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Re: That is the problem, too much

I've apparently been operating under the misunderstand for some time that the purpose of audio websites was to talk. Unfortunately, as a lay person, talk is about all I have to contribute. I certainly would not want my posts to further impede the progress of knowledge in the audio world (sarcasm clearly intended).

The problem, from my perspective, is that the audio world seems largely divided into two camps, naysayers and yeasayers, and the attitude of each camp is you are either for us or against us – no in between allowed. I see that problem reflected both here and over at AR.

Unfortunately, that presents some problems for those of us who think we see problems with both camp. My experience and personal impression is that when a question is raised regarding a possible problem with some aspect to the views of a particular side, the person raising the issue is immediately seen as the enemy and is responded to accordingly. That is, the response is either one of lecturing the questioner with the full and complete dogma of the particular side to which the question was directed, or, attempting to discredit the questioner. Seldom does the specific question ever get addressed or dealt with in any reasonable manner, at least in my experience.

As I see, it there are many issues of disagreement in the audio world that seem like they could be discussed in rational, technical terms – issues such as sonic differences between cables and components, SACD vs. DVD-A vs. redbook, tubes vs. solid state, digital vs. analog, planar speakers vs. cone speakers vs. horn speakers, moving magnet cartridges vs. moving coil cartridges, linear tracking arms vs. pivoted arms, vacuum tables vs. non-vacuum tables, use of equalizers, value of electronic room correction, up-sampling vs. non up-sampling, triodes vs. pentodes, the value and limitations of DBTs, proper protocol and statistical analysis for DBTs, switching power supplies vs. standard supplies vs. battery supplies, value of power line conditioners, value of vibration isolation devices, single CD players vs. transport-DAC separates, quantum theory vs. classic theory, and many others I’m sure I have not thought of.

Some of these issues don’t carry a lot of emotional baggage, but many seem to, and one better be prepared to choose sides and hope that he can shout louder and longer than those on the other side of the issue.

Perhaps my view on this is way off. I hope so. Otherwise this forum will simply be nothing more than a mudslinging arena.



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