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Nothing new for quiet a while. Wondered if anyone knows what might be going on with Arthur.
Follow Ups:
Mr. Salvatore stands out among other reviewers, for me, since he will explore what's inside the box. He is not dazzled by cosmetics and nonsense paragraphs.
Who else in the world of audio would use a JADIS phono preamp taken to its barest minimum, basically a DYNA PAS 3, so he could get the benefit of a power supply he finds to be the most musical? I admire that. That is what a man searching for a music system would do. Not willy nilly inserting various boxes into his system in the vain hope of finding something usable. Salvatore understands SYSTEM. These are superior to collections ...
I do not know anything about Mr. Blume and have never heard a COINCIDENT component but I can see what they are made of and how they are priced. They look like bargains compared to stuff sold in dealers since they are sold direct. This is an obvious thorn in the side of dealers and those who supply them. I have nothing against audio shops and I miss them being around but for most of us the opportunity of getting gear of the quality of COINCIDENT at the price they are sold for is an obvious great benefit.
Salvatore is not one of those who MUST pay the highest possible price for a component to feel it is worthy. I am grateful he has extolled the virtues of COINCIDENT. I am DIYer for the most part. I will never buy many fancy boxes but if I needed a phono amp I know the COINCIDENT would be the first one I would consider since Salvatore says it comes closest to his tweaked ideal. Yes, I wish I knew the details of the JADIS power supply!
The COINCIDENT thing has never bothered me. Certainly doesn't bother me as much as knowing of the permanent loans of expensive equipment in the Pearson household in the old days. Now if something ever looked suspicious ... Nonetheless, I know Pearson would not have used the gear if he did not think it was good. Are people trying to say that Salvatore's friendship with Blume makes him think the COINCIDENT components are better than they are? Well, anything is possible.
Salvatore stands out for me because he not only auditions gear but he tries things to hear what happens. He is the least lazy reviewer the audio world has ever had and I think his love for music is unequaled.
Salvatore's search for good sounding gear is to satisfy a need for good sound in the home not to have the latest box on his shelf. He is passionate about music but dispassionate about gear and that is how it should be.
For my part, I feel warm all over knowing that Arthur is animus free. "Come on people now, love your brother..."
First, to answer the original poster's query, which I appreciate: I have been absent for almost two months due to a family emergency and then immediately later by Hurricane Irma. I have recently posted a review of the Acapella TW 1S Ion Super Tweeter, and I should be back to my normal schedule by the end of October.Now, for the specific reasons for this post:
I rarely reply to ignorant rubbish, such as Charles Hansen's post below (09:08:44 09/18/17), on Audio Asylum or anywhere else, but he has once again used an unrelated and innocent enquiry about me as one more opportunity to not only personally insult me, but to also convert his paranoid fantasies into "historical facts", so I felt a reply to his post was required.
For clarification: Sentences starting and ending with "> > > " are Hansen's original post, while my responses to him are directly below.
> > > In my opinion, Arthur Salvatore is one of those guys who would talk out of both sides of this mouth at the same time. While he would make valid criticisms of the audio press, at the very same time he disguised his quid-pro-quo relationship with Israel Blume of Coincident Technologies.> > >
Correction (Lie) No. 1- There is no "quid-pro-quo" relationship with Israel Blume (another person Hansen is obsessed with), now or ever. Every dealing I have had with him (and every other audio manufacturer for that matter) has been recorded in the "Personal Disclosure" on my website, which has more specific financial clarification about my audio purchases and finances than any other reviewer in history, period.
> > > When Israel purchased the then super hot Ayre C-5xe (all-format disc player that didn't need a monitor to navigate DVD-Audio and had the best sound quality at anything up to twice its price of $5950)> > >
Bullsh*t and Shameless Plug No. 1- What an arrogant opportunist. Hansen has the mendacity to actually claim, in a completely unrelated thread, that his own "super hot" player "had the best sound quality". Not only is Hansen, the manufacturer, the least credible person on the planet to make that claim, it also demonstrates that he will shamelessly use this particular forum, of all places, to promote his components, past and present. (Also, the Ayre C-5xe only played Redbook CDs in the 2007 Digital Shootout, and not SACD or DVD-Audio.)
> > > on accommodation for a friend, Ayre found out about it and demanded he return it, as he violated a written contract by selling to a friend.> > >
Correction No. 2. The "friend" was actually a family member, who was a member of Blume's extended listening group. I have no direct knowledge that a sale between Blume and the "friend" actually ever took place. Second, and much more important to the real issue, Hansen found out about this alleged sale only because the so-called "super hot" Ayre player performed so badly, compared to the direct competition, that the "friend" thought it was actually DEFECTIVE and called Ayre for an explanation! Charles Hansen really has a highly selective memory.
> > > Blume was apparently so offended at being caught breaking a contract, he responded by having Salvatore write a damning review, claiming it was the worst sounding player out of a lot of a dozen or more he tested, and that it was so bad he couldn't believe anybody liked it.> > >
Correction No. 3- I, Arthur Salvatore, did NOT write the review. I only edited it. This was CLEARLY stated in the first sentence of the actual review which Hansen linked to. Here is what is posted at the very top of the review:
"The below essay/survey was mainly written by an associate..."
Yes, Hansen's lying problem may even be "pathological".
> > > In the meantime it was in such high demand that used ones were fetching 88% of the new price ($5250) - if you could even find one.> > >
Correction No. 4- Hansen lives in a true fantasy world. I saw myself one of these models used around the same time in 2007, selling for around 60% of the list price, which means there was a decent demand for it, but it was definitely not "super hot".
> > > It was one of those reviews that causes the reviewer to lose credibility - big time. It's one thing to say that one prefers another player, but to claim the C-5xe "had no redeeming qualities" was such a ludicrous thing that he lost a lot of readers with that one single "review".> > >
Bullsh*t No. 2- Not in the real world. This phrase is how any serious audiophile could honestly describe a component that actually sounded "defective" (on Redbook) compared to the competition.
Now it's my turn to make an uninterrupted reply...
Hansen has made many "ludicrous" charges about Blume and myself in the past, and all of them without even a hint of real evidence. Examples: I supposedly received "kickbacks" and had an imaginary "business" buying and selling components over the Internet with Blume. Hansen even later claimed that Blume could be providing me with "sexual favors" (I assume prostitutes) as payment for my "services". That's how low Hansen has gone in the past, and it's all documented on this website (he later apologized).
Hansen is his own worst enemy. He has actually humiliated himself in public by posting easily disproven lies, spurious charges and assorted bullsh*t, more than once, and now we have the evidence of his most recent letter.
Hansen's recent post could only have been written by someone who is truly frightened by me. I honestly pity Hansen, because all of his suffering is completely unwarranted. I have no "vendetta" or animus towards Hansen, now or in the past, even though he has repeatedly insulted me personally, in public, for 10 years now, simply for posting a single negative review written by my associates in 2007, and nothing else about his company since then.
Further, if a reader of this post is sceptical that I have no lasting animus towards Hansen, well, here's some historical actions on my part that should provide evidence and proof of my claim...
In that exact same 2007 Digital Shoot-out, which so obviously traumatized Hansen, the APL Denon CD player was judged to be the 2nd worst player. The designer of that APL Denon was Alex Peychev, who also personally insulted me at the time. Now imagine Peychev's reaction when a player he built only a few years later, the APL NWO-Master, became my top (Class A) Digital Reference in February 2015!? (See Link below.)
What this specific incident proves is simple; I don't care about audio personalities and/or politics. I review only the component itself, and it doesn't matter to me if the component's source loves me or hates me. This is why I have true "credibility", while Hansen and his "friend", John Atkinson, do not and never will, at least with serious and experienced audiophiles. Example: Any experienced audiophile knows that it's IMPOSSIBLE to have 60+ SIMULTANEOUS "best available" amplifiers, and/or 60+ CONSECUTIVE reviewed components receiving a "Recommendation". By the way...
Hansen's associate, and trusted mutual defender, John Atkinson, another "little man", is also terrified of me. Far worse, Atkinson is a sad and pathetic coward as well (which I can NOT say of Hansen). This degrading description of Atkinson is continually confirmed by his behavior in public.
First, like Hansen, Atkinson can't resist making gratuitous attacks and insults at nearly every mention of my name, on any forum. However, it gets even worse; Atkinson further lowers himself by using both a second party (in this specific instance Robert Deutsch) and now even third parties (Deutsch's unnamed associates) as the secondary and prime sources of the actual pejorative description of me he posted ("crazy"). Why would he do this? Atkinson used this slimy methodology so he could later GUTLESSLY shield himself from any criticism (as he did in this topic!), instead of being direct and responsible for his own actions, like any true adult, even 1/3 his age, is expected to do.
Finally, I would like to end on a positive note and actually thank Charles Hansen! That's right: Thank you, Charles Hansen, for the direct link to the "Digital Shootout of 2007", which is in the same large file as all the other DIGITAL reviews, observations and commentary on my website.
Asylum members who read this digital file will discover that the "Winners" of the 2007 Digital Shootout were later outperformed themselves by other models from other manufacturers, and with no punches pulled in all the various sonic descriptions. Please consider this link as an invitation to compare our direct and detailed reporting to the (everything is "great" and "Recommended") results routinely found in Stereophile for the last 25+ years. (Readers can also discover why I admire the APL NWO-Master digital player, and learn about my earlier negative history with its designer, which is all reported in detail.)
Audio is ultimately about music and components and it should always be a fun and positive experience in the long run. The negatives of audio are all about "politics", greed and fear, which should be avoided and/or ignored. This is actually easy to accomplish, because the "audio politicians" always expose themselves, as they have in this thread.
Edits: 10/07/17
I have no idea as to the validity of the comments made by the various players in this saga, but I do note that Mr Salvatore explains that this "family member" called Ayre about a perceived problem with the Ayre C5-xe. I don't know why anyone would delegate a relative to call a manufacturer about a defect, and I would suspect that he admitted to Ayre that he was sold the component in the correspondence or phone call (or taken possession under some arrangement).I would be surprised to learn Ayre's industry accommodation contracts are any different from the norm in the industry (and, for that matter, other industries), which typically state that you cannot re-sell the component in question for 12 months. I know this from personal experience where my career includes stints in two distinct fields and in which both had the same limitation on discounted gear offered to professional associates in the industry.
This would tend to support Charlie Hanson's account of the transaction, although it does not support any claim of a special relationship with Mr Salvatore and Mr Blume, it has to be noted that Mr Salvatore himself does acknowledge an association with the "family member" in question.
Edits: 02/21/18
Looks like no one saw your post until it was flagged as "new" content on your ranting website. How crazily ironic that you decided to use Charles Hansen's words to fortify your bizarre obsession with Stereophile.
And regardless of the details of the Hansen-Blume disagreement, it is clear that there were bad feelings between the two. How convenient that Blume anonymously "reviewed" the Ayre and declared it the worst sounding of the bunch - and *you* published this agenda-filled tripe!
"It was badly lacking in detail and transparency as well as being dynamically anemic. Instruments were threadbare and lifeless. Soundstage was truncated as if all the music emanated out of a cardboard tube. Three words describe the sonics of the Ayre- Bland, bland, bland."
I have only heard a couple of the other players included in the shootout and haven't directly compared any of them. But I have heard many systems and components at shows, at dealers, and in friends living rooms. I can confidently say that the Ayre, which has been widely acclaimed by the press on at least 3 continents as well as many consumers as reported on the forums, sounds nothing like your "associate" (LOL) described. It would be one thing if he reported he preferred the others but these words do not credibly describe the Ayre's performance.
Nice hatchet job, Blume/Salvatore!
The above post is pathetic. It even uses "lol" as a heading!? A sad reminder: The discussion concerns a man who has just recently DIED, Charles Hansen. Hansen confessed his highly critical thoughts about Stereophile, and its reviewers, just before he died. Hansen's final thoughts confirmed mine, which is the only relevant fact, with anything else being a distraction. However, the above member shamefully considers all of these events to be simply hilarious. This member then goes on to further expose his true character, ignorance and duplicity...
This member's post is filled with blatant lies, which has sadly become normal for many Stereophile defenders. Yes "lies", because the historical facts of the "Ayre Digital Shoot-Out Incident" are now well known and documented, and this member has deliberately ignored and misrepresented them in the above post.
1. The Ayre Shoot-Out was a GROUP effort of 4 or more people, and not just Blume. In fact, the listener who was the most critical of the Ayre was NOT Blume, but instead another associate who even directly contacted Ayre because he felt that their player actually sounded "defective" (by comparison).
2. It was I who initiated the "2007 Digital Shoot-Out" article, and again NOT ("agenda-filled") Blume. In truth, Blume was originally even reluctant to take the extensive time and effort to organize all the findings and then write the original draft, but I talked him into it, thus repudiating this member's "quid-pro-quo" Blume/Hansen revenge fantasy.3. My "Bizarre Obsession with Stereophile"? I initiated articles in 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2009, plus some updates and replies. So, in the last 14 years I have initiated only one new article about Stereophile. Meanwhile, during this same period, Stereophile's employees, and a sad group of its dead-end defenders (such as this member), have personally attacked me on COUNTLESS occasions, on Audio Asylum and elsewhere. It's all on the record, so who of us is actually "obsessed"?
Further absurdities: This member freely admits he "only heard a couple of the other players in the shootout and hasn't directly compared any of them". Ergo, any personal opinion this member has about the players' relative merits is meaningless and irrelevant. The member also deeply cares that the Ayre was "widely acclaimed by the press", as if the "audio press" is some sort of authoritative voice. The experiences and observations of numerous serious audiophiles, for many decades, confirm that this belief is total nonsense. In contrast...
The listening group who made the direct comparative tests posted on my website used at least three high-resolution systems. They were all highly experienced listeners. The contemporary "audio press", which this member so highly regards, rarely, IF EVER, conducts similar direct comparative tests, with unambiguous results. Why not? Because they want to avoid all the inevitable consequences when they disappoint and upset "the losers" (confirmed by the raw hatred I have received, in public, for the last decade).Maybe worst of all is the timing of this member's reply to my post. My post originated on October 6, 2017. This member replied to my post on February 8, 2018, more than FOUR MONTHS LATER! The only reason I even discovered the member's reply is because I updated my original article on Charles Hansen, due to a recent thread, and had to make certain that all of the associated links still worked properly.
From my perspective, only a coward would post such rubbish, knowing the odds of it ever being noticed at this late date were remote, and even then using a moniker for further protection. This member's cowardice is not surprising or unprecedented. It is consistent with the past cowardly actions of Wes Phillips and John Atkinson, which I have previously documented. Even as an extreme audiophile myself, I still confess that I don't understand why these people would feel the small and insular world of audio is so important that they would humiliate themselves, in public, for such minor ego rewards.
In the end, I pity this member. This member appears to be highly insecure, and obviously feels some strong need to hero worship and loyally defend some arbitrary group of chosen "audio heroes". They don't deserve such tribute, period, if anyone in our audio world ever did.
This reply was highly unpleasant for me to compose, but I would like to close on a positive note as always. This member has provided me an opportunity to post a link to the "2018 Addendum" of my earlier article on "Charles Hansen's Final Posts on Audio Asylum". (See below.) So, Thank You!
Edits: 02/25/18
If you watch the A.A. Classified you may also have noticed the ad for a
"Forsell Air Reference Air Bearing Turntable and Tonearm"
being listed over and over and over and over and over......
And over....
By Arthur Salvatore. At the same price.
For something like THREE YEARS..
I guess the asking price is FIRM? LOL
After three years one would think they would figure out if they ever want to actually sell it, they need to lower the price.
Particularly since it has been in storage for a very long time.
Any way.. Want to contact Arthur? reply to the ad.
> Nothing new for quite a while.
I can only assume this is because Stereophile hasn't done anything to upset
"Crazy Arthur" (as he is known in Toronto) in a long while :-)
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile
Edits: 09/18/17
"I am the god of hell fire..."
I'm sure even JA would concede with a chuckle that Arthur Salvatore had Michael Fremer (aka "Jason Bergmann") nailed dead to rights in this exchange :-)Daniel
Edits: 09/18/17 09/18/17
What a total waist of time and energy, for one I think Arther is or has been jealous because he is NOT "real reviewer" but wants to be to get all the perks that all the reviewers get.
I mean who cares there is corruption under the table stuff going on at every level in everywhere possible business field this is NOT something new folks! ....either you are lucky enough to be "part of the group" or not!
Mr Fremer is at least very colorful character!
Lawrence
So what seperates him from other audiophiles?
Since that observation came from editor of Stereophile, one would assume that publication finds my question humorous.
Frankly, my question was genuine.
If Stereophile has nothing to contribute, please don't contribute.
While I don't always agree with Arthur Salvatore's assessments of equipment, I have found much of his writing to be useful.
I wish I could say the same about Stereophile.
> Since that observation came from editor of Stereophile, one would assume
> that publication finds my question humorous.
I find Arthur Salvatore's writings humorous.
> If Stereophile has nothing to contribute, please don't contribute.
Perhaps I should ask your permission before posting? No, I don't think so :-)
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile
My suggestion that if you did not have a substantive answer to my simple question, you should not clutter the thread with thinly veiled attacks on either Arthur Salvator or me is perfectly valid.
That you chose to view that suggestion as questioning your right to post is interesting.
I agree, while not 100% accurate, Arthur was not afraid to try to get to the heart of matters and often did just that.
Nothing crazy about him other than he has a strong disdain for the established audio media, which is no doubt what prompted JA's attempted smear (yes, referring to someone as "Crazy Arthur" is a smear unless from a close friend to a close friend as a term of endearment...otherwise calling someone crazy is an insult). He, IMO, rightly concluded that many of the reviewers were serving the interests of industry rather than their readers.
His reference list was always interesting as much for what it didn't contain as what it did...it was incomplete as all our experiences are but it wsa genuine (although I do have some doubts regarding the emergence of the Coincident Tech amps popping to the top of his lists given his friendship with Israel Blume)
Regardless, there is much valuable advice on that site from a lifelong audiophile who also had pretty good ears. Taken more as a blog charting his path rather than definitive statements is the best way to read it.
In my opinion, Arthur Salvatore is one of those guys who would talk out of both sides of this mouth at the same time.
While he would make valid criticisms of the audio press, at the very same time he disguised his quid-pro-quo relationship with Israel Blume of Coincident Technologies.
When Israel purchased the then super hot Ayre C-5xe (all-format disc player that didn't need a monitor to navigate DVD-Audio and had the best sound quality at anything up to twice its price of $5950) on accommodation for a friend, Ayre found out about it and demanded he return it, as he violated a written contract by selling to a friend.
Blume was apparently so offended at being caught breaking a contract, he responded by having Salvatore write a damning review, claiming it was the worst sounding player out of a lot of a dozen or more he tested, and that it was so bad he couldn't believe anybody liked it. In the meantime it was in such high demand that used ones were fetching 88% of the new price ($5250) - if you could even find one.
It was one of those reviews that causes the reviewer to lose credibility - big time. It's one thing to say that one prefers another player, but to claim the C-5xe "had no redeeming qualities" was such a ludicrous thing that he lost a lot of readers with that one single "review".
Israel Blume and Arthur Salvatore are two guys I have zero respect for. YMMV.
or a chip on your shoulder?
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
If the tap at the end of your name is for a keg of beer, perhaps you should close it?
> > If Stereophile has nothing to contribute, please don't contribute. < <
Are you the moderator?
Jim Austin
Why not ask him directly?
Mr. Salvatore charges $10.00 for responses to questions.
it would seem.
nothing i hope.
...regards...tr
Nt
Don't know who he is but someone by that name has several vacuum tubes for sale on the Asylum Trader.
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