Video Tour Of Extreme Audiophile Mansion...

[tomelex]

This makes sense for people who listen to recordings of live performance, perhaps. We certainly see multi-channel devotees like Messrs Rubinson and Toole himself declare congruent musical systems and tastes. But for me, not so much.

I know your 5% is rhetorical, but certainly > 95% of the music I listen to originates in a studio, assembled from close-miked vocals and instruments, synthetic sounds, samples and effects, all layered using the normal tools of production. Sometimes that is mixed to multi-channel (which we may see more of with Apple's efforts) but generally the "original event" is a composite of events assembled into a stereo mix. Which we can reproduce effectively using a stereo system, give or take the usual vicissitudes of equipment and room.

While I do not disagree with your comments, indeed, my 5% is aligned in a broader sense to go with my discussion about stereo in general. That would be, that it is not capable (two speakers, plain old stereo) of providing the realism of a live event, and so stereo, while weird and interesting (and it is all we have not counting minimal product for binaural and multi-channel) is just trying to give an illusion of the concert being at your house. What I am saying is there are limitations to what one should expect out of the medium.

Yes, it fun but in the context of this thread, having so many systems is this guy trying to get one that "ticks all the boxes", none of them will ever do it just because the medium is not capable of doing it. Let alone the huge impact of our own feelings and ear brain interface variables, which dwarf any of the shortcomings of the system.

Yep, I do enjoy the music, I do not expect it to cause me to suspend belief, and as a medium, recorded as best as the mix or master engineer thinks they can do to make stereo sound "good" it is enjoyable as long as one stays in reality about the limitations.

 

[MattHooper]

You misunderstood, I guess: discriminating and despising cables based only on the AmazonBasics brand (or any other in the same price range) is "audio racism" in my book.

You understand, though, that I don't discriminate against or despise sensibly priced cables like AmazonBasics?

Just so we're clear?

(I still think using "racism" is unnecessarily histrionic...but...whatever...)

Call me dense, but I find hard to identify what you call "jokes", starting from the OP in this thread. You now claim you posted in jest, but then you are spending tons of electrons defending the perpetrator(s).

In my OP I said it was posted as Fun, and I understood there would be varying responses to such a video.

As to "defending perpetrators" (more strangely moralizing wording there...)....I would ask what you think I've actually defended. But I have a feeling you will see what you want to see, no matter what I say.

 

[MattHooper]

Yes, it fun but in the context of this thread, having so many systems is this guy trying to get one that "ticks all the boxes", none of them will ever do it just because the medium is not capable of doing it. Let alone the huge impact of our own feelings and ear brain interface variables, which dwarf any of the shortcomings of the system.

As I mentioned earlier, owning all these systems does strike me as a bit bizarre and indulgent. Similar to my intuitions when I see rich people with garages full of their car collections. I always think "do you really have an opportunity to drive all those cars? To make even owning all of them worthwhile?"

On the other hand I have to reflect on my own behavior in this regard. I've often owned multiple speakers, right now I have 4 different sets of speakers I can throw in to my stereo system, and I've had up to 6 or more in the past. I just like listening to different speakers, and having them on hand for when I want a change. (Though I've sold off all the extras I want to at the moment). So in that sense I could understand the appeal of just being able to wander in to another room in the house, flick a few switches and listen to an entirely different system.

I'm pretty sure if I had this guy's money I wouldn't go to such extremes. But, in stretching to understand what seems nutty, I can kind of get it.

 

[crazycloud]

Ok fair enough. I understand this forum is a place where lots of people go to escape the audiophile lunacy aspects of high end audio.

I'm curious though. Does that mean if you happened to be invited to a house like that, that it would hold no appeal whatsoever to sit down and take a listen to any of the systems he has put together?

No, not at all. I've heard some systems that were very expensive and am glad I had the experience.
I will say though that I have never been impressed by one and a couple of times they've been really awful.

 

[crazycloud]

The ways people are finding to work in the word"racism" these days is...really something.

What racism in most contexts means these days is, "I don't like what you're saying and I can't/won't argue on the subject so I'll use a slur against you in the hope you'll be gutless and shut yourself down or others hearing will reject you."
There are a number of other words you can substitute too, but the intent is the same.

What many who use this tactic don't realise is that some of us have read Alinsky and know the politics behind it's common use today.

 

[crazycloud]

Similar to my intuitions when I see rich people with garages full of their car collections. I always think "do you really have an opportunity to drive all those cars? To make even owning all of them worthwhile?"

One of the reasons I like Jay Leno's Garage podcast is Jay and his guests love cars. There is one repeat guest IIRC David, who has an extensive Ferrari collection and he drives them and takes them on track days. He may not drive one every time he gets behind the wheel, but, like Jay, I doubt he's flashing his collection to impress if you were a first time guest at his house. But, if you really like cars, I'm sure he'd get a kick out of showing them to you.

Where I currently live there are lots of people with flash cars. Watching them drive at suburban speeds, I can only hope they never try the 'Ring or an Autobahn. The vehicle is just a status symbol to impress. I think this is the same with some of these systems, and in particular, one of the $500k+ systems I listened to maybe a decade back that was really average, even if it cost $20k.

 

[Axo1989]

What racism in most contexts means these days is, "I don't like what you're saying and I can't/won't argue on the subject so I'll use a slur against you in the hope you'll be gutless and shut yourself down or others hearing will reject you."

Yes. No reason anyone here should use debased vernacular though. If I wanted that I'd be reading different forums/socials

Edit: I'm not excusing actual racism, of course.

 

[Axo1989]

As I mentioned earlier, owning all these systems does strike me as a bit bizarre and indulgent. Similar to my intuitions when I see rich people with garages full of their car collections. I always think "do you really have an opportunity to drive all those cars? To make even owning all of them worthwhile?"

On the other hand I have to reflect on my own behavior in this regard. I've often owned multiple speakers, right now I have 4 different sets of speakers I can throw in to my stereo system, and I've had up to 6 or more in the past. I just like listening to different speakers, and having them on hand for when I want a change. (Though I've sold off all the extras I want to at the moment). So in that sense I could understand the appeal of just being able to wander in to another room in the house, flick a few switches and listen to an entirely different system.

I'm pretty sure if I had this guy's money I wouldn't go to such extremes. But, in stretching to understand what seems nutty, I can kind of get it.

If I had unlimited funds I'd likely have a few listening spaces/systems. One for electronic, much like I have now. One for multi-channel. One with really big speakers for hardcore-adjacent genres. So Audio-physic, Genelec and Focal Utopia respectively. And I've left out Magico, MBL and a bunch of others I'd like to hear. I'd probably indulge curiosity every now and then: do new Purifi sound better/worse/same as classic Krell, for example? Maybe try a valve amp. I can see how the slippery slope starts.

Actually my current speakers were a trade-in from someone who apparently turns over their not-inexpensive speakers once or twice a year. Which worked well for me.

My architectural/interior design preference is more zen, I found the house/rooms in the video somewhat disturbing.

 

[Axo1989]

While I do not disagree with your comments, indeed, my 5% is aligned in a broader sense to go with my discussion about stereo in general. That would be, that it is not capable (two speakers, plain old stereo) of providing the realism of a live event, and so stereo, while weird and interesting (and it is all we have not counting minimal product for binaural and multi-channel) is just trying to give an illusion of the concert being at your house. What I am saying is there are limitations to what one should expect out of the medium.

Yes, it fun but in the context of this thread, having so many systems is this guy trying to get one that "ticks all the boxes", none of them will ever do it just because the medium is not capable of doing it. Let alone the huge impact of our own feelings and ear brain interface variables, which dwarf any of the shortcomings of the system.

Yep, I do enjoy the music, I do not expect it to cause me to suspend belief, and as a medium, recorded as best as the mix or master engineer thinks they can do to make stereo sound "good" it is enjoyable as long as one stays in reality about the limitations.

I literally never think of the "illusion of the concert being at your house".

But I share @MattHooper's experience: stereo image is a major source of pleasure when I want to relax and listen to music for its own sake.

And I do enjoy binaural: recordings I've made myself a while back and Apple's recent spatial audio using their hardware.

 

[syn08]

What racism in most contexts means these days is, "I don't like what you're saying and I can't/won't argue on the subject so I'll use a slur against you in the hope you'll be gutless and shut yourself down or others hearing will reject you."
There are a number of other words you can substitute too, but the intent is the same.

Used to be “Hitler”. I find ueber funny how political correctness evolved to “Audio racism”.

 

[Axo1989]

Used to be “Hitler”. I find ueber funny how political correctness evolved to “Audio racism”.

Funny? You're the one actually using the terminology. The forum's ignore function is uber-useful also.