Hi everyone, I'm gaz from Australia.
Firstly, thanks to Amir and the crew for creating this site. I support your evidence-based approach, I apply it wherever possible.
I've been interested in audio and electronics since I was a kid and cut the tip off a pin and shoved it in the cartridge of an old turntable, and played sample records. As a teenager I put together a system for my parents, including secondhand Spendor SA-1 speakers, which I thought were awesome. As a young adult I had a Rega turntable and Polk Audio Monitor 7 speakers; back then it was possible to audition speakers in several hifi stores. This century I have had 5.1 and 5.2 systems, and a 7.1 using Audyssey DSX, which I thought was a good addition, but has now been out-marketed by Atmos, and is difficult to buy.
I watch all types of movies, series and documentaries; if I think the visual side is really important then I look for HDR 4K. My present screen is a recent Samsung model and it is ridiculous the effort I have expended to calibrate it: requires technical expertise, and is very unfriendly for normal consumers, who probably leave it in default settings. Also have an Xbox One and like first-person shooters and racing games, but usually forget to use it. The music I listen to is heavy metal, rock, pop pre-2010?, blues, world and western classical. Enjoyed this recently: A Four Movement Sonata: Tsugaru Shamisen
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/program/video/fourmovementsonata/
For serious music listening I use my Denon AVR’s HEOS player with my PC as a server. Audyssey XT32 sounds great, have not checked it yet with measurements. With music reproduction, my goal is to reproduce what the mixing engineer intended, I don't want the source, electronics, speakers or the room adding adjectives. If I like an album, I usually buy a lossless file, but surprisingly, sometimes I am geoblocked from purchasing.
I've worked as an industrial chemist, a process engineer and an English teacher. I do not work for a company now, I do personal projects, and travel and teach English in exchange for accommodation. I have done this with individuals, a private school and a university—send me a message if you are interested.
My other interests are: travel, photography, vegan food, Chinese teas, coffee, walking, MotoGP, GT3 racing, computing, maths, rollercoasters,19th century English novels.