Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!!!!
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Subjectivist’s rant debunked
- Thread starter mdunjic
- Start date
You misunderstand son, there is NO hate here.
Just differences of opinion on HiFi and what is good for the industry and the things that have set it
on poorly designed or useless paths.
Anton D
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Second and third.
The measurement Leviticans start flinging poo and generally re-enact the start of "2001, A Space Odyssey" whenever someone doesn't toe their line; and, yes, it is narrow minded.
Some think, by their own words, that they know what's best "for the industry." They are also the only legitimate coaches for the Bears, and the general arbiters of what motor vehicles to drive and what beverages to consume.
Hands in their pants authorities add a humorous view of one extreme of the hobby, but their tenacity is in inverse proportion to their legitimacy.
You may disagree with this but when a speaker or any other HiFi product measurements reveal a poor design
that deviates enough from being able to fairly accurately reveal the sound of the source, there's no real need
to hear it, bad crap design is just that.
When Amir reviews a product and the Panther has had his head and arms chopped off, that's as much as I really need to know.
The numbers don't lie.
YMMV
Hey I am a subscriber. I actually enjoy the flowery language for a bit, it is creative.
Also like nice pictures. Believe it or not, I am also subscribed to WhatHiFi... Both on Zinio, perfect Tablet fodder for a relaxing read at night. 
computer-audiophile
Major Contributor
I can well understand that. I also read a few blogs from old audio hands and colleagues. My favourite audio magazine is MJ Musen to Jikken from Japan. They always take a very close look at the equipment and also pay tribute to vintage electronics, speakers and classic tube equipment. They even reported on a setup of mine once.Hey I am a subscriber. I actually enjoy the flowery language for a bit, it is creative.
I don't subscribe to it regularly, but I do order it from time to time.
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JP
Major Contributor
I’ve a few issues of MJ around for info/projects on specific pieces.
computer-audiophile
Major Contributor
Yep, me too, since sometime in the very early 1980sHey I am a subscriber. I actually enjoy the flowery language for a bit, it is creative.
Currently I enjoy reading Atkinsons measurements and the comedy routine he makes trying to justify the
really bad ones to the subjective reviewers raves. LOL, Music reviews are decent but sadly all they much care
about is the snap, crackle, pop sources.
Jim Austin taking over as editor has been the worst thing to ever happen over there.As a more rounded journal TAS has become the better read in many ways but sadly they abhor measurements.
There was a time way back when I received about 6 or 7 (unground) mags every month. There were a few good ones like
Audio Critic of course, and Peter Moncrief's, International Audio Review. Sadly the better ones were killed by the
fairytale fantasy world of creative listening and writing.
That's why I am a tablet and Kindle reader these days. Also has the advantage you don't need a reading light in bed - and I read at least half an hour every night before I am ready to sleep. Lifelong ritual. But I simply have zero more room for stuff. I am totally bought into minimalist environment, kind of pseudo Japanese or Scandinavian.
Warning: if you read in bed, holding a largish tablet can give you RSI (aka a mild "tennis elbow"), so watch posture and weight. That's why I like a Kindle Paperwhite or such. But the Kindle doesn't do colorful magazines well.
Interesting. I unsubscribed from TAS (The Absolute Sound, for the benefit of our international readers) after their absolutely idiotic and indefensible article on "the law of increasing results" , where they argued that every extra dollar you spend results in *increased* benefits, pimping high end exotic sh*t like ... OK, if I finish the metaphor I'll get kicked out of this forum... :-D It was the most ridiculous piece of audio drivel I have ever read in my life, which means something. Devore is a radical objectivist compared to that! :-DYep, me too, since sometime in the very early 1980s
Currently I enjoy reading Atkinsons measurements and the comedy routine he makes trying to justify the
really bad ones to the subjective reviewers raves. LOL, Music reviews are decent but sadly all they much care
about is the snap, crackle, pop sources.
As a more rounded journal TAS has become the better read in many ways but sadly they abhor measurements.
There was a time way back when I received about 6 or 7 (unground) mags every month. There were a few good ones like
Audio Critic of course, and Peter Moncrief's, International Audio Review. Sadly the better ones were killed by the
fairytale fantasy world of creative listening and writing.
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True, Also I'd love to know what it cost them to hire Mikey away for Stereophile?
They can have him...
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I don't get much out of TAS these days.
HP was a self-important windbag, but a good writer and could be entertaining. There's something to be said about a magazine with a strong editorial bent. You may have some strong disagreements, but nonetheless find yourself interested in what they think about X, Y or Z.
Robert E Greene and Jonathan Valin are my favourite TAS reviewers. Greene because he brought a level of technical knowledge and a more science-minded view. I found his reviews compelling, even for plenty of speakers I would never consider, because he'd typically have a very specific take "Why THIS particular speaker does something importantly well, and why..."
Valin I find to be just very good at descriptions of sound (and when I've heard the same products, I tend to agree with him).
And I think they don't give photographers enough credit at all. I think it is the visuals that sell many of these mags, while the writing tends to get a bit repetitive. Honestly if they had a mag with more pretty, skillfully taken pics and shorter comments rather than the usual never-ending, repetitive "...and then [after a long list of platitude audio albums that may include Pink Martini and what not] I listened to Daft Punk's "Giorgio" and bla right there having a conversation in my room bla Rodgers' rips sounding like my face was close to his guitar and hips..." etc etc "..and Bach's Golberg variations grazed my ears with Euterpe's soft lips" and what not. Hurl. Give me more visuals and less bull.
And I think they don't give photographers enough credit at all. I think it is the visuals that sell many of these mags, while the writing tends to get a bit repetitive. Honestly if they had a mag with more pretty, skillfully taken pics and shorter comments rather than the usual never-ending, repetitive "...and then [after a long list of platitude audio albums that may include Pink Martini and what not] I listened to Daft Punk's "Giorgio" and bla right there having a conversation in my room bla Rodgers' rips sounding like my face was close to his guitar and hips..." etc etc "..and Bach's Golberg variations grazed my ears with Euterpe's soft lips" and what not. Hurl. Give me more visuals and less bull.
I think it'd be funny to do an instant, keep-it-real translator to some of these reviews.
It starts with in-depth descriptions, where they may say "a unique combination of bespoke beryllium-diamond material for tweeter duty", which you could translate into "quite possibly the same sh*t several other high-end speakers want to overcharge you for these days, yawn, let's see if is makes a d*mn difference when our measuring slave checks it". Then they go into room setup, where they tell you "the good folks of XYZ that are contracted to deliver these beautiful, solid speakers" etc etc which you might simply translate into "holy sh*t are these things ever super heavy, they ain't going anywhere unless you buy an effing crane and my neighbor downstairs complains about the scary creaking coming from their ceiling" etc. Then brag about the surrounding equipment aka "I paired these with my personal Rhodium-case Channelion Blahnik mono amps", as in "Dude you can't afford any of this sh*t but I want you to send me pics of your drooling in envy in your proletarian listening room, ha!" ... etc etc
That's a typical high end audio article for you with a reality translator...
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Well done.
I think we are all big boys and can weed our way through those mags to get whatever we want out of them.
I do remember the early days of my getting heavily in to high end audio, starting early 90's, which coincided with Stereophile becoming every more prominent...and ever bigger in page count. I remember the excitement of learning of all this different gear, and anticipating the next Stereophile. And some of it was well written enough for me to enjoy going back more than once to read articles.
I appreciated that the magazine is still around, and especially that it puts many reviews online for free. Good to be able to check out the measurements along with the prose.
Hey I am a subscriber. I actually enjoy the flowery language for a bit, it is creative.
I'm sure old mate is working his way through Harley Lovers at a fair rate of knots. We all know technical performance is the only measure of potential satisfaction with a consumer product, and the geriatric/overweight retro-bike is surely the fastest around the Nordschleife. The numbers don't lie.
*where "fastest" = faster than a Trabant ...
**reading on paper of course, why go digital?
***there were some nice Harley racers back in the day, iirc
Anton D
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They gotta put almost naked chicks in the Harley mags if they want their demographic to buy.
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