The Audiophiliac
- Thread starter Zing
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MakeMineVinyl
Well-Known Member
Sometimes he has useful information, but mostly its just nonsense as usual in lunatic high end audiophile world.
I think Guttenberg is a good journalist in that he writes about everything and is generally fair in what he has to say about things. That said, I think he might be bored with good sound, so he is always bragging about rare items or products that don't sound terrible but which are unique in their designs or what the engineers focused on in their work. But, anytime I hear someone talking about a large planar speaker and they use the term "unboxy sounding" I take away points for lack of creativity. Of course any speaker without a box will sound unboxy.
MakeMineVinyl
Well-Known Member
I totally amazed at the crazy stupid prices for some of this stuff, especially since I work for a company who makes high end gear. There must be a hell of a lot of wealthy people I'm not aware of out there.
Dentman
Well-Known Member
Agreed.
What frightens me is the ease in which, what I would consider fairly smart people, can be fooled.
But he may have gotten them free and he mentions them a few times and idiots buy them.
I don’t think the high-end audio segment is all that much different than other markets and I wouldn’t say that someone with the means buying hyper expensive gear is stupid per se. To me it’s no different than choosing to remodel a kitchen with Viking appliances and exotic countertops. Don’t the less expensive options perform the same function? Or choosing to drive a Mercedes S class instead of a Kia.
I’d be willing to bet that most people with $12,000 audio cables wouldn’t make the argument that those are 120 times better than $100 cables. But I’d also wager that th financial impact to the owner of $12,000 cables is about the same as the impact of $100 to the average buyer.
I guess what I’m saying is that for enthusiasts audio, like most hobbies, isn’t a rational buying decision.
I’d be willing to bet that most people with $12,000 audio cables wouldn’t make the argument that those are 120 times better than $100 cables. But I’d also wager that th financial impact to the owner of $12,000 cables is about the same as the impact of $100 to the average buyer.
I guess what I’m saying is that for enthusiasts audio, like most hobbies, isn’t a rational buying decision.
MakeMineVinyl
Well-Known Member
I sure would. I've met many of them, and they are dead stupid and don't have a clue about much of anything.
Dentman
Well-Known Member
Nice thought but no, he actually points out what equipment was paid for by him. He mentions taking out large loans to by much of the stuff.
Dentman
Well-Known Member
I think stupid is putting it kindly.
I am with the crowd saying most of these people spending stupid money as idiots. But I also think those installing $100,000 kitchens are idiots as well. I know many who spend the idiot money on magic components (like wires or cable lifters) who are convinced they make a difference. Meanwhile, almost to a tee, they cram their speakers into the corners of their small rooms and place the listening position seating against the opposite wall. How can they hear a 0.0000000001% change in the efficiency of a fatter speaker wire in that sort of situation. I know several, whom I've written about in the past, who trade out their amplifiers and power conditioners so often that they could buy a luxury car at the money spent over the course of a year. Why? I honestly don't think they care to actually listen, but instead love the hobby of thinking they hear the differences - because what they hear ALWAYS reflects what they've been told they would hear. And, when they start their conversations about their hobby by mentioning how much they spent or naming some obscure brand no one has ever heard of, it is clear they are in this hobby as much for the status they feel it gives them rather than as a means to listen to music.
So, with little exception, it is not a sign of knowledge and learning or even careful listening which drives these people, it is smoke and mirrors and magic. They are installing religious icons in their houses which may, if they are deemed worthy and their faith is strong enough, make a difference. It is a religion.
So, with little exception, it is not a sign of knowledge and learning or even careful listening which drives these people, it is smoke and mirrors and magic. They are installing religious icons in their houses which may, if they are deemed worthy and their faith is strong enough, make a difference. It is a religion.
Than he's an idiot. LOL
Dentman
Well-Known Member
Are you equating religion with idiocy? Or just religions (or other priorities) that are different than yours?
What a fascinating take on my statements. I am using flowery language to create a metaphor to those who believe that faith in the claims of others and their own faith in the thing of interest is more important than their own experiences. If this were the 1800's I would have added the modifier "cult" to the term "religions" to fit into the cultural norms of the time:
They are installing cultish religious icons in their houses which may, if they are deemed worthy and their faith is strong enough, make a difference. It is a cult religion.
This isn't an issue of faith or belief systems, it is an issue of facts and science. If my audiophile friends were assembling great systems in great rooms and loving the experience of listening to music THEN added some silly thing like a dime sized acoustic treatment product, I would just assume they were desperate to spend money on their hobby but couldn't find a practical way to improve what they already assembled. It would still be a pointless waste of money, but it would reflect a reasonable priority.
So, you mention priority... yes, when I speak to most audiophile idiots, they claim they want to listen to music, but most spend very little time listening and more time collecting and bragging about those collections. Some collect music, others collect silly add-ons, and still others collect the bragging rights to say they've owned and used every overpriced amplifier on the market. But I find it rare that those same people truly enjoy the music.
That's fine for them, as a hobby. I know people who collect guns which rarely get fired more than the one time they took them out immediately following the acquisition. Not for me, but I get the interest. Other people collect bottles of booze, or cameras and lenses, or headphones, or whatever. That's a different hobby than what the term "Audiophile" was meant to mean. Audiophile was meant to imply a love and expertise in the field of audio, in this case music and its reproduction at home. Convincing yourself that a $20,000 pair of speaker cables is audibly superior to a scientifically provable superior cable that costs $50 a pair is more like a cult religion than a love for music and audio.
That's what I am saying.
I would hope they would use the right terms for their hobby's - They love exploring the outrageousness of the hobby and industry and talking about their experiences with it.
MakeMineVinyl
Well-Known Member
I find that some of it is the status of having such "refined" tastes, that they can distinguish differences which mere mortals cannot. Its like fine wine; for me I honestly can't tell the difference in some expensive varieties I've sampled and Two Buck Chuck I get at Trader Joes. In fact, I prefer Two Buck Chuck.
An interesting experience I had with an "audiophile" was when I was listening to his setup and he was bragging about the sound. His room was suffering from such massive first reflection issues to the point where discrete "boings" were clearly audible. I told him this and his response was something like that's what I like about it, it sounds like a ballroom.
To each his own, I guess.
An interesting experience I had with an "audiophile" was when I was listening to his setup and he was bragging about the sound. His room was suffering from such massive first reflection issues to the point where discrete "boings" were clearly audible. I told him this and his response was something like that's what I like about it, it sounds like a ballroom.
To each his own, I guess.
yromj
Well-Known Member
A response of "yeah, especially if you mean a BASKETBALL room like a gym" was probably in order.
I agree with your statements about the status, too.
John
TitaniumTroy
Well-Known Member
Yeah I follow his column, but don't agree with the audiophoolery part. Thanks for the post Zing, I just recently became aware that he had downsized his Magnepan's from 3.7's to .7's. He also used to own Magnepan 3.6's like me, wonder why he switched. Quasi-ribbons are in the .7's no true ribbon though, so sound quality suffers as does the bass due to smaller size panel.
Not a fan of Zu Audio's sound or the build quality of their speakers. Those TAD mini monitors would probably make excellent computer speakers as long as you don't crank it.
If someone wants to spend ungodly amounts of money on their speaker cables, that's okay with me. But when they get into being a snob/A-hole about it, then count me out.
Not a fan of Zu Audio's sound or the build quality of their speakers. Those TAD mini monitors would probably make excellent computer speakers as long as you don't crank it.
If someone wants to spend ungodly amounts of money on their speaker cables, that's okay with me. But when they get into being a snob/A-hole about it, then count me out.
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