In Reply to: Which do you prefer, Truth or Beauty. posted by HiFi Guy on February 24, 2006 at 10:42:45:
Once subjectivism becomes the standard, there effectively is no standard, every opinion is worth as much as every other opinion and a pocket radio is as valuable as the most elaborate state of the art sound system. From a commercial point of view, this allows for an infinite variety of product each able to claim with equal validity that it is the best. And it lets engineers off the hook by never having their feet held to the fire because they have designed "inaccurate" equipment since one man's intolerable distortion is another's beautiful sound. Of course, based on the cataleptic state of the art which has failed miserably to advance very much in decades, this might be the best course of action to advocate for those who want to stay in business. After all, what other justification can they offer for new products and high prices if they don't have any substantiable claims to more accurately performing models?
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Follow Ups
- There is no point to this hobby if accuracy isn't the ultimate criteria - Soundmind 15:05:36 02/24/06 (36)
- Subjectivism... - mkuller 18:13:21 02/25/06 (0)
- Re: There is no point to this hobby if accuracy isn't the ultimate criteria - kwr 12:26:32 02/25/06 (0)
- The trick is in the interpretation of "accuracy" - E-Stat 16:45:19 02/24/06 (24)
- There is no interpretation, just blind live versus recorded tests - Soundmind 17:37:15 02/24/06 (23)
- Re: There is no interpretation, just blind live versus recorded tests - Todd Krieger 21:12:59 02/24/06 (0)
- you're right about direct accuracy correlations - Sordidman 20:10:14 02/24/06 (2)
- I agree that accuracy is important. - Presto 20:33:21 02/24/06 (1)
- Re: I agree that accuracy is important. - Soundmind 21:05:22 02/24/06 (0)
- This philosophy fringes on extreme idealism I am afraid. - Presto 19:27:39 02/24/06 (12)
- Re: This philosophy fringes on extreme idealism I am afraid. - Soundmind 19:47:09 02/24/06 (11)
- Umm Soundmind is not as far off as some of you folks imply... - RGA 21:22:57 02/25/06 (0)
- I honestly don't think that is what the engineers are trying to do... - Presto 20:24:42 02/24/06 (9)
- The current technology may be entertaining, so were all previous technologies - Soundmind 20:57:15 02/24/06 (8)
- And you call yourself an optimist - Dave Pogue 04:15:42 02/25/06 (7)
- If I weren't, I'd buy the best to be had today resigned that this junk is the best man can make - Soundmind 04:30:19 02/25/06 (6)
- If "optimist" = being full of yourself - Dave Pogue 04:39:02 02/25/06 (5)
- Having read your posts, how could I be otherwise. Just like a plain looking girl feels beautiful next to an ugly crone - Soundmind 04:53:38 02/25/06 (4)
- Grow up - Dave Pogue 05:08:49 02/25/06 (3)
- You first :-) - Soundmind 05:25:30 02/25/06 (2)
- Re: You first :-) - Dave Pogue 05:59:40 02/25/06 (1)
- Mid 1948 - Soundmind 06:05:02 02/25/06 (0)
- Unless of course, you're using AR-3s and Dyna MK III amps capable of fooling the senses :) (nt) - E-Stat 19:20:49 02/24/06 (4)
- One's thing's for sure, Martin Logan Summits and VS VR1s won't fool anyone ;-) nt - Soundmind 19:36:56 02/24/06 (3)
- Wouldn't equalization tame the five frequency sins of the M-L? - E-Stat 07:28:07 02/25/06 (2)
- Only to a limited degree - Soundmind 07:48:21 02/25/06 (1)
- As for me - E-Stat 08:16:02 02/25/06 (1)
- Only the speakers - PabloP 18:16:13 02/24/06 (0)
- what a ridiculous post - newbilong 15:51:51 02/24/06 (7)
- just what I was thinking... - bent 21:03:36 02/24/06 (0)
- we obviously have different hobbies. - Soundmind 17:39:08 02/24/06 (5)
- Re: we obviously have different hobbies. - newbilong 20:32:55 02/25/06 (0)
- Isn't accuracy often out of our control... - 396driver 21:38:59 02/24/06 (3)
- Re: Isn't accuracy often out of our control... - Soundmind 21:47:33 02/24/06 (2)
- Yes, I can agree, but... - 396driver 22:27:28 02/24/06 (1)
- Re: Yes, I can agree, but... - Soundmind 04:22:49 02/25/06 (0)
- "Soundmind, soundbody . . . take your pick." - M3 lover 15:49:09 02/24/06 (0)