I'm pretty sure it was JA at Stereophile who used to always use the phrase "musically there was more there, there" usually when describing vinyl versus CD. That phrase used to drive me NUTS and make me roll my eyes!
Funny you should mention that, since just a couple of days ago I was reading a Floyd Toole post at AVSForum.com about how CR's methods were not good at all, and in fact yielded almost exactly the opposite results as the National Research Center (Canada) results! He said some CR engineers came to a meeting and he talked to them about this...and CR stopped testing speakers some time after that. Speakers are too idiosyncratic, you really cannot test and rate them the way CR likes to do. At low price points, you are picking your preferred coloration. At higher prices, less coloration but still individual sound.
Hey, can I mention "Digital Ready"? And "Perfect Sound Forever"? Oh! Almost forgot "High Definition" and "HD"
6 moons - DeVore Gibbon 8 “Until you fire 'em up, that is. And even here I'm not certain. The less experienced audiophile may well overlook the forest for the trees. He's more likely to hunt still for attributes - quantifiable short-list contenders to cross off his list, things to point out to himself and buddies. Items that cash out with pride and thus refer back to their owner. Demonstrable "proof" that you've done good; acquired the in-thing. Here, let me demonstrate. Can you believe that bass? Those propulsive dynamics? The sheer speed of my transients? The endless decay trails that my system now finally produces?” So, inexperienced listeners may think they suck.
If I read another eff'ing review that mentions "blacker backgrounds" and "gets out of the way" so help me..... I didn't pay for the dang thing to "get out of the way" I paid for it to do something!
this is the opposite but thought it was similar and opposite to all this...i was looking for some info on the varieties of 6L6GC RCA tubes and came across this post on a forum: Looks like a greyplate double-ring to me. Not that it matters, however. Those "apparently wonderful features" are simply the stuff of legend amongst audiophools and their slightly more philistinic brethren of the onstage screech-and-tub-thump set. The general superstition amongst these goobers is that such inconsequential minutiae as "black plate, DD side-mounted getters" ad nauseum make for a wildly superior sort of tube, with a likewise wildly superior sort of "sound." Such notions nowadays carry the weight of tribal superstitions among Neanderthals (which is none too far off the mark, at that!). The truth is that none of these clowns could tell the difference between the sound of one 6L6GC and any other 6L6GC in a blindfold test. If you don't believe it, challenge them and see how fast they back away. One thing I must grant them, however. They have succeeded in driving prices of their favorite trinkets completely beyond reason. If you care to market that tube, deference to the audiotribal superstitions may, therefore, net you a handsome profit. Ridiculous, hahaha
I'm going to back @comet on this one. I know that in some DIY kits, how you orient that transformers and chokes relative to each other can make substantial differences in hum, etc.
I love those reviews of small bookshelf speakers when the reviewer starts looking around for the hidden subwoofer. What is interesting is that this is very common. It seems that reviewers are very impressionable people.
‘I’d forgotten just how good that really is!’ So.....I guess his current system was a downgrade from his earlier setup, and now he's just getting everything back to the level he enjoyed before?
I have been really enjoying this thread. What I resent about some of this overblown hyperbole is how it affected my pursuit of this hobby. It is my own fault to a large degree. I would read this stuff in the 70's and 80's and it would send my BS meters off the scales. I was fresh out of college and money was tight. I'd figure if you have to reset to this level of silliness to describe a product, the differences must simply reside in the reviewers brain. As soon as the gear would be described as fruity, or nosey or any other terms that made me think I had picked up a wine magazine by mistake, my eyes would glaze over and I would cease taking the product very seriously. It was as if they were trying to make you feel good about yourself to get you to part with your money. For me this meant resisting spending more money on better gear, because at some point it seemed like more BS than audible improvements. I should have just trusted my own ears and not be put off by the flowery BS being spread in these reviews. Instead I figured I'd save my money and save my time auditioning this magical gear. This was a mistake. For many years I was in maintenance mode: replacing gear in kind not looking to improve. With my return to vinyl and getting a turntable that was a huge jump in price and quality level, I have learned that there are audible differences and I should let my own ears tell me what is good or bad. It is more important what comes into my ears, than what comes out of these reviewer's mouth or some lower orifice on their backside.
I'll have to find my listing of the M&K Direct to Disc Flamenco Fever that I sold several years ago. I think you'll find it amusing. It sold for fair coin to Asia- now it's worth even three times more- but it was one of those legendary audiophile show pieces that had virtually no redeeming value. Give me a minute. BTW, I did write a parody review template a few weeks ago, but it is so stupid I didn't post it. I guess I should get a job or something... Found the record description when I sold it on e-Bay: "I bought this record new, at Tower in New York. It was probably played once back in the day and has been languishing in my large record collection since then. The jacket is excellent except for a small corner crumple in the lower left corner, the vinyl appears as new, with original liner and M&K literature. Given its apparent value, and its lack of any redeeming musical value- except to insane audiophiles who want to hear what it sounds like to have some one dance on your head, it's now for sale."
Bill, that’s a hoot! Although I tend to agree with your musical description, I think the value of that album lies in the amazing SQ that it gives one. There are actually few demo discs that do feature great sound and great music, this happpens to be one that is lacking a little in the music department, otoh...if you were an avid flamenco lover, maybe you might think the music was great also? How many truly awesome sounding LP’s can you name that feature demo SQ and music that is superb...at the same time...not too many I would venture.
