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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?

lgoler
erik_squires
16,732 posts
 
I think that there's no reason for Art to do so. 

Your ears are the only things that matter. These are devices, not museum pieces. If you are trying to impress others, then all you need to know is the buying price and find some review which validates your spending. 

If you want to please yourself and family then the only thing you should be concerned with is your own ears. :)  Never pay for performance you can't hear or that doesn't please you. 

Best,


E
lgoler's avatar
lgoler OP
55 posts
 
@tooblue   Thanks.  Civility is way under-rated these days.  I'm a human being first and foremost and know my time is short, so trying to limit the bad vibes I put out there.  @mrdecibel I may have a second home, but I assure you, I'm not loose, careless or showy with how I spend my money, hence, I'm on here looking for deals and expert advice!  My dad was careless with his and it literally killed him.  But he turned me on to Sinatra, so I forgive him.  For those who say that posting brand names would be egregious (but then again, most luxury goods are anyway:).  I was looking to have a little fun.  Sorry if anyone thought it was in bad taste to ask folks to name names of manufacturers.  Furthermore, I'm not a regular poster here and should respect my place.   But I'll say this, I read about too many products that seem to have the potential to be outdated in a year, and they were expensive to begin with.  Upgradeability is key in this day and age, where advancements in all kinds of technology happen at a much faster rate with much bigger gains.  Peace.  
mrdecibel
3,127 posts
 
@lgoler It’s all good. I admit, very often when I post, my passion can get the best of me. Again, I do apologize. My dad also introduced me to Sinatra, Goodman, The Dorsey brothers, you name it. At 9 years old ( 1962 ) my dad gave me his Fisher 500C receiver, AR 2AX speakers, and Dual 1229 tt with Shure cartridge. I blame him for my madness, lol, may he RIP. *** The new and improved version of the AGs are 12K plus, almost triple the price as the originals. How do you feel about this ? Is this a value, reasonable, or over priced, in your opinion ? I have not heard the new ones, but the reviews I have read indicate to me they may be overpriced. @erik_squires Plus 1 - You and I are pretty diehard when it comes to " using our ears ". @tooblue Plus 1. Enjoy ! MrD.
lgoler's avatar
lgoler OP
55 posts
 
@mrdecibel No apologies necessary.  My dad bought a pair of Duntech Crown Prince's and a full set of Nakamichi top-of-the-line gear in 1986 when I was 18.  I smoked a lot of hooch with that system in my basement.  Honestly, the Duntech's never sounded that great but the weed helped.  Regarding the AG's, I picked them up on here for I believe $3,000 about 7 years ago.  If they are $12K now, that seems ridiculous.  They happen to work very well for my apartment.  They sound good, bass is especially well articulated and decent mid and highs. I don't find them fatiguing at all. I'm sure the upgrade Gershman offers would help, but by how much I'm not sure and probably not willing to make the investment.  
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,830 posts
 
@mrdecibel 
“...And yes, NAD, Parasound, Belles, and Odyssey, just to name a few, sell equipment at a reasonable cost vs. their performance.”

This goes to show that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. One company on this small list I found to be terrible and would not EVER buy again. But I agree that what is a forum to exchange ideas and experiences if all the negative opinions are left out? It becomes just advertisement for the companies (who have fanboys) and pay to have threads in the forum. I think the forum SHOULD NOT punish regular audiophiles for being honest about gear they spend alot of money on.
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