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Beware the audio guru

There are a few contributors to these forums who apparently see themselves as gurus. They speak in absolutes, using words such as "always" and "never." They make pronouncements about products or techniques they’ve never heard or experienced, justifying their conclusions because contrary claims are "impossible" or "snake oil." Those who disagree are accused of being "deluded," or suffering some insurmountable bias, or attempting to further some commercial agenda. On occasion, they have taunted detractors with an appeal that they engage in a wager - one guy wanted $25,000 cash up front and an agreement drafted by lawyers. Another offered 5-to-1 odds.

I am not going to tell you who to believe. But for anyone who might be uncertain about sorting out conflicting claims here, I suggest they consider the behavior of experts in other fields. No good doctor offers a 100 percent guarantee on any treatment or surgical procedure, even if medical science suggests success. No good attorney will tell you that you have a case that positively can’t be lost, even if the law appears to be on your side. No true professional will insult you for the questions you ask, or abandon you if you seek a second opinion.

A doctor conducts his own tests. An engineer makes his own measurements. Neither will insist the burden of documentation falls upon you.

These might be details to consider as you sift through the many conflicting claims made on Audiogon. In short: Decide for yourself. Don’t let other people tell you how to think, or listen.
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amg56's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
amg56
887 posts
 

Our ears (or what we perceive to hear) are our only way of determining whether we like an electronic combination with speakers. It matters not how much an item costs, or its specifications, if one does not like the sound being heard, then the equipment is not purchased.

Items and spurious addons that have appeared of late that opine to enhance what we hear is subjective and buyer beware. These are not cheap and some take significant effort to reverse.

I find that posts that flood with religious fervour of a "thing" are the worst, and I immediately am on the defensive. Interestingly, it is these posts that charge the air with two sides, the gurus and naysayers.

Human personalities are all different and how we appreciate the information we are given will fuel a positive or negative position. If we keep the conversation civil and centred, these posts will be more palatable and of interest.

whart's avatar
whart
3,037 posts
 
I took the Buddhist thing to mean humility and open-mindedness, not anti-science. To me, the true sign of an expert is someone who is willing to take account of multiple, conflicting views, reconcile them to the extent that is possible and be able to recognize that decisions and judgments are almost always made on the basis of incomplete information (whether we know it or not).  In that respect, our hobby should be a collaborative effort- the sharing of knowledge and information without ego. An ideal, given human nature, I know, but one worth striving for, in my estimation. 
duckworp's avatar
duckworp
257 posts
 
I don’t think that is true. I experimented with different speakers and headphones and am now certain that the biggest factor in hearing Yanni or Laurel is the fidelity of the device you are listening on. The result is based on frequency response. I’m betting that 99% of people would hear the same thing if they listened to the same sound reproduction device.
No, wrong; I was in a room with nine other people listening to a single source.   Five heard it one way, five the other.  And talking to others who had a shared source with simultaneous listening, they had the same result.   
supertweak
90 posts
 
 Truth is important on here.Most people on here, similar to myself are always trying to get closer to "real"with our sound.We count on truth and beliefs to lead us in the right direction of what steps to take next.If something is false it leads us in the wrong direction; down the wrong path.Progress often depends on second guessing presumed assumptions.Many are taken for granted and etched into stone.One presumed assumption that I'm glad I second guessed is the so called D'appolito theory.According to his theory if you stack loudspeakers the speaker on top should be upside down so its tweeter is closer to the bottom speakers tweeter.With small bookshelf speakers I cannot hear any benefits doing this, regardless of "theory".Just the opposite in fact. I'm glad I tried the top speaker right side up the normal way.The sound improved immensely and his way the woofer is that many more inches higher up with much weakened bass.Another thing that's pretty much taken for granted is the idea that the top Tandberg cassette decks are the best in the world for sound quality for playing back tapes.There are a few better decks which actually sound like they could rival reel to reel if you forgive them some dynamics and a slightly smaller sound.Tandberg is one of the better cassette decks but not the cats meow.

snapsc
675 posts
 
When people buy something on Amazon, they generally lean away from products with a lot of negative reviews...but when it comes to Audio, Yanni vs Laurel should convince most of us that while the opinions of others may be helpful, ultimately we must trust our own ears to tell us what we find pleasing and satisfying.


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