Robert, sorry but you yourself in the “doormatish” position. You see, many audio people elevate the individuals who write for audio publication to some kind of shrine level and attribute to them some kind of special qualities, expecting them to be special and express “special” judgment regarding audio subjects. The reality is that even through in the industry there are some few individuals who are in position of prominence for right reasons but unfortunately absolutely dominating majority of audio public figures, particularly the writers, are incredible idiots.

Regardless who you might be, your qualifications, knowledge, ethics or just plan metal capacity, if you knock in the door of any audio publication, promise to protect and preserve the industry status quo then you will instantly become the Board Certified Audio Reviewer and if you in beginning of your reviewing career will not steal too much then you very soon get some popularity among manufacturers and will regularly receive gear from them to write your “reviews”.  You understand that in this environment the individuals who end up writing their obligatory “reviewing” articles about audio are the bottom of the barrel, literally and figuratively.

Mr. Valin got some traction in industry as spineless leech and he has no respect in the industry.  I did know some manufacturers whose products he reviews very positively   and you will not believe the level of disrespect and contempt they expressed about him. However, this is a food chain and this is how marketing works – somebody needs to step up to a microphone and issue the order “Fetch” for the public, so here is the junk like Valin play their indispensable role.

Now, why you suddenly, after witnessing that the guy is asshole will “read Mr. Valin's reviews with a new sense of skepticism”? Did you with your judgment of audio did not feel that Mr. Valin’s thinking about audio worth no mode that used toilet paper? If Mr. Valin's did not insulated you at the show then you would continue to treat his stupid writing with respect and attention?

What I am saying is that regardless how disrespectful Valin behaved to you or to anybody else it is not something that defines his dim-witted value.  The Valin-guy is much more pathetic then just to be hated for his CES behavior. You feel that many other industry pimps who invested Vegas during CES are much better? How many stores you want to hear? A good industry person is dead industry person. As soon you embrace this simple postulate the less you will experience disappointment among the audio industry  freaks.

After posting last night the post above I got a few emails from the people asking me why I am so angry and why I feel that industry people are valuable only in dead form. Those unfortunate audio people with their questions are so dull. I have expressed the very same position for years and years at my site, and at numerous sites before that but it looks like the expectations of primitivism is too strong among audio people and they are not able see further then the pathetic horizon of own fear.

So, very briefly I would run over something that was expressed many many time at this site.

What is audio, at least the audio that I care. A person, an individual person, has some specific objectives how s/he wants his playback to sound. The person creates motions, assemble a playback installation in accordance with his/her objectives and listener via this playback whatever he feel satisfies him/her. Audio is superbly individualistic ceremony where manipulations by different audio methods a person creates more favorable condition for own satisfaction. Now, tell me how the presence of Valins or any another products pimps has to do anything with audio. Yes, there are audio products and people who practice my version of audio do engage those audio products. However, what did you see in thinking of any audio reviewer information how this or that product my serve person needs? They are impotent to think about it as they are not true audio practitioners as the products they review are not made for true audio practice but made explicitly for the reviews-centric industry be able to sell crap to senseless crowd.

Sure there are manufactures with their potency to furnish audio people with their needs.  However, the manufactures or today make invest approximately 5% of own ability to make products to be use in Real Audio, the rest is consumed in the furnace of industry’s audio indifference and cynicism. Where in today industry did you see a relationship with audio maker and audio consumer where audio  consumer expose to the maker his own requirement and get audio product  that specifics serves this requirement? Where all that junk: audio publications, reviewers, editors, impotent makers, representatives, dealers, manufactures public cronies positioned to serve a need of a person who have specific audio objective? They are worthless and they are as good as dead. If tomorrow some kind or proverbial neutrino bomb blow up and eradicate any single asshole in Audio Industry then it will be very positive event for all people who have interest in audio as a creative and truly stimulating environment. Can you imagine audio without brand names, without money, without frustrations and disappointments, audio not as stand alone “hobby” that an idiot practice in his basement or in “dedicated room” but as organic form of life exploration? Can you imagine audio where each of your farts does not require you to go online and look for “sympathy” from other audio sufferers, aka industry victim?

The answer is very simple – proverbially kill each and single audio industry person who do not serve YOUR need. Not the contrived artificial need that the industry implanted in you but your own natural need. If you look hostelry in yourself then you will see that there is no single internal human need in you that audio industry and the industry participants’ could serve.

Robert, I have no problem to give my sweat spot sit at a trade show to anybody. Primary due to respect to the fact that I am just hang around there leisurely but the  reviewers are working and kind of on clock. However, if right outside the room the very same reviewer or the manufacture who hosted the room would slowly run over by 50 ton asphalt roller then I would not consider that it was a tragic event. 

From another perspective those people need to be informer about own worthless. Did your colleges Mr. Colonel of US Army, teach you to hold your ground? I think if you very publicly send Mr. Valin to go fuck himself or even kick him out of that room then it would be much more beneficial then what you do now. Pretend that you have CES with 150 rooms and in all of them there is own Robert Guerin who tosses Mr. Valin out of that room as it was some kind of deadly mold. As the jerk learn about own insignificance he will be gone. Now the most complicate ploy will unfold - Mr. Guerin, the audio practitioner will need to learn how to live without Mr. Valin existence....