2. misc-audio
  3. 137017-12450

Blocking the propaganda

I have a friend who lives in the boondocks who is without question the foremost expert in this Country on a certain vintage turntable. I will leave the particulars out so as to avoid making him the focus of this discussion or letting someone else figure out who I am talking about. He said something to me recently that I always knew on a certain level but have not seen "transparently" until his comment. His statement is this; "audio magazines including Stereophile are useful for birdcages and if you run out of toilet paper and nothing else". This was in the context of discussing Mike Fremer's preference for 9" arms. I have concluded that he is absolutely correct, but only for those who have the guts to really dive into audio with open eyes and willing to expend the effort to focus all of their attention and for lack of a better word, devotion, to figuring out the truth for themselves. This person I speak of has unquestionably done that. He has engineered his own products that make his turntable of choice as good as it can get. He thinks outside the box. Convention or "accepted thought" mean nothing to him. The analogy that comes to mind is wine. I know of many who will not buy a wine unless some critic has given it a 90 or above. When someone points out how silly it is to rely on published numbers from someone they don't know, they claim that they rely on experts and numerical ratings because they lack the patience, time and resources to taste wine options for themselves. What it boils down to is intellectual laziness. I intend to filter out 100% of what I read in magazines and even audio boards as absolutely unreliable. I have no doubt that I will fall short, but it is a lofty goal nonetheless. We all ought to forge our own trail(s) with sweat and effort and open minds and avoid laziness. Apologies to those who don't appreciate sermons. 
128x128fsonicsmith
Post removed 
jhills
615 posts
 
I haven't subscribed to any audio magazine publications for a good number of years, but I do  believe that publications like Stereophile, Audio Review and others, helped gel my interest in audio - going back to the early 80s. Back then, aside from a good and helpful audio dealer (some 90 miles from where I lived) there was not allot of sources, other than the audio mags, to find the latest in audio equipment, music reviews, dedicated articles regarding the love of audio etc. There was no audio forums, no information on a particular manufactures latest piece of audio gear - at the click of a mouse and little in review of good music.
While I read their reviews with some skepticism, I found the audio mags. (as I do today's audio forums) to be a helpful, interesting and sometimes controversial source of opinion and information.
While I understand the OPs point of view, there are a good many who do not live in, or near, an area that makes auditioning a large variety of audio components, feasible. Any info. that helps to narrow the search is helpful.
Just because I have an interest in audio, firearms, photography etc. and have over and enough of my own opinions, doesn't mean that I can't or shouldn't, value and appreciate the opinions or experiences of others...Jim 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
steakster
@glupson geoffkait is actually Cliff Clavens from Cheers. With 10,000+ posts, this is his barstool. Curiously, he hasn’t learned

how or why to do this.

Perhaps, IT is beyond his area of expertise.

>>>>>Oh, great! Another old hippy. Welcome aboard, Zippy.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,593 posts
 
Glupson,

geoffkait thinks that his posts are brilliant and funny. He doesn’t care that most people don’t share that opinion. He loves to get into back and forths that provide no useful information or humor. Unless you enjoy going back and forth with him, just ignore him. He will never stop insulting anyone who engages with him, so it’s up to you to decide how much of that stuff you want to read.
glupson
7,842 posts
 
tomcy6, steakster, wharf,


Thanks for your thoughts guys. We are pretty much on the same page and I mostly ignore geoffkait, too.


However interesting his character may be and limp sense of humor he has, he does cross the line often.

In another thread, he called for a person’s death {"drop dead"), made fun of another member’s cancer, ridiculed me through my parents, etc. And all of that on an audio-hobby chat forum. He gets by with that because he is "quirky". I do not respond to his direct insults to me, but above-mentioned examples are what should not be allowed in these threads.

His posts about audio-topics became irrelevant long ago (in two posts, they frequently support opposite views), although there may be a word or two that is worth thinking about from time to time.

I have always thought of these forums as a bar you can come to and chat, argue a bit, leave as you wish, and forget about it as soon as you step out. Having said that, there are behaviors that would not get you far in the bar. If you are lucky, they would get you thrown out of it.
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