The HiFi Five Episode 30: DACs and Digital Playback

The HiFi Five Episode 30: DACs and Digital Playback

The owners of MSB and veteran reviewers tackle some of the biggest -- and most divisive -- questions in digital audio: Guests: Daniel Francis -- Co-owner and Industrial Designer of MSB Technology Jonathan Gullman -- Co-owner and CEO of MSB Technology Doug Schneider -- Founder of SoundStage! Steven Stone -- Senior Reviewer, The Absolute Sound Topics: Why are some experienced audiophiles still obsessed with “obsolete” DAC chips from the 1990s?  Are vintage multi-bit designs hearing something modern DACs miss? Non-oversampling and filterless DACs:  More natural and analog -- or technically compromised nostalgia? Can measurements really tell us what a DAC will sound like?  Which specs matter, which are marketing, and how do you know the measurements themselves are trustworthy? How should an audiophile’s digital budget be split between DAC and streamer? USB, I²S, co-axial, XDMI, etc. do digital interfaces actually sound different?   If the bits are the same, what exactly are listeners hearing? If live music includes ambient noise, why are DAC companies obsessed with “blacker backgrounds” and vanishingly low noise floors?  Does technical silence really sound more believable? Where should the clock be located? Have we nearly reached the end of meaningful DAC progress?  Are today’s flagship DACs approaching the ceiling -- or are major breakthroughs still coming?

The Hi-Fi Five Episode 29: Field Coil Loudspeakers

The HiFi Five Episode 29:  Field Coil Loudspeakers GUESTS Frank Doris --  Editor of Copper Magazine, Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback Rich Pinto -- Founder and Designer, Treehaus Audio Peter Qvortrup -- Founder and Managing Director, Audio Note UK Ken Songer -- Founder and Designer, Songer Audio TOPICS Why are field coil drivers something special sonically? Permanent magnets and electromagnets both generate a magnetic field.  Why does the sound coming off the cone sound different when it's moved by one type of magnet versus the other? What is the technical advantage of using an electromagnet?Are most field coil drivers fabricated in-house or bought off the shelf? Does the type of power supply — tube or solid-state — affect the sound of the driver? How does the sound change as you change the power supply voltage to the electromagnet?  Why? Is there any scenario where a permanent magnet driver is the better engineering choice than a field coil driver for a loudspeaker? Are there any specific objective measurements which demonstrate the technical superiority of field coil drivers? Can you imagine traditional loudspeakers manufacturers like Magico or Wilson moving to field coil drivers?

The HiFi Five Episode 28: Multi-Channel for Audiophiles

The HiFi Five Episode 28:  Multi-Channel for Audiophiles Guests: Ulrike Schwarz — Grammy award-nominated co-founder of multi-channel recording firm Anderson Audio New York Andrew Quint — Senior Writer at The Absolute Sound  Arian Jansen — founder and designer of Sonorus Audio Danny Kaey — Sonic Flare, hifi reviewer

The HiFi Five Episode 27: AXPONA 2026 Show Report

The HiFi Five Episode 27:  AXPONA 2026 Show Report with Jeff Dorgay, Erin Hardison, Lee Scoggins and Dave Solomon

The Hi-Fi Five Episode 26: How to Select a Loudspeaker and Room Placement

The HiFi Five Episode 26:  How to Select a Loudspeaker and Room Placement Shanon McKellar, audio and music reviewer for Analog Planet Steven Norber, founder and designer of PranaFidelity dynamic driver loudspeakers, and Director of Audio Engineering of Von Schweikert Audio Greg Roberts, founder and designer of Volti Audio horn loudspeakers Florian Wiegand, founder and designer of Clarisys Audio ribbon loudspeakers, and proprietor of Audio Excess, a distributor and dealer in Switzerland