Dekoni Audio Padcast

The Dekoni Padcast welcomes renowned reviewer DMS to talk about his journey from critic to creator. We dive deep into his ambitious "Project Omega," exploring how 3D printing and an open-source philosophy are changing the headphone game. Plus, we get his take on the future of headphone science.

Why do we do this? Because we love headphones!

Today, we're joined by Ryan Dietz, the founder of Modhouse Audio. Ryan is the mastermind behind some of the most sought-after custom headphones in the audiophile world, including the famous T60 Argon, the Argon Mk3 and now the Tungsten. We'll be diving into his journey, the philosophy behind his unique headphone modifications, and what sets Modhouse Audio apart. Get ready for an in-depth conversation with one of the most innovative creators in the headphone community.

Here to announce the winners of our contest for a free trip to CanJam Socal

On this episode of the Dekoni Audio Padcast, we’re joined by Dave Friesema—co-founder and chief designer at Dark Matter Audio Labs, and a veteran engineer behind countless in-ear monitor projects at Etymotic and Westone. We unpack what actually makes an IEM sound “right”: driver choices, acoustic paths and bores, damping and filters, phase alignment, and why fit and tip selection can swing the response more than you think. Dave also explains how designers balance measurements with listening, the trade-offs of venting and isolation, and the unique challenge of building universal demo units for a product that’s meant to be custom-fit. Whether you’re a touring pro, a studio mixer, or an audiophile chasing a natural curve, you’ll come away with practical takeaways for dialing in your IEMs.

On this episode of the Dekoni Audio Padcast, we sit down with legendary headphone engineer Axel Grell—best known for decades of work at Sennheiser and now at the helm of grell audio. We dig into what makes a headphone truly musical: driver design choices, enclosure geometry, damping, and how ear pads quietly shape frequency response, staging, and comfort. Axel shares hard-won lessons from building reference-grade headphones, how he thinks about “neutral” vs. “fun,” and why small manufacturing decisions add up to big differences in the final sound. We also talk measurement vs. listening, tips for getting the most from your setup, and where he sees headphone tech going next.Whether you’re an audiophile, a mixer on the clock, or just pad-curious, this is a masterclass in design decisions that you can actually hear.

Tal and Dylan sit down with Zach Mehrbach from ZMF HEadphones to talk headphones, music, and more.