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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
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio OP
1,019 posts
 

Hi Inna

I looked at the video, I wouldn’t be interested in that, nor would the Tunees but thanks for sharing. That sound would drive me right up the wall lol. I hope that wasn’t insulting to you or them, it’s just that their approach is 180 degrees from tuning. I get invited to listen to over built products all the time and all of them have that closed in sound. Once you go open sound it’s really hard to go back to that box.

Michael Green

inna
7,296 posts
 
Well, that's youtube, and I was not talking about either the speakers or the room acoustics. Interestingly enough you hear closed in sound and I hear lack of real drive, we are probably both right.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Song for everyone. I use these cables, by the way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WclO86A4LQ
glupson
7,842 posts
 
"Brass is also more sensitive to temperature change and humidity change."

I get the temperature part, but am surprised by humidity statement. How can brass be more affected by humidity than wood? I can imagine some oxidation taking place and changing properties, although I would expect that to be a relatively slow process. Wood, on the other hand, swells and what not, when exposed to the water/humidity and effects I have seen so far can appear overnight, if not sooner.


Is there a secret in wood processing. painting, or something else, that makes wood less susceptible to humidity exposure than brass?


As much as I understand the conceptual idea behind it, isn’t this statement contradicting the above statement about wood and brass?

"...whereas wood responds to nature because it is nature."
Wouldn’t one then expect wood to respond to changes in nature (humidity of environment, in this case) more than brass?


I cannot tell birch from oak when I see it in the park, and am not running for an amateur hour award when it comes to audio. I will not get a professional one, either. But I am trying to connect dots and would vote for wood over brass in anything at any time.

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Whilst brass can be effective for audio apps, especially with the right ballistic shape, as fate would have it brass is a *relatively soft* material and as such does not transfer energy out of the system as rapidly as much harder materials, especially tempered and cryod high carbon steel and NASA grade ceramics. I did not create reality.

Gee, I must have taken strength of materials and indeterminate structures in school. 😳
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