10 audiophile myths busted

[Sherwood]

I think it is important to differentiate between two types of statement.

Type A: "This is the best sounding hifi in the world at this price".

Type B: "This is the best sounding hifi I have heard at this price".

Yes, it is all about the impossibility of refuting subjective statements of worth or what economists refer to as individual comparisons of utility (i.e. personal subjective assessments of worth or value).

Sound quality is a multidimensional variable that cannot be measured objectively on some arbitrary index, though many magazine reviews attempt exactly this by awarding a score of 82% or similar (82% of what?).

One cannot challenge a Type B statement because it is the subjective assessment of the individual listener and therefore true for that person (even if not true for anyone else).

One cannot defend a Type A statement because it is impossible to objectively score SQ (even if there may be widespread agreement that a particular system sounds extremely good on many parameters).

In the end, it is all about opinion!

Geoff

[magiccarpetride]

I think it is important to differentiate between two types of statement.

Type A: "This is the best sounding hifi in the world at this price".

Type B: "This is the best sounding hifi I have heard at this price".

Yes, it is all about the impossibility of refuting subjective statements of worth or what economists refer to as individual comparisons of utility (i.e. personal subjective assessments of worth or value).

Sound quality is a multidimensional variable that cannot be measured objectively on some arbitrary index, though many magazine reviews attempt exactly this by awarding a score of 82% or similar (82% of what?).

One cannot challenge a Type B statement because it is the subjective assessment of the individual listener and therefore true for that person (even if not true for anyone else).

One cannot defend a Type A statement because it is impossible to objectively score SQ (even if there may be widespread agreement that a particular system sounds extremely good on many parameters).

In the end, it is all about opinion!

Geoff

Another thing that is difficult (impossible?) to prove/dispute is the so-called synergy. So while some component manages to knock your socks off in your particular configuration (including your speaker placements and your room treatments), in my environment that same component may actually make everything sound worse. So then what? We butt heads, you say it's the greatest thing at that price level, I disagree and accuse you of being deaf. And the feud then continues...

[Joe]

I've never been evangelical in my feelings about hifi; if it works for me, that's enough. I know full well it might not work for somebody (or anybody) else, because they don't have my room, my ears, or my taste in music. A few years down the line, I might get bored with it and go for something entirely different, anyway.

I really don't understand all the angst and bitterness on forums defending one's own tastes in hifi, or attacking someone else's. I mean, it's not like someone's going to come round and take your equipment away because you've made the 'wrong' choice (unless your choice involved over-stretching your credit and the finance company's confiscating it).

I dunno. Maybe it's having children that gives me something more important to think about than a bunch of boxes and wires. Enjoy what you have, and don't worry what anyone else thinks.

[magiccarpetride]

I've never been evangelical in my feelings about hifi; if it works for me, that's enough. I know full well it might not work for somebody (or anybody) else, because they don't have my room, my ears, or my taste in music. A few years down the line, I might get bored with it and go for something entirely different, anyway.

I really don't understand all the angst and bitterness on forums defending one's own tastes in hifi, or attacking someone else's. I mean, it's not like someone's going to come round and take your equipment away because you've made the 'wrong' choice (unless your choice involved over-stretching your credit and the finance company's confiscating it).

I dunno. Maybe it's having children that gives me something more important to think about than a bunch of boxes and wires. Enjoy what you have, and don't worry what anyone else thinks.

That's the absolute best attitude. Where things start to get a bit messy is when someone is asking for a piece of advice, not necessarily looking to pick up a fight. Then, if they follow some advice but it turns out that it does not work for them, maybe that's where the bitterness sets in? There may be some residual resentment after spending a lot of money and not getting what one has been promised?

[Joe]

That's the absolute best attitude. Where things start to get a bit messy is when someone is asking for a piece of advice, not necessarily looking to pick up a fight. Then, if they follow some advice but it turns out that it does not work for them, maybe that's where the bitterness sets in? There may be some residual resentment after spending a lot of money and not getting what one has been promised?

That's why I'm sparing with advice, and hedge it round with 'it works great in my system, but ...' and 'you really need to try it before buying it'. I'm actually reluctant to sell things in case the buyer doesn't like them!

[walpurgis]

I'm actually reluctant to sell things in case the buyer doesn't like them!

That's funny. I'm a bit the same!

I don't really like knocking a bit of Hi-Fi gear, even if I know it's crap, 'cos I know somebody out there will think it's wonderful.

[Sherwood]

That's why I'm sparing with advice, and hedge it round with 'it works great in my system, but ...' and 'you really need to try it before buying it'. I'm actually reluctant to sell things in case the buyer doesn't like them!

I would never buy something on advice alone, but good advice can be helpful in making a shortlist for personal evaluation. However, I spend a lot of time in selecting my hifi components and have had to wade through a lot of "well reviewed crap" to find the right system.

I guess the moral of this is that not all advice is equal or aligned to one's own tastes and preferences.

Geoff

[gninnam]

When it comes to sport I do not enjoy the areas where they are scored by a panel of judges (diving, figure skating etc).
Prefer sports where it is against the clock or they have to put something in a net (running, jumping, rugby, basketball etc)

Same with music/hifi. We all hear things differently. If someone says something sounds good (to them) then fine and I might find it and have a listen myself (who knows, I might like it) - but I would not go out of my way to poo poo them.

I know what I like, I know the sound I like and would not force my opinion on anyone as I do not see the point.

An acquaintance of mine many years ago who was a musician (well played the guitar very well and had been in a group) told me that I cannot comment on hifi or music as I had never been in a band or played an instrument............. dick.

We can all appreciate sounds generated from equipment, whether that is from hifi or lowfi and who has the right to say that our opinions are wrong? Not me for sure.

[magiccarpetride]

I would never buy something on advice alone, but good advice can be helpful in making a shortlist for personal evaluation. However, I spend a lot of time in selecting my hifi components and have had to wade through a lot of "well reviewed crap" to find the right system.

I guess the moral of this is that not all advice is equal or aligned to one's own tastes and preferences.

Geoff

Yeah, that's very true. Even if you visit a friend's place and hear their system and really like it, doesn't necessarily mean that similar system will sound equally good in your house. Sound reproduction chain is very finicky and despite many claims, still quite an unknown phenomenon, so it takes time and patience to build a good home hi fi.

I almost stopped auditioning gear in the stores, because I found that it all sounds completely different once you bring it home. I remember auditioning Castle speakers (that was ages ago) and being mesmerized by the way they rendered drum kit. Bought the pair, brought it home, and most of the sparkle and sizzle that I was hearing in the store were absent on my system. But because the speakers were used, the seller refused to take them back, so I got stuck with them for a while (managed to get rid of them thanks to the allmighty craigslist).

[CageyH]

You bet he was - and there are plenty of forums out there where you will find coffee zealots galore trying to convert you to their faith and decrying all manner of heinous sins committed against the holy bean by the foul mechanics of shoddy manufacturer' products. If you ain't got a burr grinder, you ain't grinding!! ... and not only that, the burrs MUST be ceramic - none of your cheap cast iron shit!!!

If you fon’t Have a burr grinder, then you are not grinding. You need burrs to grind.
The actual discussion is conical vs flat burrs. Cast iron burrs are perfectly acceptable, more so if titanium coated.