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

"At it’s most basic, empirical means "based on experience." And most of what we infer is based on experience. And to add the word "testing" to "empirical" doesn’t help much because there is a huge gulf between "empirically testing" an idea...and "empirical testing" in the scientific sense."

The answer is Yes. All the above but I want to tell you something about MG

Here’s Michael’s description of the situation between the two of you. The post you wrote a second ago is something that MG would dive into answering over the next several months. When I first met MG it didn’t take long to realize he has two modes. One is based on time allowed and the other is based on what he calls, all in. Michael as of a few weeks ago has been mentoring me to potentially becoming his assistant. I’m not the only assistant he has but we’re both hoping that I will develop into his immediate needs guy. In some ways he wants me to be a clone in other words. MG calls it being, his brain. If you saw the amount of decisions he makes a day and the types of decision it would probably blow some circuits.

Prof Michael is not a mean person at all he’s a machine a single minded extremely focused 24/7 machine. Your either going to love him or your going to hate him but it’s important that he exist. I’ve now had talks with several of his friends and advisors and the common theme is, good luck. Today when we were heading out on our adventures MG said hey lets go through some of prof’s questions totally out of the blue. At that moment you were as important as any audio project he has. He was totally dedicated to prof and nothing else till we got to our stop. As soon as we got to our stop if I would have said prof, he wouldn’t have a clue as to what I was talking about because he had shifted gears to going through wood. That’s MG.

I know your probably expecting an exchange with someone seeing this is a forum but MG is not the guy to have that with if your wanting fast answers. He’ll hit that next need and you won’t see him for days. It works good for TuneLand cause he can set the pace and I know he would like to be available here but I see something like this thread as being he will stop by choose his point make it and be gone. He’s told me he hopes things can happen that way here but feels that may never happen.

jf47t,

Oh my (again), it is all fine but tone it down. You are not doing Michael Green much favor with this kind of descriptions. I really have nothing against him or his business, but you make it seem freaky. I believe it is accurate and it does not hurt anyone, but it is a bit odd.

"If you saw the amount of decisions he makes a day and the types of decision it would probably blow some circuits."
If this sentence does not blow about twenty fuses here, we are lucky. None of us knows how many and what kinds of decisions Michael makes a day, but some may make even more and types you may be surprised, not to say scared, to imagine you or Michael have to make. This is generally an anonymous forum and most of us do not know much about what other people do every day. Save for geoffkait, he knows it all.
jf47t,

"Your either going to love him or your going to hate him but it’s important that he exist."
You are 2/3 wrong on this one for sure. Most of the people walking, and even those who are talking, the Earth neither love, nor hate Michael Green. Even on this thread there is a bunch.
glupson,

Yes, as earnest as jf47t is, as you say I think the breathless praise of The Great Important Man is sort of creepin' us out. 

Descriptions like jf47t's, especially his last post, immediately bring to mind Dennis Hopper's part in Apocalypse now:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/7787054/Dennis-Hopper-memorable-film-quotes.html

So I think your advice for jf47t to think about reeling back a bit on trying to convince everyone that Michael Green is a Great Man would go a long way in keeping people's minds open.

And I would also add support to your taking exception to the "you are either going to love him or hate him." 

I don't hate Michael Green at all.  I've said more than once he may be a great guy outside this thread.

If MG or jf47t have diagnosed that I hate Michael, they are not the keen judges of human character that it seems they think they are.

All I'm looking for is sincere conversation.
(*scribbles phone number on bathroom wall....*)