We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent dig into the news about a new $25/month music streaming service that claims it’s the first to deliver lossless and immersive audio. (Please don’t tell Apple Music or Qobuz or Tidal or Amazon!) Then they look on as an AudioXpress writer does a Marianas Trench-level dive on the return of the 78 rpm record, and question whether these can deliver as profound a musical experience as lathe-cut records. They conclude by pondering which paper towel is best for cleaning up the drool after Stereophile, Hi-Fi+ and Hi-Fi News review dCS’s almost-$300K, five-chassis DAC.

💿 Michael Gaughn’s Jour et Nuit on Bandcamp: https://michaelgaughn.bandcamp.com/album/jour-et-nuit

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 Plaid Pants, Brent’s latest album! https://cygerbutterworth.bandcamp.com/album/plaid-pants

💿 The Audiophile Society's Headphone Evaluation and Spatial Audio Test Album (engineered by Brent): https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-headphone-evaluation-and-spatial-audio-test-album

Further Reading:

• “Pure Audio Streaming”: https://pureaudiostreaming.com/
• “audioXpress May 2025 Brings the Best in DIY Audio with Tubes” by audioXpress Staff: https://audioxpress.com/news/audioxpress-may-2025-brings-the-best-in-diy-audio-with-tubes
• “Spinning a Record to Pieces at 12,500fps” by The Slow Mo Guys”: https://youtu.be/n-DTjpde9-0?si=cL98sZEXtdlhul3-
• “dCS Varèse Music System D/A Processor” by Jason Victor Serinus: https://www.stereophile.com/content/dcs-var%C3%A8se-music-system-da-processor
• “dCS Varèse” by Alan Sircom: https://hifiplus.com/articles/dcs-varese/
• “dCS Varèse” by Andrew Everard & Paul Miller: https://dcsaudio.com/assets/hfnfebdcsvarese.pdf

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent deconstruct the latest column by Stereophile’s editor-in-chief and contemplate whether his position on spooky woo-woo has devolved in the past decade. Then they ogle cool amps and preamps on AliExpress that borrow revered brands yet cost only hundreds—and also examine how crazy it’d be to buy this stuff right now (b/c tariffs, not b/c communism and chopsticks). They conclude with a not-terribly-deep dive into a new article from Dennis about audio DIY, but not the kind of audio DIY you’re probably imagining.

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 Plaid Pants, Brent’s latest album! https://cygerbutterworth.bandcamp.com/album/plaid-pants

💿 The Audiophile Society's Headphone Evaluation and Spatial Audio Test Album: https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-headphone-evaluation-and-spatial-audio-test-album

Dennis’s book recommendations:

📚 Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly: https://amzn.to/4aMl9Xl

📚 Budget Travel For Dummies by Geoffrey Morrison: https://amzn.to/3uiIPlp

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

📚 The Loop: How Technology Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back by Jacob Ward: https://amzn.to/4cyzSET

Further Reading:

• “Chips for Chumps” by Jim Austin: https://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/505awsi/index.html
• “Chips Are Still For Chumps” by Jim Austin: https://www.stereophile.com/content/chips-are-still-chumps
• Can't afford getting my MiniDSP Flex HTx out of Customs: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/1jw4agi/cant_afford_getting_my_minidsp_flex_htx_out_of/?share_id=8ttFl2ZUnK8f5iRYFUiXX&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
• “Nobody Warned Me Vinyl Would Turn Into a DIY Hobby” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1332-nobody-warned-me-vinyl-would-turn-into-a-diy-hobby
• “AXPONA 2025 Audio Show Report” by The Absolute Sound: https://youtu.be/yma3eOoy3ts?si=OfWbec3_nunA8qei

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent explore the fast-growing world of made-to-order lathe-cut records – and even play one for you! (Prepare to be … well, prepared.) Then they delight in some made-to-order pink noise from Erin’s Audio Corner, and deconstruct Holly Cole’s new made-to-order (well, for audiophiles) album with the help of Stereophile.

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 Plaid Pants, Brent’s latest album! https://cygerbutterworth.bandcamp.com/album/plaid-pants

💿 The Audiophile Society's Headphone Evaluation and Spatial Audio Test Album: https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-headphone-evaluation-and-spatial-audio-test-album

Dennis’s book recommendations:

📚 Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly: https://amzn.to/4aMl9Xl

📚 Budget Travel For Dummies by Geoffrey Morrison: https://amzn.to/3uiIPlp

📚Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole: https://amzn.to/3ZlTLtE

📚Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 8th Edition: Volume 1 by Vance Dickason: https://amzn.to/42pdwk0

📚 The Loop: How Technology Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back by Jacob Ward: https://amzn.to/4cyzSET

Further Reading:

• “Mid-Fi: Cutting Plastic Records with Michael Dixon” by Scott Evans: https://tapeop.com/interviews/165/mid-fi-cutting-plastic-records-michael-dixon/
• “How Would YOU Describe These Sounds? | Audiophile Challenge!” by Erin's Audio Corner: https://youtu.be/Yu0VE2RVBGE?si=9Gk96P9JL48UlZqV
• “Holly Cole's Dark Moon” by Robert Baird: https://www.stereophile.com/content/holly-coles-dark-moon