Ron's Favorite Private Rooms + Systems of All Time

[morricab]

Yes, this is substantially what I have in mind. Putting it slightly differently, I think these would be considered top rooms for most tastes -- or top rooms regardless of particular tastes.

You wrote that they are Six favorite private systems. Does this mean they are not YOUR favorite private systems? If they are, then what is this about top rooms for most tastes? Why are you tailoring your favorites to what you think others might like? Either they are your favorites and there is nary a planar in sight, or it is not your favorites but something tailored to appeal to what you think WBF members will like? Very strange...

 

[Blue58]

And Barry's Duos and Marc's Zus, both rated by Marc.

Is that a good thing?

 

[PeterA]

Six (6) favorite private rooms + systems of all time as of March 18, 2024, in no particular order:

Now it is clear why you omitted the word “my“ from this declaration.

Ron, on what do you base your theory that most audio files would like these rooms?

 

[bonzo75]

Yes, this is substantially what I have in mind. Putting it slightly differently, I think these would be considered top rooms for most tastes -- or top rooms regardless of particular tastes.

Ok, kind of like XVX, M9, the top YG, Cessaro Zeta, trios, are top speakers.

or dCS Apex, Wadax, MSB Select II, Horizon, Total dac's top model, are all top dacs

Mayer, Dagostino, Wavac, Boulder, are all top amps

And so on...

 

[morricab]

Now it is clear why you omitted the word “my“ from this declaration.

Ron, on what do you base your theory that most audio files would like these rooms?

yes, but then favorite for whom if not Ron, who was the poster of said "favorites"? How can they be WBF favorites when most members haven't heard most of the other WBF members systems? IMO, then it HAS to be Ron's personal favorites of private rooms he has heard or they are NO ONE's favorites.

 

[PeterA]

yes, but then favorite for whom if not Ron, who was the poster of said "favorites"? How can they be WBF favorites when most members haven't heard most of the other WBF members systems? IMO, then it HAS to be Ron's personal favorites of private rooms he has heard or they are NO ONE's favorites.

Ron is very deliberate and precise with his language. Always has been. This is a theoretical combination of what he likes and what he thinks others like. I think it is an official WBF favorites list. These are the contributing members with main stream commercial brands that support the Highest End industry. This forum is about what is best. Here is the list. This is like Stereophile’s A+ list. Ron is website co-owner, audio show reporter, reviewer, interviewer, and now dealer. He is in a position to represent WBF and present such a declaration.

 

[Al M.]

yes, but then favorite for whom if not Ron, who was the poster of said "favorites"? How can they be WBF favorites when most members haven't heard most of the other WBF members systems? IMO, then it HAS to be Ron's personal favorites of private rooms he has heard or they are NO ONE's favorites.

I think you nailed it, Brad.

While "favorite" can mean something not entirely personal,



in this case it has to be. Since, as you say, most WBF members have not heard these rooms, they cannot be "a favorite" (as in the above suggested dictionary definition), but must be "Ron's favorite". Ironically, Ron got it right in the thread title, but then apparently changed the definition to encompass something broader, which in this case is simply not applicable.

 

[morricab]

Ron is very deliberate and precise with his language. Always has been. This is a theoretical combination of what he likes and what he thinks others like. I think it is an official WBF favorites list. These are the contributing members with main stream commercial brands that support the hi-fi industry. This is like Stereophile’s A+ list. Ron is website co-owner, audio show reporter, reviewer, interviewer, and now dealer. He is in a position to represent WBF and present such a declaration.

Sorry Peter, this makes no sense whatsoever. See Al's post above about what the word favorite means. Just because Ron is a co-owner doesn't mean he gets to speak for the forum as a whole...no one can do that. Ron can only speak for his own favorites...and if those systems listed are really not his personal favorites then it is a rather nonsensical list...

 

[bonzo75]

Sorry Peter, this makes no sense whatsoever. See Al's post above about what the word favorite means. Just because Ron is a co-owner doesn't mean he gets to speak for the forum as a whole...no one can do that. Ron can only speak for his own favorites...and if those systems listed are really not his personal favorites then it is a rather nonsensical list...

Peter is being sarcastic, and I appreciate his prose here. He is saying Ron is coming up with a magazine's A+ list to appeal to a broad group spending on this hobby.

 

[adyc]

I think all you guys are taking it too seriously.

 

[PeterA]

Sorry Peter, this makes no sense whatsoever. See Al's post above about what the word favorite means. Just because Ron is a co-owner doesn't mean he gets to speak for the forum as a whole...no one can do that. Ron can only speak for his own favorites...and if those systems listed are really not his personal favorites then it is a rather nonsensical list...

I agree with all of this Brad you make a very good point and Bonzo and Al seem to agree as well. We are all on the same page. The point I am making it slightly different. Ron is an authority now. He has a voice and represents his business. This is his declaration and it is a theory among many which he has in his own mind. It is the classic Resnickian approach presented in his unique style. I agree with you guys. It is completely nonsensical.

 

[PeterA]

Peter is being sarcastic, and I appreciate his prose here. He is saying Ron is coming up with a magazine's A+ list to appeal to a broad group spending on this hobby.

Not only that. WBF has gone from a pure hobbyist chat room to a supporter and player in the industry with commercial interests. This has been a slow evolution but it is picking up steam. This is not a criticism, it is just an observation of where we are now and where the forum is going. Ron is learning to tread the line between casual hobby exchange of information with his business interests. It is normal and is expected.

 

[Al M.]

I think all you guys are taking it too seriously.

Language matters.

 

[adyc]

Not only that. WBF has gone from a pure hobbyist chat room to a supporter and player in the industry with commercial interests. This has been a slow evolution but it is picking up steam. This is not a criticism, it is just an observation of where we are now and where the forum is going. Ron is learning to tread the line between casual hobby exchange of information with his business interests. It is normal and is expected.

I think this change is good. I come here because this site is the best site for product knowledge and support. Taiko server is the classic example. Dava cartridge is also another good example. There are no other forums have such rich knowledge. Favourite rooms or natural sound threads are just entertainment.

 

[Al M.]

Peter is being sarcastic, and I appreciate his prose here. He is saying Ron is coming up with a magazine's A+ list to appeal to a broad group spending on this hobby.

Then, in analogy to those A+ lists, it should be "best" rooms, not "favorite" rooms. Ron could explain why he finds those rooms "best", with everybody's understanding that, as always, these assessments are subjective. As are those in any A+ lists, in magazines or elsewhere.

 

[PeterA]

I think this change is good. I come here because this site is the best site for product knowledge and support. Taiko server is the classic example. Dava cartridge is also another good example. There are no other forums have such rich knowledge. Favourite rooms or natural sound threads are just entertainment.

I do not disagree. It’s a business and it’s a place where people come for information. What Ron is doing supports all of that. Including the show reports and interviews and YouTube presence. It is growing the WBF brand and supporting the main stream audio industry. Ron wrote an essay about the balance he is trying to achieve.

 

[bonzo75]

I think all you guys are taking it too seriously.

Obviously, it's audio

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I do not disagree. It’s a business and it’s a place where people come for information. What Ron is doing supports all of that. Including the show reports and interviews and YouTube presence. It is growing the WBF brand and supporting the main stream audio industry. Ron wrote an essay about the balance he is trying to achieve.

Obviously, it's audio

Ron's feedback is merely a data point. any room/system feedback is a data point. that is all. you throw it on the pile of other data points, weigh them according to your own prism, and get an idea about things. maybe plan to try to hear them. or decide not to. as far as commerce and the forum perspective it's not any larger or smaller than anyone else's. no one speaks for the forum on reproduction performance.

Ron's more formalized and organized approach to feedback makes it stand out and invites comment. which is fun and interesting and entertaining. reading about Ron's experience at Todd's certainly makes me want to make sure I hear it when I get the chance.

 

[Lagonda]

I agree with all of this Brad you make a very good point and Bonzo and Al seem to agree as well. We are all on the same page. The point I am making it slightly different. Ron is an authority now. He has a voice and represents his business. This is his declaration and it is a theory among many which he has in his own mind. It is the classic Resnickian approach presented in his unique style. I agree with you guys. It is completely nonsensical.

Maybe the list is his true best list, somewhat different from his philosophical "all tubes all planar" best list, changed by reality !

 

[cjfrbw]

Who cares how he chooses his favorites of "OPS" aka Other People's Systems. Spending a couple of weeks with the foreign systems after kicking out the owners might require a revision of the opinion, and nobody can hear everything and hold a valid subjective comparison.

It's a home invasion opinion, and the criterion are flexible. I imagine some people might like an edifice system just because it is so Star Trek, costly and flash and flaps their ear drums like rag dolls compared to their own domestic system.

There can be many pilgrimage systems that can be admired and appreciated for various reasons and motives without necessarily wanting those system as one's own.