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Audiophile Priorities and Recent Topics

I'm increasingly fascinated by the number of threads that have been created lately by OP's who have joined over only the last 2 months with less than 30 posts that all seem related to the importance of wires and tweaks. While I'm not dismissing the notion that everything matters in hifi (including digital cable), it seems that these topics vastly overwhelm thread topics that clearly would have more influence to hifi audio sound such as discussions of the sonic characteristics of various amplifier topologies, the importance of simplifying the signal path, and identifying fantastic speaker/amplifier synergies, etc...

If some unsuspecting newbie were to stumble onto this forum they would likely come away thinking that a fuse or a piece of wire are the most important elements towards obtaining wonderful hifi sound. This is unfortunate. For example, my discovery of listening to a SET circuit years ago paired with speakers possessing a high and flat impedance greatly outshines any joy derived from identifying the finest digital cable produced by man. I'm simply questioning the hifi priorities that this forum seems to be obsessed with lately.

Is it just me?
128x128three_easy_payments
phasemonger
23 posts
 
I’m a newbie with about a year and a half in hifi audio. I wrote a long post, but decided to tldr; the thing:

1. I like tweak threads because they’re fun, like having a rum and cherry coke with a good steak. A few tweaks have greatly improved my system. 

2. I don’t think the volume of tweak type threads indicates tweaks make a bigger difference than big upgrades to major system components. 

3. I would love to see more “system building and synergy” threads. I agree there are fewer of those. 

4. The real forum-related obstacle to being a newbie isn’t an imbalance of thread types; it’s the bizarre viciousness that makes me hesitant to post anything.
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
@three easy pieces
You are entirely right, well written and thank you.
But I doubt that will have much effect on these fools.
My recommendation is to get to know which members write this rubbish and ignore them.
Meanwhile I've gone to paint my fuses orange.
fatdaddy2
368 posts
 
Oh no! A thread snob thread...
ronboco
747 posts
 
+1 phasemonger
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,223 posts
 
There are so many incontrollable variables involved it is impossible to have a point of reference to start from making any evaluation of a system's sound and accuracy difficult at best. Top this off with incredible amounts of lay instinct and mythology and it becomes very hard to interpret what many have to say. 

@whart , Getting your own transformer is easy. Just put a three phase converter and a bunch of 10 hp woodworking machines in your basement workshop and the power company will force you to buy your own transformer. Does it make a difference in anything? I have no idea although it is fun to brag about it. It sure is an eye sore.
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