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

208.131.186.2
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 09:47:03
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 This site once displayed some very sophisticated systems, including some that employed top-notch DIY speaker-systems. Does anyone know what's become of that site? Can't find it anymore. Has the name been changed? WAJ.

 

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??? Still seems to be up, 141 systems and counting,, posted on February 24, 2011 at 04:19:29
cfb
Audiophile

Posts: 1130
Location: Midwest
Joined: October 19, 2002
 High End systems around the world,

 

RE: ??? Still seems to be up, 141 systems and counting,, posted on February 24, 2011 at 19:13:54
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 Hi CFB. So i see. They did change the name, after all. Thanx, very much, for the info. WAJ.

 

my god they should learn something about web design, posted on February 24, 2011 at 12:56:03
LousyTourist
 that is the most annoying site I've seen in ages.

 

RE: my god they should learn something about web design, posted on February 25, 2011 at 22:24:19
Scottson
Audiophile

Posts: 706
Location: New York
Joined: July 13, 2004
 + 1 They list the nationalities of their contributors but you can only search by speaker style?! Enough to make one a lousy tourist! ;^)

 

And 6 of the top 10 systems use ...., posted on February 24, 2011 at 08:02:20
Steyr
 Horns and I consider the Tannoys to be horns.

 

Indeed, including the "world's largest subwoofer" enabling.., posted on February 24, 2011 at 08:37:28
Craiger56
Audiophile

Posts: 5574
Location: San Jose CA
Joined: April 3, 2002
Contributor
  Since: December 29, 2003
 "Total system sensitivity is 110 dB/1 Watt/1 meter with sound levels (6 meters) much higher than live concert pressure levels without distortion"

What more could one ask?

Cheers

 

lol, nice one, posted on February 25, 2011 at 18:05:41
farfetched
Audiophile

Posts: 963
Location: Cleveland!
Joined: October 13, 2010
 indeed, I often say to myself with great sadness, "sigh, how come my system won't play at much higher than live concert pressure levels without distortion?"

poor me and my puny little stereo


/ optimally proportioned triangles are our friends


 

RE: Indeed, including the "world's largest subwoofer" enabling.., posted on February 24, 2011 at 14:26:57
Jwm
Audiophile

Posts: 1322
Joined: April 16, 2002
 I think the subwoofer made by eminent technology goes down to 1Hz no distortion is the lowest subwoofer on the planet.

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:34:19
Gag Halfrunt
 I think it went the way of all things in audio these days. It died from lack of interest. Insert some of Google's analytics into your own blog, see just how many people go visit.

And I take a COMPLETELY different view to yours about the magazines, especially back in the day. 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. As it happened, they kept the faith until audio became a footnote to the iPod.

They are a shadow of their former selves and have grown tired and tiresome, dreary and decadent. But they helped keep audio as a hobby alive for decades more than it should have, and for that I thank them, rather than take the easy route and add to the whiny-old-man chorus.

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 14:51:48
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 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.

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 24, 2011 at 00:43:45
Gag Halfrunt
 If you think my statements were venomous, you should see what I'm like when in a foul mood. You got me on a good day.

Nevertheless, your post highlights odd reasoning on your part. You seem to be suggesting that magazines simultaneously wielded both absolute power and no power at all over the life and death of formats. This is extremely inconsistent.

I too bought HFN+RR for years. I used to read it when John Crabbe was editor, it was the predominant audio magazine over here and Crabbe (being a technically adroit recording engineer as well as an audio writer) universally championed 'open reel' over cassette. Cassette still won over here (in fact I think it took over far faster in Europe than in the US, in spite of the then more powerful magazines complaining about its poor performance), and won because it had the market, rather than the magazines, in tow.

Magazines have long touted better alternatives to the existing product, be it open-reel, Elcassette, DAT, Betamax or SACD. And the masses - who never read these magazines, anyway - just went for the smallest, cheapest, lowest common denominator option, thereby driving yet another nail in the coffin of the audiophile alternative. I don't recall any of the audio magazines (on either side of the Atlantic) welcoming data compression - the best it got was a 'cautious' reception, even when the iPod suddenly started cutting into sales of audio equipment.

I don't even share your dismissal of magazine reviews just because the magazines have advertising to support them. In fact, I am more likely to distrust a magazine that doesn't have advertising simply because its costs must be paid for somehow. I would rather know who's subsidizing my reading matter up front, than have an unknown backer pulling the strings behind the scenes like some éminence grise.

But most of all what really irks me is your FIGJAM (look it up) arrogance in claiming that just because your watch stopped in 1973, everyone else should follow your lead and all progress after that time is wrong. I guess whenever I see the word 'truth' on a page about audio, I always question. And I never find answers.

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 24, 2011 at 18:20:16
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 Gag Halfrunt,

I do appreciate the slight adjustment in your tone. Nevertheless, I see you've opted to sneek in a couple of low blows. I would have prefered if this discourse could have continued in a cordial manner. But then, why bother? You're clearly boxing above your weight-division. This is not to imply more intelligence on my part (our audience may be the judge of that) but that you clearly have no feasable argument, and that you are desperately grabbing at straws, nit-picking, and disputing semantics. I've beaten your previous comments into the ground, so now you've left those to come with others. You are certainly a piece of ...work - no kidding!

And now, you accuse me of "...suggesting that magazines simultaneously wielded both absolute power and no power at all over the life and death of formats. This is extremely inconsistent" That's an outright lie - shame on you. Go back and read the article. The premise on that issue is that mainstream audio-mags (in their practices) are a major PART of the problem, and that they have CONTRIBUTED to the demise (or near demise) of several components. Sure there are segments where I'd jokingly suggested that they're 'guilty accomplices" in the 'murder' of R2R, for instance, but this is all under the umbrella of the main premise, as all but a fool would understand. Could you really be as dishonest as your tactics suggest?

Speaking of R2R; here's a classic indication of your desperation in nit-picking and grabbing at straws: Your claim that one writer (or even ten) defended r2r is of little relevance when you yourself would have to admit (if you were honest) that the vast majority of the press advocated cassette-decks as a viable and desirable alternative to the vastly superior R2R - effectively CONTRIBUTING to the damnation of that format. So why bother to mention ONE writer that defended it? You're wasting my time, and yours.

A similar situation pertains today where a precious few writers defend the allegedly more accurate and realistic attributes of moving-magnet cartridges, and use them personally, whenever they get the chance. (Robert E. Green, Robert Reina, and Anthony Cordsman are among them, I believe). But, similarly, there's no denying that the major thrust is in favor of the allegedly flawed (with a rising top-end) movng-coils as the vast majority in the press advocate its use. Regardless of where I stand on this matter, don't you realize that the already critically wounded m-m is destined to suffer a similar fate to that of r2r? And don't you think the press' behaviour will have been - not the only one - but, certainly, a contributary factor? [BTW, consider the consequencies for potenttial newcomers to our hobby when the less costly alternative is obliterated].

Surprizingly, amidst your nonsensical ramblings, you did mention a salient point, with which I'm in agreement; the 'fatalistic tendencies' of the masses displayed in their propensity to opt for inferior formats, thereby CONTRIBUTING to the demise of better options in the market-place. This is another side of the same coin, and the subject of another article I've been contemplating. You see, sir, unlike you. I'm not blinded by biases. I state the facts, as I see them, and let the chips fall where they may. Another piece I'm contemplating is one on the manufacturers' role in this scenario - as another CONTRIBUTORY factor. Perhaps you'll now begin to see that I'm not perpetrating any unwarranted attack on the mainstream press, I'm just calling it as I see it. And this is bourne-out by the fact of my depiction of them as "AMONG those with their hands on the dagger", implying that there are other CONTRIBUTORS which we've now identified, albeit, prematurely so far as my own timetable is concerned.

Nevertheless, I reiterate; you're wasting my time, and yours. You are, obviously, the one who's confused. By some of your own statements you clearly agree with my main criticisms of the press. So where is the real basis of your argument with me? I'll leave you with a few quotes from the article you're trying to attack. And then I'll follow those with one of yours, just to illustrate how big a fool you're exposing yourself to be, by persevering with your ridiculous tirade. Here's the first quote; "Other instances of similar criticism do crop-up in diverse places, from time to time, albeit much too infrequently. Regarding my own opinion, I’ll have to admit that I do agree with the above sentiments, to a large extent. But at the same time, paradoxically, I cannot disregard the value of these magazines in highlighting available equipment. With regard to the reports on the performance of these equipment, though, one is best armed with an ability to ‘pick sense from nonsense’, so-to-speak." Here's another; "We all need a lot of the info these mags can provide, and it’s about time they ceased their nefarious practices." And another, "Perhaps ‘unscrupulous’ may be too strong a word to apply in general terms. Sure it may apply to many, but I also do admire quite a few of these writers even as I recognize that their hands are tied, and that they cannot consistently displease their advertisers and hope to keep their jobs." Still another, "The lowly cassette-player was, effectively, the dagger in the jugular of the open-reel machine, and the press was AMONG THOSE with their hands firmly on the handle of that dagger."

And now, here's a quote from you, "THEY ARE A SHADOW OF THEIR FORMER SELVES AND HAVE GROWN TIRED AND TIRESOME, DREARY AND DECADENT." Those are your words, even more extreme than any of mine, in criticizing the mainstream audio-press. Obviously, we are basically in agreement. So, again I ask; WHERE IS THE BASIS OF YOUR ARGUMENT? Don't continue to be ridiculous. Your own words are beginning to fit you, to a tee, as you've become dreary and tired, and especially decadent and TIRESOME. If you're so anxious to find things to criticize then click on my URL below, you'll find several highly-controversial articles there to attack me on (try 'From HiFi to High-End'). In fact, I may even start a thread on one of them, feel free to jump in - you are the one who inspired the idea, after all. I'll happily accommodate you on another topic, but I'm done with this one, it's becoming tedious. This was once interesting, nevertheless, I thank you for your offensive (not for the offensive behaviour). Do try to be more civil, next time, and I'll respond in kind.

Oh, regarding your baser personal-attacks in your parting comments; I'll not dignify them with a response, except to wonder at your audacity in suggesting 'arrogance' when you're the one who's consistently insisted upon reducing this discussion to the level you so obviously prefer.

Do have a nice day! WAJ.

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 26, 2011 at 01:48:35
Gag Halfrunt
 I'm arrogant, because I am always right, even when I am wrong. That's what being an egocentric narcissist does for you.

What's your excuse?

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 26, 2011 at 05:16:51
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 GAG HALFRUNT:

You're a riot. LOL. And quite an interesting character - I mean that. So keep the edge on that wit 'cause I really do look forward to the challenge of our next debate, if you're so inclined.

Some of my views are pretty radical (though I try to ensure they're also logical) so I'm sure there are lots for you to disagree with in my other articles, at the URL below. Check on them, and don't hesitate to come with all guns blazin' if 'n' when I start a thread on a controversial topic, as promised.

Oh, and my excuse for arrogance? I really don't have one, since I generally try not to be. Nevertheless, I do tend to respond with like for like - if arrogance is presented, then I'll likely respond in kind. (Seems I do have an excuse, after all).

Take care of y'self!

WAJ.

 

FIGJAM?? ... shirley FIGJLAM?? nt, posted on February 24, 2011 at 02:05:48
andyr
Manufacturer

Posts: 12551
Location: Melbourne
Joined: September 2, 2000
 .

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 14:04:54
thetintdoctor
Audiophile

Posts: 292
Location: North Carolina
Joined: April 24, 2009
 "They are a shadow of their former selves and have grown tired and tiresome, dreary and decadent. But they helped keep audio as a hobby alive for decades more than it should have, and for that I thank them, rather than take the easy route and add to the whiny-old-man chorus."

Well said, sad but true...



Since the comprehension of sweet sound is our most indefinite conception...Music,when
combined with a pleasurable idea, is poetry. Without music or an intriguing idea, color becomes pallor. Man becomes carcass, home becomes catacomb. Edgar Allen Poe

 

RE: 'High-End Systems Around the Globe' - What happened to that site?, posted on February 23, 2011 at 17:34:43
waj4all
Audiophile

Posts: 97
Joined: October 26, 2010
 ["They are a shadow of their former selves and have grown tired and tiresome, dreary and decadent. But they helped keep audio as a hobby alive for decades more than it should have, and for that I thank them, rather than take the easy route and add to the whiny-old-man chorus."]

"Well said, sad but true..."

THETINTDOCTOR: Really now! Forgive me, but I fail to see the logic behind the argument with which you so readily agree. By the same token then; If a man insists upon shooting me TODAY (or do me similar dis-service) shouldn't I point-out his wrong, and try to stop him? Or should I pleasantly recall those days of the distant-past when he was kind to me, in some way, AND THANK HIM FOR IT, even as he shoots me repeatedly TODAY? No offence intended so far as you are concerned, personally, but I simply fail to fathom the rationale which would inspire agreement with such a view. Still, I do respect your right to an opinion. Thanx! .

PS.

Perhaps you should have stipulated whether you agreed with that statement in its entirety, or in part. Kindly accept my sincere apologies if your reference was only to the first part of that statement, in which case I share both your views, absolutely. Furthermore, I too would express gratitude for past good-deeds (in the footnotes of history - the appropriate context). However, I draw a necessary distinction between these entities' deeds then, and their deeds now. Therefore, with regard to thanking a 'delinquent' for past deeds, even as he does me a dis-service today, my comments stand - with all due respect to those who may share such a view. Thanx again!

 

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