Episodit
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider to discuss the 2024 SoundStage! Awards for Products of the Year and Outstanding Achievements. Doug gives the insight on what the awards me and how they are chosen, as well as explain the special awards video SoundStage! created with singer Kellylee Evans.
Sources:
The 2024 SoundStage! Network Awards for Outstanding Achievements and Products of the Year by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1927-the-2024-soundstage-network-awards-for-outstanding-achievements-and-products-of-the-year
The SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year Awards 2024 by Edgar Kramer: https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/features/929-the-soundstage-australia-products-of-the-year-awards-2024
Best Hi-Fi Products and Top People 2024—SoundStage! International Hi-Fi Awards by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/FYH1bDPczbA?si=-w2b7pGQudQSmIfU
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:30 Products of the Year: categories and choosing00:05:03 Explaining the Outstanding Achievement awards00:05:03 Outstanding Achievement award winners00:13:02 Music Break: "The Wassail Song" by The Reed Pittman Trio00:15:03 Welcome back from the break00:15:14 Products of the Year: Distinction category (core sites)00:15:14 Products of the Year: Outstanding Performance category (core sites)00:24:58 Products of the Year: Outstanding Performance category (SoundStage! Australia)00:26:53 Products of the Year: Distinction category (SoundStage! Australia)00:29:16 Products of the Year: Exceptional Value category (SoundStage! Australia)00:30:22 Products of the Year: Exceptional Value category (core sites)00:34:22 Where to find the awards (core sites)00:35:31 Outro: “Jingle Bells” by TEO
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by podcast producer and SoundStage! Access editor Dennis Burger to discuss his latest editorial, “The Stuff in the Middle.” The premise: everyone understands what source devices are. They also know speakers. But these days, most normies doesn’t have a clue what black boxes go in between—if there’s anything between them at all.
Sources:
“The Stuff in the Middle” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1317-the-stuff-in-the-middle
“Do You Care About Features?” by Geoffrey Morrison: https://soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/434-do-you-care-about-features
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:30 Adventures in hi-fi at the Y00:18:11 “March of the People” Sémø00:20:20 Are old audiophiles the problem?00:50:40 Outro: “Null” by VESHZA
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Jan Lassesen, founder of Norway’s Arendal Sound, to discuss the company’s origins and history, its distinctive philosophy, the benefits of direct-to-consumer sales, and the evolution of the product line that has led to the 1528 series.
Sources:
EISA Awards: Home Theater Audio 2020-2021: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/testbed/mm4/index.php/eisa/2020-2021-awards/2020-2021-home-theater-audio/1463-arendal-sound-1961-series-eisa-2020-2021
Arendal Sound 1723 Tower S loudspeaker review by Philip Beaudette: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1848-arendal-sound-1723-tower-s-loudspeaker
Arendal Sound 1528 Tower 8 Loudspeaker: “Why I’m Going 3500 Miles to Learn How it Happened” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1920-arendal-sound-1528-tower-8-loudspeaker-why-im-going-3500-miles-to-learn-how-it-happened
Arendal Sound Club: https://club.arendalsound.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:04:51 The road to Arendal00:29:35 “Write a Sentence: The Headbanger’s Confusion” by Art Against Agony00:30:33 The evolution of Arendal00:53:35 Outro: “Celestial Rhythms” by Ariel Dahan
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and SoundStage! Ultra editor Jason Thorpe to discuss Warsaw’s Audio Video Show 2024, including what was different about this year, what was the same, and what it all means for the state of the hi-fi industry.
Sources:
SoundStage! Audio Video Show 2024 coverage from Warsaw, Poland: https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/audio-video-show-2023-warsaw-poland
Audio Video Show: https://audioshow.pl/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:20 Introductions00:03:53 Millionaire’s Row and beyond…00:35:16 Music Break: "Emissary" by Art Against Agony00:36:58 What has changed? What hasn’t?01:02:15 Outro: “Borderline Love” by Jessy Gerber
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Host Jorden Guth’s new baby finally made his debut, so we’re taking a break again this week and resharing one of our favorite season 2 episodes, in which Jorden was joined by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to discuss what mastering is, what it isn’t, how it differs from remastering, and why vinyl sometimes sounds better than digital.
“Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/recording-of-the-month-menu/1175-art-pepper-art-pepper-meets-the-rhythm-section
“Is It Just Me, or Are CDs Too Loud?” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/feature-articles/on-music/944-is-it-just-me-or-are-cds-too-loud
“The Music Man” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/the-music-man-joe-taylor-on-vinyl-and-cassettes-next-gen-audiophiles-curated-music-selections/
Chapters:00:00:00 News!00:00:31 Announcement00:00:51 What does a mastering engineer do? 00:20:56 Musical interlude: “Say No More” by Julian Hartwell00:23:19 Digital vs. analog and radio vs. streaming00:35:55 What music moves Bernie Grundman
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider to discuss all of the hot new speakers coming out right now, including models from DALI, Treble Clef Audio, Radiant Acoustics, Arendal Sound, and Focal. They dig deep into the specifics, and also touch on why so many new and noteworthy loudspeakers are coming out now.
Sources:
“DALI Epikore 11 Loudspeaker” by Jason Thorpe: https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1225-dali-epikore-11-loudspeaker
“New DALI Epikore 9, 7, and 3—‘Affordable’ Flagship Speakers from Denmark” by SoundStage! Network: https://youtu.be/BSVHm31EmV4?si=_traJo-IQqWVZZZv
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 New Speakers from ALI, Treble Clef Audio, Radiant Acoustics, Arendal Sound00:31:36 Music Break: “Mojo” by Jimit00:32:50 Focal, too. But why now?00:59:24 “Mirleft” by Guy Buttery
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Host Jorden Guth is expecting another child with his wife. Producer Dennis Burger has a few written reviews to catch up on for the SoundStage! Network. As a result, we decided it is a good time to take a quick break before we resume season 3 in a couple of weeks.
But we're not going to leave you hanging with nothing to listen to. Jorden Guth went through our archives and thought this was a good change to revisit the 12th episode from season 2: "Anthony Grimani on Speakers, Rooms, Acoustics." If you have not listened to it, we think you will enjoy it. If you have listened to it, you might want to listen again because there is a good change you will pick up on something that you didn't pick up on before. Enjoy!
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Trinnov Audio general manager Jon Herron to discuss the company’s history, the synergy between physical room acoustics and DSP room optimization, why different frequencies of sound require a different approach, and how the company’s new WaveForming technology is a whole new approach to perfecting bass performance in-room.
Sources:
“Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor" by Al Griffin https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/39-trinnov-amethyst-dac-preamplifier-processor
Trinnov Audio: https://www.trinnov.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions and origins stories00:09:51 What makes Trinnov different?00:26:59 The broken promise of Atmos00:31:59 Music Break: “Once Upon a Time in the West Elevator” by Jamison Dewlen00:33:17 A deeper dive into old-school acoustics00:36:23 Why bass misbehaves00:43:59 How WaveForming works00:59:24 “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Will Taylor
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Pro Audio Technology owner/president L. Paul Hales to discuss his history in audio, how audio research has guided the development of his speakers over the years, what really matters in audio and what doesn’t, and why most consumer speakers fall short in one significant way.
Sources:
“Theory Audio Design Sys5.2.2.8515 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos Surround Speaker System” by Vince Hanada: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1111-theory-audio-design-sys5-2-2-8515-5-2-2-dolby-atmos-surround-speaker-system
Dr. Floyd Toole: An Oral History 1: https://www.soundstage.life/e/dr-floyd-toole-an-oral-history-1-two-ears-and-a-brain-transistors-rules-and-data/
Dr. Floyd Toole: An Oral History 2: https://www.soundstage.life/e/dr-floyd-toole-an-oral-history-2-ab-tests-bass-athena-brains-rooms-hearing-listening/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions and origins stories00:30:16 Music Break: “Harpstrings and Chill (Gymnopédie No. 1)” by Lalinea00:31:19 Hi-fi PA speakers?00:43:08 The origins of Pro Audio Technology00:59:40 What really matters in audio?01:12:14 “Gymnopédie No. 1” by T. Bless and the Professionals
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by the SoundStage! Network’s Joseph Taylor, Jason Thorpe, and Dennis Burger to discuss records and turntables, from the perspective of two old pros and one recent convert to the format.
Sources:
“A Vinyl-Apathist’s Quest for His Perfect First Turntable” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1297-a-vinyl-apathists-quest-for-his-perfect-first-turntable
“Confessions of a Recent Vinyl Convert” by Dennis Burger: https://soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1301-confessions-of-a-recent-vinyl-convert
“Record Store Day and Vinyl Culture” by Joseph Taylor: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/features-menu/pulse-menu/1151-record-store-day-and-vinyl-culture
“Read the Instructions! The Perils of Cartridge Setup” by Jason Thorpe: https://soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1231-read-the-instructions-the-perils-of-cartridge-setup
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 Introductions00:15:01 Tea ceremony for music 00:26:39 Music Break: "Homecoming" by Rex Banner00:27:27 How much difference do cartridges make?00:36:34 The psychology of sound quality01:03:08 "Afternoon Dissection" by Chameleon Treat
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined once again by Simaudio product director Dominique Poupart and marketing director Étienne Gautier to discuss how making its products locally affects the quality of the components, their serviceable life, rolling changes to production, and adapting to tough times like global pandemics.
Sources:
North Collection: https://simaudio.com/en/product-category/north-collection/
“Simaudio’s North Collection: The Future of Hi-Fi?” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-north-collection-the-future-of-hi-fi/
“Simaudio’s Moon 791 Streaming Preamplifier: Uncompromised” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1841-simaudio-s-moon-791-streaming-preamplifier-uncompromised
“Moon by Simaudio Has Exited the Echo Chamber” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1201-moon-by-simaudio-has-exited-the-echo-chamber
“Simaudio’s Étienne Gautier & the Art of Marketing Moon” on the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast: https://www.soundstage.life/e/simaudio-s-etienne-gautier-the-art-of-marketing-moon-baumgartner-restoration-taskmaster/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:31 The origins of Simaudio00:04:03 How manufacturing at home keeps a company nimble 00:22:03 Music Break: "Threads of Smoke" by Tamuz Dekel00:23:14 Local manufacturing’s impact on repairability00:49:24 "Alice Loses Her Temper" by Maybird
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This week, host Jorden Guth continues his conversation with Dr. Floyd Toole, exploring the origins of the Athena project at Canada’s NRC, the reasons for and details of his move to Harman International, some of the most misunderstood aspects of his research, the origins of his legendary book Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms, his legacy, and the music that moves him.
Closing credits music: “Longitude” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships
Sources:
“Canada’s NRC: A Forthcoming Look at Its Role in the Advancement of Canadian Loudspeaker Design” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1849-canadas-nrc-a-forthcoming-look-at-its-role-in-the-advancement-of-canadian-loudspeaker-design“The Loudspeaker Class of ’74: A Canadian Reunion” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1866-the-loudspeaker-class-of-74-a-canadian-reunion
“Floyd Toole, NRC, SoundStage!—Filming of Our Upcoming Documentary” by the soundstagenetwork on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k8ykCTEOhZI?si=BfcmIAWg1s6BKyQm
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:01:19 The limits of A/B testing00:04:59 Why you have to measure everything00:15:42 All about that bass00:18:40 Athena, assemble! 00:23:47 How our brains make sense of rooms 00:27:28 “Emahoy” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships00:28:45 Working with the CBC00:31:14 How hearing loss impacts judgment00:37:48 Another fateful phone call00:41:20 L.A. is no place to live00:44:02 The hint of a corporate target00:46:22 Herding engineers00:51:13 Listening tests at Harman00:53:22 Publishing the Harman research00:55:55 A feature, not a bugbear00:58:47 “Horse Latitudes” by Rowan Hudson's Passing Ships01:00:10 Evolution or revolution?01:02:35 The two-sub solution01:07:54 The birth of Sound Reproduction01:11:05 Rewriting the book01:13:42 Unanswered questions and Dr. Toole’s legacy01:45:59 The music that moves Dr. Toole
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by the loudspeaker legend himself, Dr. Floyd Toole, whose research at Canada’s National Research Council (NRC), followed by his tenure at Harman International, resulted in arguably more improvements to the fidelity of audio we hear at home than anything attributable to any one person. In this first of our two-part discussion, Dr. Toole discusses his path from university to the NRC and right up to the onset of the Athena project, where we’ll pick up in the second part.
Sources:
“Canada’s NRC: A Forthcoming Look at Its Role in the Advancement of Canadian Loudspeaker Design” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1849-canadas-nrc-a-forthcoming-look-at-its-role-in-the-advancement-of-canadian-loudspeaker-design
“The Loudspeaker Class of ’74: A Canadian Reunion” by Doug Schneider: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1866-the-loudspeaker-class-of-74-a-canadian-reunion
“Floyd Toole, NRC, SoundStage!—Filming of Our Upcoming Documentary” by the soundstagenetwork on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k8ykCTEOhZI?si=BfcmIAWg1s6BKyQm
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:04:39 The dawning of the age of the transistor00:11:05 Two ears and a brain00:21:28 A fateful interview00:27:58 Music break: "Turkish March” by T. Bless & the Professionals00:29:24 Friday afternoon experiments00:33:54 The differences between musicians and audiophiles00:38:54 An industry operating without rules00:49:45 What can we learn from a set of data?00:54:01 “When I Get Home” by Brian Claxton
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Dr. Sean Olive, senior fellow at Harman International, to discuss his time at NRC with Dr. Floyd Toole, his move from there to Harman, the development of the Harman target curves for headphones and earphones, and his thoughts on the future of immersive audio and more.
Sources:
Dr. Sean Olive on 35 Years of “Fast Car” by Dennis Burger: https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1259-dr-sean-olive-on-35-years-of-fast-car
Audio Musings by Sean Olive: https://seanolive.blogspot.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:04:27 What is a Tonmeister?00:12:19 Sponsored by Canada’s best and brightest00:18:10 All roads lead to California00:24:54 Music break: "Paris Café” by Wesly Thomas00:26:13 Manager of subjective evaluation00:36:03 The origins of the Harman target curve00:42:41 How to train your listeners00:49:09 “I Will Always Remember You” by Marek Jakubowicz
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by SoundStage’s Doug Schneider, Jason Thorpe, and Matt Bonaccio to discuss the biggest audio show in the world, what’s new, what’s different, and what were their favorite sights and sounds this time around.
Sources:
Coverage of High End 2024 - Munich, Germany: https://soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/high-end-2024-munich-germany
High End Society: https://www.highendsociety.de
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 What’s Munich all about?00:20:01 Music break: "Scapes" by Gray North00:20:48 Favorite sights and sounds00:46:30 “Diagrammatic” by Oliver Michael
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by James Tanner, CEO of Bryston Ltd., to discuss the company’s origins in the medical industry, the design of its original amplifiers, how the company has evolved over time, and how he eventually joined forces with Axiom Audio’s Ian Colquhoun.
Sources:
“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof
Bryston: https://bryston.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:01:52 Bryston’s origin story 00:16:11 Expanding product lines00:25:40 Music break: "Deadman Pass" by The Talbott Brothers00:27:32 Bryston in the 2000s and beyond00:53:25 “Pirate Blues” by Leon Laudenbach
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by sound engineer, educator, and content developer Marcela Rada to discuss her obsession with sound, her personal history, how she became involved with the recording industry, and what’s different about mixing for immersive formats like Dolby Atmos.
Sources:
Marcela Rada: https://marcelarada.com/
“Audiophile Atmos—Dominique Fils-Aimé Surrounds with ‘Our Roots Run Deep’”: https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/encore/1120-audiophile-atmos-dominique-fils-aime-surrounds-with-our-roots-run-deep
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:04:12 An education in audio 00:09:05 Experimentations with immersive audio00:20:37 Music break: “You Won't Be the Last” by Moon00:21:29 Maxing mixes that translate well00:33:06 Different flavors of immersive audio00:45:39 “Smile” by Aves
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Ian Colquhoun, founder of Axiom Audio and now also the owner of Bryston and Magnum Dynalab, to discuss the origins of the company, its connection with the National Research Council, his own relationship with Dr. Floyd Toole, and how the company’s speakers evolved after the legendary NRC research wound down.
Sources:
“Canadian Hi-Fi Trilogy: Axiom Audio, Bryston, and Magnum Dynalab—All Under One Expanding Roof”: https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1785-canadian-hi-fi-trilogy-axiom-audio-bryston-and-magnum-dynalab-all-under-one-expanding-roof
Axiom Audio: https://www.axiomaudio.com/
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:03:31 Axiom’s origin story 00:12:30 Busting the myth of different speakers for different music00:25:46 Music break: “Empty Pockets” by Bamtone00:26:52 Axiom as OEM00:30:27 OEM no more00:29:34 The twin-tweeter controversy00:47:07 Measurement artifacts01:08:34 “Wherever I Am” by Bamtone
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This week, host Jorden Guth continues his conversation with Dr. Peter Schuck, technical director at Paradigm Electronics Inc. The two cover the birth of Anthem Room Correction, the pros and cons of IIR and FIR filters, side quests, diversions, why flat in-room response isn’t actually the goal, and how ARC has evolved in response to market pressures.
Sources:
“The History of Anthem Room Correction (ARC®)”: https://www.anthemarc.com/advanced-topics/the-history-of-arc.php
“The Detection Thresholds of Resonances at Low Frequencies” by Olive, Sean E.; Schuck, Peter L.; Ryan, James G.; Sally, Sharon L.; Bonneville, Marc E.: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=7868
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:03:15 IIR vs FIR 00:09:15 Pesky patents and water picks00:11:58 Untested waters00:17:01 Music break: “Hulullúlulu” by Art Against Agony00:08:01 ARC is finally born00:23:46 Why flat sounds flat00:26:59 Removing the cap00:38:56 “First” by IamDayLight 00:40:51 The music that moves Peter
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This week, host Jorden Guth is joined by Dr. Peter Schuck, technical director at Paradigm Electronics Inc., to discuss his history in hi-fi, how he ended up at the NRC, how his work with Dr. Floyd Toole evolved into the pioneering Athena project, and exactly what sorts of tests he and others constructed and conducted to determine listener preference with regard to the effects of the room on loudspeaker performance.
Sources:
“The History of Anthem Room Correction (ARC®)”: https://www.anthemarc.com/advanced-topics/the-history-of-arc.php
“The Detection Thresholds of Resonances at Low Frequencies” by Olive, Sean E.; Schuck, Peter L.; Ryan, James G.; Sally, Sharon L.; Bonneville, Marc E.: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=7868
Chapters:00:00:00 Announcement00:00:28 Introductions00:07:58 The Energy 22 crossover00:15:41 Commerce or science?00:29:35 Music break: “Precursor” by Aquartos00:30:22 The five-point preference scale00:34:54 What makes a good test track?00:36:01 The circle of confusion keeps spinning00:50:38 “Day 1” by Aquartos
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