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RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?

Posted by waj4all (A) on February 23, 2011 at 14:51:48

In Reply to: RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site? posted by Gag Halfrunt on February 23, 2011 at 10:34:19:

My Gosh! GAG HALFRUNT. Am I misreading your tone? Or is it that you're venting anger at something you've imagined. You've obviously visited my little web-site at the URL below. And you've obviously taken offence to my criticism of the mainstream audio magazines in one of the articles there. However, I fail to see why.

Despite your venomous response, it seems we both agree, for the most part. You describe today's audio mags - the likes of TAS and Stereophile - as follows: "They are a shadow of their former selves and have grown tired and tiresome, dreary and decadent" 'Dreary' and 'decadent', 'tired' and 'tiresome'; that's even more extreme than my own characterization of them. So what is the basis of your disagreement?

"If it weren't for the likes of TAS and Stereophile, tubes and turntables would have died off long ago. Until they lost momentum, those mags stopped audio from becoming a footnote to the Walkman" Again, those are your words and, again, we have no major disagreement, except for the fact that I'd ascribe more of the credit to those enthusiasts and manufacturers (eg Linn and ARC) who persevered in the face of adversity. TAS and Stereophile were 'underground' mags, at the time (not mainstream) and they championed the cause of these enthusiasts and manufacturers by highlighting the virtues of tubes and turntables, at the time.(So far as I'm concerned, Stereophiles founder, J. Gordon Holt, is an icon, the likes of which does not exist today, in terms of honest and unbiased reporting in the mainstream audio-press).

However mainstream mags, at the time led by Stereo Review, pushed views along the lines of; 'all components are equal', and actively undermined tubes, turntables, reel2reel and other components. There's no denying this fact, or the fact of their detrement to the hifi-community. (For example, r2r is virtually dead, arguably, because the compact-cassette was pushed - by the press - as a viable alternative. Master-tape capable r2r is recognized as superior to even the most expensive t'table, and is making a come-back in certain circles. Where is the cassette-deck today?). My recognition of TAS, Stereophile, and others as the better alternative, AT THAT TIME, is self-evident in the following quote from the article; "Consequently, I abandoned Stereo Review and gravitated toward such mags as; HiFi News + Record Review, HiFi Today, Practical HiFi (UK) Audio, High Fidelity, Home Theater, The Absolute Sound, Stereophile (US) and anything I could get my hands on....." So how do we differ?

In my article "Audio Magazines' Sinister Practices" my criticism is of mainstream audio-mags, then (Stereo Review, etc.) and now (TAS, Stereophile, etc.) You recognize, as I do, that TAS and Stereophile are now "a shadow of their former selves and have grown tired and tiresome, dreary and decadent", as you put it. So what the ---- is your problem? Be careful, as you run the risk of exposing yourself as miserable, cantankerous and idiotic coot searching for an axe to grind, even where there is none. I trust you're not such a fool. You go so far as to insinuate that I'm a part of some "whiny-old-man chorus". It's not surprising that a man of your, obvious, 'intellegence' would jump to such a conclusion. FYI, I've been actively involved, and an avid reader, concerning all matters hifi since before the age of 11, as the article indicates - do the math. (Obviously you've mistakenly based your estimate of my age merely on my grasp of hifi history). Why is it that some of us, in this hobby, must seek to resort to thinly-disguised insults, and general antagonism - in this case - for no good reason? Why is it that some among us cannot agree to disagree? That is; assuming there is a disagreement, in reality. If you were so offended (in your own imagination) by this article, then load your gun as you read the more controversial, 'From HiFi to High-End: What's Wrong?' Knock yourself out!

You will, of course, understand the lack of an expression of gratitude for a response to my original query. Since you so abruptly brushed aside that issue to launch into an unwarranted personal attack, I'm sure you'll take no offence to any reciprocal discourtesy, on my part. Nevertheless, do have a nice day! WAJ.

• http://wajonaudio.webs.com   (Open in New Window)

Edits: 02/23/11 02/23/11

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