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Art Dudley Calls B.S. but without naming names - PLEASE DO!

Hey all,

As someone who hasn't been reading the audiophile press for all that long, I stumbled upon this article that I'm sure it lit up these airwaves when it was first published: https://www.stereophile.com/content/skin-deep

It's a great article and one that any knowledgeable person would most likely agree with, but hey, spending your own hard-earned (or inherited) money is a right and a privilege.  Art does call out some brands that he perceives to give great value:  AMVR, VPL, Conrad-Johnson, DeVore and Harbeth and Kimber and Peachtree and Quicksilver and Rega and Rogue and Spendor and Wavelength.  Shouldn't NAD be on this list?  

But what he doesn't do and I think is warranted, is name the companies that are most egregious in selling high-end products where the performance is far below the cost.  

I, for one, would love to see a list of those manufacturers from the people who read this forum.  You can group them by what they manufacture or just put them in order as you see fit.  I think it would be most helpful in calling b.s. but with "added-value", which is what this whole article was all about.  Right?

128x128lgoler
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
Hifiman,

Fact is I grew up in Amish country so that kinda makes me an honorary Amish person. GK goes all the way with this as he is prone to do and mistakenly thinks I actually am an Amish person. Could be! My family teases me about my Amish-like leanings. But don’t let the cat out of the bag!   I have the best hifi of any Amish person I know.   Certainly the fanciest.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@mapman  Nice!  Wonder how the Amish would power their gear?🤔
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
No doubt wind power but no idea how much power those windmills on Amish farms can put out. Better be efficient Class D amps and efficient speakers to match!

Here is a 100% true story. I used to have many Amish kids come into the Radio Shack I managed in the heart of Amish country. They would buy car stereos and Minimus 7s.  Very high end for Amish kids! They would hook them up to car batteries in the barn when the folks were not around. Rebellious Amish kids! I think they listened mostly to Death Metal. I did make this one part up. Not much Death Metal out there at the time. Another few years maybe. I have no idea what kind of music they listened to.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@mapman   and the moral to that story?  Where there's a will...
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,788 posts
 
 THE BIG QUESTION: Were the moon landings a hoax? Although I'm feeling I would not be comfortable truthwise with an answer from YOU.Still waiting on proof you ever were really a NASA engineer.
Please don't feed the trolls. They can become habituated to humans. Its best if they are left to their normal diet of goats.
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