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Meet the Writers/ Absolute Sound

72.224.232.198
Posted on January 15, 2021 at 09:11:15
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 899
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi,
After my gripe with Absolute Sound and it's subscription ways I did get my January issue and have February too. If any of you have the January issue,I have my own issue. It's with Meet the Writers.
I like Robert Harley.A few years ago I had a problem with the mail and I wrote to Absolute Sound. A few days later I received a surprise package with about 3 issues of Absolute Sound I missed and a special note from Robert Hartley...that was class...to me.
In his lead off interview in Meet the Writers page 16 he mentions a book Hi Fi Loudspeakers and Enclosures that he and his brother learned from in their youth.I have that book too.It's been like a Bible too me.Now I'm going to put what I learned from that book to use.....
Now go to page 20, writer Jacob Heilbrunn.Look at that picture of his sound room.In a red colored caption under the picture Jacob states; Like not a few audiophiles,I want it all- coherence,defination,transparency,dynamics,and fine detail.When I look at his picture I think he forgot imaging.
Why are the Wilson flagship speakers, if thats what they are not in the corners of the room and what are in the corners.The Wilsons don't look like they need any help there.Is this Absolute Sound or Absolute Show?
When you spend more on a lighting system than I did for my Heathkit AA-32 and it's not aiming at any valuable artwork it becomes the Absolute Show to me.
I guess what I'm getting at is,and I ask all of you not just Robert Hartley...Wasn't the hobby more fun with Abe Cohen's speaker book and that old Heathkit?....take care,,,,Mark Korda

 

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Jacob Heilbrunn, posted on January 15, 2021 at 11:24:49
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 571
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
 Agree about Robert Harley.

Jacob Heilbrunn is not a reviewer. He's a writer of marketing material of other forms.

For example, about the Nordost QKore system, he writes, "The benefits a silkier presentation and blacker backgrounds were immediately audible" and then "To my surprise, Nordost hasn't stopped there." Now, no reviewer in any discipline - cars, cameras, whatever - would ever write "To my surprise, [substitute manufacturer] hasn't stopped there." But all of Heilbrunn's pieces are like that - full of wonder and delight.

Daniel

 

RE: Meet the Writers/ Absolute Sound, posted on January 15, 2021 at 12:22:21
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 30846
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 Why are the Wilson flagship speakers, if thats what they are not in the corners of the room and what are in the corners.

Don't know about you, but I've always had success overall placing speakers at roughly room dimensional thirds. What you find in the rear (but not in the corners) are subs. Note Dave Wilson installed his speakers.








View YouTube Video

 

RE: Meet the Writers/ Absolute Sound, posted on January 15, 2021 at 17:36:02
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 899
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi E-Stat, I didn't see that they were subs.I've never seen a tall pair . It makes more sense now. Why subs with those speakers I wonder?...Mark

 

I pray that your life--every part of it--will totally lack wonder and delight., posted on January 15, 2021 at 19:17:34
John Marks
Manufacturer

Posts: 6227
Location: Peoples' Democratic Republic of R.I.
Joined: April 23, 2000
 Fair is fair.

jm

 

RE: Meet the Writers/ Absolute Sound, posted on January 15, 2021 at 20:26:51
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 3759
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 They are sub woofers in the corners. They allow better placement of the main speakers and if the crossover has a high pass as I think it does it lessens the load on the main speakers which will improve the system performance. Yes it's gilding the lily but if I could as a gung ho audiophile I'd do something similar. I assume you wouldn't?

 

Nothing succeeds like..., posted on January 15, 2021 at 20:57:45
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 30846
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 excess!

Especially when your budget is > $300k. Thor's Hammer goes for about $27k each and is said to do full justice to a 32' pipe organ's 16 hz note.

 

RE: Jacob Heilbrunn, posted on January 16, 2021 at 05:04:22
hawkmoon
Audiophile

Posts: 751
Location: cleveland
Joined: July 11, 2003
 One of my favorite writers.

 

Pray as you will, but ..., posted on January 16, 2021 at 05:06:11
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 571
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
 You can't defend the proposition that Jacob Heilbrunn qualifies as a reviewer. You can't identify a single piece that he's written that qualifies as a review. Writing nice things about very expensive equipment that's indistinguishable from marketing literature is surely not that.

The only time I pray anymore is when I lose something, "lord help me find ...", it's automatic, I can't seem to break the habit. But I do wish you a very good year, not entirely altruistically, as I enjoy your writing.

Be well,
Daniel

 

What would you have him change!, posted on January 16, 2021 at 10:38:08
hawkmoon
Audiophile

Posts: 751
Location: cleveland
Joined: July 11, 2003
 I read his work and get a clear idea of what he is describing. Most writers are far less fluent in the use of the language to describe changes in sound. In my opinion, this is the greatest failing among the newest writer-being unable to accurately explain what they are hearing. John Marks does this well BTW.

 

RE: What would you have him change!, posted on January 16, 2021 at 11:58:30
DAP
Audiophile

Posts: 571
Location: Toronto
Joined: January 1, 2010
 I read a couple more of his reviews, and can somewhat understand your point. But what is missing is the notion of criteria against which equipment is to be evaluated, and assessments of where the equipment falls short as well as excels against the criteria, and in comparison to other products. Rather, his reviews read like love letters to the manufacturer.

Daniel

 

Thank you... and I do think that Heilbrun is more than a flack, posted on January 16, 2021 at 13:19:49
John Marks
Manufacturer

Posts: 6227
Location: Peoples' Democratic Republic of R.I.
Joined: April 23, 2000
 The very fact that he decides to write about a piece of gear, I have found, indicates to me that at the very least it will be interesting.

One or two time his enthusiasm led me to obtain at least a different piece of gear from the same manufacturer.

The one I recall best is a tube integrated amp from Leben Hi-Fi.

I never thought that his eargasms were faked... but I am not an expert on that.

ciao,

john

 

RE: Thank you... and I do think that Heilbrun is more than a flack, posted on January 16, 2021 at 15:30:20
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 899
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi EStat and others, I was way off.Estat, I haven't even seen that video yet but appreciate the time you took to steer me the right way.I had never heard of the Wilson Thor subs.I was wrong and corrected and I apologize to all of you and Jacob Heilbrun....thanks Mark Korda....I'll watch that Dave Wilson video tonight...thanks!

 

RE: Jacob Heilbrunn, posted on January 18, 2021 at 05:18:16
geoffkait
Manufacturer

Posts: 10297
Location: northern Virginia
Joined: August 23, 2000
 That's what can happen when you're a professional writer. That's what everybody wants, a rave review by someone who's good at it.

 

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