Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
Episode: Your 22 Questions for Waveform Answered!
Date: April 28, 2026
Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Andrew Manganelli, David Imel, Adam Molina, Ellis Roven
Episode Overview
In this lively and deeply engaging Q&A episode, the Waveform team answers a curated selection of over 1,600 listener-submitted questions about tech, podcasting, their personal journeys, and plenty of inside jokes. Expect insights on everything from scripting videos and audio engineering debates to the philosophical implications of AI—plus moments of real-life transformation and fan-favorite banter.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Podcast & Recording Behind-the-Scenes
[04:42-08:06]
- Ad Breaks & Recording Environment:
- The ad breaks are both real and post-production artifacts; the team actually pauses for breaks to stretch, use the bathroom, and regulate the studio temperature, since AC is turned off during recordings for audio quality.
- "Fun fact for those. I don't know if we've even said this on the pod yet: When we record, we turn all the AC/heating and cooling off in this room so it's as quiet as possible." —Marques [05:13]
- Shared Microphone Bit:
- Adam & Ellis used to share a mic due to technical limitations, but now continue the tradition as an intentional running gag and to improve workflow.
- "It is a kind of thing where the show works because it's so efficient, and...adding another mic, over the course of a year, actually does add a significant amount of time, so it's easier." —Ellis [07:15]
2. Tech Industry Deep Dives & Analogies
[10:03-13:02]
- Vertical Tabs Analogy:
- Marques compares the “vertical tabs” browser interface innovation to the transformative effect Steph Curry had on basketball—changing the game’s standard.
- "The vertical tab situation. It's Steph Curry. It's changed the game." —Marques [10:16]
3. First Tech Hack Stories
[13:11-16:32]
- Hosts reminisce over the first pieces of tech they hacked or tore apart, from Motorola Droids and Xboxes to CRT TVs—frequently breaking stuff as teens and learning about the dangers of capacitors.
- "The first one I heavily modified was definitely my first smartphone...I probably flashed a new ROM every other day." —Marques [13:43]
- "Is it really dangerous or something? ...Even when it's unplugged, you can electrocute yourself to death." —Ellis [16:04]
4. Scripting Video Content
[16:46-18:45]
- Marques explains his loose but conversational style of scripting, writing in his own speaking style and refining for clarity and efficiency.
- "I just word vomit into a doc, and it's kind of just like a train of thought. And then I refine that into kind of how I speak." —Marques [16:46]
- For podcasting, bullet points are more common, and ultimately the key is to get comfortable talking to the camera.
5. Real-Life Interruption: Andrew Becomes a Dad!
[19:13-20:52]
- In a real and memorable moment, Andrew receives a call that his child is on the way and leaves mid-podcast—transforming into a father of two.
- "I'm going to go have a son. Enjoy the rest of the pod." —Andrew [19:47]
- "Sometimes Andrew leaves the father of one and returns the father of two. Huge transformation." —Marques [19:53]
6. Podcast Logistics & Being on Vox Media
[21:00-23:41]
- Audio vs. Video Podcast Release:
- Audio releases early morning to serve listeners’ commutes; video goes up manually later.
- "I think the original 4am time was so everyone's morning commute is covered." —Marques [22:16]
- Vox Media Relationship:
- Being on the network provides advertising and logistical support as part of a larger tech podcast group.
7. Most Expensive Tech Broken While Reviewing
[23:53-25:55]
- Marques recalls the notorious Samsung Galaxy Fold screen protector fiasco, leading to multiple review units breaking and Samsung delaying the launch.
- "It was a phone that folded in half...I start to peel the screen protector off and then some pixels start to go black...turns out that top layer was a very delicate layer of the actual display." —Marques [24:21]
- David shares his mishap with a Galaxy Note 10 sliding off a pizza parlor table and shattering.
8. Debating Frequency Response Charts—Science vs. Experience
[29:44-43:43]
- A big (and passionate) debate between Ellis and Adam: Are frequency response charts meaningful, or do they miss the point?
- "A frequency response chart is...a curve plotted on an XY graph...The point of a photograph is not how much red is in it." —Ellis [30:07, 31:51]
- Adam argues they're useful for internet comparisons and communities lacking rare access.
- Marques draws parallels to car stats: “It’s like trying to compare two cars with just the horsepower number…” [36:30]
9. Weather Content Addiction (and Tornado Dreams)
[47:36-48:29]
- Marques talks about becoming enamored with weather content, from storm videos to lighting and wanting to see a tornado—driven by his time at Liberty Science Center.
- "Like a lot of people…Actually, that's part of it, but the content part…I fell down the weather content rabbit hole." —Marques [47:44]
10. Channel Growth: What’s Missed and What’s Gained
[53:27-59:07]
- The hosts reflect on how being a larger channel means more scrutiny and less forgiveness for mistakes, but also pushes them to higher standards.
- "As a big channel, when we put out a video…there is an ecosystem of criticism that echoes for days and weeks." —Marques [54:52]
- The "publish button feels heavier"—more pressure comes with a bigger audience.
- Early days were full of experimentation and growth.
11. Favorite Non-Speaker Tech Sounds
[67:41-71:08]
- Hosts reminisce on satisfying tech sounds not produced by speakers, including Hasselblad lens clicks, laptop hinge clacks, Pentax 67's shutter, and the flying faders on an Avid S1.
- "I had a couple things pop into my head...Hasselblad lens clicking on." —Marques [68:06]
- "Virtual drum scanner…when I scan with it, it goes..." —Ellis [69:01]
12. Staying Unbiased on Waveform
[71:12-75:10]
- The hardest part of remaining unbiased is getting accurate facts, informed by their own experience of launching products and being misunderstood online.
- "The hardest part is just getting everything factually correct. The unbiased part is easy, I think." —Marques [71:19]
- David emphasizes context and acknowledges perfect objectivity is impossible.
13. Old Phone Designs with Modern Cameras—Which Would They Bring Back?
[75:35-78:39]
- Debate over which retro phone design they'd modernize, with suggestions like the HTC One, Nexus 6P (for its “visor”), Galaxy Nexus, and the Sidekick.
- "There's a correct answer. There's a couple correct answers." —Marques [75:42]
- "Sidekick G1 or the Side? Y' all like the physical keyboard?" —Marques [77:49]
14. If Not Tech, Then What?
[79:22-80:21]
- The hosts would lean hard into basketball as a podcast topic if tech was off-limits.
- "I think that's pretty clear. This would be an NBA podcast." —Marques [79:29]
15. Trivia Rounds
[82:42-85:14]
- Fun trivia segments with listener-submitted questions.
- Q1: Last iPad to ship with iOS? Marques guesses correctly by chance.
- Q2: How many emojis are on Apple’s keyboard? Over 3,700, which surprised the group.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "I'm going to go have a son. Enjoy the rest of the pod." —Andrew [19:47]
- "The vertical tab situation. It's Steph Curry. It's changed the game." —Marques [10:16]
- "It is a kind of thing where...adding another mic, it doesn't really make it more complicated, but when you take the 60+ episodes a year, that adds a significant amount of time." —Ellis [07:15]
- "There's a lot of German words that is just—if you say the English word angry, that's haus." —Andrew [04:10]
- "I get a lot of flack for not putting as much benchmark information in my reviews...because I think that works when I'm talking to a regular person." —Marques [36:10]
- "Like a lot of people…Actually, that's part of it, but the content part…I fell down the weather content rabbit hole." —Marques [47:44]
- "There's nobody who knows these products better than the people who make them." —Marques [73:43]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 04:42 – Bathroom/AC breaks explained
- 07:03 – Why Adam & Ellis share a mic
- 10:16 – Vertical tabs = Steph Curry
- 13:11 – First tech hacked/taken apart
- 16:46 – How Marques scripts videos
- 19:47 – Andrew leaves to become a dad
- 22:16 – Audio vs. video podcast release times
- 24:21 – Marques breaks the Galaxy Fold
- 29:44-43:43 – Frequency response chart debate
- 47:44 – Marques’s weather content obsession
- 54:52 – Upsides/downsides of channel growth
- 68:06 – Favorite tech sounds (not speakers)
- 71:12 – Staying unbiased on reviews
- 75:42 – The “bring back a phone design” debate
- 82:42-85:14 – Trivia segment
Episode Tone
Casual, irreverent, yet deeply thoughtful and always accessible—Waveform’s unique chemistry shows in every answer and tangent, punctuated by humor, expertise, and moments of unscripted authenticity.
Conclusion
This Q&A episode demonstrates why Waveform remains a standout tech podcast: it’s not just about gadgets—it’s about community, transparency, and having fun with tech (and each other). The hosts’ blend of technical knowledge, critical thinking, and wit offers both newcomers and longtime fans an engaging, honest look at everything that makes tech—and this podcast—tick.