What Is Input & Output Impedance, And Why Should I Care?

Philips Hue & Other Noisy Things | Bonny Light Horseman: When someone named Spammy emails you, you have a choice: flag as a phishing threat, or read in entirety? Well, we do get a kick out of seeing the moniker appear in our mailbox, from a listener whose skewering takes leave us chuckling every time. While most emailers use the show email to send questions, Spammy mostly offers witty commentary with no indication of a need for help and gives off the sense that he's seen it all. But this week, we've got a real honest-to-goodness question from the man. We're assuming it's a man. So the guys take on a comment/question related to the Philips Hue light bulbs and bars that have been mentioned previously on the show, which leads to a longer discussion about switch-mode and other noise in the listening room. The album recommendation this week comes from Darren's library as an old favorite. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

35 min listen

The New Lost Dunlavy Episode | Blake Mills: By popular demand, we present the new lost Dunlavy episode. Longtime listeners know that Darren and Duncan originally recorded 10 podcasts before publishing the very first one, as practice. One of those, referenced in early talks about the guys' dearly beloved Dunlavy speakers, was a thorough explanation of how they landed them for free, and insights gleaned from owning them. As requested, the guys do another complete Dunlavy-focused episode, but this time with new insights and a lot more info about the eponymous designer, John Dunlavy. The album recommendation pulls out a gem from a very talented young person's already swelling discography. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

52 min listen

Searching for the Highest Value | Mighty Poplar: With apologies for the delay, and for the audio which was nearly impossible to fix, the guys are back to answer a question from listener Rob Shrode. This episode is about the idea of a special price point threshold in each product category above which one can expect substantial performance improvement compared to below the threshold. As usual, it's not as simple a topic as it seems. The recommended album of the week is the eponymous debut from a brand new, hotshot-laden folk and bluegrass troupe assembled by the always impressive Chris Eldridge. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

39 min listen

The Beauty of FM | Fabiano do Nascimento: The HiFi Podcast is back with a tech-centric take on FM Radio, answering a listener question and delving into why so many audiophiles gravitate toward it as a favorite source. As so many conversations do, this one meanders toward noise and distortion, but Darren's take on the loveliness of the sound of FM may surprise you. Brazilian musician Fabiano do Nascimento joins an elite group of artists with more than one album recommended. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

28 min listen

Room Treatment As We See It | Voces8: In this episode, a listener requests a deeper dive into room treatment for optimizing sound in a HiFi listening space, and the fellas oblige. In fact, Darren and Duncan leap at the chance to talk about the curious look of some commercial treatment products, bemoan the high prices of some seemingly cheap-to-develop elements, and generally touch on many important elements of the entire equation. The Album of The Week this time hits a different genre than usual, with a record from one of the top modern choral groups recording today. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

39 min listen

All About GaN FETs | Mitski: Welcome to the new season and new format for The HiFi Podcast. This time, the boys are back and apparently recording under a popular confluence of flight paths, but if you can get past the air traffic noise, this episode is one you don't want to miss. Darren dives deep into the makeup and uses and pros and cons of Gallium-Nitrate Field Effect Transistors, or GaN FETs. This is thanks to a listener question, and if you would like to prompt a podcast topic, be sure to contact us via our website. This episode's Album of the Week recommendation is an intimate date with a very creative and nuanced artist named Mitski. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

43 min listen

We're Back! New Season Format Announcement, Plus An Album: Apologies for the wait. Apologies for the sound glitches and skips in this one - still figuring out the new mobile recording rig. But the boys of The HiFi Podcast are back, and in this pre-season announcement, Darren and Duncan explain the plan for the next chapter of the podcast, which will now be divided into seasons and feature shorter but more focused episodes. Listen through to the end to hear the new album of the week, and stay tuned and hold tight while the guys get busy pre-recording the next season of your favorite HiFi show. Don't forget to send in your questions, as the next few seasons will feature topics prompted by our listeners. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

24 min listen

AXPONA, Ground Wires, Questions & An Interview With An Author: Fresh off the heels of AXPONA (and right on the precipice of Munich), Duncan talks about the details involved in planning a show appearance and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the show from a manufacturer's perspective. Questions about capacitors, audio literature, gain balancing and more are answered, and this episode features not one, but two recommended albums. Saving the best for last, the show finishes with an interview with author, poet, professor, audio reviewer and occasional fly fisher Garret Hongo. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

193 min listen

Duncan's Next Half-Day Speaker Project: After a visit to chez Tweak to hear the always-improving desktop system, Darren decided to push Duncan into a project the best way he knew how: by giving him a pair of Seas Excel tweeters and posing the question, "what if you had state-of-the-art soft domes in that thing?" Talking, of course, about Duncan's improbably excellent 2-day speaker project, and in this episode the guys talk about the next possible iteration of the silly little first-order gems. Listener questions are answered, a blind study on network switches is shared, and the album of the week ventures into Brazilian tradition. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

90 min listen

Exploring The Ins and Outs of PCB Design: In this episode, PS Audio design engineer Darren Myers takes us through the process of designing printed circuit boards, which are known as PCBs. It turns out there are tons of considerations in play when selecting the material of a PCB, and determining the position of components and the makeup of the traces. Listener questions about tweaks and credibility are answered, and this week's album recommendation is a fascinating release from a pair of producers who craft sonic landscapes only from recordings of one instrument -- in this case the upright double bass. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

135 min listen

A Case For (And Against) the Integrated Amplifier: In this episode, the pros and cons of the integrated amplifier are covered in typical Hifi Podcast style. Darren shares impressions and experience from the perspective of a designer, and both guys try to frame the situations where the integrated approach is either better or... not better. This week's questions share a common theme which takes Duncan back into recording engineer jibber jabber, and the solo viola de gamba performance as the album of the week is a can't miss. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

112 min listen

Remembering Bascom H. King: In this episode, Darren and Duncan reflect on their experiences with friend and mentor Bascom King, whose recent passing has taken a great mind from the HiFi community. Bascom was an audiophile engineering legend and responsible for many incredible amplification designs over a long career. Hear about how he inspired so many, and learn a little about his upcoming posthumous amplifier release, the BHK 600 amplifiers. The guys also read a couple of emails, and this week's album recommendation comes by way of Australia and is one to not miss. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

93 min listen

The Hardest and Easiest Instruments to Record: In this episode, Darren asks Duncan questions about recording different instruments. Duncan dives into a number of pro audio topics en route to categorizing instruments by their difficulty in recording. A question about powering Dunlavy speakers is answered, and several listener-emailed music recommendations are shared. This week's album is the latest from an artist whose music has been picked for the album of the week before, but this may be his best work yet. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

111 min listen

Tubes, Tubes, Tubes with Jordan Kamper: The guys are back in the saddle after a week off, and this time sitting down with the designer of the curious tube monoblocks that are living in Darren's Wilson system at the moment, a local audiophile friend and engineering technician named Jordan Kamper. Jordan describes his thought process behind those and other DIY creations of his that the guys have heard. Listener questions about "hybrid digital" and fiber optic Ethernet conversion are answered, and this week's album pick is a longtime favorite of Kamper's. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

127 min listen

Lessons From Our DIY Speaker Journey: Darren's and Duncan's DIY speaker project from several years back is the topic du jour in this episode of The HiFi Podcast. The guys offer tips and inspiration in describing the DIY journey from beginning to completion, from driver choice to final damping moves. This week's album recommendation is a soothingly simple recording of jazz standards from two delicate players playing in a sonically glorious room. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

111 min listen

Speaker Specs Demystified with Chris Brunhaver: PS Audio speaker designer Chris Brunhaver is back this week, and spends some time demystifying the common speaker specifications used to judge speakers. He and the guys share what's been going on with them lately as well, which is has been plenty. This week's album recommendation is a rare electronic album that borders on audiophile, and involves an artist's struggle with losing and regaining his hearing over the course of the pandemic. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

128 min listen

How To Use Ferrite Cores, And Other Audiophile Questions: In this episode, hosts Darren and Duncan reach again into the questions inbox to answer listeners who have emailed in their audio curiosities. Roon compatibility with BluOS devices, how and where to use ferrite cores, eliminating RF from nearby 5G towers and other questions are answered. This week's album recommendation features a rare gaffe, where the guys talk about their album pick but describe the name of a different album entirely. They blame the late night of recording after hours of ABX blind testing, but will present both albums on the website and "Albums" page to make up for it. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

105 min listen

What Motivates Us?: In this episode of The Hifi Podcast, hosts Darren and Duncan reflect on what motivates each to work in the industry and try their best to bring something new to the scene. Darren talks about his evolution in amplifier design, why he puts effort into discovering unique and new topologies and what motivates him these days after many circuits discovered. Duncan discusses how his upbringing inspires him to design cable products that bring the listener closer to an experience which places the musician on a personal level, and why that's a place of comfort for him. This week's album recommendation comes from a wildly prolific Norwegian bassist, and is a can't-miss. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

121 min listen

Talking Aurender & Streaming with Ari Margolis: In this episode, a guest with a lot of experience in music streaming and streamer technology joins the podcast. Ari Margolis, a young dad, local audiophile and friend of the guys stops by to chat about Aurender's approaches and technology, and to help answer common questions about the art of high-end streaming for the modern audiophile. Naturally, a listener question about streamers is discussed, and Ari even picks the album of the week recommendation, which is a killer choice and a new band to hosts Darren and Duncan. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

124 min listen

Balanced Phono Inputs & More Questions: In this episode, the guys tackle a range of listener questions. Balanced phono inputs are explained, including why they aren't as common in phono preamplifiers. Duncan shares more about his DIY Ripole subwoofer and why he hasn't talked about it lately, CD ripping is discussed, A/B switch devices for gear evaluations are considered, and more. This week's album recommendation reaches back into the library for a gem from a Brooklyn-based bassist by way of Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

142 min listen

Listening In The Dark: In this episode, the guys talk about the sensory focus that comes from listening in the dark, sharing experiences and stories about the practice in the audiophile hobby. Darren's suggestion for new listeners seems like a winner, and both agree that dark listening has a lot to do with our human evolution and deep personal response. A listener question is answered about analog EQ versus digital EQ, and the album of the week is a stunner of an EP from a lesser-known Icelandic singer. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

116 min listen

What Is Bridge Tied Load, or BTL?: Darren answers a question that has been in Duncan's mind for a while: What does Bridge Tied Load or BTL mean as it relates to amplifier design? The guys answer a question about properly powering a big set of Dunlavy speakers from a listener who stumbled across a big pair for a great price. The album of the week is only found on Bandcamp, and it features a couple acoustic virtuosos Duncan has followed for years. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

144 min listen

Live Versus Recorded Sound, And More Questions: The show is back after a week break to deal with Duncan's Covid bout and the installation of PS Audio's new speakers at Darren's house. Questions were stacking up, so the guys took this week to pick their favorites and deliver an all-questions episode. After a check-in with a listener suffering from "tweakitis AKA restless audiophile syndrome," the guys talk about live versus recorded sound, tall speakers in a low-ceiling room, bypassing binding posts and more. This week's album comes from a pair of brothers in Switzerland whose jazz influences vary from Balkan to British to Brazilian. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

105 min listen

Wacky Audio Stories: In this episode, Darren and Duncan trade stories related to audio that are either funny, uncomfortable or just plain unexpected. A great listener question about where to go after a component breaks is answered, and the album of the week was chosen in part because Duncan could not get the songs out of his head. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

152 min listen

Misconceptions In Audio, Vol. 1: In this episode of The Hifi Podcast, Darren and Duncan explore what they see as several misconceptions in the audio hobby. Class D amps, recording quality and audiophile cables are included the discussion, which is by no means a comprehensive list but a first pass at the common audiophile subject matter. A few listener questions are also answered, and this week's album recommendation is a fantastic full-length debut from an L.A. based group that offers spacious imagery and a stunning, well-defined center vocal throughout. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

127 min listen

Why Do Some Components Invert Phase?: In this episode, the guys explore the reasons behind why some products -- mostly preamplifiers -- invert the signal phase. Darren explains that it's a decent reason behind the practice, and how to adjust to it in your system if you've got a piece of gear that does this. Earlier on, a question about a difficult room setup is fully discussed, offering reasons behind why the space is challenging, and options for mitigating its problems for best sound. The album of the week is a strange one to be sure, but fully worth waiting til the end to find out about. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

80 min listen

Op-Amp Rolling, And Other Questions: After the usual intro segments, this is another hefty episode of listener questions. Topics covered include finding speakers that jibe with a hyperacusis condition, locally served music files versus streamed, updates on Darren's server experience, and more. In the middle of the podcast somewhere, hosts Darren and Duncan point folks who want to contribute to the 'cast toward a local audiophile in need, who experienced a recent loss. The album of the week comes by way of France, and features a 5-string bass player whose albums always seem to exhibit the most exquisite recording quality. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

155 min listen

Preparing For The Worst: It's been a hell of a week here in Colorado, and after the fires and the fallout, the idea of how to protect your hifi system from danger and disaster seemed like an appropriate topic for this week's podcast. In this episode, Darren and Duncan discuss inrush currents and voltage spikes associated with some of the problems Mother Nature can throw at you, as well as flooding and more, and they offer ways to protect your beloved gear in the event that the worst comes to reality. The album of the week is an exciting one for Duncan, featuring a new album he mastered by a band he's truly fond of. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

117 min listen

Perfecting The Party Zone, Part 2: Just about a year ago, a listener in Brooklyn, NY reached out with some ideas about building an all-Klipsch-Heritage-based dancehall and party space in the basement of his new house. In the year since, he got right to it, wasting no time and creating a space that his producer friends and he believe puts on some of the best-sounding dance parties in the whole region. In this episode, he checks back in with a few more questions and a ton of information about the year of parties that has Darren and Duncan wishing they were New Yorkers, if just to catch one of these events. Replete with a 1000-watt fog machine, a police beacon light and an upstairs Hifi system area for folks to take a "break from the basement beating," this place sounds absolutely incredible. Later in the episode, this week's album recommendation is a recent release, it's a bit more well known, it features incredible music and is a real test piece for any hifi system. by The Hifi Podcast with Darren and Duncan

139 min listen

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What Is Input & Output Impedance, And Why Should I Care?

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