Audio Reproduction Philosophy
My philosophy on audio reproduction is straightforward: playback systems should accurately represent the source material as it exists on the media. The goal is not to editorialize or embellish, but to hear the music as faithfully as possible. Whenever achievable, I believe we should strive to listen the way the engineers and artists heard it in the mastering studio, using that reference as the benchmark.
How This Informs My Reviews
This philosophy directly shapes how I approach reviews on this site. I evaluate equipment based on its ability to preserve tonal balance, dynamics, timing, and spatial information without imposing its own character on the recording. Reviews are written with the intent of helping readers understand how closely a product allows them to hear what was actually captured, mixed, and mastered, rather than how much it alters or colors the sound.
About Me
My career began with a deep focus on audio, which has remained the foundation of everything that followed. Early on, I was building speaker cabinets and designing crossovers; work that grounded me in the physical and electrical realities of sound reproduction. I still do this work today for friends and family, driven simply by my enjoyment of building things and hearing the results of that work come to life. In the mid‑1990s, I worked in cellular and mobile audio before transitioning into professional audio, developing hands‑on experience with sound systems, signal flow, and real‑world production environments.
I graduated from The Institute for Audio Research (IAR) in 1997, where I studied under renowned engineers, including the late Al Grundy. During my time at IAR, I served as President of the local Audio Engineering Society (AES) chapter, an experience that strengthened both my technical grounding and my leadership within the audio engineering community.
After working in several recording studios, I transitioned my career into computers and information technology in 2000. Over the next 25+ years, I built extensive experience across IT infrastructure, systems engineering, and voice/IP solutions, eventually moving into executive leadership roles.
Today, I serve as Chief Operating Officer at LISS Technologies, where I oversee day‑to‑day operations and help guide strategic direction with a focus on operational excellence, scalability, and reliable technology delivery.
Throughout every career transition, I have never stepped away from audio. I continue to collect, restore, and repair audio equipment, and I have maintained fully functional studios in my last two homes. Audio is not a hobby for me, it is a lifelong passion that informs how I think about systems, signal integrity, craftsmanship, and problem‑solving. I also play guitar and drums, which keeps me connected to music from the player’s side and informs how I listen to, build, and evaluate audio systems.