Do you have prejudices that you can't get rid of? (Lets stick to audio)

[Kal Rubinson]

Can you still buy licenses for them? I misplaced my license, I bought them so long ago.

Not that I know. Kept mine.

 

[DWPress]

Buttons or screen "buttons" for volume control. Give me a knob any day. Especially in cars - who the hell thought that was a good idea?

 

[Chr1]

Touchscreens are worse. Inherently dangerous to use whilst driving.
Buttons and knobs somewhat safer.

My prejudice is against people trying to use touchscreens to select their favourite tunes whilst driving. No.

All fine whilst stopped or at home though.

My other audio prejudice is against people listening to music on their phone speaker in public.
Please, no.

 

[Philbo King]

I have an antipathy toward any text on a noncontrasting background. Front & back panels of stereo gear, remote controls. Keyboards.
Dark grey on black, grey on white, white on silver, etc. There is no excuse for bad ergonomic design in pursuit of some wanker art design scheme. It should be a lesser felony.

 

[Mean & Green]

Yes I’m prejudiced against software driven audio systems. All in one streaming DAC amplifiers do not appeal to me at all. I want separate components that can be individually chosen and upgraded with no need for an app or software to use it.

With the exclusion of streaming, I prefer the equipment to have no need for software.

 

[MattHooper]

Speakers that use ribbon tweeters.

I had too many experiences hearing such designs where I couldn’t help feeling I was hearing the tweeter as somewhat distinct from the rest of the sound. It’s a prejudice I haven’t been able to shake.

 

[gaz]

I am prejudiced against vinyl, and valve amps, but it is a ban - I will never consider buying either.

I am prejudiced against ports, but have bought speakers and plugged the ports. I would consider a ported sub if I liked the measurements.

 

[boxerfan88]

I seem to be prejudiced towards horn speakers. I’ve heard quite a few horn systems at hifi shows over the years, and I find them shouty and horny.

 

[MatrixS2000]

I am prejudiced towards half width components. My RME ADI DAC is my favourite component I own, but if RME made a full width veraion with the same functionality (maybe a better user interface with the additional real estate), I would buy that in a second.

 

[JeffS7444]

Can you still buy licenses for them? I misplaced my license, I bought them so long ago.

Is this what you're looking for?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-home-business-2024/CFQ7TTC0PBM7

 

[wadude]

I have a few. I think they were formed by bad experiences. You bought something and after a few days or weeks you no longer liked the sound, or you sold something and regretted it afterwards. So you were annoyed about something and created a prejudice so that it wouldn't happen again.

For example, I still believe that midrange speakers made of paper or fiberglass (e.g. aramid) have sound advantages over other materials.

Or this one: I distrust tweeters with massive diffusers (e.g. KEF) and can't imagine that they can sound airy.

There's hardly a cure.

The capability to deal with personal prejudices is available to all of us. Don’t give up.

 

[JeffS7444]

I prefer major functions of my system to be controllable via front panel controls. Functionality via app/web/dedicated remote is okay as long as it's not the only way. I cringe when I see products like desktop-sized DACs which can only switch sources via a remote.

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

Buying bookshelf speakers + stands is a waste of money, specially the stands, that sometimes represent 20-40% of the total price of the set.
Plus you don´t save any space.
Might as well buy a decent pair of tower speakers.

 

[Newman]

Some of the things people are listing are not prejudices, there's valid reasons for not liking them! Doesn't a prejudice have to be irrational or illogical?

I don't like 2 way speakers, small speakers, horn loaded speakers, headphones, streaming, anything with 'tubes' in it.

Brands I am prejudice against - Rega, Naim, Mcintosh, Audionote, PS Audio.

That's just what I was thinking while reading the last page or so!

Guys, you can't defend a prejudice by giving some sensible reason for it. Those are just preferences.

 

[JSmith]

Well I am prejudiced against prejudice... in a very prejudicial way of course.


JSmith

 

[mhardy6647]

View attachment 432210
View attachment 432211

ahem... I'll just leave this here...

OK, back to irrational prejudices.
Yeah, I have one big one that rises to the top: for single-ended direct-heated triode amplification.
bias? Yes. Cathode.

 

[jsrtheta]

*Mod notice*

So- Im not psychic but my crystal ball tells me this is going to go to places we dont want it to. So I am making a management decision and changing the title and subject matter to prejudices in audio. Hope that is OK with you @007Shorty - PM me to discuss if not.

Thanks

Good thinking.

 

[Groove01]

Hmm, where to begin - lol.

I do not like anything made by Focal. It started in car audio where Focal was pushed by all the shops and they sounded like someone banging a cymbal in my ear turned up to 11.

i can’t get into PC based audio, just can’t do it. It likely stems from the early days of HT when there were handshake, compatibility issues due to clunky SW or certain manufacturer not playing nice, etc.

I inherited an integrated HT and whole house Control4 system when we bought our current house. I have an equipment closet, business class routers, etc., and I hate it - lol. There is always something that doesn’t work and I have to call the AD to fix it b/c it’s not end user accessible. Always a different guy that shows up, shakes his head and says “why the hell did the last guy set up THIS WAY” - grrrr.

And THAT is why I like vinyl, it just works - lol.

 

[Brian Hall]

I'm prejudiced against anyone who says "Your system is not resolving enough".

 

[JeffS7444]

Always-on devices + inevitable glowing LEDs: The fridge is understandable, but there's no reason my FM tuner needs to have a clock display, given that it has no other time-related functions. I have plenty of tech at my disposal during my waking hours, but I go mostly non-electric when I want to sleep.

Network A/V devices: Streaming services aside, I want core functions available even without network.