afinepoint
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2023
- Messages
- 189
- Likes
- 136
Hello to all,
Yes I've just registered and though this is my first post I've visited and read ASR for some time. It has always been a part of my research for gear. This is not a trolling. I wasn't sure where best to post so moderators kindly move it as required.
I've read the subjects here, tucked away the data and comments and continued on my way. I do feel however the need to chime in on the review of the PS Audio Gain Cell from years ago. I know it's an older post but I've just started researching DACs and the Gain Cell among them. Being the replies in that post are well over 130 pages I thought to simply make a new post as I was not sure if my reply would even be seen.
Why comment on what is a well worn post? Because I read digested and had a revelation which has profoundly changed my opinion on equipment reviews.
In that post amirm was asked if he had done listened to the DAC to which he replied he didn't have the time. At first that annoyed me as how could you review a piece of "audio" equipment with hearing it. That's half of a review. I left and thought about things for sometime and then came to my revelation. He didn't have to listen to the Gain Cell nor any piece of equipment. That's not it seems his purpose. He is giving and explaining the raw data and letting the reader decide what to do with it. His listening would only tell me what his ears heard.
I realized going strictly by a reviewer"s aural experience is like asking him how he liked his meal. Sit people around a table and give them the exact same dish and you'll Iikley get different opinions. Too salty, not salty enough, too spicy, too bland etc. Now I will say like this meal if there is a consensus among reviewers that agree the speakers for instance sound bright or the pre amp is giving the music a sense of warmth then it probably is. There is solid agreement across the board that tubes add warmth. So they do.
I appreciate what amirm is doing and find worth in it. Do I understand all the graphs and lingo? No, but that's on me to figure out.
I have visited and posted in the PS Audio forum asking for input on the M series of amplifiers. I also found worth in those replies but they were subjective so I had to take them for that.
I will state there is a serious Hatfields and McCoy's feud between these two forums which makes it more difficult to filter facts. Yelling and hurling insults dilutes the credibility of those doing so and stains the validity of their comments and too the platform in this case the forum. This circling of the wagons is needless. Opinions are just that. I believe it was a Seafair that casted a dissenting view and was absolutely pummeled which immediately put him/her on the defensive. We can certainly agree to disagree.
PS Audio"s reply by Paul using the word poo and his refusal to address amirm's response left me disgusted. I definitely will not be buying that Gain Cell which I had been researching. Further it puts the purchase of a set of M1200s in jeopardy. His comments really put me off. I also have always found his videos condescending. Why can't he just answer the question without pontificating.
I've called PS Audio more than once before and spoken with the sales/tech and I felt they were telling me what I wanted to hear. I'll probably ask about those M1200 amps here in a separate post.
Fortunately I have a backup amp should the M1200s fall through. Tonewinner AD 1PA.
In conclusion thanks to amirm and ASR. Keep up the good work.
Thank again.
Afinepoint
Yes I've just registered and though this is my first post I've visited and read ASR for some time. It has always been a part of my research for gear. This is not a trolling. I wasn't sure where best to post so moderators kindly move it as required.
I've read the subjects here, tucked away the data and comments and continued on my way. I do feel however the need to chime in on the review of the PS Audio Gain Cell from years ago. I know it's an older post but I've just started researching DACs and the Gain Cell among them. Being the replies in that post are well over 130 pages I thought to simply make a new post as I was not sure if my reply would even be seen.
Why comment on what is a well worn post? Because I read digested and had a revelation which has profoundly changed my opinion on equipment reviews.
In that post amirm was asked if he had done listened to the DAC to which he replied he didn't have the time. At first that annoyed me as how could you review a piece of "audio" equipment with hearing it. That's half of a review. I left and thought about things for sometime and then came to my revelation. He didn't have to listen to the Gain Cell nor any piece of equipment. That's not it seems his purpose. He is giving and explaining the raw data and letting the reader decide what to do with it. His listening would only tell me what his ears heard.
I realized going strictly by a reviewer"s aural experience is like asking him how he liked his meal. Sit people around a table and give them the exact same dish and you'll Iikley get different opinions. Too salty, not salty enough, too spicy, too bland etc. Now I will say like this meal if there is a consensus among reviewers that agree the speakers for instance sound bright or the pre amp is giving the music a sense of warmth then it probably is. There is solid agreement across the board that tubes add warmth. So they do.
I appreciate what amirm is doing and find worth in it. Do I understand all the graphs and lingo? No, but that's on me to figure out.
I have visited and posted in the PS Audio forum asking for input on the M series of amplifiers. I also found worth in those replies but they were subjective so I had to take them for that.
I will state there is a serious Hatfields and McCoy's feud between these two forums which makes it more difficult to filter facts. Yelling and hurling insults dilutes the credibility of those doing so and stains the validity of their comments and too the platform in this case the forum. This circling of the wagons is needless. Opinions are just that. I believe it was a Seafair that casted a dissenting view and was absolutely pummeled which immediately put him/her on the defensive. We can certainly agree to disagree.
PS Audio"s reply by Paul using the word poo and his refusal to address amirm's response left me disgusted. I definitely will not be buying that Gain Cell which I had been researching. Further it puts the purchase of a set of M1200s in jeopardy. His comments really put me off. I also have always found his videos condescending. Why can't he just answer the question without pontificating.
I've called PS Audio more than once before and spoken with the sales/tech and I felt they were telling me what I wanted to hear. I'll probably ask about those M1200 amps here in a separate post.
Fortunately I have a backup amp should the M1200s fall through. Tonewinner AD 1PA.
In conclusion thanks to amirm and ASR. Keep up the good work.
Thank again.
Afinepoint
I'll spare myself the time and energy. Besides ASR I have videos ongoing and music ongoing while I read ASR and that's more than enough to occupy my brain. 
