Youtuber getting a suite at Rocky Mountain to showcase budget speakers

This guy gets flack for his gopro-on-ranting-weeb schtick but this sounds like an interesting and worthwhile experiment.

He's paying for a suite to showcase budget speakers like Swan and Edifier (and Klipsch? I'm surprised Klipsch can't afford their own room). Of course, there's a gofundme and he's asking some of the manufacturers to help but he's claiming he'll do it regardless of funding.

His intention is to "destroy all the other rooms on price-to-performance".

I've never been to an audiofest and probably never will given where I'm located, but I'm really interested in hearing what you guys think of this, and more importantly, your views post RMAF

 

Or you could just head over to Best Buy.

 

Problem is, even if the room sounds terrible, inexperienced/non-discerning listeners and trolls will claim he succeeded.

 

According to the OP, the YouTuber believes he can set up the room so the sound will better much more expensive gear. Positioning, treatment, and whatever else he can think of will likely be part of the picture. BB doesn't do any of that but I do see your point.

One can purchase a set at BB even randomly, test it in their home, and return them for a full refund if they don't impress.

 

The opposite would also be true. Those who would normally have the ears to admit the experiment proved consumer-level speakers can perform on the same level as much more expensive gear likely wouldn't want to publicly do so either because it'd shatter all preconceptions on the matter or for the potential flack they'd get from others.

 

True.

I recently picked up a mint pair of 40 year old Advents and they embarrass some far pricier speakers that have come through my door.

 

Yes there's Best Buy but I think there's value in putting these side by side. There are many (myself included) who become coloured by brands and marketing and big price tags. Listening to different sets across very different time frames gives someone like me greater reason to stick to my bias. Listening to sets 5 - 10 minutes apart minimises that impact hopefully.

I recall when I did my own initial set audio search, I had great hesitation going with the small brand I ultimately ended up with because I kept doubting my ears as I sat in the chair thinking "There's no way these speakers sound better than the Maggies / ELAC / Focals I heard the other day". I really needed multiple listening sessions with the same brands before I made up my mind. Having them in the same building? Man, I'd have loved that opportunity if I were looking for something

 

What does a room cost?

 

I think he mentions that in the video.

 

Apparently something like $8000 plus travel, shipping the stuff of course, and personal hotel rooms according to the video...

Well... This could be very interesting if he gets the job done. I think it would be nice if the small companies that make inexpensive stuff all chip in a little (he mentions Klipsch, Ohm, Edifier, Swan...) Could be eye-opening for some and rather threatening for the uber high-priced stuff.

Apparently he already has booked Room 9105.

 

Depends on the brand. Branding is part of the sound philosophy behind the products. For instance, nobody would think a Klipsch speaker would ever sound muffled, a Harbeth speaker would have ice-pick high-end, a Cervin-Vega would ever sound neutral, etc. Different brands appeal to different users based on that philosophy. That's where the phrase "house sound" comes from and has context.

Marketing is something people either pay attention to or not but chances are if they're at an audio show, they likely pay at least some attention to it. Whether they have a developed BS filter and/or are able to listen with an open mind is up to the individual. When dealing with a sensory experience, it's difficult for most to be impartial. Nearly impossible for some.

Frankly, biases are there for a reason. Sometimes, it's from experience, other times, only because of what was read by that person time and time again which turns into belief despite the lack of experience. A bias shouldn't be something one is guarded about but rather be open-minded if only to see whether the bias is reinforced or destroyed. That's how we learn, really.

You named 3 extremely different types of speakers and bought a 4th completely different type. It sounds more like you weren't sure (at least, back then) about what it was you truly liked and disliked about speakers' sound. Glad you found the ones you now enjoy but as long as your musical memory is relatively good, remembering how a set of speakers sounded shouldn't be that difficult to do, IMHO.

 

Well said! Precisely why the idea of this guy setting something up at RMAF is so interesting. For someone like me, I think it would be a great eye opener

 

It sounds very interesting. Maybe it'll be a hit and he'll do it at AXPONA next year. The first time I went to AXPONA, one of my favorite rooms was Madisound with a small pair of DIY speakers that sounded fantastic to me.

 

Is this the youtuber that doesn’t like to show his face? If he operates a room at RMAF, we should see plenty of him showing up on YT.

 

I've been thinking more about this and come to the conclusion of why bother spending $8K of his subscriber's money? Why not just rent a couple of white vans, put it in the parking lot at RMAF with the back doors open, and pump out the sound from there?

 

This should be just the thing for all the complainers on here who gripe about the high-end shows (and mags) only being about expensive stuff (this has never been true about Stereophile, and I get sick of them been kicked about it.)

 

I think it's great that the guy is doing this!

Great sound has never been about very expensive gear or company names or creating mystique about luxury products. If the guy is able to create a wonderful sounding room, maybe show off how best to position budget speakers, demonstrate room treatments that work, and provide exposure to companies that otherwise would be under the radar of the the audiophile crowd, then that's good for everyone. (At least good for consumers - it would remind companies that they should compete to achieve better sound at less cost... How novel in this day and age! )

 

Sure sounds like it! Not holding my breath to see a Brad Pitt type though

I've always loved your blog (and audiosciencereview) bucking the Steve Guttenberg style review types. It was your review of the raspberry pi and chromecasts that brought me to your site. Of course, there have been some who have poo-pooed the idea of measurements being the be-all-end-all. I'm hoping this room shows a little of what you've been showing so clearly

 

I would be very interested in hearing ohm Walsh 3000

 

Thanks for the note Xarkkon.

As much as some might want to make audio a kind of mystical pursuit accessible to the initiated (especially those with large bank accounts), it's certainly not like that. The truth is much more democratic than some would like to hear. Especially for modern digital gear!

 

I think this is great, but it will likely backfire.

I remember being at a store a while back and listening to some floorstanders from B&W, Monitor Audio, etc. They all sounded pretty good; good enough to buy. That was until I followed my ears into a room where the music did not seem to be coming from the speakers. Instead, it felt like molecules of sound were playfully tickling my ear drums. I stood there in awe, and I will never forget that moment for as long as I live.

I walked out of the store without purchasing anything. I was delighted and frustrated at the same time.

FYI: those speakers were Dynaudio's flagship; whatever that was at the time. They would be the equivalent of today's Confidence 60. The amps were Bel Cantos and the music was a Whitney Houston CD. I had tears in my eyes.

 

I don't see the point, honestly.

As I mentioned in other threads previously, a lot of "audiophilia" is based on faith and belief. Those who think measurements are all that matters, those who think only a specific brand knows how to do speakers well, those who think high-priced speakers are a scam and $500 ones can hold their own with 50K ones, those who believe there's no way a lower-priced speaker can sound good under any circumstance,... they'll all leave with the same (pre/mis)conceptions.

Very few are able to toss their ego aside and be open-minded enough to allow themselves to be surprised and accept what they're experiencing if it is opposite of what they believe. For that reason, I find this exercise will be a waste of time and money for all involved.

 

Biases are hard to shake off, even for the self aware.

 

What the... Hard to believe in a guy who's too ignorant to afford and use a tripod for a video camera. I think I'm getting seasick.

 

Honestly, I like the idea of it and think that regardless of outcome, this will be a fun experiment. I mean, it's not like we have anything to lose here (except if you are planning on buying tickets just to see his room).

Z is an entertainer and a reviewer. Sometimes it can seem like he biases more in the former. Either way, I think it's fun.