In the 1970s, a radical idea shook up recording: skip the tape. On this episode, we explore the era of direct-to-disc—the high-wire act of capturing music straight to vinyl in real time. No edits. No safety net. Just pure, uncompressed sound with jaw-dropping dynamics. We’ll look at the challenges, the gear, the pioneers like Doug Sax and Lincoln Mayorga—and why, for a brief shining moment, DTD gave us vinyl at its absolute best.The Audiophile’s Guide publishes daily. Want to learn more or join the HiFi Family? Visit PS Audio. To get your own copy of Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide, get it on Amazon.
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19:03
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19:03
How lossless manages to squeeze file size without losing bits
How can a “lossless” audio file be smaller than the original—and still sound exactly the same? Today we’re diving into the magic of lossless compression. Unlike MP3s, which toss out information, lossless formats like FLAC and ALAC use clever math to shrink files without losing a single bit. It’s like zipping a folder—you get smaller size, perfect recovery. We’ll break down how it works, and why your music deserves nothing less.The Audiophile’s Guide publishes daily. Want to learn more or join the HiFi Family? Visit PS Audio. To get your own copy of Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide, get it on Amazon.
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15:06
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15:06
Digital jitter and reclockers
Digital audio promises perfect sound—but timing is everything. Today we’re talking about jitter: the microscopic timing errors that blur imaging, flatten soundstage, and drain the life from music. Where does jitter come from? And more importantly, how do we fix it? Enter the reclocker. These unsung heroes of digital playback clean up jittered signals and restore clarity and focus. If you’ve never heard what a clean clock can do, this episode might surprise you.The Audiophile’s Guide publishes daily. Want to learn more or join the HiFi Family? Visit PS Audio. To get your own copy of Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide, get it on Amazon.
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14:37
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14:37
The birth of the Compact Disc
In the early 1980s, a shimmering silver disc promised perfect sound forever—and changed music forever. On today’s episode, we’re diving into the origin story of the compact disc: the technology, the engineering, and the industry shakeup it caused. From vinyl’s crackle to digital’s clarity, we’ll explore what we gained, what we lost, and why some of us never looked back. This is The Birth of the Compact Disc. Let’s dig in.The Audiophile’s Guide publishes daily. Want to learn more or join the HiFi Family? Visit PS Audio. To get your own copy of Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide, get it on Amazon.
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16:52
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16:52
A word about Paul McGowan and his stereo philosophies
Paul McGowan has spent a lifetime chasing the magic of music in the home. As the co-founder of PS Audio and the voice behind The Audiophile’s Guide, Paul’s approach to high-end sound is clear, practical, and always centered on one thing: emotional connection. In this episode, we explore Paul’s stereo philosophy—why speakers come first, what makes a system truly high-end, and how engineering serves the music—not the other way around.The Audiophile’s Guide publishes daily. Want to learn more or join the HiFi Family? Visit PS Audio. To get your own copy of Paul McGowan’s The Audiophile’s Guide, get it on Amazon.
The Audiophile's Guide podcast is your invitation into the world of high-end audio, and connecting with me, Paul McGowan—a 50-year veteran in the art and science of sound and the co-founder and CEO of PS Audio. We do kind of a mind meld between me and our technologically connected hosts. Each episode is a fresh, no-nonsense exploration of how to bring music to life in your home, drawn from my decades of hands-on experience designing the gear that makes it happen.
Italia