Stereophile's snide editorial on ASR and Amir

[Vacceo]

Archgoat on Pass Labs sounds like shit anyway. But I knew that thanks to data, not, Stereophile.

 

[boswell]

Of course they take a shot at measurements. Stereophile features gear from makers they have good "relationships" with. This includes gear the measures average but somehow has "great sound". I'm in no way an expert, but Amirs reviews are to the point (and as a Marantz AVR owner frustrating).

For example, Stereophile to my knowledge never featured this little high end maker from Germany, although his gear is well designed, he measures everything with his Audio Precision and you get measurements for the device you are buying with the question "You still want it?".
Examples:

Preamp- Golden Reference Edition

Power Amp – Reference Line

DAC – Silver Reference

Forget about the design, it's mostly targeted for Asia, they love the Gold. Also some gear like the net filter goes into esoteric areas (some people really really want to buy such stuff).

sorry replied to yours when i should replied to OP, pardon me

 

[Vict0r]

Archgoat on Pass Labs sounds like shit anyway. But I knew that thanks to data, not, Stereophile.

Using $100.000 gear to listen to a record recorded in a public bathroom using a $5 microphone ist Krieg!

 

[thorvat]

Direct quotes from the article:

"owning an Audio Precision analyzer doesn't make you an expert, and the unguided application of analytical tools can lead you far astray."

Well, sure - owning AP analyzer by itself won't make you an audio expert. But neither will a college degree in physics followed by few years of "programming IBM microcomputers in the Budget Department" (!) and writing articles in HiFi magazine that contain pretty much none of the science based information and related conclusions.

 

[boswell]

Thoughts after Munich

I'm writing this column on the long flight back to New York City following High End Munich, the big hi-fi show that in regular times takes place each May. Because these are not regular times, this was the first Munich show since 2019. This show was smaller than other recent Munich shows: COVID...

www.stereophile.com

I am pretty sure this is a direct comment on the ASR community.

typical Donald Trump

Thoughts after Munich

I'm writing this column on the long flight back to New York City following High End Munich, the big hi-fi show that in regular times takes place each May. Because these are not regular times, this was the first Munich show since 2019. This show was smaller than other recent Munich shows: COVID...

www.stereophile.com

I am pretty sure this is a direct comment on the ASR community.

Typical Donald Trump tactic, "I hear they say..........."

 

[Waxx]

The funny thing is, If you know him really you know that Bruno Putzeys is an objectivist like Amir and most here, who also want the utter transparancy and who work on measurmeents, not listening testst. At Purifi they also have AP and Kippel equipment, and much more. And his Purifi company is just to give him freedom to do what he wants to do, make transparant audio gear that he could not do at Hypex. Idem with his Kii speakers. In many interviews he says exactly that listening is subjective, so you need to measure to have objective info about audio gear.

 

[Vacceo]

Using $100.000 gear to listen to a record recorded in a public bathroom using a $5 microphone ist Krieg!

I have literally done that: Sepultura's Bestial Devastation on an Electrocompaniet.

And Blasphemy on a Bang and Olufsen.

No veils were lifted, sadly, otherwise the result would be on the news. To Mega Therion!

 

[paulrbarnard]

Only if they went with all vacuum tube electronics.

In space a vacuum tube might be considered a pressure tube.

 

[DanielT]

In space a vacuum tube might be considered a pressure tube.

Tubes ...... in space!

NASA develops speedy vacuum tube prototype for computers in space

Researchers have developed a vacuum tube prototype that is both fast and tough against radiation, making it ideal for computers in space.

www.theverge.com

 

[restorer-john]

"Amplifier modules and loudspeaker drivers may seem an odd combination," says Jim Austin of Stereophile

If that combination seems odd to you, best get a different job, Jim

It is an odd combination, and pretty rare outside the really large companies. Purifi is a small player in the scheme of things, so to go all out with driver manufacture as well as amplifier boards/modules is unusual and brave. Especially with such a small range and supplying bare drivers only- no complete speaker systems (where the real profit is). That said, they are clearly trying to make back their R&D really fast at the prices they charge.

Most loudspeaker companies don't make their own drivers- they outsource manufacture to existing OEMs.

 

[JaccoW]

You’d be surprised where many throw their cash. I know quite a few in their early 20’s spending over $2k on a custom keyboard, such as the Keycult offerings.

Guilty.




While I've been out of the hobby for a while, this is right here is probably about $1000 to $2000 in keycaps alone. Most of which I sold off at a profit but still. I was deep in the hobby for a while.


Nowadays it's mostly bicycles and audio gear.

Then again I don't own a car and can do everything by bike and public transport. So that saves me well over $7000 a year.
(Que people telling me their car doesn't cost that much... it probably does)

 

[gavagai]

The funny thing is, If you know him really you know that Bruno Putzeys is an objectivist like Amir and most here, who also want the utter transparancy and who work on measurmeents, not listening testst.

My guess is that the point is not objectivist vs. subjectivist but editorial concurrence. Objectivist's forums steal readers. That's all.

 

[amirm]

We were the exclusive launch partner for Purifi amplifier by their choice! Bet Jim didn't know that.

 

[Vacceo]

It is an odd combination, and pretty rare outside the really large companies. Purifi is a small player in the scheme of things, so to go all out with driver manufacture as well as amplifier boards/modules is unusual and brave. Especially with such a small range and supplying bare drivers only- no complete speaker systems (where the real profit is). That said, they are clearly trying to make back their R&D really fast at the prices they charge.

Most loudspeaker companies don't make their own drivers- they outsource manufacture to existing OEMs.

I'd love my car on Purifi or Kef speakers. If I get to do that, I'll include a Pink Panther bumper sticker.

I really hope car audio manufacturers start adopting Purifi or Hypex, that and dsp will make the vehicle sound insane.

 

[tomtoo]

Purifi is a great example!
They enjoy to get there amps measured. And the ASR DIY corner even build a speaker with a purifi woofer. So i not think Purifi has a reason to complain about ASR. They have more to complain about the class d sounds shiit oldtimer subjective fraction.

Btw. having a AP makes you not to an expert. But dont have one, is not a good sign for beeing one.

 

[restorer-john]

I really hope car audio manufacturers start adopting Purifi or Hypex, that and dsp will make the vehicle sound insane.

The requirements for car audio are quite different to home audio, especially when it comes to temperature extremes, vibration etc. Imagine the woofer in a sub zero situation or in Australia in summer, parked in the sun, where temperatures could reach well over 50 degrees celsius. It may simply fail or perform very poorly. Also, securing the magnet in such a way it won't detach in an accident and kill someone inside the car.

 

[Bleib]

Recommended Components 2020 Edition Cables

Interconnects AcroLink 7N-DA2090 Speciale: $2375/1.5m pair

www.stereophile.com

sellouts

 

[Vacceo]

The requirements for car audio are quite different to home audio, especially when it comes to temperature extremes, vibration etc. Imagine the woofer in a sub zero situation or in Australia in summer, parked in the sun, where temperatures could reach well over 50 degrees celsius. It may simply fail or perform very poorly. Also, securing the magnet in such a way it won't detach in an accident and kill someone inside the car.

Sure, but that should not detract from it, it's a matter of refining the design to car specs. They'd still represent a good improvement.

 

[Plcamp]

The article, interestingly to me, seems to indicate these folks are well into the stages of death.

They are nearing the ‘acceptance’ stage…admitting that science based engineering (as evidenced by Purifi) is the only serious way to improve a stagnant industry, and then trying to slight Amir and ASR by hinting that magical engineering isn’t just an AP unit.

But they have admitted the important thing, and anyone that matters knows the engineering is here at ASR more than anywhere else.

So I suggest the article does nothing more than validate ASR is directly over the target it should be over.

Therefore the article is great news?

 

[Thomas_A]

We were the exclusive launch partner for Purifi amplifier by their choice! Bet Jim didn't know that.

That makes me wonder if Purifi would have approved the article if they had that opportunity.