, used, how I'm setting up a new listening room from scratch, and did a bake-off of the LS50 Passive vs...

49: Are Headphones Required Now? | HELM Audio Founder Eric Johnson Interview | Long Beach System Breakdown from 2020-04-27T22:44:42

On today's ep. I chat about my new Long Beach House, and break down the system. (Check out http://instagram.com/beginneraudiophile for pics...

48: Vintage Audio Buyer's Guide with Mark Cerasuolo from 2020-04-20T19:44:06

LONG overdue, on this ep I bring vintage audio expert Mark Ceresuolo on, and we talk all things vintage audio, from which companies made the great gear, some origin stories, and what to look for...

47: "Mid-Fi" Integrated Amp Bake Off - Peachtree vs. Vincent Audio vs. Parasound from 2020-02-13T21:54:58

During the course of creating this show, I set a mental "cap" that no piece of equipment would cost more than $3000.  With few exceptions, I've stuck to that directive.  Today however, we push r...

46: CES Wrap Up | Ported vs. Non-Ported Subs | Our New Fave Wireless Earbuds from Jabra from 2020-02-06T21:26:26

On today's solo episode, I talk about CES 2020, the state of audio, and what's up with the show.  Then I break down ported vs. non-ported subwoofers.  Finally, a review of the Jabra Elite 65T Tr...

45: Being A Kid in the 70's and 80's, and how it Shaped Our Music Tastes, with Brooks Hollan. AudioQuest Cobalt Review from 2019-10-26T01:12:24

Everyone has a story.  Many of us that were kids in the 70's and 80's had that friend or that kid in school that had all the cool stereo gear.  Today my pal Brooks Hollan (@life_of_brooksie) and...

44: New Gear For Beginner Audiophiles from 2019-09-30T19:20:14

On this show we talk about some new gear from Elac, Pro-Ject, Audioquest, Amazon Music and more!  

43: New "King of True Wireless" Earbuds, News from Emotiva, Powered Bookshelf Comparo, and more! from 2019-09-03T21:14:34

On this solo episode, I update you about the SVS install I did in Utah, cover the new Emotiva AVR in the news, and review the Hifiman TWS600.  After a listener question involving the Amazon Echo...

42: Anatomy of an Affordable, KILLER 2 Channel/Home Theater Setup from 2019-07-18T18:26:30

Today I share the story of a home theater install I did for my good friend Jase Bennett (@jasebennett) of The Ohana Adventure.  They have Listen

41: Re-Imagining The "Audiophile Conference", T.H.E. Show Review from 2019-06-19T03:00:55

Today Dr. Paul and I talk about a "hypothetical" audio conference, and how we might reinvent it.  With the advent of lifestyle systems, powered speakers with great DACs and sonic integration, it...

40: Speaker Setup Revisited, QoBuz Overview, Listener Q's from 2019-06-05T04:33:57

Michael's got a new Mac Pro (from 2009) that he's just upgraded, and tells a story of hefting a giant SVS subwoofer up the steps with no help from Fed Ex.  Speaking of, this episode is sponsored...

39: Big Room Subwoofer Solutions, Choosing Speaker Wire, A RAD 4k Projector, and Speaker Break-In Redux from 2019-05-03T17:20:56

On today's episode Patrick Norton and Michael O'Neal chat about an innovative way to break in your new speakers, Michael Reviews the Optoma UHL55 4K Portable Projector, and we answer a few of yo...

38: True Wireless Earbud Bakeoff w/Sennheiser vs. Master&Dynamic, BlueSound Gear, and Your Questions from 2019-04-17T00:29:07

Airpods?  Airpods, really?  What do you do when you want great sound in addition to the functionality of True Wireless Earbuds?  Today we find out, with this momentus showdown between the Listen

37: Interview with an Audiophile, with Matt Rockwell from 2019-04-03T05:19

Today, 30 year audiophile (and one of the two guys that got me into the hobby) Matt Rockwell and I sit down for a chat in his house in Boulder.  When I met Matt, he had a $300k+ system.  Now, a ...

36: The Great USB Cable Bake-Off, Audio News, Your Questions from 2019-03-12T19:27:40

On today's episode we try a slew of USB audio cables to see if they make a difference in sound.  We also check out current audio news, and bang through a few user questions. 

Follow us on...

35: 2019 Audiophile Gear "Bargains" from 2019-02-26T17:14:11

Today Dr. Paul Anderson and I go through the best "bargains"  (in quotes because some are quite pricey...but still relative bargains to the competition) in audio in 2019.  Please pardon my cough...

34: Setting Up A New Room | The Great DAC Bakeoff | Listener Questions from 2019-02-12T18:31:18

Dr. Paul Anderson is back on the show!  We are setting up his new place in LA, and spent many hours dialing in the room.  We chat about what it takes to set up a new room, in terms of speaker pl...

33: Andrew Jones from ELAC | NAMM Rundown | Sennheiser Momentum from 2019-01-30T01:42:31

Howdy! On this episode, we pin down Andrew Jones from Elac for a juicy interview on his philosophy behind creating speakers, and lots more.  Michael gives the rundown on NAMM, the North American...

32: Emotiva's Founder, Dan Laufman | CES Quick Hits on AMT and True Wireless Earbuds from 2019-01-15T23:32:15

Back from a week in Vegas, we've got a doozy for you this episode.  After a quick hit of CES (The Consumer Electronics Show) in Vegas (Check out pictures at @beginneraudiophile) Michael talks ab...

31: New LG OLED 4k, Dolby ATMOS, Micca In-Ceiling/Wall Speakers, Your Questions... from 2018-12-31T21:09:48

In this episode, Michael O'Neal (@beginneraudiophile) and Patrick Norton (@patricknorton) c...

30: Talking Roon with Dipin Sehdev from Roon Labs from 2018-11-02T18:36:32

Roon.  What is it?  Do you need it?  

The best way I can describe Roon is that it's a simplifier. We have all of these disparate music sources and end points in ...

29: Hi-Res Music on Your iPhone, Marantz SR8012 Review, How To Build Your System, and More... from 2018-09-25T06:10:54

On today's episode Michael O'Neal (@solohour, @beginneraudiophile) starts by talking about how to get Hi Res music to play on an iPhone.  (It's not as simple as you might think!) Then Patrick No...

28: Home Theater, Automation, Cool Speakers, Rad TV's, and MORE at CEDIA 2018! from 2018-09-11T18:35:51

We've just gotten back from the CEDIA show, displaying the latest in home theater, automation, commercial installs, lighting, in-wall speaker systems, projectors, TV's, and more! 

Patrick...

27: The State of The Audiophile | Klipsch "The Sixes" Review | Jabra Elite Sport Earbuds from 2018-06-27T00:16:59

Audiophilia: Is it on the rise, or is it declining?  Well...both, kinda.  Join Patrick Norton and Michael O'Neal as they discuss how, in some ways, the industry is on the rise, and in some ways,...

26: Nice Speaker Setup Vs. Nice Headphone Setup...Which is Better? from 2018-05-16T22:09:48

Today’s theme:  Good headphones vs. “Good Stereo”

The News:

LAAS CANCELED

ROON 1.5 is out

DI...

25: Bookshelves + Sub VS. Tower Speakers, and KEF LS50 Wireless First Impressions from 2018-05-03T20:24:50

Dude.  We're getting the BAND back together!!  Dr. Paul Anderson and I (The OG!) are back for episode 25 of BA.  After catching up, we chat about the incredible KEF LS50 Wireless, and offer our ...

24: The Headphone Show! CanJam 2018, "Bang for the buck" cables, Joe Harley of AudioQuest, and More from 2018-04-16T18:19:33

Today the boys wrap up what they saw and heard at CanJam 2018 in Los Angeles, including tons of mini product reviews.  We strapped on Sennheisers Orpheus $50,000 headphone system to mindboggling...

23: Buying Older Gear, Marantz AVR Review, Setting up your Audition Songs, Your Questions… from 2018-04-04T00:43:01

Patrick Norton and Michael O’Neal catch up on the latest news, what gear is in the review funnel, and talk about the Elac Debut 2.0.  Then we talk about how to set yourself up to audition gear at a...

22: Talking Amps&Watts with Patrick Norton, The Winner of the 1moreUSA Triples,&Your Questions! from 2018-03-08T06:24:08

Episode 22 of Beginner Audiophile is jam packed! Patrick Norton Co-Hosts this one with Michael O’Neal.  We talk about the reality vs. myth of amps vs. watts in amplifiers, dig into reviews of the B...

21: Gear, Gear, and More Gear. CES Wrapup Part II, with Harris Fogel from 2018-02-16T02:10:26

On today's ep. Harris and I talk about what we saw and heard at CES.  We've also got a new contest where you can win a pair of 1moreUSA Triple Driver Earbuds!

20: CES Wrap-Up Part 1, with Patrick Norton from 2018-01-24T20:04:36

Patrick Norton (http://tekthing.com) joins me, through a hacking cough, to wrap up all things audio and home theater we discovered at CES (The Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas at the beginni...

BONUS: A Recent Historical Primer of the Audiophile from 2018-01-16T00:59:57

Today’s episode is an excerpt from a fantastic New Yorker article entitled “Audiophilia Forever: An Expensive New Year’s Shopping Guide” written by David Denby. (Click here to read the entire artic...

19: The Vinyl Revival, and Killer Systems You Can Afford from 2017-12-14T04:36:44

On today’s show we chat with Matthew from Vinyl Revival in Melbourne Australia.  We had a great convo about the renaissance of “good” audio, getting huge bang for the buck out of your turntable, an...

18: Beginner Audiophile Returns! New York Audio Show Breakdown&Listener Q&A! from 2017-11-28T11:54:10

Fellow audio nerds!  We’re back.  After a long (inadvertent) haitus, BA is back.  Michael gives a breakdown of how audio works based on a great analogy by Steve Guttenberg, then digs into a bunch o...

17: Everything You Want to Know About Subwoofers, But Were Afraid To Ask from 2017-10-11T00:31:51

Ahhhhhh….subwoofers. That “Punch you in the chest” feeling when your favorite song really moves you. Although subwoofers are easy to plug in and turn up loud, that doesn’t give us a true audiophile...

16: How To Audition Like a Pro, Sonus Faber Speaker Review, and more! from 2017-09-18T21:23:01

On this episode of Beginner Audiophile Harris and Michael talk about what a pro-audio show is like, and our secret to maintaining consistency as we audition gear.  Michael then reviews the Sonus Fa...

15: The Turntable/ Record Player Renaissance, and Why You Should Care from 2017-08-30T22:41:03

Today we’re talking a bit of turntables, and what it takes to set one up.  Turntables used to be the “gold standard” for listening, until digital files came along.  Now, we are romanticizing the pr...

14: How To Audition New Gear, Unboxing Some Cool Stuff,&Reviewing Some Awesome Earbuds from 2017-08-14T06:05:17

On today’s episode, after we catch up, we talk about unboxing some new Sonus Faber and Pro-Ject gear, including Michael’s first Turntable.  Then we jump into how to audition new audio gear, especia...

13: Songs To Test and Tune Your System With, Backing Up Your Audio, and More! from 2017-07-26T22:31:39

On today’s show Harris and Michael talk about songs and albums they use to “test and tune” their systems.  We also briefly talk about a couple pieces of gear we are testing: The AudioControl Rialto...

12: Wireless Technologies, USB DAC Review, New Music Recommendations from 2017-07-12T23:45:10

On today’s show, after catching up with Harris and Michael, we talk about DTS-PlayFi and other wireless home technologies, give some feedback on the ELAC UB5, Harris reviews the AudioQuest Dragonfl...

11: A BIG Announcement, LA Audio Show Wrapup, Anthem MRX 1120 Review, and YOUR questions! from 2017-06-20T22:01:27

On today’s show we have a special announcement!  We have a new Co-host, Mr. Harris Fogel!  (Star of Episode 9)  Harris has been in the biz for many many years, and will offer years of “insider” per...

10: 4 Epic LA Audio Show Interviews, starring Sonus Faber/Mcintosh, 1MoreUSA, Paradigm, and Cambridge Audio from 2017-06-06T07:53:47

Just back from the LA Audio Show, and we got some GREAT interviews with William Kline of Sonus Faber/Mcintosh, Ari Morguelan from 1MoreUSA, Chris Sipes from Paradigm/Anthem, and Gregg Chopper from ...

9: Getting The Most Bang For Your Buck on Stereo Gear, With Harris Fogel from 2017-05-23T05:30:11

Harris Fogel (http://maceditionradio.com) joins us for a chat about how he became an audiophile, what kind of gear to look at, and how he’d spend $1500 to get great sound!           Gear Guide, Top...

8: Speaker Placement 101 from 2017-05-10T04:58:52

No matter how high end your speakers are, you’ve got to put them in the right place to maximize the sound. The old adage says “a cheaper, well placed pair of speakers will sound better than a more ...

7: Do Speaker Cables REALLY Matter?? from 2017-04-26T17:53:20

On today’s Beginner Audiophile, we “bake off” 4 different speaker cables from Monster, Blue Jeans, Analysis Plus, and Monoprice to see if A: if we can hear any difference, and B: if the difference ...

6: Resolution Demystified, Oppo Sonica DAC/Streamer Review, What is The WAF? from 2017-04-11T08:11:16

On today’s Beginner Audiophile, we start by explaining the WAF, audio file resolution, and Michael gives an aptX update.  Then we jump into the review of the OPPO Sonica DAC and what made a huge di...

5: When Things Go Terribly Wrong… from 2017-03-28T17:40:50

…or at least, when things don’t go the way you expect them to. Today’s episode is about patience.  I received a piece of gear that I couldn’t get to connect to the interwebs, and Paul and I fiddled...

4: The Great Subwoofer Bake-Off, and Nicholas Brown of SVS from 2017-03-14T05:53:33

On today’s show, Paul and I test out various ways to integrate a subwoofer into your 2-channel and multichannel system, including doing the infamous “subwoofer crawl”.  We also check in with Nichol...

3: A Deep Dive Interview with Andrew Jones, The Speaker Designer Who’s Breaking The Rules of the Audiophile Industry from 2017-02-25T07:09:37

Today’s show is a real treat.  We got to sit down with Andrew Jones (Of TAD / Pioneer Fame) of ELAC.  We’d first heard of Andrew a couple years ago when he made these insanely affordable Elac Debut...

2: Michael’s System, and The Great Headphone Bake-Off, Starring 1MoreUSA, Audio-Technica,&Mr. Speaker from 2017-02-25T06:57:54

Today Michael tells the story of how he fell down the rabbit whole of audiophilia and walks us through his reference system.  Then, we do the Great Headphone Bake-Off, volume 1, testing $100 vs $15...

1: Origin of Beginner Audiophile, Paul’s System Walkthrough, Testing PS Audio Sprout/ELAC System from 2017-02-24T18:11:15

Origin of Beginner Audiophile.  Our audiophile stories. What IS an audiophile.  Tour of Paul’s system.  We test the ELAC B6 and Sprout. Gear Guide: Paradigm Monitor 7 speakers Tidal  Chromecast  1M...