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Talk but not walk?

Hi Guys

This isn't meant to start a fight, but it is important to on lookers. As a qualifier, I have my own audio forum where we report on audio issues as we empirically test them. It helps us short cut on theories and developing methods of listening. We have a wide range of systems and they are all over the world adding their experiences to the mix. Some are engineers, some are artist and others are audiophiles both new and old. One question I am almost always asked while I am visiting other forums, from some of my members and also members of the forum I am visiting is, why do so many HEA hobbyist talk theory without any, or very limited, empirical testing or experience?

I have been around empirical testing labs since I was a kid, and one thing that is certain is, you can always tell if someone is talking without walking. Right now on this forum there are easily 20 threads going on where folks are talking theory and there is absolutely no doubt to any of us who have actually done the testing needed, that the guy talking has never done the actual empirical testing themselves. I've seen this happen with HEA reviewers and designers and a ton of hobbyist. My question is this, why?

You would think that this hobby would be about listening and experience, so why are there so many myths created and why, in this hobby in particular, do people claim they know something without ever experimenting or being part of a team of empirical science folks. It's not that hard to setup a real empirical testing ground, so why don't we see this happen?

I'm not asking for peoples credentials, and I'm not asking to be trolled, I'm simply asking why talk and not walk? In many ways HEA is on pause while the rest of audio innovation is moving forward. I'm also not asking you guys to defend HEA, we've all heard it been there done it. What I'm asking is a very simple question in a hobby that is suppose to be based on "doing", why fake it?

thanks, be polite

Michael Green

www.michaelgreenaudio.net


128x128michaelgreenaudio
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prof
3,474 posts
 
bill333

How do you listen to a component with its chassis top on when you know that removing it will give you a sound that is so much more dynamic and open? How long can you look at a capacitor strapped down with a plastic zip tie, when you know that freeing it will give you a three dimensional, holographic soundstage? If it’s me, the answer is - not long at all. :)


So taking off the top of a component will "free" it dynamically etc, and releasing a capacitor releases the soundstage to bloom into 3D?

This sounds like something along the lines of folk homeopathic ideas such as "like cures like." That is, concepts that draw some mildly appealing relationship in the mind of the user, but without any actual scientific grounding in reality.

Unless of course I’m missing something.

bill333 can you give us a non-mystical, technical explanation for how removing the chassis top of a component would cause those audible differences (or releasing of the capacitor)?

(BTW, I’ve had the top off some of my equipment before - pre-amps etc - for different reasons and...no...it did not change the sound).
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

WaveMotion Motion of the water is different than the motion of the wave. Water at each location moves in a circular path, but the motions at different locations are “out of phase”, which means that when water at the left of the diagram is moving to the right, water a quarter of a wavelength to the right is moving down, and water next to it is moving to the left, and next to it is moving up, etc. The overall effect is a an “apparent” wave moving to the right. Thus, the velocity (speed) of a wave is not at all the same as the velocity of the water.

The horizontal movement of the water when a wave passes is approximately equal to the up and down movement of the water. If you are on flat water and are parallel to waves made by a passing boat, your boat will move side-to-side as much as up-and–down as the wave passes under you. The side-to-side movement actually creates most of the difficulty in balancing the boat in such a situation. However, under typical conditions in the bay there can be such varied wave action that you can’t easily distinguish horizontal and vertical motion.

Case closed.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,511 posts
 
I also want to know more about “freeing” the capacitor? You can’t mean allowing it to vibrate freely? Next to other caps and parts that are loose and perhaps leading to a short? I find well damped caps sound better, not worse? 

I get the wood blocks under gear.  I get the room treatments, but they will never be allowed in my living room nor many others here.  

So take the cover off? Yes, I have found my old tube preamp sounded better that way. It depends on the component and not universal.  

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