Sound legend George Stavro (founder of Sonic Lab Audio; longtime Integral Sound partner) joins Seth & Bill to break down why modern clubbing feels so 2D, how DJs started mixing with their eyes instead of their ears, and what actually happens when you slam everything into the red (clipping). We dig into iconic rooms (Twilo, Vinyl/Sound Factory, Cocoon, Womb, DC10, Stereo), the “original edgers” of marathon DJ sets, and the lost art of volume control and programming. If you’ve ever wondered why some nights feel euphoric without melting your face off…this episode is your masterclass.
Guest: George Stavro — Sonic Lab Audio / Integral Sound. Renowned for large-scale dance music installs and festival systems, with work spanning clubs like DC10 (Ibiza) and Cocoon (Frankfurt).
Quick hits
- Focused, circular dance floors vs. forward-facing “phone era” crowds
- Why meters ≠ loudness (voltage vs. perceived level)
- Clipping 101: why “louder” often means “worse”
- The Yuri/Rane era: mixing by ear, not by waveform
- How sound teams and DJs collaborate (or fight) in the booth
- Volume as tension: building crescendos without fatigue
- Long sets, patience, and why we don’t get those eruptions anymore
Hosts: Seth Troxler and Bill Patrick
Executive Producers: Nikita Stanley, Jesse Rogg, Craig Pettigrew and Seth Troxler
Co-executive Producer: Lee Adams
Live Production Director and VFX & Motion Graphics Supervisor: Aaron Kulik
Director of Photography: Lukas Strebel
Set Designer: Veronica Gessa (aka Moki)
Editor: Tyler Christie
Sound Design and Original Composition by Jasper Van Dijk
Music Supervisors: Seth Troxler, Bill Patrick
Music Consultants: Jenna Wilson for Radish and James Cartwright for Bad Sneakers
Music Courtesy of: APM
Camera operator: Joseph Holton
Camera assistant: Jake Smith
Production Sound Mixer: Jo Youle
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.