The Science and Precision Behind KEF’s Speaker Production
This week, SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast host Jorden Guth is joined by Jack Oclee-Brown, VP of Technology at KEF, to discuss the decisions that go into what products are made where, and the intricate relationship between measurements and manufacturing.
Sources:
“KEF’s Jack Oclee-Brown” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/kef-jack-oclee-brown-the-tangerine-waveguide-blade-loudspeakers-aspirational-hi-fi/
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Discussions about quality and quantity
00:09:45 Lab standards vs. line standards
00:23:10 What about headphones?
00:28:37 Outro music: “Ohio Country” by When Mountains Move
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31:43
Dutch Decibels: The Netherlands-Built Sound of Dutch & Dutch
This week, host Jorden Guth joins Martijn Mensink of Dutch & Dutch to discuss what aspects of the company’s beloved 8c speakers are made where, how the decision is made to craft some things in-house and outsource other elements, why driver manufacturing and DSP development are very different enterprises, and what the future holds for the design and manufacture of products of its type.
Sources:
“Martijn Mensink On the Magic of Dutch & Dutch”: https://www.soundstage.life/e/martijn-mensink-on-the-magic-of-dutch-dutch-active-speakers-cardioid-dispersion-acoustics/
"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeakers Reviewed" by Diego Estan: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1270-dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeakers
"Intro to Dutch & Dutch and the 8c Active Loudspeaker - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2R9lEJH4Og&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork
"Dutch & Dutch 8c Active Loudspeaker in Detail - SoundStage! InSight": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW-6R5HP8SE&ab_channel=soundstagenetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Introductions
00:21:43 Unexpected lessons
00:26:24 Outro music: “Get it Right” by Water on Mars
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30:07
Made-in-Germany Hi-Fi and Playback-Control Software from T+A
In this week’s episode, host Jorden Guth chats with T+A elektroakustik COO Conradin Amft to learn more about the value proposition of where components are manufactured, why German manufacturing still has value in and of itself irrespective of the financial considerations, and why the choice fo where to manufacture is different for products with and without software.
Closing music: “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran
Sources:
“44 Years of T+A—Germany's Hi-Fi Giant in Detail”: https://youtu.be/lzW18SuAJW0?si=SUjQkUfzU-obTWDv
“T+A Elektroakustik Criterion S 230 Loudspeaker” by George de Sa: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1932-t-a-elektroakustik-criterion-s-230-loudspeaker
“The T+A Elektroakustik R 2500 R Proves Why the Stereo Receiver Might Make a Comeback” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/system-one/1938-the-t-a-elektroakustik-r-2500-r-proves-why-the-stereo-receiver-might-make-a-comeback
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 Introductions/What gets built where and why?
00:14:44 The software factor
00:26:36 “Leaf by Leaf” by Yoed Nir and Ziv Moran
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29:02
Dynaudio's Otto Jørgensen: Made in Denmark and Elsewhere
This week, host Jorden Guth chats with Dynaudio’s Otto Jørgensen about the company’s manufacturing processes, its massive Jupiter speaker-measuring room and how it compares to anechoic chambers, and why some things must still be made locally from a practical perspective. They also dig into why you can’t look at the “Made in X” label on a component and truly tell where it’s made.
Outro music: “Raising the Stakes” by T Bless and the Professionals
Further reading:
Meet Otto: https://dynaudio.com/magazine/2016/march/ask-the-expert-with-otto-joergensen
Measures of success: how Jupiter delivers Dynaudio’s trademark quality: https://dynaudio.com/magazine/2018/december/how-jupiter-delivers-dynaudio-s-trademark-quality
Ibrahim Electric: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Electric
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:31 How Jupiter drives development
00:15:00 The manufacturing process
00:31:46 “Raising the Stakes” by T Bless and the Professionals
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34:45
The World's Greatest Speakerman? Sandy Gross: From Polk to Definitive to GoldenEar and Beyond
This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by industry legend Sandy Gross to discuss his passion for hi-fi and his insider perspective on the three brands he co-founded and remains mostly closely associated with: Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, and GoldenEar Technology.
Sources:
“The 2024 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Products of the Year”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1927-the-2024-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievements-and-products-of-the-year
GoldenEar Technology Triton One.R loudspeakers by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1277-goldenear-technology-triton-oner-loudspeakers
Chapters:
00:00:00 Announcement
00:00:30 Introductions
00:09:55 The origins of Polk Audio
00:21:30 That famous labcoat advert
00:26:01 Lights, camera . . . action?
00:29:14 The road to Definitive
00:36:02 Music Break: “Hypnotized” by Ian Post
00:37:02 GoldenEar and the art of the demo
00:43:05 A Triton by any other name00:54:19 Outro: “Blown Again” by Morphlexis
France