Absent for a While

[Ron Texas]

I have been absent for a while. It's not just here. My involvement in several hobby related internet forums is down to nothing. With respect to ASR I found the technical discussions becoming repetitive. After all, there is only so many ways to cut and slice the great work of Toole and Olive. The off topic threads have a way of going off the rails. There were too many people who confused the way the world really is with the way they would like it to be. ASR is not uniquely infected with this kind of behavior.

This post is a wave, but it's not a goodbye. I could always have a question in the future. For now I'm enjoying my break from the climate around here and some other venues.

If you want to find me look on Flickr. There are some photography threads around here with direct links to my stream there.

 

[Chester]

I’ve been feeling the same way, so understand. All the best.

 

[thewas]

My observation is unfortunately similar so I can fully understand.

The price of popularity - forum SINAD

I had noticed this in the past in other audio related forums too and I see it lately happening in ASR. Some initially small forums with high quality of content due to a rather small and very dedicated member group get due to their quality and other reasons more and more popular which is of...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[anmpr1]

With respect to ASR I found the technical discussions becoming repetitive. After all, there is only so many ways to cut and slice the great work of Toole and Olive.

I think it's a common thing. The only way to approach ASR is from an 'engineering' standpoint. Who can do the 'best' given what they have to work with. However, 'best' on an oscilloscope is, more often than not, meaningless to the end user, in their living room.

I don't read the loudspeaker reviews, hardly. And headphones reviews even less. Just personal preference. The latest and greatest DAC from China? LOL

The analog stuff (record players) is kind of interesting to me, because I like to watch things go around and I have a lot of records. But even that becomes tedious, at this late stage of the game. Anyone can see how it is easy to go from 'practical' to 'lunatic Fremer' in a post or two. How is that helpful for anyone?

In my own posts I repeat myself too much. How is that helpful to anyone?

For the technologist, or amateur designer, there is probably more helpful information here on certain topics.

If I had it to do again, or in the next life, I think my hobby should be electric guitars. Electric guitars are the way to go. It's better to make music than consume it. It is worse to confuse the enjoyment of music with gear.

 

[AudiOhm]

I left another Forum for the same reasons.

It seems every day there are 2-3 new topics "Help me pick a DAC/Amp/Preamp/etc, gets repetitive and boring after a while...

Ohms

 

[AdamG247]

I have been absent for a while. It's not just here. My involvement in several hobby related internet forums is down to nothing. With respect to ASR I found the technical discussions becoming repetitive. After all, there is only so many ways to cut and slice the great work of Toole and Olive. The off topic threads have a way of going off the rails. There were too many people who confused the way the world really is with the way they would like it to be. ASR is not uniquely infected with this kind of behavior.

This post is a wave, but it's not a goodbye. I could always have a question in the future. For now I'm enjoying my break from the climate around here and some other venues.

If you want to find me look on Flickr. There are some photography threads around here with direct links to my stream there.

I would be very interested in your thoughts, observations and suggestions about this subject. We earnestly invite you to start a PM conversation with us and share your frustrations and major dislikes. I have no doubt that we can always find ways to improve the general environment. We are absolutely wide open to exploring your concerns and trying different approaches to make our Community less sucky! You have my word that we will treat anything you have to say as private and confidential.

Am very sorry you feel this way and I suspect that you are not alone. We feel this way occasionally too. Maybe together we can fix some of the major issues?

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I believe it is good to take a break from time to time .. It is also important to remember that the sharing and the camaraderie is what makes this forum special.
We look forward to read you again, soon
Do take care!

Peace.

 

[Ron Texas]

Thank you @AdamG247

 

[AdamG247]

Thank you @AdamG247

Welcome back @Ron Texas !

 

[amicusterrae]

I'm not very active here, but I see the same things.

Why? In my view, the belief that electronic signal paths have a sonic personality (somehow imbued, perhaps, by their maker, like a Stradivarius) dies hard. Bits are still bits, and audiophiles are still arguing about how many are audible. Spinning records is fun, but despite that and any other qualities, it's a severely compromised storage and playback medium. Attention to speakers and rooms are where most people will find better sound, but it's easier (and more quickly gratifying) to get new electronics, and the huge amount of misinformation out there provides ready justification. Physics and math are not necessary to adequately understand how speakers work in rooms, but it's still complex material that demands time and effort. Personally, I think the ongoing reviews of DACs, along with the suggestions that certain measured performance deficiencies in those and other electronic components will be audible, perpetuate and encourage some of these audiophile myths.

I have to remind myself now and then that others are into this hobby for different reasons, and they may not be interested in reading spins or AES papers. But what then distinguishes ASR from AVSForum? While the front page reviews with meaningful measurements make this community unique, how many readers scroll down to the subjective listening impressions and conclusions? I would say the members also make this community unique, and it's discouraging when ones as active as Ron Texas are inclined to take a break.

 

[JeffS7444]

It’s not an ASR thing, I simply reached the point of “good enough” with audio, cameras, etc, and the state of the art hasn’t changed too much in the meantime.

I occasionally chime in on “what should I buy?” types of threads, but there seem to be an endless number of those, and that’s time which might be more more productively spent watching capybara videos.

 

[AudioJester]

There were too many people who confused the way the world really is with the way they would like it to be. ASR is not uniquely infected with this kind of behavior.

Totally get most of what your saying, except for the above quote. This went over my head and I cant quite grasp what you mean?

 

[Timcognito]

Mr. Texas, I've enjoyed your posts and had a friendly spar or two with you. So, when I hear this kind talk, the disheartened talk where interests are to be sidelined, I hope there isn't something else that has gone wrong, with health, with a relationship, with career, with a loss. I hope that's wrong and that the problem is that the internet is not satisfying as spectator. So if there is something deeper, my advice is fight back with something to energize your spirit that involves others like a local charity or club where is direct contact with others that share your interests. The internet is fun but it can be cruel and disingenuous. Try to have some interaction with real people. I volunteered at a food bank close to where I worked for a few years and made a few very good friends and helped some more needy people. The thing I gained was the vision I had on my own situation about how insulated I was with my self interests and how much humility helps with relationships.

Really didn't mean to get as preachy as I did. I also think your comments on the site were valid but unfortunately they happen be true for many other sites. It seems all discourse these days has an edge to it and it is easy to be an a__ on your phone or computer. Again, probably read to much into it, so enjoy your break

 

[Ra1zel]

One thing that makes me lose a bit of interest in ASR is moderation unwillingness to ban the "less obvious" trolls, let's say I observed that there are few accounts that display something I would call "passive trolling".

If you look at for example user "uwotm8" and track his post history it will become much more obvious that he is here only to troll or propagate some agenda... I mean you already get a hint from his profile picture and name. Some of his posts are straight up nonsensical derogatory remarks towards ASR membership so I'm clueless as to why is this allowed long term.

There are also others who like to engage in discussions that are utterly useless other than to argue with others as whatever is bothering them has already been explained many times.

 

[Mr. Widget]

....but there seem to be an endless number of those, and that’s time which might be more more productively spent watching capybara videos.

Life is too short to miss any capybara videos!

 

[pseudoid]

...Maybe together we can fix some of the major issues?...

I get the matches to start that fire, if you get the firewood (issues).
Last week, I heard someone reply directly @amirm and started their reply with "You are wrong." [I don't recall if a period or an exclamation point ended it.]

This "issue" almost deserves its own thread that I thought to start and was going to suggest making fun of the rude ASR replies (w/ or w/o naming-names)
Just before seeing this thread.

@Ron Texas, welcome back! Remind me to give you 10 likes but only if you stay!

 

[_thelaughingman]

I get the matches to start that fire, if you get the firewood (issues).
Last week, I heard someone reply directly @amirm and started their reply with "You are wrong." [I don't recall if a period or an exclamation point ended it.]
View attachment 272592
This "issue" almost deserves its own thread that I thought to start and was going to suggest making fun of the rude ASR replies (w/ or w/o naming-names)
Just before seeing this thread.

@Ron Texas, welcome back! Remind me to give you 10 likes but only if you stay!

OH man I’ve been itching so bad to put some rude peeps in place by making fun of their rude replies but don’t want @AdamG247 to come down on me with his ban hammer.

 

[sejarzo]

I was extremely active on head-fi for a few years until it became repetitive and overrun with worthless subjective crap, and ignorant newbs trying to tell me that objective reviews were simply wrong then having the audacity to ask me for help on other problems. I only use it now to trade headphone-related gear.

 

[diddley]

I read alot round here, more then i write.
That's because when I've got nothing to say I shut up.
With as conseqence you won't find me here every minute of the day, alltough it's pretty much i read here.And the contributions like @solderdude @peng and so many others

 

[suttondesign]

I wish the forum were chiefly measurements and technical articles/posts/papers.