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Floyddroid
17-10-2017, 18:37
Are hi-fi forums losing their appeal? This is a genuine question and not one based on my personal feelings or views. I am starting to wonder if the last generation of predominantly male audiophiles are starting time die, die off or getting too long in the tooth to give a damn about a passion which is very much of a time? I suppose it was inevitable ha ha. Got to admit there are certain aspects of forum world that have driven me away.:(
Wherever there is folk and interweb there will be forums. Hell there are forums on every aspect of life. Even shaving ,oddly !
walpurgis
17-10-2017, 18:48
Never tried shaving oddly! :D
hifinutt
17-10-2017, 19:05
38 people are looking at this ....i think they are still popular . one well known forum had 789 recently on it
Spectral Morn
17-10-2017, 19:33
I think its possible to get burned out, or a bit jaded regarding audio, even music, and related forums as well. Maybe tired or disillusioned regarding giving advice or help that is perhaps ignored or find oneself with nothing to say because the topics are beyond your experience/knowledge.
I find increasingly that folks are discussing things that either I know nothing about or that don't interest me. There are times I struggle with my relevance here, but AoS is a home for me online, my first proper online home, so I stay and take part when and where my knowledge/experience can help.
Never tried shaving oddly! :D
Not sure what they get to talk about but they seem lively. came across a few by accident. Mind u I like a good shave :eyebrows:
clarkey555
17-10-2017, 19:51
Not as far as I’m concerned especially aos I always get sound advice haa haa pardon the pun and it’s always a buzz helping others out good hifi forums will be around for a long long time
There is always a new generation coming through and it has always been a niche hobby anyway. I wouldn't want it to get widely popular anyway, just make it worse like it did with football and F1.
There is always a new generation coming through and it has always been a niche hobby anyway.
Exactly, and which is why any successful forum acts as a continually evolving entity, not remaining as a cosy little clique! ;)
Besides, humans are predisposed to disliking change, but unfortunately that's what life's about, so we should embrace it, just as we should with how forums evolve, even if it's not always how we want them to.
It's about seeing the bigger picture that exists outside of our 'wee world', and realising that what we consider as important isn't the be-all-and-end-all. Far from it....
Also, as for being "burned out", in terms of talking about hi-fi, it's also the case that you're less likely to do so when you've reached the end of your 'journey', and are now simply enjoying the fruits of your labour. That's largely the case with me :)
In reality, it's the perennial box-swappers [the never satisfied dream-chasers] who largely keep forums going!
Marco.
Idlewithnodrive
17-10-2017, 22:04
I think it's "hi-fi" dying out with the youngsters, which will inevitably lead to the forums becoming less popular.
There also seems to have been a mad outbreak of forum and inter-forum politics / nastiness recently, which make them less appealing.
Been saying that for decades but the young get to an age and want better and join a forum just like we probably did. We are a pack animal and like company so most find it helps to meet others of similar persuasions
Idlewithnodrive
17-10-2017, 22:23
True, to an extent, Grant. I don't think that the numbers joining offset the amount leaving, for whatever reason, though.
You would like to think that the music element would bring the youngsters to whatever forum but the forums seem to be stuck in the 60's / 70's in that respect too, so ..............
walpurgis
17-10-2017, 22:26
I think it's "hi-fi" dying out with the youngsters, which will inevitably lead to the forums becoming less popular.
There also seems to have been a mad outbreak of forum and inter-forum politics / nastiness recently, which make them less appealing.
Hi-Fi has in general, never has been popular with "youngsters" really. There is a technical aspect that requires more attention than most sub-twenty somethings are happy to apply and of course the lack of serious income doesn't help, nor does the full and busy social life that most have.
Forums have always varied in their level of civilisation, as with any other type of group social interactions. If there's little control, things will descend into chaos. Happily, here good efforts are made to keep things polite and unconfrontational.
Idlewithnodrive
17-10-2017, 22:35
Totally agree with your first paragraph Geoff but "youngsters" now seems to extend into people's 30's and even 40's. I think proper hi-fi is just becoming an outdated concept.
walpurgis
17-10-2017, 22:40
Totally agree with your first paragraph Geoff but "youngsters" now seems to extend into people's 30's and even 40's. I think proper hi-fi is just becoming an outdated concept.
Well I'm quite happy to be 'outdated'. Will this lack of interest mean bargains will come my way, as everybody flogs off all the superb gear they no longer want? :D
We have many very keen members here in their thirties and forties.
Idlewithnodrive
17-10-2017, 22:45
Well I'm quite happy to be 'outdated'.
Me too :D
The forums, in general, aren’t particularly stuck in the past. In addition, I know at least two people who are really into their music and audio reproduction but have no interest posting on forums. I’ve also met a whole bunch of people who love their music and would like to buy some decent audio gear - again, these people weren’t interested in forums. I think what some of you gentlemen need to do is look outside the rather parochial forums you normally visit and look at the greater picture. The reality is that loving music, being into audio and posting on forums are quite separate enthusiasms. The first two are at least linked but the forum member part is another matter altogether. If one looks at what is posted on audio forums then a great deal of it is people basically filling their day and has nothing to do with audio - random words, political opinions, what one is eating (particularly facile), pics of pets etc. etc. The reality is that there have never been so many forums aimed at ever increasing niche elements of audio.
I regularly read only three forums (though I am aware of a dozen at least and there are many more than that) and I certainly don’t read every new thread posted. In line with the times there are a lot of threads about streaming but that holds no interest for me personally. I also see a lot of threads about stuff I have already written about in the past and I tire of repeating the same advice repeatedly. A recent enquiry about record clamps/weights was a good example and a lot of my response was actually cut and pasted by me from a previous thread I had contributed to.
I think what some of you gentlemen need to do is look outside the rather parochial forums you normally visit and look at the greater picture. The reality is that loving music, being into audio and posting on forums are quite separate enthusiasms.
Good point, Mark, and also entirely true. You're either a forum kinda guy (or gal), or not. There are also many divisions within that, such as mainly readers, as opposed to contributors, and folks who strictly want to talk about hi-fi and music, nothing else, and who see forums simply as an 'information resource' they can tap into when required.
Then there are those, whom I consider are the main lifeblood of forums, who seek to become involved in the whole 'community' aspect, by organising and attending bake-offs/meets, going out of their way to help fellow members in the real world and developing friendships in the process - *that* is what any good forum is about, and it's what ultimately will maintain their continued growth and survival. Because it's people, and their collective and diverse personalities, who make forums what they are, not 'data'.
And that brings me onto your pet bête noire: the off-topic discussions, such as you mention. The whole point of those, and why they are crucial to the success of any forum, is it gives members the chance to 'let their hair down', as it were, and be themselves, outside of their status simply as a lover of hi-fi and music, and to share something of themselves (their other hobbies, etc) with others, and in the process portray what makes them 'tick' as people, which in turn grows the community.
Consequently, you often find out rather more about someone, from their input on politics or other social issues, than you do during hi-fi discussions, and that all adds to the crucial 'community' aspect of forums, by giving them more of a 'human' feel. Otherwise, all you've really got is a rather bland and soulless 'bulletin board', which is something that we strive hard for AoS not to be. Instead we seek to create a warmth, 'homeliness' and friendly vibe, which encourages people to become a part of our community.
That is one of the reasons why we insist on new members introducing themselves and giving their proper names and locations, so that we can all feel that we're interacting with a real person, and not simply a faceless 'Internet entity', posting on a bulletin board. There are many forums out there precisely like that, which may suit some folk, but that's fundamentally NOT what AoS is about.
You're a very good and valued contributor here, Mark, and I always enjoy reading your posts, but perhaps you should consider the above in future, and the whole 'community' aspect of forums, before dismissing stuff that disinterests you as "facile"? ;)
Marco.
You would like to think that the music element would bring the youngsters to whatever forum but the forums seem to be stuck in the 60's / 70's in that respect too, so ..............
That's because we're old enough to know that that was when all the good music was made.
I started joining fora about 12 years ago to get a different perspective on all things hifi. Magazines just weren't doing it for me and for prob 10 years prior to that I had been tweaking stuff to get more out of it. The only mag that covered this sort of thing was Hifi World and they stopped doing the DIY supplements. I joined Diyaudio as I wanted to build stuff and I found that there was literally a world of information and gifted people that could help you, often within a matter of hours if you were struggling and needed help. It was a revelation that there was all this help and like minded people at the press of a keyboard. I never looked back it was fantastic. You get out of forums what you put in and I thoroughly enjoy the sillier side of fora. If you want to avoid conflict you just don't comment.....Simples.
You get out of forums what you put in and I thoroughly enjoy the sillier side of fora. If you want to avoid conflict you just don't comment.....Simples.
Indeed (on all counts). It never ceases to amuse/baffle me why folks have to moan so much about the existence of stuff they don't like.
The reality is that nothing in life will ever be tailor-made to your requirements, forums included, so you either cherry-pick the bits you like and concentrate on those, and IGNORE the rest - or don't bother reading the forums you dislike in the first place.
If you get your 'kicks' simply out of bitching about forums (or specific sections of forums), or people there you don't like, and spend an inordinate amount of time doing precisely that, you should realise that in doing so you're saying rather more about yourself, and who YOU are, than those you're bitching about ;)
Marco.
You're a very good and valued contributor here, Mark, and I always enjoy reading your posts, but perhaps you should consider the above in future, and the whole 'community' aspect of forums, before dismissing stuff that disinterests you as "facile"? ;)
Marco.
Well that's very kind of you to say, but for me I do find the more 'community' elements to be of little interest*, both the threads and the content (though I admit I don't read the vast majority of the content so my perception may not be correct). However, I quite realise this is my own personal view and not those necessarily shared by others - particularly long term regular posters; after all, there are only so many hi-fi related questions one can have :). My point wasn't really to criticise the non hi-fi/audio content of forums (and certainly not this one in particular) but to point out that forum contribution often has little to do with the apparent subject of the forum and more about the 'club' element. Therefore, to look at forum life and relate it to music and hi-fi is to view these subjects through a very specific and distorted lens (which is pretty much what you said).
* I barely have time for the work/life balance I already have.
_______________
I'm not moaning about the forum stuff I don't like, I just ignore it - but in this case it seems related to the question the OP raises and for the reasons given above.
As for 'bake-offs', well I've attended quite a lot in the past (though none were AoS organised, this forum wasn't really doing them back then). These days I rarely have the time and usually have other social commitments when I do have a day off. As for hosting one, well I'm afraid that does not fill me with enthusiasm, but then I am hardly alone in that.
Off topic stuff is community stuff really. Many enthusiasts are not into the idea of community so don't like it
That's fair enough
Once you've been a member of a forum for a period of time, you start to notice the repetitive nature of threads, restatement of entrenched points of view and the generally bounded nature of the discussions relating to the core topic. From this point there tends to a progressive disengagement from the community and your interest level starts to drop off.
I think it's normal that a lot of forum users will go through a cycle of discovery, enthusiastic engagement and involvement, a plateau of interest and then progressive reduction in participation. For a lot of people who join a forum, there is a transactional nature to their participation - they have a problem or need questions answered and once the itch has been scratched they tend to fade away.
That's why there is a certain churn of active membership that goes together with a hard core of committed participants that enjoy being members of a virtual community on a long term basis. So it's just a hypothesis, but if less people are joining a forum because interest in Hi-Fi as a hobby is waning (as opposed to interest in music in general) do Hi-Fi fora experience a reduction in membership growth? it would be interesting to know what the trends are in new member signups, volume of posts per user and what the profile of volume of posts looked like over time.
For myself, as my sig shows, I haven't bought any new Hi-Fi stuff for a couple of years so I have less to tell you all about, certainly little that is novel or hasn't already been covered in depth by others. I still check in periodically but am certainly less active than I once was.
This thread has got me thinking about the concept of community and the Internet as a whole. In terms of creating a living, real community of people who know each other I think this forum is probably the most successful I am aware of, certainly it has achieved an element of this. It’s really difficult to create a sense of community without it turning into a members only club. Many people live too far away to ever meet up and even those that live within driving distance may, as with myself, struggle to reconcile preexisting social commitments. Ultimately the Internet is multinational and multilingual place that no amount of local (perochial) meetings is going to address. Discussion of area specific topics are only likely to alienate the greater whole - it’s very hard to offer a broad church, be inclusive and have a close knit quality at the same time.
Ronksley
18-10-2017, 20:49
I like forums against the more recent trend of social media and selfies where you cant have a discussion use to like message boards
but I am a pig headed know it all I know what I like
I am open to others opinions if I think they are worth listening to
At present I am at a end or stasis in my Hi Fi journey mainly due to lack of funds If I had a some money I pretty much know what I would spend it on :cool: and maybe some kit after I had got drunk
I do think that forums are on the decline but hopefully will stay I lurk rather than take part on aos I like the guys on here a bunch of Music lovers like me who just like to relax in front of the speakers to a good record or twenty
Idlewithnodrive
18-10-2017, 21:42
This thread has got me thinking about the concept of community and the Internet as a whole. In terms of creating a living, real community of people who know each other I think this forum is probably the most successful I am aware of, certainly it has achieved an element of this. It’s really difficult to create a sense of community without it turning into a members only club.
Audio Abattoir is another music / hi-fi (loosely) forum that is very heavily based around community / bake-offs / groups of friends and they make it work really well. Really vibrant, busy and fun, with a lot outside of hi-fi going on. Sometimes a bit irreverent but all in good spirit.
I think, as some have said here, that the way to keep a forum alive and relevant is definitely to promote a sense of community and lives / personalities outside of the mutual interest.
Audio Abattoir is another music / hi-fi (loosely) forum that is very heavily based around community / bake-offs / groups of friends and they make it work really well. Really vibrant, busy and fun, with a lot outside of hi-fi going on. Sometimes a bit irreverent but all in good spirit.
I think, as some have said here, that the way to keep a forum alive and relevant is definitely to promote a sense of community and lives / personalities outside of the mutual interest.
My brief acquaintance of Audio Abattoir is of a spin-off forum, populated by potty-mouthed individuals, who seem to like to out-gross one another in the first instance and who also happen to be interested in music and audio.
It's not the sort of forum that would interest me, and certainly not the kind of forum I would want to see AoS become.
Idlewithnodrive
18-10-2017, 21:58
Certainly not suggesting that AoS apes Audio Abattoir Barry. Forums are a broad church and I am illustrating that it is possible for the community to become more than the forum.
My point wasn't really to criticise the non hi-fi/audio content of forums (and certainly not this one in particular) but to point out that forum contribution often has little to do with the apparent subject of the forum and more about the 'club' element. Therefore, to look at forum life and relate it to music and hi-fi is to view these subjects through a very specific and distorted lens (which is pretty much what you said).
Sorry, Mark, I'm somewhat confused as to what you mean... :scratch:
I'm not moaning about the forum stuff I don't like, I just ignore it - but in this case it seems related to the question the OP raises and for the reasons given above.
My earlier comment about "moaning" wasn't aimed at you, but rather some real sad cases out there, who don't have anything else better to do with their time. And they don't seem to realise that the more they carry on doing it, with no adverse reaction from their intended targets, the more ridiculous and pathetic they look, which is saying something, as they were pretty ridiculous and pathetic to start with! ;)
As for 'bake-offs', well I've attended quite a lot in the past (though none were AoS organised, this forum wasn't really doing them back then). These days I rarely have the time and usually have other social commitments when I do have a day off. As for hosting one, well I'm afraid that does not fill me with enthusiasm, but then I am hardly alone in that.
No problem, I totally get that. My point still stands though, that it's the meetings and get-togethers members have with eacb other, which grows the community and ultimately sustains the forum's existence, and so the folks who organise and attend those events are to be congratulated for the time and effort they've put in.
We'll always seek to encourage members to participate in bake-offs, etc, as it not only grows the community, but we also value those who make the effort (and who like you contribute their knowledge and experience), more than those who seek to 'hide' and keep themselves to themselves, or simply take from the forum without giving anything (or much) in return.
At the end of the day, you'll always only get out of something what you're willing to put into it, and in that respect forums are no different from anything else in life.
Therefore, it's only to be expected that the 'takers' amongst us (those who never spend any time meeting and getting to know other members, and who selfishly use forums simply as their personal 'information resource') will ultimately never get as much out of the experience, or be afforded the same kudos by other members or management, as their 'giving' counterparts...
That's perhaps something for some folks to think about!
Marco.
Hi Alex,
How's it going? Good to see you checking in again! :)
Once you've been a member of a forum for a period of time, you start to notice the repetitive nature of threads, restatement of entrenched points of view and the generally bounded nature of the discussions relating to the core topic. From this point there tends to a progressive disengagement from the community and your interest level starts to drop off.
I completely agree, but I'm afraid that's simply the nature of the beast and there's little that can be done about it.
As has been said though, it certainly helps in terms of the 'community' aspect (and minimising said "disengagement") if you've actively got to know other members, by meeting up with them, and perhaps made some friends in the process, which is thus liable to help sustain your engagement with the community.
That's unlikely to be the case if you've simply used a forum to document your 'hi-fi journey', sucking information from others in the process, just for your benefit and to enhance your listening experience, and then when the exercise is over, sail off into the sunset... This goes back to my earlier point about 'takers' and 'givers'.
Perhaps it would be a good idea for members to apply some introspection, and ascertain which of the two categories they consider that they belong in? ;)
I think it's normal that a lot of forum users will go through a cycle of discovery, enthusiastic engagement and involvement, a plateau of interest and then progressive reduction in participation. For a lot of people who join a forum, there is a transactional nature to their participation - they have a problem or need questions answered and once the itch has been scratched they tend to fade away.
Indeed, which again relates to what I've just been discussing. Don't get me wrong, what you've outlined is perfectly natural behaviour, but if everyone did that, there would be no forum, and no community.
That is why amassing a hard core of regulars, who've made AoS (or some other forum) their 'home', and thus an integral part of their daily lives, is necessary to keep things ticking along. Therefore, maintaining their interest in contributing is vital to a forum's sustained success and longevity - a point that you've touched upon yourself.
So it's just a hypothesis, but if less people are joining a forum because interest in Hi-Fi as a hobby is waning (as opposed to interest in music in general) do Hi-Fi fora experience a reduction in membership growth? it would be interesting to know what the trends are in new member signups, volume of posts per user and what the profile of volume of posts looked like over time.
In terms of the first bit, perhaps, but it's not so evident here.
We're currently averaging around 8-10 new sign-ups per day, from all over the world, so even if interest in hi-fi as a hobby is waning (which I'm not so sure is the case, but rather that interest is diversifying into different areas, compared with before), we're not seeing any evidence of that in terms of growth - and quite a few new members are hanging around and getting stuck into discussions.
As for the second bit, that's something which would need analysing more closely. However, even when you've got the actual statistics to hand, it's easy to misinterpret them by drawing the wrong conclusions, in terms of why certain members have small or large post counts.
Many people, for example, join forums with the full intention of making regular contributions, but then life gets in the way, or something unexpected happens, which prevents them from carrying out what they'd intended - and therefore their subsequent non-participation is no reflection on the forum itself, or those who run it.
For myself, as my sig shows, I haven't bought any new Hi-Fi stuff for a couple of years so I have less to tell you all about, certainly little that is novel or hasn't already been covered in depth by others. I still check in periodically but am certainly less active than I once was.
No problem, and I totally understand. It's good though that you're still 'around' enough to pop in and contribute to discussions such as this, so please continue to do so, even if you don't have anything particularly interesting to say about your system, as I always enjoy reading your posts :cool:
Marco.
Audio Abattoir is another music / hi-fi (loosely) forum that is very heavily based around community / bake-offs / groups of friends and they make it work really well.
Ah yes, the Wam before it was fucked up! ;)
Those guys pretty much invented the 'bake-off' concept, and should be given due credit for that.
Marco.
Idlewithnodrive
19-10-2017, 08:21
Ah yes, the Wam before it was fucked up! ;)
Those guys pretty much invented the 'bake-off' concept, and should be given due credit for that.
Marco.
Yes, The Wam. A perfect example of how to destroy a community and, by association, the forum !
The problem is, you cannot *successfully* monetise a 'model' that doesn't lend itself well to monetising, such as a hi-fi forum - which without the community that made it what it is (was) in the first place, is nothing. This is something that Peter will find out for himself, sooner rather than later, and hopefully before he wastes too much money on trying.
Anyway, let's leave that there, as I don't want this thread turning into a 'slag off your chosen forum' fest.
Marco.
1200reasons
19-10-2017, 09:08
Hifi forums are a bit intimidating to young people because it's a bunch of old geezers with incredibly expensive systems. I'm in my early 30s and have been into hifi for a long time, but I've been given condescending answers by old audiophiles who've been in the game since the invention of sound.
As a consequence, AoS is the only forum that I visit anymore- but even here I'm hesitant to post threads or ask questions, for fear of being treated rudely by "seasoned audiophiles".
edit: oh and to state the blatantly obvious- younguns can't afford the type of gear that exists in these sorts of forums. I know that I started on headphon forums, where a few hundred can go a long way. If you're a young person with a few hundred to spend on a turntable of speakers, you'd probably feel a lot more at home at Reddit or a facebook group
I know what you mean, Hugo. But you can be rest assured that won't happen here, as we simply wouldn't allow it, so please ask or post away! :)
Marco.
Haselsh1
19-10-2017, 09:20
I am currently 58 years old and I found one hi-fi forum to be unbelievably intimidating and insulting and that was simply because I had a very cheap sound system and no money at that time to improve it. My life at that time was going through a really bad phase financially and the only thing that got me through it all was music and AOS, which I had only just joined. I never did revisit the 'other' forum.
Haselsh1
19-10-2017, 09:26
younguns can't afford the type of gear that exists in these sorts of forums
Hugo, I could only afford most of what I have because I bought second hand. All the best to you and never make excuses for what you have. Most of us have all that we can afford.
1200reasons
19-10-2017, 09:46
See shaun, that's the sort of comment that turns young people away. My whole setup is used or DIY, but when I read your comment it frankly feels condescending- suggesting that I'm making excuses for my gear, when I never did such a thing, nor even mention my gear or financial situation.
My comment was simply a suggestion as to why forums may be struggling to find young users. My own setup is already well established.
I really don't think Shaun meant it that way.
Marco.
Haselsh1
19-10-2017, 10:51
Well I guess you can please some of the people some of the time can't you. I cannot influence though the way people interpret posts on a forum or even Facebook.
Haselsh1
19-10-2017, 10:52
I really don't think Shaun meant it that way.
Marco.
:thumbsup:
Given this situation I think it is best for me to just give up.
Audio Al
19-10-2017, 11:50
Lots of trolls / armchair experts / and :wanker: on some forums , spoil it for me :(
armchair experts
Since I retired I've got very good at sitting down for long periods :D
I'm not retired but I am already very good at sitting down, and indeed lying down.
walpurgis
19-10-2017, 12:10
Since I retired I've got very good at sitting down for long periods :D
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-sitting-is-bad-for-you#section1
I'm not retired but I am already very good at sitting down, and indeed lying down.
Yesh, I believe that's how it's best to play 'pocket snooker'... :eyebrows:
Marco.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3269638/Couch-potatoes-rejoyce-Sitting-long-periods-NOT-bad-health-study-claim.html
(I do make the odd trip to the fridge)
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-sitting-is-bad-for-you#section1
There's a lot of truth in that article, and most folks today undoubtedly spend too much time sat on their backsides, but you also have to balance that out with the de-stressing aspect, as a result of *sometimes* being able to just sit down and RELAX, especially in the often stressful world we live in today.
I'd wager that, as long as you're not completely unfit or obese, someone who has the TIME [as a result of having a suitably good work/life balance], to occasionally sit down and relax, and subsequently de-stress, but doesn't perhaps move as much as they should, is as healthy as someone with the same weight and fitness, who's never got a minute to themselves and stressed to buggery, from constantly running around the place like a headless chicken! ;)
As ever with these things, it's a question of balance. Stress, for example due to a demanding job and/or family life, is arguably every bit (if not more) as much of a killer as a lack of exercise.
Marco.
RobbieGong
19-10-2017, 12:55
There's a lot of truth in that article, and most folks today undoubtedly spend too much time sat on their backsides, but you also have to balance that out with the de-stressing aspect, as a result of *sometimes* being able to just sit down and RELAX, especially in the often stressful world we live in today.
I'd wager that, as long as you're not completely unfit or obese, someone who has the TIME [as a result of having a suitably good work/life balance], to occasionally sit down and relax, and subsequently de-stress, but doesn't perhaps move as much as they should, is as healthy as someone with the same weight and fitness, who's never got a minute to themselves and stressed to buggery, from constantly running around the place like a headless chicken! ;)
As ever with these things, it's a question of balance. Stress, for example due to a demanding job and/or family life, is arguably every bit (if not more) as much of a killer as a lack of exercise.
Marco.
True word
"My point wasn't really to criticise the non hi-fi/audio content of forums (and certainly not this one in particular) but to point out that forum contribution often has little to do with the apparent subject of the forum and more about the 'club' element. Therefore, to look at forum life and relate it to music and hi-fi is to view these subjects through a very specific and distorted lens (which is pretty much what you said)."
Sorry, Mark, I'm somewhat confused as to what you mean... :scratch:
I'm guessing it is this bit "to look at forum life and relate it to music and hi-fi is to view these subjects through a very specific and distorted lens" that is a bit confusing? What I meant there was intended for those that look at forums and extrapolate that to the greater world of audio equipment and music. I'm just saying that the popularity, or otherwise, of a forum (or forums in general) has little to do with either the popularity of hi-fi or music. By "distorted lens" I meant that forums can give a very unrealistic impression. A piece of equipment may receive a lot of apparent interest on a forum but may actually sell in very low numbers. The opposite is also true where items that sell in quite large numbers receive little Internet coverage.
Yes, that was the bit that was a little unclear. Got you now and agree! :)
Marco.
hifinutt
19-10-2017, 16:00
i am a forum addict !!! think i am on rather a lot . great debates especially on pfm off topic
You must like politics! ;)
I enjoy looking at their photography section. The standard there from some of the members at times is truly gob-smacking! :eek:
Marco.
I started noticing forums while googling for equipment reviews ... some independent ones, not the 'paid-for' advertorials that the magazines produce. Actually, I still find the 'search' facility on this forum to be incredibly useful ... there's a treasure-trove of good info stored on this site, if you look for it.
hifinutt
19-10-2017, 16:56
You must like politics! ;)
I enjoy looking at their photography section. The standard there from some of the members at times is truly gob-smacking! :eek:
Marco.
yes , some amazing guys and in the recent election some were up all night discussing as i was
Lol... Rather you than me!! It'd be a cure for insomnia ;)
Marco.
i am a forum addict !!! think i am on rather a lot . great debates especially on pfm off topic
You know I absolutely abhor pfm’s ‘off topic’ section.
speedracer
19-10-2017, 19:18
I wish I had more knowledge in order to make a bigger contribution to AoS, or the 'Wam, but many of the subjects now discussed such as streaming, computer hifi, digital, NAS drives, or whatever they are, hold no interest for me. However, I really enjoy bake offs & meeting people at said events, & have made some very goods friends already this way.
walpurgis
19-10-2017, 19:20
I wish I had more knowledge in order to make a bigger contribution to AoS, or the 'Wam, but many of the subjects now discussed such as streaming, computer hifi, digital, NAS drives, or whatever they are, hold no interest for me
Same here. And for a good many others.
I dare say the day will come when I have to do 'computer music', but it's not here yet!
You know I absolutely abhor pfm’s ‘off topic’ section.
There you go...different strokes for different folks...my favourite forum section.
I think pfm's off-topic section is the best of any forum by a country mile, even though I'm not into the heavily political nature of it, which Tony has nurtured and managed extremely well, over a long period of time, largely because he himself is very passionate about the subject.
That ably demonstrates what I've been saying all along, which is that you only get out of something what you put into it, and the success of the off-topic section there is largely down to him, how he's developed it all, and the quality of debate from members discussions have attracted.
It's not just the political bits that warrant recognition, however; the photography section is of an extremely high standard, and a credit to the forum.
Marco.
Same here. And for a good many others.
I dare say the day will come when I have to do 'computer music', but it's not here yet!
Geoff, you are not a million miles from me. Feel free to pop over sometime (during a weekday) and listen to some music without a CD or TT in sight. I'll soon convince you of the merits of 'computer music'. :lol:
Honestly, as a whole, I think it’s a bunch of clueless idiots pontificating badly informed bollocks to each other; if I were Tony I would axe the whole thing.
Lol - well, we'll probably have to disagree on that one. Besides how would you know that they're "clueless idiots" if you abhor that section of the forum (thus presumably ignore it)? ;)
Marco.
walpurgis
19-10-2017, 21:25
Geoff, you are not a million miles from me. Feel free to pop over sometime (during a weekday) and listen to some music without a CD or TT in sight. I'll soon convince you of the merits of 'computer music'. :lol:
Thanks Edward. Might take you up on that! :)
Lol - well, we'll probably have to disagree on that one. Besides how would you know that they're "clueless idiots" if you abhor that section of the forum (thus presumably ignore it)? ;)
Marco.
Yeah, fair point - I really haven't read any of it in a very long time - perhaps it's entirely different now......... ;).
As I write this the top ten topics on PFM "Off Topic" are:
"Serving Linguini, what do you use"
"Chris Packham - Aspergers and me"
"Police cleared over following moped"
"Tesco going bust"
"OSX alert"
"Oxford student Lavinia Woodward spared jail over knife attack"
"Combi boiler"
"Blue planet 2 electric boogaloo"
"Horrific fire in London 2"
"The end of police community support officers"
Hardly narrow in their scope, these topics, and debate is often surprisingly well informed IMHO - posters with expertise in the field discussed often contributing, to a level at least as well informed as the audio posts. Posters on there are also very good at embedding useful or enervating links, whether to the Daily Mash, or the FT or twitter or whatever - I see stuff I would otherwise miss.
Hardly narrow in their scope, these topics, and debate is often surprisingly well informed IMHO - posters with expertise in the field discussed often contributing, to a level at least as well informed as the audio posts.
You almost had me convinced ... until that last bit :lol:
Haselsh1
21-10-2017, 16:25
I dare say the day will come when I have to do 'computer music', but it's not here yet!
Nooooooo...!!!
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