Audiophiles Face Off in Epic Car Audio Competition at AXPONA 2025!
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Release Date: 01/18/2025
Vintage Style Speakers Every Audiophile Is Talking About
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Lenny Florentine sits down with Rich Pinto from Treehaus Audio to talk about the rare intersection of industrial design, old school tube knowledge, and modern execution. Rich shares how his background building Heathkit projects and designing cars at General Motors shaped Treehaus, then walks through his obsession with making gear that looks like it belongs in the living room and sounds even better than it looks. This episode gets into the why behind the wood, the open baffle approach, and the design choices that make Treehaus instantly recognizable. They dive into Treehaus tube electronics...
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The Headphone Conversation Every Audiophile Should Hear
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Lenny Florentine sits down with Dan Clark of Dan Clark Audio for a deep dive into the fast growing world of high end headphones. Dan shares his path from childhood hi fi obsession to engineering breakthroughs, explains open back versus closed back designs, and breaks down how science based tuning and acoustic metamaterials are reshaping what headphones can do. If you have ever wondered why some headphones sound natural while others feel boxed in, this conversation makes it click. They also explore flagship models, electrostatic headphones, real world listening habits, and why headphones have...
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Inside the Audiophile Lab behind some of the World’s Best Amplifiers
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Step inside the legendary Pass Labs garage-lab with Lenny Florentine in this very special episode of the AXPONA Audio Insider Podcast. Joined by Nelson Pass and Wayne Colburn, we go behind the scenes of one of high-end audio’s most iconic companies. From Nelson’s DIY roots and RadioShack experiments to the evolution of Threshold, First Watt, and Pass Labs, this episode is a rare deep dive into decades of audio innovation, philosophy, and storytelling.
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A Startup Is Reinventing Audiophile Speakers (here's how)
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Welcome to the AXPONA Audio Insider podcast! In this episode, Lenny Florentine sits down with Liam from Western Acoustics - a young, passionate audio startup shaking up the hi-fi world. Liam shares his unexpected journey from software engineering at Berkeley to hand-building speakers inspired by vintage horn-loaded systems. This isn’t your typical audio company story. Western Acoustics blends cutting-edge engineering with music culture, aiming to bridge the gap between audiophiles and a new generation of listeners. Liam talks about designing gear not just for critical listening but for...
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The Real Reason Audiophiles Love Hi-Fi
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Lenny Florentine welcomes Bill Low, founder of AudioQuest, to the AXPONA Audio Insider podcast for a deep, thought-provoking conversation about music, emotion, and what truly makes us listen. Far beyond cables and components, Bill shares his philosophy that music is the world’s most popular recreational drug — a force that changes brain chemistry, mood, and human connection. He explains how hi-fi isn’t just about sound accuracy but about emotional immersion, vulnerability, and the ability to lose yourself in the moment. From the golden age of radio to today’s streaming culture, Bill...
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Why Audiophiles Are Finally Changing Their Minds About Subwoofers
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
Lenny Florentine sits down with Isaac Markowitz from REL Acoustics to talk subs, setup, and the new S Series. Isaac shares his path from music kid to sales leader, why REL focuses on speed, power, and beauty, and how high level analog filtering keeps timing intact. They dig into S 550, S 850, Carbon Special, and S 212, plus the cable tricks and high level connections that make integration easy for modern and vintage systems alike. Then Isaac tours his system with Wilson Alexia V speakers and a six pack REL Reference 32 line array, explaining how stereo pairs and vertical bass restore space,...
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Why Tube Amps Might Be the Best Upgrade for Any Audiophile
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
In this episode, Lenny Florentine sits down with Justin Weber, founder of Ampsandsound, to explore the craftsmanship and philosophy behind one of the most respected American tube amplifier companies. From Justin’s early fascination with hi-fi and his journey from hobbyist to builder, to the creation of beautifully hand-wired amplifiers made entirely in Southern California. This conversation digs deep into what makes tube amplifiers so uniquely human and musically engaging. Justin explains why tube gear still matters, what makes the legendary 300B tube so special, and how Ampsandsound designs...
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This Audiophile Technology Has NEVER Been Done Before
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
On this episode of the AXPONA Audio Insider Podcast, Lenny Florentine sits down with Franz Ammann from Gotham Audio. Founded in New York City in 1958 and now based in Switzerland, Gotham Audio has built its reputation on precision, consistency, and signal purity. Franz shares the story behind Gotham’s evolution from distributing Neumann microphones and EMT turntables to manufacturing its own double-shielded cables used in studios and hi-fi systems across the world. He explains the company’s philosophy of maintaining absolute transparency in the audio chain, the science behind their...
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Audiophiles Can’t Ignore This Streamer
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
In this episode, Lenny Florentine is joined by Eric Smith from Fidelity Imports to explore one of the most exciting new names in streaming: Matrix Audio. Born from three high school audiophiles with a passion for great sound and great design, Matrix has grown into one of the most complete digital audio manufacturers in the world. They design everything in-house—from the hardware and software to the app and operating system—making their products stand apart from the crowd. We dive deep into the new TS1, a $2,500 all-in-one streamer/DAC/preamp/headphone amp that’s turning heads with its...
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Audiophiles Can’t Believe How These Speakers Sound
Audio Insider, an AXPONA Podcast
A new name in high-end audio has arrived — and it’s anything but ordinary. In this episode of the AXPONA Audio Insider Podcast, host Lenny Florentine sits down once again with Jeff Coats from Harmonia Distribution to introduce Ø Audio, a bold Norwegian loudspeaker brand making its U.S. debut. Founded by Sveinung Mala and Jonathan Cook, Audio blends Scandinavian craftsmanship with raw sonic power, working closely with SEAS to create proprietary driver technology that delivers explosive dynamics and live-performance realism. From the Frigg 02 to the commanding Icon 12 and the flagship...
info_outlineXPONA 2025 will feature its 1st Car Audio Showcase in partnership with IASCA. It will be your chance to sit in and listen to championship level car audio vehicles! Today @LennyFlorentine sits down with the President of The International Auto Sound Challenge Association to discuss the Championship Car Audio Competition at AXPONA 2025, what goes into a car audio competition, and some nostalgic car audio memories.