We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent kick things off with a bit of a different segment: a deep dive into some of the wackier (and cooler) IEMs Brent has found on Facebook, and a look into the psychology of the people buying and reviewing them. Then they investigate what sort of “intimate machines” Stereophile’s Jim Austin is into, and whether we should care if “normal” people can afford them. They wrap the regular episode’s discussion with a read-through of Darko’s review scorecard, and what kind of score Darko deserves on his own test.

💿 “The Audiophile Society's Speaker Test and System Optimization Album”: https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album. Use code AudioUnleashed25 for 25% off.

📖 Get your copy of the 4th edition of Floyd Toole’s legendary book, Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones with DISCOUNT CODE 25SMA4: https://www.routledge.com/Sound-Reproduction-The-Acoustics-and-Psychoacoustics-of-Loudspeakers-Rooms-and-Headphones/Toole-Olive-Welti/p/book/9781032761930

Dennis’ relaunched YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AdventureswithCPAP

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 The Audiophile Society's Amazing Fabulous Magnificent Speaker Test Album (engineered by Brent with VO by Dennis): https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album

💿 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

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

Further Reading:

• Some of the crazy IEMs Brent has discovered:

• • Artpical Raphael
  • Palavox Steel Heart and Akasha
  • AME Gnome
  • Brise Audio Fugaku
  • Faith Audio U1000
  • Unique Melody Mason Asahi
• “Intimate Machines” by Jim Austin: https://stereophile.com/content/intimate-machines
• “Darko’s hi-fi review scorecard” by John Darko: https://stereophile.com/content/intimate-machines

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent get the party started by pondering the deep question of whether or not a “loom” of anything is automatically sus. Next up, they split hairs over the distinction between a clone and an homage by way of Erin’s Audio Corner’s new video about a Chinese McIntosh knock-off. Then they wrap up the main show by answering a listener’s question about Darko.

💿 “The Audiophile Society's Speaker Test and System Optimization Album”: https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album. Use code AudioUnleashed25 for 25% off.

📖 Get your copy of the 4th edition of Floyd Toole’s legendary book, Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones with DISCOUNT CODE 25SMA4: https://www.routledge.com/Sound-Reproduction-The-Acoustics-and-Psychoacoustics-of-Loudspeakers-Rooms-and-Headphones/Toole-Olive-Welti/p/book/9781032761930

Dennis’ relaunched YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AdventureswithCPAP

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 The Audiophile Society's Amazing Fabulous Magnificent Speaker Test Album (engineered by Brent with VO by Dennis): https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album

💿 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

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

Further Reading:

“Most Audiophiles Upgrade in the Wrong Order Why the System — Not the Component — Is the Unit of Analysis: A Response to the Acurus/Aragon Upgrade Pyramid” by Theodore Walton Denney III: https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/most-audiophiles-upgrade-in-the-wrong-order-why-the-system-not-the-component-is-the-unit-of-analysis-a-response-to-the-acurus-aragon-upgrade-pyramid/

“Most Audiophiles Upgrade in the Wrong Order” by u/Goooooner4Life: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/1v7vqwx/most_audiophiles_upgrade_in_the_wrong_order/

“Fake Mcintosh Audiophile Tube Amplifier vs the Real Deal” by Erin's Audio Corner: https://youtu.be/7wMTjeYVYXQ?si=KwWbl2Q_7lxxjGu2

“Five dongle DACs for your consideration” by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2026/07/five-dongle-dacs-for-your-consideration/

“The great DAC distraction 🌶️” by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2026/03/the-great-dac-distraction/

“KEF Coda W review: real hi-fi for less than a Sonos Arc Ultra” by John Darko: https://darko.audio/2026/02/kef-coda-w-review-real-hi-fi-for-less-than-a-sonos-arc-ultra/

We’re on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/AudioUnleashed This week, Dennis and Brent dig deep into a Reddit post about soundbars to gain some insight into how A.I. is going to make sense of audiophiles in the future. (That’ll make sense in context, promise.) After that, they riff on some interesting new data about CD and LP sales, which prove K-pop and wall art are driving the whole audio biz. Then they turn their fleeting attention to recent developments in streaming — apparently, Spotify editorial playlists are in decline, but is Spotify still the only streamer that matters? Brent has some data of his own (and a $147 ASCAP payment!) to add to the conversation.

💿 “The Audiophile Society's Speaker Test and System Optimization Album”: https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album.

📖 Get your copy of the 4th edition of Floyd Toole’s legendary book, Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones with DISCOUNT CODE 25SMA4: https://www.routledge.com/Sound-Reproduction-The-Acoustics-and-Psychoacoustics-of-Loudspeakers-Rooms-and-Headphones/Toole-Olive-Welti/p/book/9781032761930

Dennis’ relaunched YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AdventureswithCPAP

Brent’s audio projects:

💿 The Audiophile Society's Amazing Fabulous Magnificent Speaker Test Album (engineered by Brent with VO by Dennis): https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/albums/products/the-audiophile-societys-speaker-test-and-system-optimization-album

💿 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

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

Further Reading:

“Are soundbars getting like, really good?” by u/jpinakron: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/1uypwah/are_soundbars_getting_like_really_good/

“Luminate Midyear Report 2026: R&B/Hip-Hop Falls, Dance Rises, CDs Surge 16% & More” by Kristin Robinson: https://www.billboard.com/author/kristin-robinson/

“A Your Morning Coffee Special Episode: A Conversation with Jaime Marconette from Luminate” by Your Morning Coffee: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-your-morning-coffee-special-episode-a/id1529809478?i=1000776959540

“Spotify’s editorial playlists look enormous, but they’re shrinking” by Austin Staubus: https://medium.com/@itsnorequests/spotifys-editorial-playlists-look-enormous-but-they-re-shrinking-4ea5575c81a9

“Find Your Anti-Algorithm” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1392

“(How Much Is) That Doggie In the Window?" by Cyger and Butterworth: https://youtu.be/_C5B7V8WW8s?si=zS2TJsssPNNPtK0f