Herb's hypocracy

Critic's Corner

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I've been reading through the latest Stereophile. Herb Reichart's article about the Salt Cellar System is very niche but interesting even though Herb concludes that "today's audio technology, both recording and playback is walking a dead-end path".
We've read similar sentiments from Art "audio engineering hasn't advanced in the last 30 years" Dudley so no great suprise but is it really insight to suggest that accountants and advertising executives are keeping the greater public from what they want - huge mono horn systems to listen to jazz and blues. Really?
Herb also writes "many of today's audiophiles think audio is a numbers game. They discredit direct experience and deny the concretness of observation and memory. Instead of listening and trusting their impressions, they block them out with graphs and numbers". Hold that thought while we forward through the issue to a review of the Quad Artera Solus integrated amp/CD player/USB DAC by Herb Reichart. Dac duties are carried out by an ESS chip that, like many, offers several digital filter responses. Herb tried them all and found each to have a distinct character - "The Fast filter was my clear favorite; however, I am annoyed that modern digital engineers expect me to choose among four very different- sounding outputs. Why do they do this? I perceive this as evidence that digital is designed by numbers, not by listening".
Hang on, Herb, if it was designed by numbers surely there would be only one filter, the one that measures best. Instead you got three extra, including the one you liked best and that one does not measure well. So was it chosen by the numbers or was it included by the designers after listening and trusting their impressions?

Regards,
13DoW

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Herbie's Audio Lab

Topic - Herb's hypocracy - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 23:38:34 02/18/20 (11)

Caps, resistors, wire, etc., certainly are better now - Jay Buridan 11:46:00 02/20/20 (1)

capacitors, generally, yes... - mhardy6647 15:58:07 02/23/20 (0)

The anacrophiles have a place in our hobby....it's just not at my table. nt - viridian 10:35:08 02/19/20 (0)

RE: Herb's hypocracy - stellavox 05:10:31 02/19/20 (3)

RE: Herb's hypocracy - Steve O 05:56:22 02/19/20 (2)

RE: Herb's hypocracy - stellavox 03:13:07 02/21/20 (1)

RE: Herb's hypocracy - Steve O 13:37:53 02/21/20 (0)

RE: Herb's hypocracy - PAR 01:34:43 02/19/20 (3)

Correct - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 13:46:14 02/19/20 (1)

RE: Correct - cawson@onetel.com 06:26:23 03/02/20 (0)

RE: I think your assessment... - acres verde 09:43:20 02/19/20 (0)

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