Audiophile Societies - A True Story

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
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La Jolla, Calif USA
The problem is that it's not always easy to do your own research for "caveat emptor".

It's not always easy to know that the volume has been raised a bit in order to make things sound better (in fact, I have been fooling myself too about volume levels, even when diligently trying to volume match! -- I don't think I am the only one). But that is a rather simple example compared to something like MQA, for instance. It took a bunch of experts on Computer Audiophile and a blogger named Archimago to expose the technically quite intricate scam, which is obviously not about sound quality but about digital rights management and the associated stream of money (yes, some might still think MQA sounds better, but that is not because it is, but because it introduces pleasant euphonic distortions or because the particular mastering listened to is better).

Of course, the whole MQA episode now leaves 'esteemed' writers like John Atkinson and Robert Harley, who had praised in into the Heavens, embarrassed, with their pants down (even if they won't concede that). I think it's a shame, frankly, that they failed miserably on MQA without asking the tough questions, because otherwise I often find Harley in particular a good reviewer/writer.

Yet how would the non-technical consumer know?

So anyone who exposes deceit gets my up vote.

+1000

I actually got fooled into thinking that MQA was a great platform myself. At the demo I heard, the SQ with MQA was better, but the demo was shall we say- 'gamed' --even though I don't think the exhibitor who put on the demo was fully aware of that!! ( IF I give him the benefit of the doubt, which in his case, I do). Nonetheless, the whole affair has left a very bad taste in my mouth for MQA..and one that would have been a lot worse IF I had actually opened my wallet to support that drivel. :mad:
 

KeithR

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May 7, 2010
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for the technical types - why did I measure two power cords with pink noise and they were 1db apart? I admit my "microphone" was a simple ipad.
 

microstrip

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Al M.

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microstrip

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honestly, multiple audiophiles noticed the volume difference.

i ditched my Radio Shack meter several years ago.

I always say that a hand held sound meter is source of erroneous conclusions. People should get a tripod - even at the risk of being asked to take photos at the session.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Dear Al,

Were you to converge on any faith-based congregation, health-food shop, gym, mental-health practitioner, motivational speaker conference, wedding chapel or simply the home of any average person watching the news or posting on Facebook, I think you would perhaps find that lies and snake oil are not only consumed by billions each week, but are done so willingly, and often at very little detriment to their overall quality of life.

Happiness and "the truth" often have little if anything to do with one another.

Best,

853guy

You know I like your writing and in general life I largely agree with your post. But in the narrow audio context of this thread, I think your statement proves too much.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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. . .

People believe in extraterrestrials. People believe in UFOs. People believe in gods. People believe in vampires. People believe in four leaf clovers. People believe in love at first sight. People believe in Santa. People believe in moon landing conspiracies. People believe in jars of magic stones that increase soundstage palpability and midrange bloom. All despite the fact no such robust scientific evidence exists whatsoever.

. . .

Do you consider yourself a pure empiricist, in that you believe that no knowledge can be inferred or deduced, and that nothing can be established as true or factual, unless it is derived from your sense-based experience or from objective scientific observation or measurement?
 

KeithR

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May 7, 2010
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I always say that a hand held sound meter is source of erroneous conclusions. People should get a tripod - even at the risk of being asked to take photos at the session.

for a decibel meter?

we aren't talking room frequency response. I've never heard of anyone using REW or something to measure sound level.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
I do not think it is "fair game" to intentionally deceive at any time.

A1

* I'm reading smart comments in this thread.
___

Edit: I just found out that Dr. Mark Waldrep is a member here.
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/member.php?1581-Dr-AIX

I'm going to take a chance, and send him a PM. That would be a great bonus, something new, to hear more in the here from the doctor himself. It is sent but Mark has no activity, so I'm not sure he'll get the PM.
An email would have better chance.
___

I just checked for Robert H. Levi
https://m.facebook.com/laocas/photos/bob-levi-president-los-angeles/1176960529015549/
http://www.laocas.com/officers.html
 
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cjfrbw

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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There is often an elaborate relationship between the con artist and the mark. The con artist provides fantasy and an appealing mythology, the mark consumes it in exchange for financial support of the con artist. Placebo effects are rampant.

There is a very old con, which is a variation of the now standard ‘Nigerian’ con, that has persisted from the 1800’s. It is the ‘Sir Francis Drake” con. Basically, people are contacted and told they are distant relatives of Sir Francis Drake. They are told that Drake left vast fortunes in England and even Europe that are being held hostage by government agencies and legal process, but their ‘inheritance’ is close to being released but requires subscription costs to pay the expenses. The con artist, of course, becomes quite wealthy, with his only participation the ongoing nourishment of the con and the dazzled expectations of the subscribers, often for decades.

The ‘subscribers’ become so wrapped up in the anticipation, the feeling that they are a part of history, and will soon become wealthy that the delusion becomes necessary to their mental health and world outlook. The con artists become like high bishops of a church, and play their role to the hilt to the point of regarding the con as an entitlement providing a service.

Authorities who bust the scam are amazed when the ‘subscribers’ refuse to give up the belief system and insist they be put in touch with the ‘new’ CEO of the scam so they can continue their subscriptions.

It is probably futile to try to wake up the various subscribers of audio myths. They have had peak experiences, and they think that magic boxes and wires will preserve these experiences in amber, and there is no shortage of sales people eager to take their money. You mix it up with the artisan and veblens ‘status, peacocking and prestige’ stuff, and it is a market with subscribers and providers, with the providers making hay as long as they can cater to the belief systems.

If somebody wants to ‘believe’ that a $17000 power cable will assure their peak audio experience and give them bragging rights, I suppose let them be happy. When they are 90 and shower money on a 21 year old bimbo, they might be able to believe that she really, really loves them.

It probably comes down to the observation that ANY belief system that engenders organized behavior with rules in people and establishes roles and hierarchies can be quite powerful, even if based on ‘false’ premises. The co-operative advantage to the population exceeds any random disadvantage to individuals.

I don't think I want to waste my time 'waking up' members of audio cons any more than I want to attack any kind of cult belief.

I do remember an audio demonstration at a high end parlor, where some guy would come in during the playback and put pieces of wood he was selling on little shelfs around the room, and then declare loudly "Can you hear the difference?" with a sheiss eating grin on his face. After a couple of rounds of his doing this, removing and replacing these pieces, I solemnly wanted to strangle him to death.
 

twitch

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2010
594
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SE Pa
It's always fun when audiophiles scratch each others' eyes out. It's like a handbag fight at Macy's, or a pie fight with tuxedos. Every time somebody retreats to the intellectual high ground *SPLAT*.

LOL........ audiophiles, strange indeed !
 

Empirical Audio

Industry Expert
Oct 12, 2017
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Great Pacific Northwest
www.empiricalaudio.com
for the technical types - why did I measure two power cords with pink noise and they were 1db apart? I admit my "microphone" was a simple ipad.

I modeled and measured 30 feet of ROMEX and 6 feet of stranded copper rubber power cord. They had exactly the same inductance. Adding this power cord to the circuit is like adding 30 more feet of ROMEX. This is why a good power cord is necessary. Making a cord flexible can have detrimental effects on the inductance.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

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