The Audiophiles Guide

About The Audiophiles Guide

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.

Publisher

Paul McGowan

Category

music · technology · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 May 2025

Latest episode

16 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

84 of 86 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   16 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The preamplifier: a critical component

   The preamplifier is the component in the system that controls the volume level and selects the input you listen to. Its role is simple and straightforward, yet its importance cannot be understated. 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.

2. 

   9 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Dialing in the bass

   Getting the bass right in your room can be one of the more challenging aspects of high-end audio. But here's a step-by-step guide to help you get through this maze of problems. 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.

3. 

   2 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   How to find the perfect volume level

   You might have the best high-end 2-channel audio system on the planet but without hitting the right volume level for every single track, you'll never get to enjoy all that is possible. Paul and friends will teach you how. 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.

Inside a recent episode

The preamplifier: a critical component

Published 16 Nov 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And sources holding the music's essence are right behind them, but the pream, it's undeniably hot on their heels, maybe even tied for third place in terms of its overall importance to the final sound. Really, that's significant. Oh, absolutely. It doesn't just process the signal, it meticulously safeguards it. It's truly the heart of your musical command center. It sits right there at the Nexus where all your different inputs, turn table, streamer, CD player come together before they get amplified and set out to your speakers. The central hub. Exactly. And it's influence, though it might seem subtle sometimes, it's pervasive. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.1 / 5

11 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

51

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77