February 2021

Video: Greg Weaver Of The Audio Analyst
Intro And Loudspeaker Roundtable
The latest chapter of a lifelong journey.
Article And Video BY Greg Weaver

  I've been playing with and selling audio gear since before my sixteenth birthday (1971), and I started reviewing and writing about the industry and my beloved audio gear at the age of thirty-two (1988) when I started my first print magazine, the audio analyst^©. As you may imagine, my five decades of involvement in this industry, at all different levels, has been both diverse and remarkably encompassing. I've progressed from hobbyist, to sales, to managing hi-fi shops, salons, and chains.

After earning a degree in digital electronics in the early 1980s, I have since owned a repair shop, where I repaired, modified, and installed everything from CD players, upright commercial Video Arcade games, designed and installed contest-winning 12-Volt audio systems, custom high-performance two-channel installations, commercial audio systems, and home theater systems. I've even led design teams to develop new exotic audio products for manufacturers. And most of you may be aware that I have been an active and respected audio journalist and reviewer for more than 35 years.

I had been talking about, and putting off, starting some manner of video channel dealing with high-performance audio and sharing ways to maximize the joy of recreating music in your personal space since about 2016. So it was with the Covid-19 lockdown this past spring, by March of last year, once it was clear there would be no shows or expos to attend, I had finally run out of excuses. On Mother's Day, May 10th of 2019, after a full rework of my website, I launched the audio analyst YouTube channel with a biographical commentary recounting my audio journey thus far, called simply, "Who is the audio analyst."

Since then, I've posted 35 Episodes, almost one every week, covering a wide-ranging variety of topics, from commentary on the industry, doing interviews, and presenting instructional information, to in-depth examinations of specific recordings called Guilty Treasures, and hardware reviews. I have to say that the response has been even more encouraging than I had dared hoped.

So, when my old friend, the founder of Enjoy the Music.com and its current Creative Director Steven Rochlin, whom I've known since the mid-1990's, mentioned to me that he desired featuring and promoting my on-camera efforts, I was more than merely flattered. So, here we go. Without further ado, let me introduce you all to this new face of my work with the first episode, "Who is the audio analyst?"

Greg Weaver's AXPONA Loudspeaker Panel
With the world-wide pandemic shutting down public gatherings, and the impact that has had on our industry's ability to have shows and other gatherings, AXPONA decided to help bridge that loss of community by setting up a series of online events.

The first of these online events was a gathering of some of the most gifted and creative loudspeaker designers working in the industry today. On January 13th at 7pm, the first panel was held live and recorded for all who could not attend. Moderated by renowned audiophile, reviewer, and journalist, Enjoy the Music.com's own Editor and Senior Reviewer, Greg Weaver, it featured panelists Leif Swanson of Von Schweikert Audio, Andrew Jones of Elac USA, Gayle Sanders of Eikon Audio, and David MacPherson of Studio Electric.

Pull up a chair and watch this spirited open discussion on the subtleties and intricacies of designing and building loudspeakers for today's market at every price point, ranging from the Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 Bookshelf Speakers at $230 a pair, to the Von Schweikert Audio Ultra 11s, at $325,000 a pair, and everything in between.

You can learn more about Greg within his bio.

Bonus Video
Reviewer On Reviewing!