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Why?
- Thread starter Eidie
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Tks
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Why what? Read stuff on this forum?
Super simple, it's just cool seeing developments from smart people. Because smart people doing cool things is interesting, and because I'm not smart, I just want to see what they're doing, talking about, and making.
If I happen to find someone make something I like that will let me do something I can't with what I got now, that's a bonus.
Like imagine asking the question you asked before RME and Purifi existed... And then they became a reality. It would look a bit silly in the same way someone saying 15 years ago "why anything more than an iPod? what's the point?"
Point actually being, it's not about "chasing sound" for everyone. It's simply what interesting new functionality can also be had (in the same light when the RME DAC hit the streets).
Super simple, it's just cool seeing developments from smart people. Because smart people doing cool things is interesting, and because I'm not smart, I just want to see what they're doing, talking about, and making.
If I happen to find someone make something I like that will let me do something I can't with what I got now, that's a bonus.
Like imagine asking the question you asked before RME and Purifi existed... And then they became a reality. It would look a bit silly in the same way someone saying 15 years ago "why anything more than an iPod? what's the point?"
Point actually being, it's not about "chasing sound" for everyone. It's simply what interesting new functionality can also be had (in the same light when the RME DAC hit the streets).
OP
Eidie
Active Member
- Thread Starter
- #164
I was clumsy, socially and intellectually, in my original post. It is inherent in an ostensibly review site that it is about consumption. I was trying, as said clumsily, to stimulate debate about consumption. I’m totally with you on your first 2 paragraphs. The same!
As to the third...
When you have devices (dac, amp, whatever) that have no discernible distortion what is the point “improving”? Your point regarding functionality is well taken.
Tks
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Well the point of improvement is two fold. The first is that improvement in one area, usually comes by way of improving many other facets. So for instance if I see something like 120dB SINAD at 4v output, to me this isn't interesting anymore even as a spectator looking at what engineers are able to do and at a seemingly impressive pace over a few years. What's more interesting now, is seeing 50mV output reaching nearly CD quality dynamic range (95dB I believe is the current recorded top performer, this I feel is far more rare than 2v/4v SINAD which I don't care for since I don't come remotely close to those levels of output anyway). But because I never see this sort of performance from devices with low SINAD, I have to assume having lots of top-end SINAD performance is required if you're going to have a device with good low level output performance anyway to some degree. This becomes even more of something to think about if you have multiple devices in a stack.
So other than that, there really is no point. I think professionals are being straight scammed by not having their devices perform as some of the newest desktop consumer devices. I imagine if an AP 555x was allowed to measure final output of a signal being recorded in a studio, it would be pretty bad in terms of results. So for them this I suppose would be something they should be demanding due to how many chained devices they have. Especially in the electrically busy environments they work in.
In general the question about why constantly keep improving if things are good enough? Well one day, a company like Apple comes along and says they want a wireless IEM that maintains the sound quality Apple users have learned to expect from their iPod days. Now all of a sudden you have engineers that need to figure out how to get audibly transparent sound performance, into a form factor they never thought they would have to. But also make it energy efficient and not something that works like a Class A amp serving as an ear heater.
Another reason to consider as to "why keep improving" is best served to actual companies themselves. But to me, this is simple. They're competing for things they assume people care about. And there is a lot of mindshare you leave on the table if you're making a device that someone knows could have been better engineered. And of course the R&D lessons learned. And lastly, it almost seems inhuman to say "yeah, I'm done with all progress on everything that is good enough". That's just boring I suppose from a human nature standpoint.
At some point, though, as far as hearing ability goes, there's no point in trying to improve measured specs anymore, stellar as they are. Any improvement in electrical specs will no longer be audible. The race has been won. You're over the finish line. You can stop running now.
My journey in audio started with visiting audiophile websites and old school audio shops. Early on I became a little obsessed with obtaining what I thought sounded like my perfect system, and as such, I was experimenting with a lot of highly reviewed (subjectively) gear that ultimately disappointed shortly after getting home.
In the end, I did find something I was happy with for my budget at the time from my own subjective listening. One of those components wasn't so highly regarded on audiophile websites, but to me it sounded better than 'highly reviewed' options in the same price range.
A few years ago I relocated. I needed a new sound system, so attempted to replicate my old system as much as I could. The brands that I knew back in the UK were far more expensive and out of my budget at the time here, so I ended up auditioning products I that I could find reviews for.
As I grew older and my budget increased, I got the itch to 'upgrade'. I always assumed audio equipment performance would scale with price, and I never once considered that companies would sell something if they don't yield an improvement in audio. Luckily at this point I stumbled across ASR and my mind was opened.
I always assumed that I could hear differences between things like DACs, then a member here taught me how to do fair blind test between 2 dacs that I thought I heard a difference with. I had a friend help me with it, and low and behold, when properly level matched, I could not tell the 2 dacs apart.
Since then I've settled on well measured hardware that has the functionally I need and at this stage I doubt I'll have any itch to upgrade hardware unless there is a large shift in the market in terms of audio consumption that I'm aligned with. The exception right now being that I am in the process of replacing my speakers, however the main reason was for aesthetics rather than upgrading (however measurement wise I believe they will be an upgrade).
I don't post here much, but I learned a lot about how my brain is fooling me, and that there is a lot of snake oil in the audiophile business. It's taught me to become more savvy, ultimately save money and be more content and happy with what I have.
The drama here can be somewhat entertaining to watch sometimes here too...
It shows that how to deal with proper arguments. Like when i was about to appear in IBPS Clerk exam in Banagalore India. Then I think surely they will ask me about "Why" do you want to get this job and that time I join Prasad's Academy to this answer. But after this type of answer i think i also i have to say that "Why Not"The question ”Why?” was the single question on a philosophical exam test conducted many years ago. While many students wrote page after page, the only one that got highest point left the test after 3 minutes. The answer?
Why not?
(OT: could not resist)
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Killingbeans
Major Contributor
Understanding audio reproduction in enough detail to one day being able to design, manufacture and sell no-nonsense audio products.
At the moment, yes. Don't have neither the seed- nor the start-up capital.
Always. Except on the days where my possessions stress me out and I just want to sell everything and live in a tent.
Yes... but will I?
Because I say so
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