High End 2017 - Munich, Germany

Hi-Fi Down Under -- Introducing "SoundStage! Australia"

When we come to cover High End, we mostly focus on product debuts, as we do at every show. Never have we had something to debut ourselves. Until now.

We’re pleased to announce that soon we’ll be unveiling SoundStage! Australia, which will be an online publication featuring an Australian team led by well-known hi-fi journalist Edgar Kramer, formerly the editor of Audio Esoterica. We discussed the concept just before High End, but it was all finalized here in Munich.

Edgar Kramer

SoundStage! Australia will focus on two-channel hi-fi, providing full-length equipment reviews, feature articles, insightful interviews, news, and factory tours. Since Australia has a strong network of distributors, products from around the world are available there -- and will be written about in SoundStage! Australia. Yet Australia also has its own hi-fi culture, and has some very reputable companies, so of course you’ll read about most, if not all, of these companies within the online pages of SoundStage! Australia in the months and years to come. As a result, SoundStage! Australia will have a global look at hi-fi, but with a strong Aussie flavor.

Edgar Kramer with SoundStage! writers Brent Butterworth and Hans Wetzel

When undertaking the SoundStage! Australia project, we knew that for it to work, we needed a reputable staff based there, led by a topflight editor who’s also there and in the thick of things, and who could provide strong editorial direction -- and this was where Edgar Kramer came in. We learned quickly that Edgar shared the same ideals we do. We also knew that because of Edgar’s strong, positive reputation in the hi-fi community there, he would be more than capable of giving this new publication the foothold and credibility it needs. As for Edgar’s thoughts on this initiative, here’s what he had to say:

I’m extremely excited to launch SoundStage! Australia. In my view, SoundStage! is the global platform for the industry’s most professional reviews and audio reportage. It’s a growing team of experienced journalists, and SoundStage! Australia, while providing strong local content, will augment the network’s overall global audio reportage, going forward, at the highest level.

Doug Schneider, Edgar Kramer, and Jeff Fritz

We’re excited to work with Edgar and the rest of his team because it allows us to expand SoundStage!’s reach farther around the world. Our plan is to launch SoundStage! Australia on July 1 at SoundStageAustralia.com (or Australia.SoundStage.com), so please bookmark that URL, check back then, and see what hi-fi looks like Down Under. In the meantime, if you would like to contact Edgar Kramer, you can do so by e-mail to edkramer@soundstageaustralia.com.  

Doug Schneider
Founder, SoundStage!

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