the ecoustics podcast

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 the road. https://www.ecoustics.com

Episodes

Loewe at AXPONA 2026: Inside the Latest TVs and Headphones with the Team Behind Them

April 24, 2026 • 29 mins
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 bot...
Listen
Mark as Played

T10 Bespoke In-ear Computers with HiFi Bear at AXPONA 2026

April 23, 2026 • 52 mins
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.

Panel:
Hi-fi Bear - T10 Bespoke
Captain Kangaroo - eCoustics...
Listen
Mark as Played

Lenny CoCo of MoFi: Why Vinyl Matters More Than Ever in a Digital World

April 22, 2026 • 26 mins
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 ...
Listen
Mark as Played

AXPONA 2026: The Good, the Bad, and the Stupidly Expensive with EIC Ian White

April 21, 2026 • 59 mins
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...
Listen
Mark as Played

QUAD ESL 2912X at AXPONA 2026: Inside the Evolution of Electrostatic Speakers

April 20, 2026 • 21 mins
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...
Listen
Mark as Played

RSD 2026: A Record Store Owner’s 13-Year Perspective, Live from AXPONA

April 17, 2026 • 40 mins
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. 

From the early days of RSD to today’s global frenzy, Jordan breaks down what has changed, what has not, and what customers rarel...
Listen
Mark as Played

SVS 3000 R|Evolution Subwoofers at AXPONA 2026

April 16, 2026 • 24 mins
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 t...
Listen
Mark as Played

Sleuthing RSD 2026 with Zev Feldman, “The Jazz Detective”

April 14, 2026 • 68 mins
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.

For Record Store Day 2026, he goes further than ever with 11 new jazz releases (including the Evans) across Resonance,...
Listen
Mark as Played

Perfect Sound Forever: Why Aren’t We There Yet? w/ Rob Watts

March 16, 2026 • 87 mins
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 b...
Listen
Mark as Played

From JAL to Jazz Kissa: Why Japan Became the Cultural Capital of Audio

March 2, 2026 • 50 mins
Japan has become the world’s most in demand travel destination since the pandemic, but beyond cherry blossoms, bullet trains, Lawson runs, anime and those dangerously good 7-Eleven egg salad sandwiches, there’s a deeper pull that audiophiles can’t ignore.

In this episode of the eCoustics podcast, resident Japanophile Eric Pye (@audioloveyyc) and reluctant future convert Mitch Anderson (@blackcircleradio) go all in on Japan’s cultura...
Listen
Mark as Played

Tube Amps in 2026: Rolling Glass, Blowing Fuses, and Why Valves Still Reign Victorious

February 13, 2026 • 57 mins
Vacuum tubes are supposed to be extinct yet here we are in 2026 still arguing swapping and occasionally getting electrocuted. In this episode Mitch Anderson, Eric Pye, and Jeremy Sikora strip the romance out of valves and talk about why they still matter without leaning on lazy audiophile clichés. 

The discussion cuts through tube rolling reality versus placebo and the ongoing new production versus NOS debate. It also looks at why R...
Listen
Mark as Played

From Kloss to Kelley: The Modern KLH Story - Five Ks, No Strikes

January 29, 2026 • 68 mins
eCoustics Vintage Editor Eric Pye and Producer Mitch Anderson sit down with Dave Kelley, President of KLH, for a grounded conversation on loudspeaker design, KLH’s history, and how a legacy brand operates in today’s market without leaning on nostalgia as a crutch.

The discussion traces the influence of Henry Kloss, the shared DNA linking Klipsch, Kelley, Kyocera, and KLH, and how those ideas continue to inform real-world speaker eng...
Listen
Mark as Played

CES 2026 Best in Show: Soundbars, Wireless Speakers, TVs & Projectors

January 19, 2026 • 85 mins
Fresh off a week in Las Vegas, the eCoustics team breaks down the CES 2026 Best in Show award winners across speakers, soundbars, wireless audio, TVs, home theater projectors, and headphones, explaining who stood out, why these products impressed us in controlled demo booth conditions, and what those design and performance choices are likely to cost you when they hit the market later in 2026.  

View all Best in Show CES 2026 Awards:
...
Listen
Mark as Played

HEOS Can Do All That? Phil Jones on Multi-Room Audio, Hi-Res Streaming, and Everything You’ve Been Ignoring

January 8, 2026 • 41 mins
If you want music in every room without juggling multiple apps, this is your episode. HEOS isn’t just in Denon and Marantz gear — it’s built into a growing ecosystem of speakers, AVRs, soundbars, and components across the Harman Lifestyle portfolio. It’s become a serious multi-room, multi-zone streaming platform with Hi-Res audio, major music services, stereo pairing, and full Alexa/Google voice-assistant support.

Phil Jones of Harm...
Listen
Mark as Played

2025 Year in Review: The Gear That Actually Delivered (No Excuses, No Hype)

December 20, 2025 • 88 mins
In this episode, the eCoustics team cut through a year of hype, delays, and eyebrow-raising price hikes to talk about the products that genuinely moved the needle across hi-fi, head-fi, and home theater. We cover the TVs and projectors that finally earned their bragging rights, the headphones and earbuds that didn’t just chase trends, and the loudspeakers and portable gear that reminded us why good engineering still matters.

It’s a ...
Listen
Mark as Played

2025 UST Projector Showdown: Results Analyzed With ProjectorScreen.com and ProjectorReviews.com

November 25, 2025 • 42 mins
This episode examines the results from the 2025 Ultra-Short Throw (UST) Projector Showdown with event organizer, Brian Gluck of ProjectorScreen.com and emcee, Phil Jones of ProjectorReviews.com. The UST Projector Showdown allowed 6 judges to rate 9 UST projectors side-by-side with identical 100-inch screens, which underwent testing 15 different categories.  The models in the competition included the:

• Epson QS100 3-Chip Laser-Lit L...
Listen
Mark as Played

Denon vs. Marantz: Battle of the AVRs – Which One is Worth Your Cash?

October 29, 2025 • 37 mins
Confused by the Denon vs. Marantz AVR maze? Join eCoustics Founder Brian Mitchell, Editor at Large Chris Boylan, and Phil Jones, Global Director of Training at Harman International, as they break down 19 AVRs ranging from $400 to $7,200. Though Denon and Marantz have been under the same corporate roof for over a decade (now Harman International, owned by Samsung), not all AVRs are created equal.

Discover the subtle—and not-so-subtle...
Listen
Mark as Played

From Dweeb to Rock Star: How Hi-Fi Earplugs Like Etymotic’s Music Pro Elite Took Over Concerts

October 6, 2025 • 40 mins
Back in the 80s and 90s, earplugs at a concert were a one-way ticket to dweeb status. Protecting your hearing? Please. You might as well have stayed home with a VHS and some Tang. These days it’s the opposite—walk into any venue and half the crowd is rocking hi-fi earplugs that make the music sound better and keep your ears intact.

Etymotic’s new Music Pro Elite are at the front of that shift, and Tim Monroe, Sr. Director of Enginee...
Listen
Mark as Played

Bowers & Wilkins 801 at Abbey Road Studios: Celebrating 45 Years of Iconic Sound with Andy Kerr

September 26, 2025 • 50 mins
The Bowers & Wilkins 801 isn’t just another loudspeaker—it’s the one Abbey Road Studios trusted when the music actually mattered. For 45 years, the 801 has been part of legendary recordings that shaped how we hear music, and now it’s back in the spotlight with the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition. Andy Kerr, Director of Marketing and Communications at Bowers & Wilkins, joins eCoustics CEO and Founder, Brian Mitchell to dig in...
Listen
Mark as Played

Best A/V Gear of CEDIA Expo 2025 with Special Guest John Sciacca

September 16, 2025 • 66 mins
A/V industry expert and custom integrator John Sciacca joins the eCoustics team to break down our top picks from CEDIA Expo 2025, held September 3–6. The annual trade show covers everything from home theater and soundbars to architectural speakers and outdoor A/V systems—gear designed for the pros who install and recommend solutions for luxury homes and yachts. We’ll highlight this year’s “Best in Show” winners across multiple cate...
Listen
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Dateline NBC

    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

    Stuff You Should Know

    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.

    The Clifford Show

    The Clifford Show

    The Clifford Show with Clifford Taylor IV blends humor, culture, and behind-the-scenes sports talk with real conversations featuring athletes, creators, and personalities—spotlighting the grind, the growth, and the opportunities shaping the next generation of sports and culture.

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

    Betrayal Season 5

    Betrayal Season 5

    Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Wearables

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices