How much do you value audio buddy feedback and criticism?

ack

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This is a wide question: how much do you care for your buddies' feedback and criticism? Granted, they don't necessarily listen to your music and they don't have the same preferences and references, but more or less, do they know what they are talking about, and roughly how much of their feedback ends up having you improve your system?

Do you even invite criticism or just push back against just about everything they say - do you just know it all and consider yourself a "very stable [audio] genius"?

-ack
 

Rodney Gold

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Jan 29, 2014
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A good question...

I have a lot of diverse audio folk visit me to listen to my system...

I really only get valuable feedback from my long time audio pals

The arb ones that come to visit once or twice just to hear ...never criticize..its all oooh and ahhhs ... the criticism comes when they leave and the daggers are plunged in your back ...

Kinda like "that was the worst midrange and bass I heard , my bose radio clock does better." or " he must be insane to spend all that dosh on speakers etc" (says the guy who just spent $100k on a car he will keep 2 years and take a bath on) I ignore that type of negative criticism much like im not swayed by overly effusive praise

My core of audiophile pals who visit often are a very valuable asset .. folk to bounce ideas off , who help you find your way when lost , who ground you , who are technically very knowledgeable and have no wish to stab you in the back and want the best for you and your system
, who have similar systems , who knows your musical taste , who have been with you thru system evolution and so on.
When they speak , I listen...
 

Al M.

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- do you just know it all and consider yourself a "very stable [audio] genius"?

-ack

ROFL! Fitting the news of the day.
 

RogerD

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May 23, 2010
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My core of audiophile pals who visit often are a very valuable asset .. folk to bounce ideas off , who help you find your way when lost , who ground you , who are technically very knowledgeable and have no wish to stab you in the back and want the best for you and your system
, who have similar systems , who knows your musical taste , who have been with you thru system evolution and so on.
When they speak , I listen...

You are very lucky to have such good friends.
 

ack

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Rodney, great response, thanks. Al, I couldn't resist
 

DaveyF

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Jul 31, 2010
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I think having an a’phile buddy to give you a second opinion is very useful! So much so, that only recently I made a significant change in my system based on what one good buddy had suggested. Listening for oneself and getting too tied up in your gears ability, really in most cases isn’t the very best option...imho. A second set of ears ( prerefaby a good set) is truly important...and I think those that can take advantage of this are indeed lucky.
 

caesar

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May 30, 2010
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This is a wide question: how much do you care for your buddies' feedback and criticism? Granted, they don't necessarily listen to your music and they don't have the same preferences and references, but more or less, do they know what they are talking about, and roughly how much of their feedback ends up having you improve your system?

Do you even invite criticism or just push back against just about everything they say - do you just know it all and consider yourself a "very stable [audio] genius"?

-ack

Great question! A few thoughts jump to mind:

- Do they share your tastes, preferences, and philosophy?
- Have they been out and about, and have broad experience?
- Do you have any previous history with any of their recommendations?

It all depends on the questions above. I have found that some people are arrogant and confident because they really have a great ear and deep experience. And others are just arrogant idiots. If they share your tastes, you can really leverage their experiences and recommendations.
 

NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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That is a very interesting question, and the number of answers will vary as much as there are music critics giving their opinion. ...And as much as there are various setups.

An artist, a musician, a painter, a film lover and critic, an audiophile, a music lover, ...will generally get positive comments from the people who have an intimate affinity to his/her art.
A master is one who encourages free expression in the creative arts.
Each master has more or less his/her own set of foundations from experienced learnings and teachings.

The art of music listening is similar to a painter, s sculptor, a surgeon, a musician, a filmmaker, a photographer, a fashion designer, an architect, ... some structures of solidity remain, pleasant results, preferred variations, intimate understanding, private respect, honest love, ...

The critic is also an artist in his own creative art of criticism.

Each painting, each film music score, each reproduced song/musical piece, ... from each environment, in different time frames, setups, ...project various emotions from different set of ears and eyes.

The emotional intensity of the audiophile will be affected by various critic's comments, positive, negative and neutral. The music playing is the same, the emotional level can be fine-tuned by the surroundings, and the people inside those surroundings.

This is only a simple view, a series of thoughts; it is complex.
What I think briefly is the accommodation, the affinity we have with other emotional souls of our art.
In that perspective I highly value criticism. It is advancing evolution for the better.

It's a very good question, again. It's like soul searching in the passions we all have...here the mastering art of music calibration.

I could write an encyclopedia about it, but I just won't.
 

NorthStar

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Folsom

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The more the better. But I have a stake in it, since I work on making the stuff.
 

Pb Blimp

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I am clearly not a genius or stable but for me it's kind of the same as women and pizza. I gotta pick my own favorites.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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This is a wide question: how much do you care for your buddies' feedback and criticism? Granted, they don't necessarily listen to your music and they don't have the same preferences and references, but more or less, do they know what they are talking about, and roughly how much of their feedback ends up having you improve your system?

Do you even invite criticism or just push back against just about everything they say - do you just know it all and consider yourself a "very stable [audio] genius"?

-ack

Nice OP, Ack. You asked five questions, the last of which is a topical partisan political jab, so I'll answer the first four.

1. How much do you care for your buddies' feedback and criticism?

It depends. Some buddies have good experience with systems, they know how to listen, and they are quite thoughtful in their critics. I often invite them over, ask for their opinions, and listen to them. I've learned a lot from these guys over the years. Some buddies are more narrow minded and base their opinions more on the technology, generalizations and what they've read than on what they hear, so I pay less attention to their opinions.

2. Granted, they don't necessarily listen to your music and they don't have the same preferences and references, but more or less, do they know what they are talking about?

Most of my audio buddies know what they are talking about, but some of their their tastes and preferences are so different from mine that their opinions, though interesting, are not so useful.

3. Roughly how much of their feedback ends up having you improve your system?

Roughly, 10%, give or take. Sometimes, that 10% is very important, sometimes, not so much.

4. Do you even invite criticism or just push back against just about everything they say?

I always invite criticism, and I usually appreciate by buddies' candor. Sometimes it is offered as constructive, and sometimes it is just a buddy being critical, which is not as helpful or appreciated.

5. Do you just know it all and consider yourself a "very stable [audio] genius"?
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
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Nice OP, Ack. You asked five questions, the last of which is a topical partisan political jab, so I'll answer the first four.

Personally, I have met plenty of "audio geniuses", some with mere sophomoric knowledge of the hobby, if not narcissistic, not unlike politics.
 

PeterA

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Personally, I have met plenty of "audio geniuses", some with mere sophomoric knowledge of the hobby, if not narcissistic, not unlike politics.

The only audio geniuses that I have personally met are Alon Wolf and Jim Smith. I'd also like to meet Nelson Pass one day. None of my audio buddies has the experience and knowledge of those guys, but I have much to learn, and my audio buddies have opinions worth hearing. We also have a blast simply getting together and listening to music. I am about to leave for just such a gathering this afternoon. We plan to compare three different tube amplifiers in a digital sourced system. Considering that my system is SS and vinyl, I look very forward to learning something new and sharing my listening impressions with my host. It is always fun to hear new gear in a familiar system and to discuss the results.
 

JackD201

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I'm no masochist. When I'm stumped and need help, I ask for it.
 

Pb Blimp

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I'm no masochist. When I'm stumped and need help, I ask for it.

Jack, I agree with this comment but respectfully isn't seeking technical help different than trusting your ears about what sounds good to you?
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
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Jack, I agree with this comment but respectfully isn't seeking technical help different than trusting your ears about what sounds good to you?

In my case it is when I can't get to where I want to go. So I guess it counts.
 

jeff1225

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Jan 29, 2012
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I have a lot of friends that are music lovers but are not audiophiles. I value their opinion because they don't care about the brands or how much something costs, they just care about the sound.
 

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