Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I'm joined by Cameron Oatley, AKA GoldenSound to analyze narratives in the audiophile hobby. Is balanced better? Is USB really that noisy? Is there really a tube sound? And more! Are these narrative right? Wrong? Were they right and are no longer? Were they wrong but are becoming true? Or any combination thereof? Get our takes in this episode!
Listen to the Audio-Only Version on Major Streaming Platforms (EP05 available at 4am American Central time on 29 October 2025):
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-waves-with-wavetheory/id1838478407
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4QQkxr6TjNs0FeyjQGqPRd
Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/9bd0af20-96b2-4381-aaed-51d41b497629/making-waves-with-wavetheory
Podbean: wavetheorysound.podbean.com
My Patreon: patreon.com/wavetheory1
Make a 1-Time Donation to Support Me on PayPal: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=7N7Z8WRLWQ36E
GoldenSound's YT Page: youtube.com/@GoldenSound
GoldenSound's Headphones.com profile: headphones.com/blogs/authors/cameron-oatley
CS Rucker's SoundCloud Page:
soundcloud.com/csrucker
Listen to Retro Reverse album on...
Amazon Music: amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0D4PHQNWT?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_Rq3sEKLN07zC5hwVcd7JRRYO5
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/retro-reverse-feat-cs-rucker/1747991508
Qobuz: open.qobuz.com/album/uk7kt71900xoa
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/1Kvqbh6u5zoK8rKipSpna0?si=r5feJfAcSDSkvW8PjMfFeQ
Tidal: tidal.com/browse/album/364414478?u
The intro track is "All Behind" by Mia Edenberg & Benjamin Shielden:
edenberg-shielden.com
Access Edenberg & Shielden's work on major streaming platforms: hyperfollow.com/edenbergshielden
Chapters...
00:00 Check out the Streaming Options!
00:35 Intro, Guest & Featured Artist Info
03:28 Audio Issues - Working on It!
04:03 Balanced is Better?
26:36 USB is Noisy
33:02 Break 1
33:34 Galvanic Isolation Solves Noise Problems
37:29 The Tube Sound is Warm & Thick
48:39 Hi-Z Headphones Need Tubes
59:06 Frequency Response is All That Matters
01:04:11 What Does Minimum Phase Mean? We Argue About Cables!
01:53:18 Break 3
01:54:14 You Can't Trust Your Ears!
02:09:14 Estats are fast/dry/bass lean
02:17:58 Outro & "Time to Shine" By CS Rucker and collaborators
I'm joined by Cameron Oatley, AKA GoldenSound to analyze narratives in the audiophile hobby. Is balanced better? Is USB really that noisy? Is there really a tube sound? And more! Are these narrative right? Wrong? Were they right and are no longer? Were they wrong but are becoming true? Or any combination thereof? Get our takes in this episode!
Listen to the Audio-Only Version on Major Streaming Platforms (EP05 available at 4am American Central time on 29 October 2025):
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-waves-with-wavetheory/id1838478407
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4QQkxr6TjNs0FeyjQGqPRd
Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/9bd0af20-96b2-4381-aaed-51d41b497629/making-waves-with-wavetheory
Podbean: wavetheorysound.podbean.com
My Patreon: patreon.com/wavetheory1
Make a 1-Time Donation to Support Me on PayPal: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=7N7Z8WRLWQ36E
GoldenSound's YT Page: youtube.com/@GoldenSound
GoldenSound's Headphones.com profile: headphones.com/blogs/authors/cameron-oatley
CS Rucker's SoundCloud Page:
soundcloud.com/csrucker
Listen to Retro Reverse album on...
Amazon Music: amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0D4PHQNWT?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_Rq3sEKLN07zC5hwVcd7JRRYO5
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/retro-reverse-feat-cs-rucker/1747991508
Qobuz: open.qobuz.com/album/uk7kt71900xoa
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/1Kvqbh6u5zoK8rKipSpna0?si=r5feJfAcSDSkvW8PjMfFeQ
Tidal: tidal.com/browse/album/364414478?u
The intro track is "All Behind" by Mia Edenberg & Benjamin Shielden:
edenberg-shielden.com
Access Edenberg & Shielden's work on major streaming platforms: hyperfollow.com/edenbergshielden
Chapters...
00:00 Check out the Streaming Options!
00:35 Intro, Guest & Featured Artist Info
03:28 Audio Issues - Working on It!
04:03 Balanced is Better?
26:36 USB is Noisy
33:02 Break 1
33:34 Galvanic Isolation Solves Noise Problems
37:29 The Tube Sound is Warm & Thick
48:39 Hi-Z Headphones Need Tubes
59:06 Frequency Response is All That Matters
01:04:11 What Does Minimum Phase Mean? We Argue About Cables!
01:53:18 Break 3
01:54:14 You Can't Trust Your Ears!
02:09:14 Estats are fast/dry/bass lean
02:17:58 Outro & "Time to Shine" By CS Rucker and collaborators
