Steve Guttenberg - Audiophiliac

[SIY]

So... AudioQuest. They're salespeople, too. Not sure it's fair to Mr. Guttenberg or to AQ to judge their motives (other than that they're both motivated to make a sale) is it?

View attachment 120107

AIDA. Attention. Interest. Decision. Action.

 

[sal]

So... AudioQuest. They're salespeople, too. Not sure it's fair to Mr. Guttenberg or to AQ to judge their motives (other than that they're both motivated to make a sale) is it?

I think there is a distinction here. Steve is selling YouTube advertising. He's driving traffic. He's not selling you a $5 cable for $2000

 

[sal]

I think there is a distinction here. Steve is selling YouTube advertising. He's driving traffic. He's not selling you a $5 cable for $2000

Fair enough However, intent counts for a lot. I believe he is overall an honest guy, with his own set of opinions. I'm more questioning our intent than his. I don't see that we have anything to gain by being negative. If our intent is to shed some light on the state of the consumer audio industry, we'd be better served by taking the high road in the long run.

 

[sal]

I hate to sound mean, but I don't really care about his livelihood. That's his problem.

I don't disagree with you. Though that's a very capitalist thing to say.

It's the capitalist market

oops?

My point is that we just creating friction where there shouldn't be any

 

[sal]

This is no longer fun I'm not going to start debating socialism vs capitalism here
Moving on to another thread....Flame ON!!!

 

[JeffS7444]

Not referring to SG or anyone else in particular, I'm pretty sure the USA's Declaration of Independence guarantees it's citizens the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Truck Nuts, conspiracy theories, low-carb lasagna, reality TV, bacon-scented candles, and yes, audiophile products, all under the blanket category of "Happiness". And if some audiophiles are determined to be dumbasses regardless of what science says, that's it's own "Pursuit of Happiness" ain't it?

 

[snowman]

I knew I would eventually sniff out controversy! Andrew Robinson and his wife do hifi reviews. He moved from California to Texas where he met his wife then they recently moved to Nashville. In at least 3 reviews Andrew has referred to one brand/model excelling over other brand in terms of child abuse….spanked, taken to the wood shed, etc. I commented that as an abused child I would challenge him to use other words to denote competition. Albeit, it takes a lot of effort to not say one team “beat” another it’s so ingrained in my vernacular.



But we should pay more attention to language violence because although euphemism can be colorful, the past is not far behind and it’s still present for some, and recommended by others on the political right.



Okay so with that backdrop there’s a brand in Corpus Christi named Schiit, and they have had fun stirring the pot over the years. Andrew’s wife for some reason didn’t participate in this particular review so she’s got some beef with them apparently. The Robinson’s recently chose to bleep out the company name citing some bs YouTube policy, while Steve Guttenberg has long gone full bore with it.



And this was my Southern experience to a tee. Pro child beatings but extra effort on no cussing. And I think these are very simple but outward virtue signals people use.



Here are the reviews. I think the culture wars in products and services are getting deeper. Maybe they were always there and I am just more aware.



Here’s the bleeping review

I can only thank Guttenberg for the comic relief, and yes though he can lean towards non-technical descriptions of products to reach the intended audience, I have come full circle and appreciate his tech to emotional language translations and his choice to be industry inclusive versus divisive.

For yet more fun see Darko’s Renter’s Fog solution

 

[anmpr1]

In at least 3 reviews Andrew has referred to one brand/model excelling over other brand in terms of child abuse….spanked, taken to the wood shed, etc. I commented that as an abused child I would challenge him to use other words to denote competition. Albeit, it takes a lot of effort to not say one team “beat” another it’s so ingrained in my vernacular.

I really don't think it is the job of a writer to self-censor their vocabulary because a reader's feelings might be hurt. I think that's really a job for the reader. To deal with their emotions, and if they can't, then to just pass over the writer.

I personally draw the line at grotesque profanity, and descriptions of certain bodily functions, but if someone uses those words, I'll just refuse to read it. I'm sure not going to complain about it on someone else's blog, where the 'offending' words didn't even originate.

 

[MattHooper]

I knew I would eventually sniff out controversy! Andrew Robinson and his wife do hifi reviews. He moved from California to Texas where he met his wife then they recently moved to Nashville. In at least 3 reviews Andrew has referred to one brand/model excelling over other brand in terms of child abuse….spanked, taken to the wood shed, etc. I commented that as an abused child I would challenge him to use other words to denote competition. Albeit, it takes a lot of effort to not say one team “beat” another it’s so ingrained in my vernacular.



But we should pay more attention to language violence because although euphemism can be colorful, the past is not far behind and it’s still present for some, and recommended by others on the political right.



Okay so with that backdrop there’s a brand in Corpus Christi named Schiit, and they have had fun stirring the pot over the years. Andrew’s wife for some reason didn’t participate in this particular review so she’s got some beef with them apparently. The Robinson’s recently chose to bleep out the company name citing some bs YouTube policy, while Steve Guttenberg has long gone full bore with it.



And this was my Southern experience to a tee. Pro child beatings but extra effort on no cussing. And I think these are very simple but outward virtue signals people use.



Here are the reviews. I think the culture wars in products and services are getting deeper. Maybe they were always there and I am just more aware.



Here’s the bleeping review

I can only thank Guttenberg for the comic relief, and yes though he can lean towards non-technical descriptions of products to reach the intended audience, I have come full circle and appreciate his tech to emotional language translations and his choice to be industry inclusive versus divisive.

For yet more fun see Darko’s Renter’s Fog solution

Sorry to hear of your childhood.

But I don't agree with your take on how the rest of society should act, and with your particular example of these youtube reviews. There are endless ways people have been hurt, physically and psychologically, through their lives. Virtually anything one could say could be "triggering" to one person or another. It's untenable for the rest of society to smooth away every rough edge of life to accommodate everything anyone feels. And I think your leap from Robinson's use of those very common metaphors to some how suggest it is related to being "pro child beating" is frankly pernicious. It's an example of "sensitivity-creep;" how a generally benevolent urge most of us would agree with - don't unnecessarily upset someone else, have some sensitivity to how others feel - ends up in this "offense/trigger-seeking" behavior to endlessly uncover and catalogue possible trip wires and emotional triggers, so that human interaction becomes ever more like navigating a mine-field. And it so often involves the worst interpretation of people "they said X but since I can cleverly draw some association with an awful Y, I've uncovered their real motivation as a Bad Person. "
Anyway, I feel it's better to encourage resilience - because life is always going to throw tough stuff at us.

/steps off soap box

 

[fpitas]

He owns a pair of Zu's as his reference system. Nuff ced!

No wonder he thinks most other speakers sound great!

 

[BDWoody]

But we should pay more attention to language violence because although euphemism can be colorful, the past is not far behind...

Let's stay away from 'culture war' topics please.

 

[snowman]

Sorry to hear of your childhood.

But I don't agree with your take on how the rest of society should act, and with your particular example of these youtube reviews. There are endless ways people have been hurt, physically and psychologically, through their lives. Virtually anything one could say could be "triggering" to one person or another. It's untenable for the rest of society to smooth away every rough edge of life to accommodate everything anyone feels. And I think your leap from Robinson's use of those very common metaphors to some how suggest it is related to being "pro child beating" is frankly pernicious. It's an example of "sensitivity-creep;" how a generally benevolent urge most of us would agree with - don't unnecessarily upset someone else, have some sensitivity to how others feel - ends up in this "offense/trigger-seeking" behavior to endlessly uncover and catalogue possible trip wires and emotional triggers, so that human interaction becomes ever more like navigating a mine-field. And it so often involves the worst interpretation of people "they said X but since I can cleverly draw some association with an awful Y, I've uncovered their real motivation as a Bad Person. "
Anyway, I feel it's better to encourage resilience - because life is always going to throw tough stuff at us.

/steps off soap box

The opinion was in regards to the two takes of two reviewers, subject Guttenberg. Your opinion of my opinion is rather off topic.

 

[snowman]

I really don't think it is the job of a writer to self-censor their vocabulary because a reader's feelings might be hurt. I think that's really a job for the reader. To deal with their emotions, and if they can't, then to just pass over the writer.

I personally draw the line at grotesque profanity, and descriptions of certain bodily functions, but if someone uses those words, I'll just refuse to read it. I'm sure not going to complain about it on someone else's blog, where the 'offending' words didn't even originate.

Understand the background was provided to compare the Guttenberg approach, which I prefer.

 

[MattHooper]

The opinion was in regards to the two takes of two reviewers, subject Guttenberg. Your opinion of my opinion is rather off topic.

? Your entire post asked us to view videos through the context of your culture-war laden opinion, including admonishing us about 'what we should pay more attention to' and to see the videos through the "culture war" prism you brought to your post.

A response as to why one may not find the approach you suggested to be unfruitful, is as on topic as could be.

 

[Peterinvan]

I am very curious to see if ChatGPT (or its successors) will replace audiophile journalists.
So far I have only been able to correct it on one query about a 10 year old DAC/amp (Centrance M8). All other replies look kosher. If in doubt, I ask ChatGPT to list its sources.

Could ChatGPT Replace Audio Writers?

I asked ChatGPT to write ad copy for a revolutionary new audio device, The Quantum Discombobulator. It produced copy worthy of Stereophile and The Absolute Sound. I haven’t set price yet, but it will be expensive! Introducing the Quantum Discombobulator - the ultimate audio upgrade for your...

www.audiosciencereview.com

My take on this is that if there were no more on-line journalists, where would ChatGPT get its answers?

 

[SIY]

... I have come full circle and appreciate his tech to emotional language translations and his choice to be industry inclusive versus divisive.

You can't translate tech to anything when there's no tech to start with.

 

[snowman]

? Your entire post asked us to view videos through the context of your culture-war laden opinion, including admonishing us about 'what we should pay more attention to' and to see the videos through the "culture war" prism you brought to your post.

A response as to why one may not find the approach you suggested to be unfruitful, is as on topic as could be.

You are free to view the examples through any lens you wish. Remember, subject Guttenberg.

 

[AdamG]

This thread is over 2 years old and it has served its purpose.