What 'normal' people think of us...

[Figlet108]

I don't know if any of you ever watch any of Dave L. Jones' blog videos over on EEVblog.
He's a larger than life personality techie from Oz that has a very direct, honest and opinionated style (like most techies!) and is pretty funny with it.

Anyway looking back through his archives I found a 10min blog of him letting loose and ranting about how insane us audiophools are - really hilarious on the one hand, and some cold perspective on how we come across to most other people on the other hand...

Enjoy.

[Ali Tait]

Haha brilliant!

[Ammonite Audio]

He must be one of the 'regular' objectivists over at PFM.

[Trumpton_Rioter]

I am one of those normal people - I dont box swap, I dont preach about vinyl being better than cd or streaming music I just buy cds and listen to them (maybe its because my hearing is shite so I cant hear the difference if there is one and I cant afford to box swap or have the patience)

[Tim]

Haha brilliant!

+ 1

Here's the Blue Jeans letter he refers too;

http://www.audioholics.com/news/blue-jeans-strikes-back

[Figlet108]

I kind of see both sides of it. I really can hear a difference with different cables and other bit-parts on the hifi stage, but for me the difference is pretty small, tending towards negligible and even insignificant in many cases. And it does depend at what level the rest of the gear is at.

On the other hand when I have heard a difference that makes the music more enjoyable for me, even if it's very small (but noticeable), I can't forget about it and it bugs me if I don't have it (a slight form of OCD I guess - like when I touch a metal door knob and I know that metal 'smell' is there on my hand I can't relax until I wash my hands).

His final point at the end of the video also resonated with me. There is definitely a psychological element to this for me. If I have invested my time and emotion to a product and then actually spent money on it, it's like it owns me and I will *want it* to sound better, otherwise I will feel bad and if I feel bad the music sounds worse.
Conversely, if there are 2 products that sound *exactly the same*, but one is beautifully constructed and the other ugly and a bit of a bodge, the beautiful product will make me happier and so the music will sound better.
And it doesn't have to just be about looks, it is driven by whatever drives someone: e.g. because I'm a techie and I *love* the theory and physics behind electrostatics, I knew without having to audition ESLs that I would love them. It turns out they are an awesome speaker anyway regardless of prejudice, so win-win there (and they look good).

I think more people are like that in this hobby than will care to admit, but at least if you know you can't fully trust yourself to make the 'right' choice about a purchase, you will be more likely to make the 'right' choice...

[Figlet108]

This is the original portal page that has all the links related to this, including that Panasonic spec sheet that Dave found so amusing.

Don't know about anyone else, but while he was ranting about the Panasonic thing I was just thinking that I needed to read and learn from that spec sheet to make my own capacitor-related DIY projects sound better - so thanks for that Dave!

[Macca]

I recall a long cable thread on here some time ago now. No-one specifically stated it but what I took away was that it would seem the connectors and not the cable were the important factor in 'how it sounds.'

I think we should be careful to distinguish between stupidly expensive cables (say £300 and up) and quality items up to that price - if you look at the cost of buying fancy connectors, time spent putting it all together, overheads, tax, VAT and a worthwhile profit then it is obvious that a cable costing a couple of hundred is not unreasonable. I wouldn't consider anyone an audiophool for spending that sort of money. Get into the crazy price stuff and that is a different matter, where price is justified by 'cost of research and development' or by the use of some technology that is either a secret or complete nonsense. Have these manufacturers discovered some new Physics? Unlikely.

[RMutt]

Ha-ha. I bet MCRU employ naked virgins in the utopia that is Huddersfield.

[Macca]

They have virgins in Huddersfield now?