2. misc-audio
  3. 174988-84906

Those who seek to deny access to information

Like many/most here, one of the main reasons I frequent audiogon is to gather information. I am looking for ways to enhance the enjoyment I get from listening to music on my system. The information most valuable to me comes from those who share their actual experience with products that I am interested in, but have not heard in my system.

The audio community is a diverse one, with many opinions, ideas and perspectives. Many of them differ from mine, and that is fine. Those who disagree with me are free to make posts and start threads about whatever they choose. This doesn’t bother me, I am free to choose what I read, and what I don’t.

What does rile me up up is deliberate attempts to deny me (and others) access to the information that I value. There are some here who repeatedly seek to disrupt, sidetrack, derail, and shut down conversations about topics and products that trigger them. They do not contribute any useful information or experience to the discussion, and make disparaging comments about things they have zero experience with. They are bullies who mock, ridicule and provoke those who use, make and sell certain products. They seek to stifle any discussions about, and especially positive opinions of, the products and people they clearly have a vendetta against.

They can start their own threads, and talk about what a fool I am all day long, I don’t care. Their deliberate and repeated attempts to deny myself and others access to the information we value, however, are intolerable.

tommylion
mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 

Audiogon is past the point of pulling it back to only serious users. it’s the wild wild west and you can’t un-ring the bell.

about the only thing i can think of that would change the culture immediately, would be to mix system page posts with the forum feed threads. all of a sudden then the system building activity would get attention, and the trolls and non listener know-it-all’s would be marginalized since they would not be relevant. someone’s personal system has a different vibe than a regular thread topic. it holds a person and a life. the members would push out rabble rousers.

that is how it was to begin with, and system pages got lots of action. it held serious users here on Audiogon. like me.

would it be good for Audiogon, Inc.? don’t know. you’d have to ask them.

btw; i have suggested it a few times but it went no where.

onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,251 posts
 

What are the hallmarks of a serious audiophile?  Just curious.

mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 

What are the hallmarks of a serious audiophile? Just curious.

@onhwy61

it has nothing to do with money. it is about having a serious interest in enjoying the best possible music reproduction. it’s about having the passion to appreciate the process of advancing toward better sound and musical enjoyment. and also to want to learn, or help others learn.

you don’t need to even own a system, it’s more a state of mind and attitude.

one of the most active passionate serious audiophiles i know does not own a system. but he is all in on the hobby and the music.

i could get into what it’s not, but one only needs to read this and other threads to easily see about that. people get caught up in all sorts of agendas or hang ups and miss the joy and fun of it. 

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 

What are the hallmarks of a serious audiophile? Just curious.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CANI

Continual
And
Never ending
Improvement

Music is "The Gospel" from man/woman to man/woman. It is a labor of Love from a few for all to enjoy.

"fag an benlach" Gaelic for " "Clear the Way" and the Bagpipes play on the Virginia battlefield. Singin’ cryin’ and dyin’. "fag an benlach" "CLEAR THE WAY"

The passion that sent them, brother against brother is the same passion in music.

WARS were fought over German vs Italian opera.

The greatest sign of all is "PASSION" in anyone’s PHILIA.

No mark for the one who is silent, speak up. The only thing between anyone’s passion is the fear of fear itself.

"I would rather you be, HOT or COLD, but lukewarm I will spit you out of my mouth" Author GOD...

PASSION, commitment and sharing.

Regards

whart's avatar
whart
3,059 posts
 

I dunno. My sense is Audiogon is gonna do whatever they do. This is tail wagging dog isn’t it? They don’t make money from the forum except I guess from advertising?

I think there is still a broad, worldwide audience for this site and occasionally see cross posts from other fora posted here. Somehow, I can manage to navigate through or past the contentious nonsense, but the real loss is a disappeared thread that got "deleted" and had good info until it turned into a train wreck.

My experience with other sites is that the stuff isn’t actually deleted, it is just concealed or "unpublished." But it would take time and effort to go back through those and curate them to restore them without the "bad" posts. And going forward, it requires a degree of moderation that simply isn’t happening-- another user pointed that out to me. That’s why, unless something is completely outrageous, I will not flag a post. And some stuff can go on for pages that is irrelevant to audio. I hate this saying, but "it is what it is." 

The culture of a board is made up by its users. The rules or terms of use are really there for the rule abiding in my experience. And it’s been a while since I looked at the TOU but it could be stronger. However, it comes back to enforcement and I don’t think A-Gon has the moderator resources. Perhaps with a clear set of rules and some volunteer mods, they could do better. I dunno. I do know that anyone who volunteers to be a moderator shouldn’t-- kind of like being the hall monitor.

More to discover