audiophiliac

The 404 423: Where we can't buy love

If you're even remotely interested in The Beatles, today's episode of The 404 is a must listen. CNET Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg helps us out today for all things Beatles. To set it all up, Steve gives the three of us a lesson in how the band essentially shaped a decade of music and culture and how they became innovators in the way that bands record music. For example, did you know that it only took the band 4 hours to record and mix the song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band?" Later on in the show, Steve tells us about how the Beatles used a vacuum tube-based machine to record their earlier albums and later switched to solid-state, with adverse affects to the low-end sounds. Lots more Beatles trivia on the show!

We also talk extensively about the latest Beatles Remasters and whether or not they're worth the extra investment. Some claim that there are "near-miraculous improvements in the key areas of information retrieval, hidden details, expanded midrange, etc...," but Steve makes the argument that simply remastering doesn't necessarily improve sound quality. Check out the Audiophiliac blog for Steve's Beatles box set review coming soon, but in the meantime you can enter for a chance to win the entire remastered Beatles CD collection!

EPISODE 423 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 379: Where we have a ball with Steve Guttenberg

CNET official Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg guest hosts today's ball-busting show. Steve brings his usual brand of random topics to the table today that include the most bizarre festival you'll never want to visit and the world's largest ketchup bottle. We also introduce another awesome band in our Becks/Last.FM semiweekly audio draft!

Today's show is very important, for three reasons. First, we're stoked to welcome Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg who brings his expertise to answer all your high-end audio questions on the second half of the show, but not before introducing us to the most horrid festival that you'll never, ever want to visit. Let's just say that the subject matter of this food fair leaves room for plenty of punny jokes to be made, and we take that opportunity every chance we get (see:show title)--too funny!

Second, it's also a very important day because it's the first time we actually get a few bottles of Beck's Beer into the studio to sip on during the show! Don't worry though, we take things in moderation here at The 404 (yeah...), but no amount of self-control can prevent Wilson and me from getting the classic Asian glow.

Finally, all of us are caught offguard when Wilson Tang, infamous for literally feeling indifferent about any music made after 1791, makes an executive decision and chooses Grizzly Bear for today's Semi-Weekly Audio Draft Pick, sponsored by Beck's Beer in conjunction with Last.FM.

Grizzly Bear is a four-piece band out of Brooklyn here in New York that has been slowly gaining popularity for its dusty mix of folk piano and a mix of other instruments including whistles and an intermittent banjo. After releasing several albums in the past few years, Grizzly Bear just released a new one called "Veckatimest," which includes today's song, "Two Weeks." The album retains Grizzly Bear's unique low-fi sound--mixing airy vocals with refreshingly creative arrangements that are rare to find in today's soundstage. We hope you'll enjoy Grizzly Bear as much as we do!

(Last.fm is a part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET News and Reviews.)

One more thing: We'd like to congratulate newlyweds Elizabeth and Ian for getting hitched recently. They're both avid 404 listeners and while we doubt that Elizabeth walked down the aisle to our theme music, we're swooning with you and wish you guys the best of love.

EPISODE 379 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 328: Where we're gonna live to 200

Steve Guttenberg, the Audiophiliac, joins the show today to talk about the coming "singularity."

For those of you not from the future, the "singularity" is a concept from Raymond Kurzweil's book "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology." According to him, human beings will eventually live forever because of nano-machines that will repair our bodies and miracle drugs. That's about as deep as the show gets today. Again, you don't really want us to be discussing the ever-increasing amounts of entropy in the universe.

Steve is generally disappointed with the quality of the sound systems at the New York auto show. You'd expect that a $200,000 Bentley would have pretty great speakers, but you'd be wrong.

Also on today's show, we've got more Twitter stories: 1) Justin is attempting to bring back the $5-dollar Italian BMT from Subway with the world's first Twitition (that's Twitter + petition); 2) Post Secret meets Twitter with SecretTweet.com. Honestly, it's one of the most depressing Web sites ever. Kind of like a not-funny fmylife.com.

Finally, it's the weekend, so we know you have the time. Be sure to send in your call backs! We need them!

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The 404 274: Where the afterlife ain't what it's cracked up to be

We talk a lot about drug legalization, but the truth is that Steve Guttenberg is the only drug we need to get us through the day. He joins us for a very compelling conversation about the afterlife, and we even start to get metaphysical--don't worry, we don't get into it for too long. After that, we get into a story about a very unique monthly calendar, our weekend plans, and what exactly is causing that peculiar maple syrup smell in New York.

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The 404 217: Where we're voting Steve Guttenberg in 08!

Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg returns to the show to talk about his favorite MTV VJ's, infectious diseases, why judges hate him and an itch that's particularly hard to scratch. Today we remain true to the unofficial 404 slogan: "Decency not found." We say goodbye to VCRs and Verbose Asian Guy and hello to the most tragic celebrity deaths. Hey Justin, what's the difference between jam and jelly again?

Remember to check out Guttenberg's blog The Audiophiliac, a must-read for anything and everything related to high-end audio. Steve most recently posted about the new MTV music video site, "where old timers can relive the '80s with Talking Heads, Devo, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, and Tina Turner." We love Steve like our very own weird hippie uncle and you should too, after all, he served jury duty with Alan Hunter, one of the first five MTV VJ's, he works for CNET, and he can squat over 600 lbs.

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The 404 172: Where it's twenty-O eight

What should we call this decade? The "aughts"? Come 2011, will we be in the "teens"? Audiophiliac blogger Steve Guttenberg philosophizes on the show today and shows off his math skills before abandoning all human decency in his disdain for Eric Clapton. Also, Senator John McCain and Daddy Yankee swap gasolina as Justin ogles pictures of his beloved Sarah Silverman.

Dan the Mantern here, blogging for Justin, who left the office to run off poster size color copies of Sarah Silverman. Speaking of nice Jewish girls, today's show was like Friday night services with Jeff, … Read more

The 404 147: Where we're looking for the big E

Self-proclaimed audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg sits in with us today and gives us the inside scoop on the many benefits of ear cleansing. Light candles in your ear, pouring hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal, what the...? We also talk more about the latest headphones on the market and even gain some insight into the Steve's former political agenda! We also play a heartbreaking voicemail that Natali received from our buddy Phil Ryan and EVENTUALLY get into the rundown at the tail end of the show, talking about (dare we say) hot, sweaty lesbians! 'Tis true, take a peek! EPISODE … Read more