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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@supertweak

Geoff's avatar is a voodoo doll with pins in it. He just loves playing around with peoples heads. Ignore it....

Audio and the electronic instruments we use to send it to our choice of speakers is arbitrary, or a person's appreciation of what is being heard. If you put a sound wave monitor against a speaker and have two people look at the electronic meter which says "x", each person will appreciate "x" differently. The appreciation may be close or enough for one to say that the sound if off, flat or sharp. This appreciation goes way back to the designer of the HiFi components. If ALL HiFi speakers were the same cost, and auditioned in the same room with the same electronic components, I bet there would be people buying all type of brands and sizes, irrespective of the "REAL" cost. Peoples hearing, their appreciation of what they hear is simply different. I am no guru, and my hearing is off. But I have chosen components that sound ok to me. To another person, it may sound like crap. That's life.

  Geoffkait may "say" he's an aerospace engineer, but in the Craigslist Personals someone told me there are always a lot of guys claiming to be in "Astronaut" college, because they see commercials on TV where girls really "dig" "astronauts." If he really is an aerospace engineer (or an engineer of any kind???) it would be surprising that he has so much time on his hands to have posted on here nearly 10,000 times.Nearly 10,000 Times!! Doesn't sound right to me, and anyone that knows me will tell you how I am Rarely wrong about such matters..If someone really has a good mind its hard to picture them verbally stalking somebody and multiple times pasting paragraphs from thier targets listings in thier own listings in an attempt to make them a joke. I think people who make fun of other people are rarely aerospace engineers..And at the bottom before the insult line he types in a series of arrows like a drummer hitting the drum after a joke; like a buildup to what he thinks is funny or profound. In one of his other responses on a different subject he again pasted one of my paragraphs on his listing and after it simply typed >>>>>>> "A Comedian is born." Like Mister know it all. Sounds more like someone who lives with thier Mom. I looked closer at his picture and it could be a combination voodoo gingerbread man.Strange, whatever it is. If someone really does have an exceptional mind it would make that kind of behavior all the more despicable.

 I was lucky enough in my very early years to have landed a job that would be the equivalent of about an $80,000 a year job now, taking inflation into account. From very early on I had a lot of spending loot to play around with and I spent a lot of it on audio.Still do.I have owned well over 150 different audio items throughout the years(mostly trashed or traded in), and have learned and enjoyed what each piece does.Each one gives its own interpretation of music in its own way regardless of how uncolored it is.

Ok tweaker, Geoff is been a member here for 68 months and has posted 9513 times which equals approx; 4.5 posts per day. You have been here for 8 days and have posted 43 or approx: 5.4 posts a day and use many words to say little. While Geoff is a bit off the wall, to me, you sound like a self absorbed blowhard, just my opinion, no offense.
 I'm at my weekend Mensa Society meeting right now which usually lets out at 11 but its gone longer tonight because of some REAL INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS about topics MUCH MORE important than audio.Calling someone a "blowhard" and claiming "no offense intended" I think qualifies you as someone a few bottles short of a six pack.Stick to your own business,instead of getting involved in an obvious sadistic attack on somebody where that somebody exposes it and discusses it.What if people actually spend thier hard earned money on what a "claimed"engineer recommends and they are biased into buying it mail order cause its hard to hear stuff you want to in person nowadays.Your friend Geoffkait has not responded back.Has he been kicked off here??Or are you dill, one and the same as Geoffkait? I am a language expert and you both have very similar ways of speech,words used grammar etc.Now if you will excuse me I see a few very attractive Mensa ladies who want to go home.Maybe you can CALL your friend Geoff and discuss audio on a fine Saturday night.