Hall of Shame

Seantaylor99 should I assume that your post is directed at me? Let me say that I won't post an "attack " until someone says something completely preposterous. So i can assume when a person says "all" of whatever sort of component or device is crap, that they have carefuly listened and considered the qualities of "all" of these products available. The point is that you are only impeding others who come here to learn. I personaly am imune to this sort of dogma since I am aware of how to get good sound and it won't hinder my system a bit, although it does pose a problem to people who might really belive you. And since it must take alot of time to "review" every single component that you and ezmerelda procede to label as audio fraud, I would assume that you may not get out much yourself. I have run into this for years, the "expert" oh brother! why don't you just start your own audio component company or better yet start your own Audio Journal, let's see what could we call such an interesting publication where they can't hear the difference or see the value in anything they can't or more to the point don't know how to measure , I've got it! "Stereo Review" have fun "Julian".

Maxgain, I didn't label every single component as audio fraud. I pointed out that IN MY OPINION (which is surely what a post is?) certain aspects of hifi equipment give very little bang for the buck.

Please bear in mind that we all have differing frames of reference. We do not all wish to spend $20K or more on hifi hardware, and so it is important to remember that some of those "who come here to learn" are being fed misinformation if they are told that megabuck cables or $5000 CD players will give them value for money.

I reiterate that all posts are personal opinions based on ones own frame of reference (in my case a system of second hand equipment which cost a mere $2500 to put together, but which to me and all visitors to my house sounds fabulous).

Perhaps we should all be clearer to state our frame of reference so that readers can decide how applicable our information is to their decisions. However to desist from posting merely because I can find my "audio nirvana" at a reasonable price is misinformation to those seeking similar levels of performance to myself.

seandtaylor, perhaps i shouldn't speak for maxgain, but i'm sure his feelings closely mirror mine: you are sticking up for someone who, in condemning things he doesn't like about the hi-end, uses the word "ALL" an awful lot.

personally, i can only agree w/esmeralda's item #'s 6 & 10: w/item #6, specific components are named. whether or not one agrees w/the judgment of these specific components, is another matter - at least the item gives his feelings about specific product, & how he feels about it. as for item #10, i, too, hate compressed digital recordings. (don't much care for compressed analog recordings, either, for that matter!) :>) but, this doesn't mean *all* digital recordings are compressed.

ymmv, doug s.

ps - i'm sure esmeralda is correct about the shame of all the etc, etc, etc, in the high-end, too, eh? ;~)

"All high performance cables.." this would include the Kimber pbj at $72 a pair, not hard to fit into a budget system. I assume you have auditioned these and found them to be a poor value or of no use at all? This would also include the Custom Power Cord Co. $129 "High Value" power cord. You might have to skip meals or panhandle to fit this one into your budget, but alas you have tried this too and found it to be "very little bang for the buck" or worse yet a rip off.
"All vibration control devices.." again this would include the $6 Vibrapod, which are very helpful under CD players or speakers, again not a megabuck item. It would also include Audio Research tube damper rings which are also quite inexpensive but can improve the performance of almost any tube component for about $20(I forgot,"most" all tube designs are worthy of scorn anyway), again I will asume that you have tried these products and found them of no benifit? I know of people who squander lots of cash upgrading components that say "cables make no difference" only to find out that their new(fill in the blank) sounds just as bad as the old one did,i.e. too bright, or too harsh,or whatever the complaint was. This is because the brightness,harshness, or hardness, or whatever came from their cables and not the component. The system does not have to cost a fortune to be able to hear very real improvments from items like these.
all 1 the whole quantity, substance, duration, amount,or degree of;2 collectivley, the whole amount or number of, as of individuals or particulars............... Opinions are like,hummmmmmmm? what was that?........everyone has one.

Maxgain, my friend, have a nice, tall iced latte and relax a bit. This is a hobby, not a quest for revealed divine truth. Esmeralda is just as entitled to strong opinions as you are and ought not become the target of your wrath for expressing them. It is sufficient to say that you disagree and let it go at that.

When I said that Esmy had the courage to say what many people feel, I was not expressing agreement with what was said. I meant--and I believe--that many a'philes have opinions concerning the worth of (you-fill-in) that they are reluctant to express openly. Why? Because people like you blast them off the face of the earth just for saying what they believe. Yet you reserve the right to say what YOU believe, and woe betide anyone who dares to disagree.

Do what works for you. Evaluate the way you want to evaluate. Buy what you want to buy. Don't worry so much about the minds of young listeners being polluted by opinions with which you disagree. Most newbies are quite capable of making their own decisions about what is wheat and what is chaff.

Virtually all of us who have been in this game for a long time have valuable expertise to share. That our opinions vary--even radically--is only to be expected. After all, if we all agreed on everything, 99.999% of vendors would go out of business....

I prescribe a good recording of the Barber Adagio for Strings. It has a marvelous calming effect.

Will