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  3. 161165-1069

As much as I try, I just don't get it........

A few YouTubers are always making changes to their systems, and having their audience listen ( I imagine you all know the few posters I am speaking about ). The show reviewers are posting some audio samples, and having their audience listen. I can go on and on. Honestly, however I try, I cannot determine what the big deal is, as these videos, with the " audio presentations ", are weak, poor, and tell me nothing. I listen to a lot of YT videos of my favorite artists, videos from some of my favorite recordings, some studio and some live, and many sound quite good.....but nothing from these others I speak about, do anything for me. This is why I admire Steve, at his Audiophiliac channel, Sean at his Zero Fidelity channel, and Paul McGowan at his Ask Paul ( from PS Audio ) channel ( and others ), who speak, and know, listening in this context, is useless. Am I alone in this finding ? Does anyone actually feel listening to some of these posters, with their " audio presentations ", get the impact, or " lack of ", of what they are hearing ? I am in no way demeaning these folks, but my audio and listening background, does not allow me to make good judgements in this way, unless I am in the actual room of the demo. Enjoy, be well and stay safe. Always, MrD.
mrdecibel
p05129
524 posts
 
I wish some of these posters would practice what they preach!
As for using YT for evaluating an audio component (listening), what a joke. You really can't go to a dealer and listen to a set of speakers and think they will sound like that in your home, in your room, with your components. Same goes for an amp/dac/preamp, you need to evaluate these components using your system to see how the synergy is between the components.
This is like test driving a car from a YT video. Impossible!
YT as well as on the web, you can read reviews and check out how people are using the product you are evaluating/looking at, but even then, you don't know how smart the guy is that is presenting.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
I'm not listening to these YouTube videos to audition equipment. I'm checking out somebody's system. There are so many with terrible sound. And it's not representative of listening at home.

Sometimes I trade audio files with a friend thru email. He knows my system and I know his. 


hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,236 posts
 
@millercarbon That was a really nice, graduated ladder of listening growth -- the audiophile's bildungsroman. Another poster here with really great ears also uses YT, but not to evaluate anything in an absolute sense; rather, he does what you describe (I think), namely to "see in" to the system on YT, to grok its personality.
ebanksms
92 posts
 
There is unintended value to these "sound demo" videos.  I have been introduced to many new artists and songs via this medium. Examples for me include; Leonard Cohen, Yao Si Ting and Niles Lofgren.  It is always interesting to hear what specific music another audiophile likes, irrespective if I also like it or not.

Mark
jnorris2005
185 posts
 
I complained about this on Facebook, where these "audiophiles" would record their Pioneer speakers with their cell phones and post it to the world as the greatest sound ever.  I was severely criticized for my comments - even given the old "OK Boomer" line.  I guess people like the sound of compressed cell phone videos over quagly computer speakers.
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