Residential Tech Talks Podcasts

On this week’s podcast, Taft Stricklin joins us from Portland, OR, where he is sales team manager for Just Add Power, the Seminole, FL-based AV-over-IP distribution technology manufacturer. But because one job is not enough, Taft is also CEO of Cincinnati-based RS Pro Sales, an independent sales rep firm for several notable brands, including Sonance, Lutron, and Sony. But that’s not all… He’s also one of the most entertaining people to follow on Facebook, arguably the number-one party host at the CEDIA Expo trade show every year, and maybe the biggest current-day Van Halen fan on the planet. Think I’m exaggerating? Consider this… Taft’s legal name is Taft Van Stricklin. Visit Just Add Power at justaddpower.com and RS Pro Sales at RSproSales.com Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Wet Sounds | Loud and Clear is NOT good enough Go to wetsounds.com for more!

On this week’s podcast, home performance experts Corbett and Grace Lunsford join us from Atlanta, where they are the stars of the public television series Home Diagnosis and founders of the Building Performance Workshop. Home Diagnosis is the first-ever TV series on the physics, chemistry, and microbiology of homes. The six episodes of Season 1 were shot in cities across the U.S. as part of the Proof Is Possible Tour, and the show follows Corbett and Grace in their Tiny Lab as they use diagnostic testing to solve mystery problems of all types in homes new and old. Season 2 is out now, which tells the whole story of the science of homes over 13 episodes as Grace and Corbett build their own perfectly tuned 3,000-square-foot home in Atlanta. Learn more at homediagnosis.tv. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Leon Speakers | Picture Perfect Sound Go to leonspeakers.com to deliver sound and style to your space today!

On this week’s podcast, Residential Tech Today contributing writer Heather Sidorowicz joins us from Orlando, FL, where she is attending and reporting on the co-located Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and International Builders’ Show (IBS). Heather is a former CEDIA board member and current owner of Southtown Audio Video, a custom integration firm in Hamburg, NY. In this conversation we learn what we may have missed by not attending these two massive events at the Orange County Convention Center, what Heather sees as compelling trends around kitchen and bath technology, and what she is writing about next in the fitness and health and wellness wearables category that she’s taken on as her editorial beat for the magazine. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Leon Speakers | Picture Perfect Sound Go to leonspeakers.com to deliver sound and style to your space today!

On this week’s podcast, Joe Whitaker joins us from St. Louis, MO, where, for the past week or so, he has been the VP of business development for Origin Acoustics. Prior to accepting this new role, Joe was president of Thoughtful Integrations, a custom installation firm with locations in Dallas and St. Louis. However, as we learned on my very first podcast back in April 2020, Joe is no stranger to working with Origin, having assisted with product development as a consultant. This is not the first time a custom integrator has gone to work for a manufacturer, and it won’t be the last. But while the news is still relatively fresh, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about Joe’s career move and find out what he can tell us about his future projects at Origin. You can learn more about Origin Acoustics at originacoustics.com Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Parks Associates!  If you are interested in research & analysis for IoT, smart home, and connected entertainment technologies, please visit www.parksassociates.com

On this week’s podcast, Dave Pedigo joins us from Indianapolis, where, for the past two years, he has served as CEO of Auralex Acoustics. You may be more familiar with Dave from his 14 years as director of emerging technologies at CEDIA or, if you’re Facebook friends, his passion for Wordle. Dave and Jeremy have known each for a long time, having lived in the same metro area for the past 15 years and crossing paths at industry events or connecting about magazine articles. With his relatively new role at Auralex, we wanted to learn more about acoustics and acoustical products but, per usual, also find out how Dave’s life and career have evolved to get him to where he is today. You can learn more about Auralex Acoustics at auralex.com. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Wet Sounds | Loud and Clear is NOT good enough Go to wetsounds.com for more!

On this week’s podcast, Eric Thies joins us from Lake Balboa, California, where he runs the custom integration company, DSI Luxury Technology. DSI, for the past 20 years, has built a reputation for creating amazing screening rooms in Beverly Hills, Malibu, and the general Los Angeles area oftentimes for famous filmmakers in the so-called Bel Air Circuit. But that’s just one of many areas of specialization for this Home Technology Association certified Azione Unlimited member company. For instance, DSI recently was awarded with a “Health and Wellness” Project of the Year Award at CES 2022 in Las Vegas. Learn more about DSI at dsilt.com Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Wet Sounds | Loud and Clear is NOT good enough Go to wetsounds.com for more!  

This week, Residential Tech Today’s contributing editor Michael Heiss joins us from his home in Los Angeles to talk about the recent Consumer Electronics Show and some of the latest TV technology developments and other smart home products that he thinks are worth exploring. He didn’t travel to Las Vegas for CES this year but followed the virtual announcements and press releases very closely to distill down what he learned from all of that information. He talks about broader TV technology trends and also breaks it down a bit more, brand by brand. There’s no one better suited to do that than our guest today, who is not only a CEDIA Fellow and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, but also one of the foremost experts on consumer and broadcast video technology. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Parks Associates!  If you are interested in research & analysis for IoT, smart home, and connected entertainment technologies, please visit www.parksassociates.com

This week, Indy Audio Labs co-founders Rick Santiago and Ted Moore join us from Indianapolis, where they lead the parent company of the high-performance audio brands Acurus and Aragon. IAL manufactures all of its components in the U.S., using custom fabricated parts and assemblies based on its proprietary electronics, mechanical, and software designs. Acurus is a premium brand for private home cinema and media room installs, power amplification, and room acoustic optimization. Whereas, Aragon’s Titanium and Iridium amplifiers and Tungsten preamplifier form the foundation for that brand’s “Elements Collection,” a group of products that focus squarely on world-class 2-channel listening in home and professional environments. Learn more about the Indy Audio Labs brands at aragonav.com and acurusav.com. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Wet Sounds | Loud and Clear is NOT good enough Go to wetsounds.com for more!

This week, Navot Shoresh joins us Troy, MI, where he is founder and CVO of the custom integration firm, Spire Integrated Systems. Navot and Jeremy had crossed paths at HTSA buying group meetings, but they had never taken a moment to sit down and get to know each other, until now. When Jeremy saw Navot’s recent post about the opening of a beautiful new showroom up the road in Bay Harbor, MI, Jeremy thought now would be a great time to finally connect, learn about Navot’s career path from his upbringing in Israel to successful entrepreneur in Michigan, his favorite tech and product lines, and his advice for running a profitable custom integration business with happy employees. Learn more about Spire Integrated Systems at www.spireintegrated.com Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Parks Associates!  If you are interested in research & analysis for IoT, smart home, and connected entertainment technologies, please visit www.parksassociates.com

This week, Dante Walston joins us from Richmond, VA, where he is co-founder and CEO of IntegrateU, a new custom integration training center that is home to ProSource Academy and embedded inside the integration firm Livewire. IntegrateU recently announced that it is also now an authorized CEDIA Education Partner. Its courses are designed to enable students to attain industry certifications, including CEDIA’s new Cabling & Infrastructure Technician Certification. This new relationship will help fast track students into getting certified soon after graduation. Walston has a diverse retail background and several years in custom integrations, so I’m happy to welcome him to the podcast to learn more about his career and current role leading IntegrateU. Learn more about IntegrateU at integrateu.net and getlivewire at livewire.com. Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Leon Speakers | Picture Perfect Sound Go to leonspeakers.com to deliver sound and style to your space today!