Blocking the propaganda


I have a friend who lives in the boondocks who is without question the foremost expert in this Country on a certain vintage turntable. I will leave the particulars out so as to avoid making him the focus of this discussion or letting someone else figure out who I am talking about. He said something to me recently that I always knew on a certain level but have not seen "transparently" until his comment. His statement is this; "audio magazines including Stereophile are useful for birdcages and if you run out of toilet paper and nothing else". This was in the context of discussing Mike Fremer's preference for 9" arms. I have concluded that he is absolutely correct, but only for those who have the guts to really dive into audio with open eyes and willing to expend the effort to focus all of their attention and for lack of a better word, devotion, to figuring out the truth for themselves. This person I speak of has unquestionably done that. He has engineered his own products that make his turntable of choice as good as it can get. He thinks outside the box. Convention or "accepted thought" mean nothing to him. The analogy that comes to mind is wine. I know of many who will not buy a wine unless some critic has given it a 90 or above. When someone points out how silly it is to rely on published numbers from someone they don't know, they claim that they rely on experts and numerical ratings because they lack the patience, time and resources to taste wine options for themselves. What it boils down to is intellectual laziness. I intend to filter out 100% of what I read in magazines and even audio boards as absolutely unreliable. I have no doubt that I will fall short, but it is a lofty goal nonetheless. We all ought to forge our own trail(s) with sweat and effort and open minds and avoid laziness. Apologies to those who don't appreciate sermons. 
128x128fsonicsmith
Most Bentleys have very delicate fuel injectors and EFI processors that control them. Standard cheap filling station pump hoses tend to spend ages out in the elements and particularly in warm climates the heat that the hoses are exposed to can cause the release of certain hydrocarbons that can be misinterpreted by the sensors in the EFI system as indicating a lower oxygen content in the fuel than is actually there. This causes the EFI system to retard valve timing slightly. This does not harm the engine or the EFI but can result in a slight decrease in performance. Some say it is imperceptible but serious Bentley owners say they can feel it in the seat of their pants under hard acceleration.
As a reminder...I find out about many great recordings I would have missed because of Stereophile reviews. Music...remember that part of this passion? Try it out, go to a few live concerts per week and relax folks...
So, I make this comment again and again for all who wish to read it:

As a former dealer, I can tell you that we picked products based on their sound and quality as well as manufacturer support in the way of handling customer complaints, fixing broken items, and providing advertising co-op funds.  If you were a dealer, you would understand all this--being funny with that statement, of course.

Any dealer who will not let you listen to a component IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM is not worth dealing with, period.  Your room, as we all know, is the most important part of the listening experience.

As for the OP, no big deal.  Take everything you want home and see if it meets YOUR needs.  If not, take it back.  A customer, especially a high-dollar customer, is the most important part of the triangle.  We all read the "trades" because we are interested in them.  People who believe everything they read get what is coming to them.  Most here are not that gullible, so the OP just reinforced that thought, I think.  

Take it home, hook it up, listen, and then buy or don't buy.  Pretty simple, and no "advice" needed or your vote against "advice" needed.  The end.

(PS If the OP is using the trades to line his birdcage, he has more $$ than I do to waste.  Why not cancel your subscription and buy a newspaper when you need bird cage liners?)
This thread has nothing to do with listening to music.  Instead, it is an opportunity to use language to establish credibility.  As satisfying as it may be to see your expression published on a forum, in the end a writer has to choose between enlightenment or self-aggrandizement.

I would encourage writers in an informational forum (like this one) to steer clear of using platitudes and fallacious arguments to support their positions.  The purpose here is to support fellow audio enthusiasts, not to assuage some deep-seated feelings of insecurity.
geoffkait,

I am not kidding at all. I am really curious why an owner filling a tank would be a poser. I did notice some post earlier mentioning a Bentley car, but post about filling a tank confused me.