To pick just one area listed by 'Axon' - i.e "5. A bunch of people at an AES convention in 1991 tried to get the high-end cable industry collectively dragged out and shot, or something like that."
To engineers, steeped in conventional electronic theories, other people claiming that they can 'hear' different cables give different sounds appears nonsensical, particularly when it can be a half a metre (20 inches !!!!!) length of cable being listened to Conventional electronic theory dictates that any changes to an audio signal that (might) occur along a half metre (20 inches) of cable would be so insignificant that no one, no human being, could possibly hear any changes, let alone describe those changes in the way people do - greater height, greater depth, greater width, better separation of instruments and so on. Now, if those same people described hearing changes in different cables ONE MILE LONG, then the conventional engineers would concede that, yes, people might be able to hear the effect of different 'losses on the line'. But, cables half a metre long 'sounding different' - NO WAY !!! End of discussion. And, as for suggesting that there can be directionality in wires - better hide behind the parapets !!
If those same conventional engineers had NEVER had the experience of hearing different short lengths of different cables give different sounds then, of course, they can easily dismiss (and do - aggressively) others experiences.
This leads me to another aspect of some of the replies on Prop Head Plaza.
Some people appear to resent being given examples of past conflicts of past controversy from the history of various sciences. But, the examples are given, not because of those particular sciences but because the examples illustrate, so clearly, the reactions of many of the human beings involved at that time in history and they illustrate the difficulties some people have in coming to terms with new discoveries.
ALL is NOT known about everything - in any age, in any era !!! There are still discoveries to be made !!
So, the examples of the reactions to such as Dr Joseph Lister (Germs in the air concept) and Dr John Snow (cholera is spread by contaminated water and not by the foul air) are highly relevant - even today.
But, for the people involved 100 years ago, merely being told about the new concepts was not sufficient - to understand more fully people had to be aware of the background, to know the story as to why those particularly concepts emerged in the face of the contradictory beliefs held by the majority of that time. Some people were interested enough to do their own experiments, to try to get to know the background story, others just dismissed the new concepts out of hand !! Sorry, correction, 'dismissed' is too weak a word - "attacked and ridiculed" are much better descriptions of some peoples reactions !!
Now to the thorny subject of 'threads' being relegated to what has been called the "Isolation Ward".
I can fully understand when certain people wish to discuss a subject from a purely technical base. I can fully understand that such as motor cycle enthusiasts want to discuss technical aspects of motor cycles and do not wish their debates to be interspersed with such as food recipes !! And, as such, I would fully respect their wishes - except when they choose to extend their discussions to which are the best transport/motorway eateries !!
But, from what I have observed on reading the many postings on Prop Head Plaza, the 'technical' people do not choose to restrict THEIR discussions to purely technical aspects.
Yes, they start by discussing such as the technical pros and cons of circuit design and the technical pros and cons of electronic components but they THEMSELVES do not stay within those restrictions - they then wish to expand the discussion on HOW these circuits and HOW these components SOUND (or should sound) !! Which then brings in many, many more people who wish to contribute to this expanded discussion. People who have identical technical expertise but who also have an opinion and expertise on how the circuits and components SOUND, plus people who have a basic technical understanding of the discussions but who also have an opinion and expertise on how the circuits and components SOUND, plus people who wish to bring THEIR knowledge and experience on how circuits and components SOUND, even if they are only the audio equipment consumer !!!
Let me give a hypothetical example to illustrate what I mean. As I say, I have observed that some people resent references to the blinkered approach of some scientists throughout the past history of science but the references ARE entirely relevant - not because of the various sciences involved but because they illustrate how the human beings involved can react to new discoveries.
Let us go back 100 years to when the belief structure of the medical profession was that the micro-organisms which caused septicaemia were 'in the patients own bad blood' - that it was up to pure chance whether the patient developed septicaemia or not !!
Let us imagine that there existed, at that time, the Internet and an Internet site called Medical Asylum with a separate section headed Prop Head Plaza. That various skilled surgeons and doctors wished to discuss the technical aspects of any advances in carrying out operations and have discussions on who manufactured the sharpest surgical instruments. So far, so good - others would not have any desire to join these (technical) discussions. But, these skilled surgeons and doctors now choose to extend their discussion to the area of patient survival rates. This now opens up a whole new area of discussion - a discussion area where many, many more people would wish to participate. Where many more members of the medical profession would have similar technical expertise as the surgeons but who also have considerable experience and knowledge of patient survival rates. Plus many other people without the technical expertise of the surgeons but with extensive experience and knowledge regarding patient survival, plus the very patients themselves and THEIR experiences !! ALL would have valuable contributions to make to the discussions - particularly those familiar with Joseph Lister's (then) revolutionary concept that the micro-organisms which caused septicaemia were "In the Air" and familiar with his recommendations for using antiseptic techniques when carrying out operations and antiseptic gauzes for applying to open wounds !!
Imagine now the discussions which followed being eventually relegated to an "Isolation Ward" section.
What would the reason be for such a relegation ? If the subject of patient survival rates is brought into the discussion, then the discussion cannot concentrate any more on the purely technical aspects of surgical operations and surgical instruments. The subject of patient survival rates becomes as serious a contribution to the discussion as the surgical skills - even though there may not be any available technical proof to substantiate people's experiences !! In exactly the same way, when the subject of what audio circuits and components and audio equipment SOUND like, then the discussion can no longer concentrate purely on the technical aspects of circuit design and components. Getting the very best SOUND from the audio equipment is as serious a contribution to the discussion as the technical aspects of circuit design and component design.
If the "Isolation Ward" means 'isolation from general discussion', why would one want to 'isolate' discussion on 'patient survival rates' or, similarly, why would one want to 'isolate' discussion of how things 'sound' ?
Is AES really as John Curl suggests ? - to quote
>>> "Also, they won't let anything that has not been 'proven' by an ABX test be published in the Journal these days. It is mostly a waste of time for real design engineers." <<<
Is it another version of "Isolation Ward" but under the banner heading of Audio Engineering Society ?
Regards,
May Belt.