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Who will be the next analog GuRu?

107.139.217.246
Posted on December 18, 2021 at 08:46:11
Dale Clark
 Most of the big name turntable/analog reviewers/experts are climbing up the age ladder. I thought Art Dudley would have been a great "go to for Analog" person. However, that is not going to happen. Many of the reviewers we see are more "Andrew Robinson" general electronics types.

Who will be next?

 

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Whoever it is better have a good why vinyl is superior to digital rap. Nt, posted on December 18, 2021 at 16:34:31
geoffkait
 Nt

 

RE: Whoever it is better have a good why vinyl is superior to digital rap. Nt, posted on December 19, 2021 at 05:47:16
Dale Clark
 LOL. It seems all the vinyl/turntable/analog experts are up in years. Quite a few good youtubers however.

 

RE: Whoever it is better have a good why vinyl is superior to digital rap. Nt, posted on December 19, 2021 at 15:32:40
ChesshireCat
Audiophile

Posts: 1672
Location: midwest
Joined: July 5, 2007
 Digital folks will always claim to be superior as will analog folks do the same. It boils down to what is your game plan. We need more than one goto person, as to gain a second or even a third opinion. I think Mr. Freemer is good at his venue; even though I also disagree with him often. Plus he has chased the "holy grail" for what seems like forever, and his equipment is no where close to what his readers are using. Mr Dudley (God bless his soul) was probably the real common sense guy in the bunch. As much as I dislike Thorens anything, I had to applaud him for the rebuild project. His rebuild of the DQ-10 speakers jumped off the page and smacked me in the face. I loved Sam Tellig, and what he said always made sense to me.

Years back I bought a turntable to replace a Music Hall turd on Freemer's recommendation. I have to give the man credit where credit is due. He was spot on! Two or three years later he sorta left me behind, but I also understand where he was going. The rest; I find a little distant to my needs.

gary
Gary

 

RE: Mr. Fremer, posted on December 20, 2021 at 04:31:43
tketcham
Audiophile

Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 I like that Mr. Fremer, even with a vinyl setup that's priced higher than my house and car combined, still appreciates and highlights good gear for the rest of us. He hasn't lost that perspective of the hobby like certain other reviewers.

Tom

 

I would never consider an audio reviewer a Guru, posted on December 20, 2021 at 10:10:39
Analog Scott
Audiophile

Posts: 9933
Joined: January 8, 2002
 In fact the idea of Guru turns my stomach a little bit. I'll settle for reviewers being just what they are, dudes with opinions who get toplaywith gear loaned to them and write about it for audio magazines and webpages.

Keeps it in perspective.

They are generally at their best when they are reporting the factual info on the various products. It's mostly what I want from them at this point anyway.

Oh, and continued advocacy of the medium. I thinkit does help coming from audio reviewers.

 

RE: Mr. Fremer, posted on December 20, 2021 at 15:06:43
ChesshireCat
Audiophile

Posts: 1672
Location: midwest
Joined: July 5, 2007
 well Mike is usually spot on. Yet I think he's kind of pulled away from the vast majority of analog folks. We need another middle of the road guru!

My table is great, and my arm isn't bad. Still I plan on another rewire next year and maybe a second arm if the money shows up. I bought my table on Mikes advice, and literally stole it out of an estate (3 months old). I'll probably die using that table! You can take Mr. Fremer's advice to the bank! (may have to stage a hold up). Sadly; I've yet to find but one phono stage I'm happy with, and it's pretty much junk right now.
gary
Gary

 

Malachi Lui?, posted on December 22, 2021 at 11:24:08
Brian H P
Audiophile

Posts: 1291
Location: Oregon
Joined: December 18, 2012
 Fremer's young protege. He likes horrible music, but seems fairly knowledgeable about turntables.

 

RE: Malachi Lui?, posted on December 22, 2021 at 12:17:15
tketcham
Audiophile

Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 Makes sense if the vinyl revival is to become semi-mainstream again. Vinyl needs a fresh perspective and music to fit the age group.

 

Para-guru?, posted on December 22, 2021 at 12:46:54
tketcham
Audiophile

Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 I think Michael Fremer goes well beyond being just a reviewer who happens to prefer analog playback. Maybe guru is a bit much but he's certainly a dedicated promoter of vinyl records and playback. He's been all over the world promoting vinyl and there are darn few people on this planet with both the background knowledge of the recording artists, and, the experience and understanding he's gained by getting to know the people and processes involved in the business of recording, vinyl production and playback. He's accumulated a lot of knowledge and a lot of great vinyl. He could become a museum when he retires.

 

he is definitely a promoter for vinyl, posted on December 23, 2021 at 02:15:05
Analog Scott
Audiophile

Posts: 9933
Joined: January 8, 2002
 I will give him full credit for that and for being that at a time when the medium was really struggling to stay viable. But there is a big difference between advocacy and expertise. I will even give him credit for *some* expertise on vinyl as well. But I think there is a lot he gets wrong about the medium and audio in general. Some of which is pretty basic stuff.

 

RE: Malachi Lui?, posted on December 23, 2021 at 10:33:27
Andy43
Audiophile

Posts: 295
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Joined: October 14, 2006
 In India, at least, only Hindus can be called Gurus. While I find Fremer to be amusing at times, I don't consider him a "master" in any sense of the word. He can't properly even be called a journalist. Maybe commentator or opinionator?

 

next., posted on December 23, 2021 at 12:40:20
Ralph
Manufacturer

Posts: 4778
Location: Minnesota
Joined: April 24, 2002
 Most of the big name turntable/analog reviewers/experts are climbing up the age ladder.
Well, most of us are. But apparently you know one that isn't? Dead people don't count :)

Have a nice holiday!!

 

RE: Who will be the next analog GuRu?, posted on December 25, 2021 at 18:06:28
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4310
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 Fremer has been great and he came around just when analog needed defending. But it has a large following with tons of gear now. Do we need an analog guru?

 

No we don't, posted on December 25, 2021 at 20:54:17
Analog Scott
Audiophile

Posts: 9933
Joined: January 8, 2002
 I think the medium is better off without messiahs. Yes, I know what I did there. Am I wrong?

 

RE: Malachi Lui?, posted on December 26, 2021 at 07:25:22
Dale Clark
 Nah..I don't think he has it. Just me...I tried to read his reviews...just not for me

 

RE: No we don't, posted on December 26, 2021 at 19:06:38
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4310
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 But we do have uses for knowledgeable real experts.

 

Misused words, posted on December 27, 2021 at 04:26:18
tketcham
Audiophile

Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 Michael Fremer is neither a guru nor a doyen but he's certainly an advocate of renown. :-)

It becomes a whack-a-mole exercise trying correct for every misuse of a word. Take "virtually" as an example.

 

RE: No we don't, posted on December 27, 2021 at 13:42:29
Analog Scott
Audiophile

Posts: 9933
Joined: January 8, 2002
 For sure!

 

RE: Malachi Lui?, posted on January 2, 2022 at 13:33:12
rmilewsk
Audiophile

Posts: 534
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: January 10, 2008
 The audiophile scene needs fresh perspectives and has for decades. It feels more decrepit and out dated every year. I would love to see more young or female reviewers.

 

RE: Who will be the next analog GuRu?, posted on February 3, 2022 at 00:06:24
Krav Maga
Audiophile

Posts: 2356
Location: Texas
Joined: October 19, 2017
 Michael Trei, Sound & Vision reviewer, and iirc, a former TAS contributor. Don't know how old he is.
"All thoughts are prey to some beast" - Bill Callahan

"I'll be your mirror
Reflect what you are" - Lou Reed

"Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein

 

Fremer, posted on February 3, 2022 at 10:03:44
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 668
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
 Fremer, aka "Jason Bergmann", is forever in my mind associated with that strange correspondence with Arthur Salvatore,

MICHAEL FREMER

Very funny. Even John Atkinson must have gotten a chuckle out of that.

Daniel

 

RE: Fremer, posted on February 4, 2022 at 10:24:42
tketcham
Audiophile

Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 That was a fun read. Mr. Fremer isn't always as funny as he tries to be but I do enjoy his humor and regular interjections of self-deprecation, a la "Get over it."

Tom

 

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