the ecoustics podcast
Passionate about music, movies, HiFi audio, headphones and home theater, eCoustics has been covering the A/V industry since 1999. Join our diverse cast of journalists, audiophiles, industry experts and special guests for always spirited, sometimes controversial discussions about the latest news, happenings and trends in the audio, video and music industries. Whether you're listening through stereo loudspeakers with a vintage tube amp, rocking a multi-channel home theater, on-the-go with wireless speakers or headphones, streaming music or spinning vinyl, the experienced team at ecoustics breaks down what you need to know to really enjoy music and movies at home and on...
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Audeze and Prosper Cables at AXPONA 2026: Two Conversations from the Show Floor
Two episodes in one!<br /><br />Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, Karlee Little, Social Media and Gaming Relations at Audeze, walks through the new LCD S20 closed back headphones and what sets them apart in the current lineup. The discussion covers the fundamentals of the design, including how SLAM technology works, what listeners should expect from a fully analog and passive headphone, and where this model fits for both gaming and music use.<br /><br />Guest:<br />Karlee Little, Social Media & Gaming Relations - Audeze<br /><br />Co-hosted by: <br />Mitch Anderson, Producer - eCoustics<br />William Jennings, H...
Loewe at AXPONA 2026: Inside the Latest TVs and Headphones with the Team Behind Them
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, this episode features Kendall Costello, Sales Operation Analyst at Loewe, and Amir Hejazi, Senior Engineer at Loewe, discussing the company’s latest TVs and headphone lineup. The conversation focuses on design priorities, key features, and how Loewe is positioning its products in a competitive premium market, with insight into how engineering and product strategy come together across both categories.<br /><br />Guests:<br /><br />Kendall Costello, Loewe Sales Operation Analyst<br />Amir Hejazi, Loewe Sr. Engineer<br />Chris Boylan, eCoustics Editor-at-Large<br />Brian Mitchell, eCoustics Founder & CEO<br /><br />Credits:<br />Original intro mu...
T10 Bespoke In-ear Computers with HiFi Bear at AXPONA 2026
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, HiFi Bear unboxes the T10 Bespoke eCoustics Special Edition In-ear Computers, a custom release created for a show floor raffle. This episode focuses on the design, presentation, and what sets this limited edition apart, offering a first look at a unique collaboration built specifically for the event. Oh yeah, they sound great too.<br /><br />Panel:<br />Hi-fi Bear - T10 Bespoke<br />Captain Kangaroo - eCoustics Producer<br /><br /><br />Credits:<br />Original intro music by The Arc of All. https://sourceoflightandpower.bandcamp.com<br />Voice Over Provided by Todd Harrell of...
Lenny CoCo of MoFi: Why Vinyl Matters More Than Ever in a Digital World
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, Lenny Coco of Mobile Fidelity Distribution discusses why vinyl still holds relevance in a digital first world, and how it fits alongside modern streaming habits. The conversation avoids framing the formats as competitors and instead looks at how each serves a different role for listeners, with Coco offering his perspective as both an industry insider and music fan. In the end, the focus stays on what matters most: the connection to the music, regardless of how it is delivered.<br /><br />Sponsor: Please check out the latest SVS subwoofers, speakers and more.<br /><b...
AXPONA 2026: The Good, the Bad, and the Stupidly Expensive with EIC Ian White
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, eCoustics Editor in-Chief Ian White shares a straightforward take on what he saw and heard across the show. This episode covers the systems and brands that delivered, including QUAD, ATC, DeVore Fidelity, Advance Paris, Focal, Michell, Unison Research, TEAC, Amphion, and Dynaudio, along with a look at rooms and products that were less convincing. It is an honest assessment of what worked in real listening conditions, what felt overpriced, and how the gap between performance and cost continues to shape the high-end audio market.<br /><br />Sponsor: Please check out the latest SVS s...
QUAD ESL 2912X at AXPONA 2026: Inside the Evolution of Electrostatic Speakers
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, this episode brings together Kornelijus and Jamie O’Callaghan of the IAG Hi-Fi Division for a deep dive into the legacy and future of QUAD’s electrostatic loudspeakers, including the ESL 2912X. We break down what makes electrostatic panel speakers fundamentally different from traditional designs, why QUAD has remained committed to the technology for decades, and how the latest generation improves on transparency, dispersion, and real world usability. The conversation also explores how these iconic speakers fit into a modern hi-fi landscape increasingly dominated by compact and wireless solutions, and why QUAD continues to a...
RSD 2026: A Record Store Owner’s 13-Year Perspective, Live from AXPONA
In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Pries, owner of The Electric Kitsch record store in Bay City, Michigan and working musician (he wrote our podcast theme song!), for a clear eyed look at what it takes to survive and stay relevant through 14 years of industry shifts and the rise of Record Store Day. <br /><br />From the early days of RSD to today’s global frenzy, Jordan breaks down what has changed, what has not, and what customers rarely see, including the financial realities, supply chain headaches, and the role RSD plays in keeping the lights on. We als...
SVS 3000 R|Evolution Subwoofers at AXPONA 2026
Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, the team from SVS breaks down their latest powered subwoofer, the SVS 3000 Micro R|Evolution, and why this compact design hits harder than it has any right to. We dig into the engineering behind the output, the tradeoffs of going small without sacrificing performance, and the bigger question hanging over it all is whether SVS is quietly undercutting its own lineup with each new release that raises the bar and resets expectations.<br /><br />Guests: Gary Yacoubian & Nick Brown<br /><br />Co-Hosted by: Mitch Anderson & Brian Mitchell<br /><br />Credits:<br />• Original intro mu...
Sleuthing RSD 2026 with Zev Feldman, “The Jazz Detective”
If you’re lining up for Record Store Day 2026, this episode focuses on the one name that matters most: Zev Feldman, known as The Jazz Detective. Best known for his first-release live recordings of Bill Evans on Resonance and Elemental, Feldman has already delivered 14 Evans RSD titles, with a 15th arriving April 18.<br /><br />For Record Store Day 2026, he goes further than ever with 11 new jazz releases (including the Evans) across Resonance, Elemental, and Time Traveler Recordings, the label he co founded to bring back rare and hard to find 1970s jazz albums from the Muse catalog. This is not filler...
Perfect Sound Forever: Why Aren’t We There Yet? w/ Rob Watts
Join Chord Electronics’ digital audio consultant Rob Watts as he dives deep into the challenges of reproducing lifelike sound from 16-bit/44.1kHz PCM. From his groundbreaking DAC designs—spanning $650 to $20,000—to why off-the-shelf chips can’t compete, Rob explains how his unique approach goes beyond conventional measurement-based audio engineering. He also previews Chord’s next flagship product, the Quartet M Scaler, which will build on the Hugo M Scaler, and shares his thoughts on DSD, the importance of cables, and hidden sonic factors like RF and power supply issues. Even 45 years after the CD’s debut, there’s still high-resolution audio left to...
