beginner audiophile | hifi | gear reviews | stereo | hi-end audio - podcast cover

beginner audiophile | hifi | gear reviews | stereo | hi-end audio

Michael O’Neal and Awesome Co-hostsbeginneraudiophile.com
Michael O'Neal and his co-hosts bridge the gap between the clueless big box stores and the snobby stereo shops. Every show is filled with gear reviews, commentary, and interviews aimed to find out what makes a real world difference in your listening experience, how to get the most bang for your buck, and frankly, how to begin experiencing your music in the way it was intended.
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Episodes

57: How Does Equipment THIS Cheap Sound THIS Good??? WTF?

Our good friend Harris Fogel from http://maceditionradio.com comes by to do a show! Harris has been globetrotting to all of the audio shows, so he gives a quick rundown of what he's seen. Then we get into the "Chi-Fi" (Equipment made in China) and chat about a few of the choice items. Fosi Audio TB10D: https://amzn.to/3YnWocL Aiyima T9: https://amzn.to/3x0KDNU Emotiva Airmotiv B1+: https://emotiva.com/products/airmotiv-b1-pair Geshelli Labs https://geshelli.com/product/jnog2/ Capital Audiofest h...

Feb 06, 202342 min

56: Top 10 Songs to Show Off Your System, with David Solomon from Qobuz| Beginner Audiophile

Our good buddy David Solomon from Qobuz (http://qobuz.com) is a MASTER of picking the RIGHT songs to show off his systems. He and I trade in this episode, talk about our favorites, and why we love them. David's playlist on Qobuz: https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/9292025 My 10: *Trouble’s What You’re In (Live from Union Chapel, London - Oct 5 2011) - Fink *The Sweetest Taboo - Sade Hotel California (Live on MTV 1994) | Eagles Lonely Lonely - Feist Bali Run - Fourplay Best Time - Chris Botti Tin Pa...

Nov 30, 20221 hr 27 min

55: NAMM Show & T.H.E Show Update. Is Dolby Atmos The Future of Hifi?

So great to be back on the mic! On today's solo show I talk about attending the NAMM show, and how the convergence of the Pro audio and HiFi Audio industry is happening. Then I move onto T.H.E. (The Home Entertainment) Show in Long Beach before discussing the brilliant new Tears for Fears Album in Tidal's Dolby ATMOS, and how immersive and mesmerizing it is. Here are the ceiling speakers I discussed: Micca M8C. https://amzn.to/3tAEOoV Micca R8C https://amzn.to/3NN6yPm Learn more about your ad ch...

Jun 13, 202236 min

54: What's More Important, The Set Up or The Gear? With David Solomon of Qobuz

HEY! We're back! David Solomon of http://qobuz.com and I sit down in the lobby of the Hilton hotel Long Beach, where T.H.E. Show 2021 was taking place. We talked about how Covid affected (and still affects) the industry, as well as the importance of setup vs. gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 20211 hr 7 min

53: How Do We Audition Gear Moving Forward? | GoldenEar Triton 2+ Review and More!

The return of Patrick Norton, who's moved himself out to St. Louis from Oakland CA, and a review of the GoldenEar Triton 2+ and the JDS Labs Atom AMP and DAC. Book reco: DIY Acoustic Panels: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 07, 202051 min

52: Dr. Paul Returns! | Parasound Halo Hint 6 Review | BMW Audio Upgrades

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 the Parasound Halo Hint6 and the BAVSound Upgrade for your BMW, Mini, or Supra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 26, 202041 min

51: How To Introduce Your Friends to Hifi | Jabra Elite 75t Review

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 NEVER heard their music the way it was recorded. You have the chance to see their face light up when they feel the energy and passion the artist intended when they recorded it. That's what this episode is about. I also discuss the Jabra Elite 75t and determine whether it's the best true wireless earbud on th...

Oct 16, 202034 min

49: Are Headphones Required Now? | HELM Audio Founder Eric Johnson Interview | Long Beach System Breakdown

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) Then I get into why headphones have gotten so important over the last couple of months. Finally, I chat with Eric Johnson, founder of HELM audio, about their new program for first responders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 202049 min

48: Vintage Audio Buyer's Guide with Mark Cerasuolo

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 in vintage receivers, speakers, and turntables. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 20, 20201 hr 6 min

47: "Mid-Fi" Integrated Amp Bake Off - Peachtree vs. Vincent Audio vs. Parasound

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 right up to the edge of that limit with three different units: The $2999 Peachtree Nova 500, the $2499 Vincent Audio 247mkII, and the roughly (It's discontinued now) $2500 Parasound Halo. Now...the truth is, we'd be happy to have ANY of these units on our shelf. Have a listen to see which one we picked as th...

Feb 13, 202047 min

45: Being A Kid in the 70's and 80's, and how it Shaped Our Music Tastes, with Brooks Hollan. AudioQuest Cobalt Review

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 I talk about being a kid in a very influential time for planting musical seeds. We then review the AudioQuest Cobalt...is it the best portable DAC? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 26, 20191 hr 4 min

44: New Gear For Beginner Audiophiles

On this show we talk about some new gear from Elac, Pro-Ject, Audioquest, Amazon Music and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 30, 201934 min

43: New "King of True Wireless" Earbuds, News from Emotiva, Powered Bookshelf Comparo, and more!

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 Dot, we go listen to some great tunes! Check out http://kit.com/solohour for the earbuds, and any other gear I talk about in this episode. Check out all the gear at http://svsound.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 03, 201931 min

42: Anatomy of an Affordable, KILLER 2 Channel/Home Theater Setup

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 a youtube channel of over 2.6 MILLION (!) subscribers. Jase and his wife have 6 kids, and he wanted an amazing place for all of them to watch movies. We were really shocked by the result of this install! have a look at http://beginneraudiophile.com/gear to check out our recommended gear, and some of the gear we used in the install. Also, if you are looking for ...

Jul 18, 201940 min

41: Re-Imagining The "Audiophile Conference", T.H.E. Show Review

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's time we re-think how people consume these audio conferences, and how manufacturers approach them. We'd love your suggestions on how you would like to experience an audio conference. What would you like to see included? How much would you pay to attend? Where should it be located? Hit us up here with you...

Jun 19, 201956 min

40: Speaker Setup Revisited, QoBuz Overview, Listener Q's

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 by SVS. Check out all of their amazing offerings at http://svsound.com. Patrick had to move his bookshelf speakers, so they dug into the basics of speaker setup and room treatment. Then we dug into a few of your questions, including adding an amp to an AVR, outdoor speakers, and some DAC info. Learn more ...

Jun 05, 20191 hr 12 min

39: Big Room Subwoofer Solutions, Choosing Speaker Wire, A RAD 4k Projector, and Speaker Break-In Redux

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 your questions! This episode is brought to you by SVS Sound. From the Prime Wireless to their legendary subwoofers, SVS has what you need to absolutely transform your listening experience. Try their subwoofer matching tool at http://svsound.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 03, 20191 hr 1 min

38: True Wireless Earbud Bakeoff w/Sennheiser vs. Master & Dynamic, BlueSound Gear, and Your Questions

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 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless, and the Master & Dynamic MW07. Both priced at $300, do they fit the bill of lifestyle vs. audiophile? We unbox the Cleer NEXT and are very pleasantly surprised. Then we talk about the BlueSound Vault 2i, PowerNode 2i, and Node 2i. Finally, we dig into your questions and head ...

Apr 17, 20191 hr 1 min

37: Interview with an Audiophile, with Matt Rockwell

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 few years later, he's "pared it down" to a simple $36k system. I know that sounds like a lot, but this was a fascinating conversation about audio, art, gear, and the true essence of the hobby. Note...Matt speaks quite softly, so I've done my best with the audio. Here's Matt's current system: Speakers: Green...

Apr 03, 20191 hr 5 min

36: The Great USB Cable Bake-Off, Audio News, Your Questions

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 Instagram at http://instagram.com/beginneraudiophile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 12, 201940 min

35: 2019 Audiophile Gear "Bargains"

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...I was nursing a bit of bronchitis on this episode! Remember to follow our Instagram account at http://instagram.com/beginneraudiophile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 26, 201936 min

34: Setting Up A New Room | The Great DAC Bakeoff | Listener Questions

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 placement, what to listen for, etc. We had some really surprising results, especially with subwoofer setup and what it did to Paul's Harbreth monitors. Then, we listened to a number of different DAC's (digital audio converters) and the results were also REALLY surprising! Everything matters! Learn more about ...

Feb 12, 201959 min

33: Andrew Jones from ELAC | NAMM Rundown | Sennheiser Momentum

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 Music Merchants show. Those are the people that MAKE the music we listen to. We have a brand new Youtube channel! Click here to Subscribe and check out the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Earbuds Unboxing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 30, 20191 hr 4 min

32: Emotiva's Founder, Dan Laufman | CES Quick Hits on AMT and True Wireless Earbuds

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 about Air Motion Transformers (which were a big theme this year) and True Wireless Earbuds. Then we jump into a GREAT interview with Dan Laufman, founder of Emotiva. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 15, 201949 min

31: New LG OLED 4k, Dolby ATMOS, Micca In-Ceiling/Wall Speakers, Your Questions...

In this episode, Michael O'Neal (@beginneraudiophile) and Patrick Norton (@patricknorton) catch up on some Black Friday (I know, I know...) purchases. Michael talks about his home theater install, Pat talks about an amp and a set of gaming headphones he's testing out, and we answer a few questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 31, 201851 min

30: Talking Roon with Dipin Sehdev from Roon Labs

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 our house, and Roon talks to them all, and puts them into one cohesive system. Today we chat with Dipin Sehdev, VP of Marketing of roonlabs.com, and discuss how and why Roon originated, what it's meant to do, and how easy it is to use. Dipin was also nice enough to give us a free 30 day trial of Roon. (Normally it's 2 weeks, so double your p...

Nov 02, 20181 hr 4 min

29: Hi-Res Music on Your iPhone, Marantz SR8012 Review, How To Build Your System, and More...

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 Norton (@patricknorton) jumps on to talk amplifiers. Mike reviews the SR8012 Receiver, and they wrap up with a couple of listener questions, including how to build your system...speakers first or front end first? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 25, 20181 hr 2 min

28: Home Theater, Automation, Cool Speakers, Rad TV's, and MORE at CEDIA 2018!

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 Norton (of Tekthing and The Screen Savers) and Michael O'Neal (The Solopreneur Hour Podcast) spend the show discussing the highlights of CEDIA, in no particular order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 11, 201851 min
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