Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site

Playback Listening
Topic: Very thoughtful, et bon chance

Page 1 of 1 (7 items)


Posted by Romy the Cat on 06-07-2007

I hate to provide what the audio people call “equipment recommendations”. Whoever has sent me private emails asking me about buying or trying one of another audio component know that I usually suggest do not bother me or propose to them going to hell. The irony is that doing it I feel that I express much more altruism to audio people then counseling them with specific atomic advice about what they shell buy. Pay attention I said “shell try” not “might try” and it was not accidental and VERY loaded statement.

I usually listen very careful what people are asking and try to recognize in the questions objectives and any sense of self-understanding what they ask. Unfortunately in most cases audio people ask questions so stupid and no irrational that even to open my mouth replying I feel is demonstrating disrespect to the subject.

The typical audiophile mind works very primitively and has no civilized rationale to form a demand for this next equipment move:

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=432

Even if a typical Audio-Morons™ did pick from somewhere an “advise” then s/he is disabled to processes the recommendation or to understand the underlying principles-motivations behind the recommendations, not to mention the application of the advise.  This complete intellectual apathy to read rationale behind any specifically-targeted recommendation is the very primary reasons why I so not make any recommendations to audio people. I always try to decipher the level at which the question is being asked and within almost all cases I see not level at all. I typical illustration would be the audio-unfortunate Jonathan Weiss making his typical waves about me:

“Actually, he has never, ever posted on a system he has liked. So, I once asked him on his own forum, where I could find info on things he liked, beyond his own system. No response. So then I asked him if he ever liked ANYTHING besides his own system. No response.”

I fell the peoples who ask questions about audio recommendations should always look at own questions in context of what this interest are. I have visited the Jonathan Weiss at his Oswalds Mill and have observed at which level of audio understanding he operates. It was terrorizing sub-primitive level, so frighting that it is understandable why he heeds to spend so many efforts to violently-hide own audio oblivion from HIS audio community. If so then what would be a purpose to extend to the Weiss-level people any recommendations or to tell them what Sound I had found perspective? Thos people are disabled to process somebody’s views in a proper cogent format, intrepid rationale, recognize conditions, read motivations. They do not do Audio in a constrictive, creative and result-oriented format, but rather they use audio as a psychotic dildo of own hobbysm. What is the purpose to extend any opinion to an audience of you know that you message will be sinking in the swamp of misunderstand and misappropriation? Of course the idiot Jonathan Weiss have understood my economic desire do not waste myself wrongly and converted it into my special carnal relationship between myself and my own playback system. I have idea where he pulled this from though I understand why he did it… Unfortunately his rationale it is too primitive even to comment about it.  I have written the post right after I returned from visiting Jonathan Weiss and exposing to his attitude.

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=2546

It is always the case: the format and basis of the question contains the references to the validity of the question. Until I have evidenced that somebody questions has some substance or understating I intend to disregard the questions as a typical audiophile noise. So, do not search this site (as many people do) in your desire to find “recommendation” of your favorite or desirable audio component. You might find the “words” but then got it as “recommendations” you have to be prepared to be engaged in the whole complexity of the subjects. Not to be engaged with me or anyone else at this site but with yourself and you own reasoning. You will hardly find any “recommended components lists” with this site. You need to learn to live behind the audio buzzwords and bumper-sticker slogans and to employ yourself at different level of seriousness about audio methods in order to take advantage something that might be recognized as “recommendations” coming from here. Be prepared that the “recommendations” will create more problems then solutions….

Rgs,
Romy the Cat

Posted by SearcherOfBetterSound on 06-07-2007
Face it, you are stuck in the audiophile world and whatever social problems it brings, JUST because you are very involved in it..this isn't just about others, but about you, BECAUSE you are social, and as much problems as it might bring, your charge to audio can be interpreted as..say a horned animal charging for its needs and experimental learnings. I don't feel it's even worth criticizing others and their systems outside of your own head. You don't have to have this site, you don't have to try to help others, you don't have to interact with others than just for yourself. I feel this pattern will just go on and on and on, and no matter what you do or say, others won't get it unless they get it..and they CAN'T get it unless they were destined to in the first place. Your rant-like teachings may usually be seen more as JUST rants to these people, because they don't understand it's just part of your teaching persona. It's hard to understand qualifications for ANYONE in audio to teach things in it, because good audio is an underground thing that is 99% less popular than other underground audio, which is ALREADY unpopular! I think you are saying that if audio is to be taken as a hobby or extreme quality thing, your innocence in ideas must be similar to how you were before you knew much about audio at all, which must also be transported properly to integrity in ideas..for some, the train just never started on track/never went on track/never stayed on track.

Posted by Romy the Cat on 06-07-2007
Congratulations you made a first post at this site that actually makes sense, probably because it is about a subject that you understand. Anyhow, in what you said I see a minor moment where I disagree with you: teaching. I do not believe in teaching of others, learning from others at least in the format as it uselessly takes place. I do not feel that it is possible to exchange experiences as until one brew up with itself own tangible perception about the subjects this person juts understand empty words from others but still completely blind to the word’s real meaning. We all must live out own experience, we can not inherit knowledge, can not learn knowledge, can not tech knowledge, can not embrace knowledge… we can only to DEVELOP (redevelop) KNOWLEDGE with ourselves. However, it requires an ability to be able to interact with “society” and with own awareness at very different level…. certainly not at the level were the empty nouns, fears, prejudges, self-uncertainties and wrong definitions are being jiggering on own head – a typical mindset of an audio person.

Rgs, Romy the caT

Posted by SearcherOfBetterSound on 06-08-2007
It's not just about order. You don't do it because you or others are obsessed with the advanced aspects of audio..perhaps so much, that we forget about the basics and the possibility of categorization that's simpler. Nothing will be perfect, I sure as hell don't remember some of school teachings, but if you're interested enough, you can take something out of something. If no one else did something in a field or even got the idea spread, you sure wouldn't have much to experience, but to develop the basics on your own FIRST...barely anyone can just invent something or do it again on there own, let alone figuring out reasonably how to put up an entire reasonable audio chain..you'd have to figure out how and what goes on with equipment BY YOURSELF. I guess what I'm saying is that a portal to understanding should be shared, not necessarily like teaching math and everything has to be perfect (it can't be anyway, but a sort of simulation in areas would be best), no, a simple ENTRANCE to something, that's more balanced than just paying attention to an advertisement or product recommendation..think about the "NORMAL" PUBLIC and their iPods, they're not going to understand anything you're saying because they don't even know what amps are!..and you'll still always have to figure out at least some things for yourself no matter what. Your perfectionism is making you not realize that many important aspects can be reasonably mentioned in a collection of words as long as there's some psychological aspects discussed and telling others to rely on an appropriate balance of theirs and others experience. I'm not entirely sure what you're meaning but it seems like unless you talk to a specialty group only involving your friends and those you trust, your wasting all you effort and time..but even if that's true, read the third sentence from the top. Even high-endaudio.com tries a bit of this teaching and tries to help others product wise..but EVEN THEN, the guy behind it doesn't get into the basics as much as he could.. Are you afraid of being criticized since teaching involves more research-paper-like sureness or too simple stuff that you think makes you seem childish, like a the bigger or simpler it is, the harder you fall sort of thing? nah, read the second sentence above.

Obviously you're not interested in it, and I don't think you're capable of it or many others really, but it really doesn't matter. My thought could be said to be more general too, besides just based on specific people. I've already tried teaching, but it took me like a year to actually really start understanding what I was dealing with...but, now I'd say I've said stuff that can really help and be expanded into more greatness..

Posted by RonyWeissman on 06-10-2007
Romy wrote :  Be prepared that the “recommendations” will create more problems then solutions….

That should be a disclaimer that all visitors to this site have to sign before reading... I have now spent almost a year trying to tame my Vitavox S2s, find right horns, right throat adaptors, right xover settings...my sound was pretty good before switching to the Vitavoxs. The Vitavoxs  are doing things so well that I can't go in reverse, but know I have to rething mid-bass, had to change my preamplification, am trying to change amplification etc etc... and I REALLY don't enjoy tinkering with audio equipment...

I have slowly (over almost 5 years now!) slowly changed my system to reflect some of romy's choices in audio equipment. Most of them have worked out very well for me but only after working very hard on adapting each piece to my system.  My Micro Seiki 5000 for example took almost four years of finding the right set-up(especially base) before it gave up the magic.

Good luck to anyone that runs out and buys  this stuff, I would recommend setting budget at $2000 and NEVER reading an audio mag or website as long as you live..

R Weissman

Posted by Paul S on 06-10-2007
Well put, Rony, and probably the best "recommendation" anyone following along here looking for "product information" could get.

But of course it will be wasted on precisely those who most need to understand and heed the advice.

Meanwhile, the price of certain gear that will probably never be properly implemented gets driven up past all reason.

Since I do "everything wrong" myself, I hesitate to actually "recommend" anything in particular, knowing what the poor fool who tries it for himself is in for.

I can think of a few cases where something might come to mind in a very particular situation.

But who, for instance, would knowingly send someone else off on a 4-year quest for a "better" TT?

How many people that Romy has driven away realize how much he has saved them?

Best regards,
Paul S

Posted by Geoff on 12-04-2007
I usually tell people the basics, then add "If you hear a set of speakers that you really dig, then by all means buy them. If they make you happy, then they are just fine".

IMHO, there are so many variables to what people like and dislike, it's almost impossible to give anybody a clear direction to what they want. They will have to trust their own ears and weigh that with their bank accounts. Personally I love to have a nice set of Magnaplaynes in my listening room (aka the Man Cave). I've heard them, loved how they sound when they are coupled with a decent dynamic woofer, but can I justify spending $10K+ on a pair? Nope. That's why I cheaped out and built my own 1/4 wave Transmission Lines. To me they sound pretty damn good, but some people said they sound way too bassy in the low end (40hz) and some said they have too much midrange. Oh well. They handle Mussorgsky pretty well.

I think the Vulcans said it best:

"infinite diversity in infinite combinations"

Page 1 of 1 (7 items)