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Joke's on Stereophile

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Posted on April 19, 2017 at 07:27:30
Ozzie
Audiophile

Posts: 3817
Joined: August 1, 2002
Late last week I got the latest issue of Stereophile. On the cover: "THE MARK LEVINSON No. 526."

Hmmm. I recall back in the 90s a person at a Stereophile show asked Mark if he was Mark Levinson, as in the guy with his name on all of those amps. At the time Mark was demoing his new Cello brand, so there may have been some confusion. With maybe 6 of us in the room Mark replied 'I am THE MARK LEVINSON." Oddly later on there was mention of this event in the pages of Stereophile.

Yesterday the latest TAS arrived, with three more Legends of Hi Fi, and who do I see on page 24? THE MARK LEVINSON. Was this a coincidence? Industry collusion? Or ultimately a joke on Stereophile as the only magazine that truly did have THE Mark Levinson in their issue was TAS?

 

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Pretty weak, posted on April 19, 2017 at 09:03:54
hawkmoon
Audiophile

Posts: 903
Location: cleveland
Joined: July 11, 2003
NT

 

RE: Joke's on Stereophile, posted on April 19, 2017 at 11:48:59
BubbaMike
Audiophile

Posts: 650
Location: Left Coast of the USA
Joined: January 4, 2002
Besides the point on top of your head, what's your point?


When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it. ~ Bernard Bailey

 

What are you talking about? nt, posted on April 19, 2017 at 14:48:00
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000

Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

Huh?, posted on April 19, 2017 at 16:22:58
Alex F.
Audiophile

Posts: 877
Location: Florida
Joined: February 29, 2004
Collusion? A joke on Stereophile? I have no idea what you are trying to say.

 

RE: Joke's on Stereophile, posted on April 19, 2017 at 16:37:04
hesson11
Audiophile

Posts: 2281
Location: Florida
Joined: December 8, 2005
I'm not sure what your point is, or if there even is one. In any case, when two industry mags, in the same month, both mention the name of one of THE leading figures in the entire history of the industry, it's really not much of a coincidence. Much less a joke. Not much difference between that and both "Time" and "Newsweek" mentioning Donald Trump in the same month.

But, hey, since this section of the website might as well be re-named "Let's take lame-ass potshots at Stereophile," what's one more pointless drive-by?
-Bob

 

None of you..., posted on April 19, 2017 at 16:44:38
Ozzie
Audiophile

Posts: 3817
Joined: August 1, 2002
likely got the title of one of Corey Greenberg's articles way back when either: "Go Nad." Sheesh, get a sense of humor.

 

Audiophiles have historically NO sense of humor online. It is a curse..., posted on April 19, 2017 at 20:22:58
I do not know if it is a genetic condition.. Where folks who like high quality playback.. the same gene? for music appreciation denies them any sense of humor, and incapable of spotting irony and sarcasm, when the are reading.
It really is a mystery.

 

I get it! , posted on April 19, 2017 at 20:24:18
MannyE
Audiophile

Posts: 2088
Location: Miami Beach
Joined: March 4, 2001
But I mean... it's a super private joke right? The only people that would get it are the ones that were there and the ones that are close friends or colleagues of those that were there...

BUT! For those that were there and get it, it's super funny.

So I guess it's one of those, "You had to be there" type of things.

But yeah... get a sense of humor guys. Sheesh.

 

RE: Audiophiles have historically NO sense of humor online. It is a curse..., posted on April 19, 2017 at 20:25:44
MannyE
Audiophile

Posts: 2088
Location: Miami Beach
Joined: March 4, 2001
I don't know what you're talking about. You can't even add.

3+4=7

 

Nah,, probably just a typo, posted on April 20, 2017 at 04:06:44
No one's had a sense of humor at TAS since Scot Markwell left 20 years ago.

 

Too bad, posted on April 20, 2017 at 09:21:42
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 668
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
High end audio cries out for humour. There should be more reviews like Art Dudley's one about the battery powered cables:

AudioQuest Cheetah interconnects & Mont Blanc speaker cables

I miss Sam Tellig, Sam could be very funny.

Daniel

 

RE: Too bad, posted on April 20, 2017 at 10:42:02
TubeDriver
Audiophile

Posts: 794
Location: East Coast
Joined: February 16, 2007
Three things struck me as I read that article:

1) Yes, more audio writers should express their sense of humor like AD.

2) Looks at AD's system in 2004 and think about what he uses now. The evolution of our systems over time can be more interesting than what someone is currently using.

3) If MontBlanc actually made speaker cables, I bet they would look really nice!

 

Too true..., posted on April 20, 2017 at 18:34:27
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
...back in the old days AHC once wrote a Star Trek take-off review.

And I recall an exchange by the commenter and reviewer over a loudspeaker review that included, "You ignorant slut!"

Not any more.

 

My favorite, posted on April 21, 2017 at 06:49:03
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37666
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
was a funny reference found in HP's review of the Hill Plasmatronic. While he liked the tweeter, he found the midrange honky sounding.

It was something to the effect of "the obnoxious honking (My Heart Goes Where the Wild Goose Goes)..."

Naturally, Dr. Hill was not amused. :)

 

RE: Audiophiles have historically NO sense of humor online. It is a curse..., posted on April 21, 2017 at 10:33:34
Bill the K
Audiophile

Posts: 8385
Joined: June 3, 2006

Very sharp observation. Audiophiles cant even find the meaning behind 3 plus 4 being 5. Afterall 3^+ 4^= 5^

Bill

 

For what it's worth ..., posted on April 21, 2017 at 10:35:52
... I've written a Stereophile review, forthcoming, that's about death. :-)

 

Does this mean JA has a sense of humor after all?, posted on April 21, 2017 at 16:25:50
I've been working on an article about Gremlins in your system. Did you know they are actual Gremlins?

 

I would say ..., posted on April 21, 2017 at 16:33:04
... that he has an excellent sense of humor.

 

RE: I would say ..., posted on April 21, 2017 at 17:08:15
John Atkinson
Reviewer

Posts: 4045
Location: New York
Joined: November 24, 2003
>... that he has an excellent sense of humor.

Thanks Jim, but my children would disagree. When I attempt to be humorous
around the dinner table, they give me a withering look and say "What have
we told told you about 'Dad jokes'?" :-)

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

RE: I would say ..., posted on April 21, 2017 at 17:15:58
double28
Audiophile

Posts: 3235
Location: Greensboro, NC
Joined: February 20, 2008
"withering".... that is so UK... LOL. Should be an SAT word. Keep up the good work Dad!
Been there and done that with my now grow kids. Now I know the official definition of "that" look.

Will

 

In my experience ... , posted on April 21, 2017 at 17:27:37
... withering looks are par for the course when it comes to children. No doubt I gave my own father some withering looks.

 

True 'dat. , posted on April 22, 2017 at 07:27:51
-æ-
Bored Member

Posts: 788
Joined: May 9, 2013
Contributor
  Since:
March 1, 1999
He was a hoot to work with!

If you aren't quite noticing or accepting what is really going on in the present,
but are responding based on your thoughts or feelings about what ought to be,
then you are apt to collide with what is really going on.

 

RE: My favorite, posted on April 22, 2017 at 07:30:44
I loved HP's one sentence reviews. The first thing Harry taught me about writing was to always be concise and nobody did it better than the founder of TAS.

:-)

 

RE: True 'dat. , posted on April 22, 2017 at 08:03:34
As we were sitting down to breakfast shortly before CES 2000 was set to open, Scot leaned over and warned me to never look Valin directly in the eye. Seventeen years later I'm still laughing.

 

"Plainly a piece of shit", posted on April 22, 2017 at 09:54:13
1973shovel
Audiophile

Posts: 10117
Location: Greenville SC
Joined: February 25, 2007
HP's review, in its entirety, of The Whisker record cleaner.

The Abso!ute Sound #6, page 164

 

RE: My favorite, posted on April 22, 2017 at 09:57:51
bjh
Audiophile

Posts: 18614
Location: Ontario
Joined: November 22, 2003
"The first thing Harry taught me about writing was to always be concise and nobody did it better than the founder of TAS."

The practice however apparently eludes you.


 

LOL, posted on April 22, 2017 at 12:01:05
Thanks! My issues of TAS don't go quite that far back.

I only wrote under HP for a year but what a year it was. Some of the 2 or 3 word emails he sent were hilarious.

 

You're welcome, posted on April 22, 2017 at 17:35:16
1973shovel
Audiophile

Posts: 10117
Location: Greenville SC
Joined: February 25, 2007
I've never forgotten that capsule review of The Whisker, probably because my dealer (hi-fi, not the other kind) was selling them. I took a friend along during one visit to let him see what "high end" was all about.

He brought along his beloved Stanley Clarke LP, and the salesman cleaned it on the Whisker prior to playing it. I saw my friend at work a few days later and he was complaining about how noisy his LP now was.

Your TAS issues probably stretch a lot further forward than mine do. I think I have the first fourteen issues (the first eight in TAS binders) after which I stopped subscribing. This young man's fancy turned to thoughts of motorcycles, and also the component prices were becoming out of my reach at the time.

I didn't really start paying attention to hi-fi again until about twelve years later, after my divorce.

 

that's about death, posted on April 23, 2017 at 11:27:39
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 668
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
Interesting. Are there notes between the blackness? No notes at all?

Daniel

 

Big Fellas, posted on April 23, 2017 at 19:43:14
Des
Audiophile

Posts: 2110
Location: Great Barrier Reef
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Contributor
  Since:
August 2, 2000
Like Scotty are always a shining light and cheerful --even in the face of adversity --much prefer their company and fun rather then the thin lipped beanstalks that think the world owes them a living
and blame you for it.

think about it

Des

 

Mind if I ask, posted on April 27, 2017 at 09:10:53
Other than Mark Levinson, who were the other two legends in Hi Fi?

 

Being nasty, posted on April 28, 2017 at 07:51:20
lancelot
Audiophile

Posts: 1722
Joined: March 23, 2001

unfortunately, comes too easily to you.

 

If you don't have anything nice to say ..., posted on April 28, 2017 at 09:56:52
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 668
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
you can come to AA and say it.

 

Marantz and, posted on April 28, 2017 at 17:16:20
-æ-
Bored Member

Posts: 788
Joined: May 9, 2013
Contributor
  Since:
March 1, 1999
Van Alstine.

If you aren't quite noticing or accepting what is really going on in the present,
but are responding based on your thoughts or feelings about what ought to be,
then you are apt to collide with what is really going on.

 

Thanks, posted on April 28, 2017 at 18:19:38
I thought John Curl would be in this issue and so did he. I guess I'll have to watch for him in an upcoming issue of TAS.

I've been trying to renew my digital subscription to TAS but their website will no longer take my password. Think they're trying to tell me something?

 

RE: Joke's on Stereophile, posted on May 2, 2017 at 15:56:19
John Atkinson
Reviewer

Posts: 4045
Location: New York
Joined: November 24, 2003
>Was this a coincidence? Industry collusion? Or ultimately a joke on
>Stereophile?

You want jokes on Stereophile? Click on the linked article. :-)

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

They should stick with, posted on May 4, 2017 at 06:31:32
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37666
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
their day jobs. :)

 

C'mon now, posted on May 4, 2017 at 18:30:41
What could be funnier than your handmade, vintage amp going up in flames on Christmas day?

I'd be curious if the amp survived or has been repaired?

 

Apparently..., posted on May 4, 2017 at 18:52:18
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
...you watched much more of that than I could.

While it was good to put a face with Herb Reichert's strange writing, I agree with E-stat.

 

RE: I would say ..., posted on May 4, 2017 at 21:07:26
Bill the K
Audiophile

Posts: 8385
Joined: June 3, 2006

I got those looks from the children but never from my grandchildren. Future of humour is bright, JA.

Cheers
Bill

 

Tough crowd!, posted on May 5, 2017 at 03:28:05
hawkmoon
Audiophile

Posts: 903
Location: cleveland
Joined: July 11, 2003
Nt

 

RE: C'mon now, posted on May 5, 2017 at 05:35:21
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37666
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
Guttenberg got his joke bass ackwards - and still didn't get it!

 

RE: Joke's on Stereophile, posted on May 5, 2017 at 05:43:29
BillH
Audiophile

Posts: 3913
Location: Baton Rouge
Joined: December 23, 1999
Oh wow, those Class A stories crack me up every time!

 

RE: C'mon now, posted on May 5, 2017 at 08:05:08
"Guttenberg got his joke bass ackwards - and still didn't get it! "

Now THAT was funny!

 

Class A stories?, posted on May 5, 2017 at 20:35:24
What am I missing? No worries with my amp. I keep a fire extinguisher strapped to my listening chair at all times :-)

 

Bass ackwards, posted on May 8, 2017 at 16:14:24
It don't matter. Either way, it's funny, 'cause it's one designer of bad speakers talking with another designer of bad speakers, making fun of each other or themselves.

:)

 

RE: Bass ackwards, posted on May 11, 2017 at 13:45:56
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37666
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
Whenever the owner of the hi-fi shop I used to frequent/later work at would say "Bose", it was with a continuous lateral motion of his head from side to side. :)

 

People actually dwell on this stuff? (nt), posted on May 20, 2017 at 04:33:54
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
.
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

audiophilia is a first world problem. We have plenty of time to dwell.. LOL nt, posted on May 24, 2017 at 09:55:58
.

 

RE: Huh?, posted on June 1, 2017 at 21:09:44
Waynefi
Audiophile

Posts: 167
Location: Northern Ohio
Joined: April 7, 2003
Alex, trying to track you down about your old comments on the MAC 6300 on here and on Karma.

Would you mind emailing me.

thanks, wayne

 

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