ROOSKIE
Major Contributor
It's like this - I went through my self important and self serving era forty years ago in the dem room, where I could 'sound off' to anyone who'd listen and sometimes get a sale too (preaching to the converted)!!! So yeah, I think I can say that, knowing how I was back then. Since then, reality has chipped away at my attitude, most recently my inclination to get preachy if a subjectivist challenges my now more objectively based views borne of experiences (I can't be an 'expert' here because there are so many far more knowledgeable and qualified members here from whom to learn good things).
I look on Youtube at some of these vids and the people presenting them obviously have little knowledge really and come across as if they like the sound of their own voice (there's a far eastern chap who tested a load of cartridges and there he is with all the boxes lined up in front of him, almost shouting enthusiastically about the one he likes the sound of best (he dislikes digital apparently, so that dismisses him in my view immediately)). They often fall into all the same subjectivist based mistakes I did years ago and one chap nearer my age who should bloody know better, was raving about foo fuses from 'Synergistic' as well as his mate who'd just 'upgraded' his five grand Naim preamp to the fifteen grand one and then how much 'better' said stereo sounded when but one fuse (in the distribution block main feed probably at the UK plug) was changed. This guy, who runs a small north east audio shop, really needs to do some blind testing to see how much the visuals and expectations scrrew up subjective views and personal bias (I'm still learning, but it's fun for me).
Sure, setting up a camera and staging it all properly isn't especially easy as some of the more self-important 'influencers' try to do, but off they go on what THEY think of the gear and how it seems TO THEM as if these results are going to be identical for other lay listeners. I'm sorry to be harsh, but back when the objective performance of gear was judged important still (back in the mid 70's over here), many dealers selling the stuff used to butt heads and generally feel much the same about products despite different dem rooms and music tastes. This was before it all got tribal and peeps my age all started bleeting from the same tribal hymn sheet as that was what was expected of us - some older peeps still do...
I do feel ya, I understand.
It can be hard to see folks who are trying way to hard to be awesome or are fooled so much they end being jesters.
I think most of them are honestly fooled though and not malicious which is important to me.
Of course a few are deff shilling.
For the most part I am glad we are not stuck buying copies of Stereophile in order to get a few minutes of "audio talk". Nobody has shilled over priced hifi harder then them.
I like to watch Andrew Robinson among several others.
I think he is entertaining and I enjoy that he includes his lady friend's dialog. I often listen with and include mine. She loves being involved even if she would not be able to make a solid ASR post. (She did make a set of J.C. No 1159's with some of my help.)
Yes, some of what he says is a bit unsubstantiated or even downright silly and simultaneously he can be very entertaining and I appreciate that some of his comments are on the money.
Anyway per this Wharfedale speaker.
One thing I found super interesting is his(A.R.'s) slow move from being a die hard "retired audiophile" who loves the wilder Klipsch sound, to really digging this Wharfedale which it turns out is a solid objective speaker. Then digging the Revel M16 which is a very different speaker for the two of them to promote so enthusiastically.
There are some interesting things going when watching someone's journey like that.
Plus relatability is so huge, humanizing the adventure. Hard for some to believe, most folks don't want the best speaker they want a satisfying experience. Really. I think YouTube and other media helps people build an little adventure into buying something that for most folks is a 1 per 5-10 year quest.
Plus as a 2 channel loudspeaker based audio guy, records, YouTube influencers and similar things have really brought consumption of stereo audio back to life for folks under 45. Without records and prose and cool designs we'd be left with what most younger folks are happy enough with - headphones,sound bars and football shaped Bluetooth stuff.
Yes, it is doubled edged sword and it is a cloud with a silver lining.
Anyway it isn't like I have not called some folks idiots myself. I most deff have, though I suppose that didn't help me or them and that is what it is.
