I have a strong stomach, so I went to SBAF last night. Unlike the threads here in ASR, the SBAF threads are very difficult to follow. I think it's fair to say I'm not a dumb guy, but I had no idea what was going on in most of the threads I read. The measurement guy at SBAF, "atomicbob," posts measurements but doesn't believe they tell him much of importance about audio devices. It raises the question why he is doing such measurements, other than to attempt to discredit Amir. He also
touts his work measuring "audio systems for Class 3 medical devices."
The ringleader and head moderator at SBAF calls himself "purr1n" or "Merv" or "Marv." He
appeared in a video some years ago with Tyll Hertsens. Despite his mild-mannered appearance in the video, he's extraordinarily nasty to ASR and to Amir on Superbestaudiofriends, speculating, among other things, that Amir
botches his measurements to hurt the Schiit company. The measurements of the Topping D30 DAC
struck a particular nerve:
Purr1n also allows
transparently racist vitriol to be directed toward Amir on SBAF.
Usually, people who behave this way on the internet do so anonymously. Not so with purr1n. He has been on a number of forums, and there's a video with him. His online identity is associated with his full name on a number of forums. In real life, he appears to be a regular guy with a job. Like a google search of most of us, a google search of him will quickly show you where he works.
I certainly hope that no one who finds purr1n/Merv/Marv's online behavior distasteful emails his employer with evidence of what he does on the internet. I have had colleagues who have gotten into trouble (occasionally high-profile, newsworthy trouble) by posting nasty stuff on the internet, usually about politics. It would be unfortunate if purr1n/Merv/Marv's posts--about audio of all things--were to hurt his career.