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In the Forum: Melquiades Amplifier
In the Thread: “Melquiades” amplifier: a year later.
Post Subject: A New ParadigmPosted by Paul S on: 12/6/2006
Regardless of whether or not I understand you and your Milquiades, I do understand for the first time in 40 years the value of a real change in my audio perspective, which the ML2 immediately provided for me. This is not to say that I have already formed a new paradigm, rather I have been forced to loosen my grip on my old one. Now, whether another amp or preamp or whatever is "better" will in itself take on an entirely different meaning, or at least it feels like that at this point, early in this new phase of the game. And it certainly seems like I am "listening differently", and certainly with different expectations.
Frankly, I am annoyed that I have been unable to grasp your notions of the "X Factor" and the "Beach Effect", because the "X-Factor" at any rate is something that you speak of as a major shift in performance criteria, and I am eager to compare this to my own recent experience, see how the experiences stack up.
So then I imagine Milquiades as another serious shift, which you abandoned the ML2s for, which does not strike me as odd so much as it facinates me. Hell, I'd start to work on those amps right now if it didn't also entail re-thinking and re-tooling my speakers, etc. in the bargain, just to give the suckers a listen.
Is it so strange to you that someone would act to build your amps simply because he thinks he "takes your word" on the subject and "goes along"? And I do not mean myself, but now that I've said this I'm thinking also that the amps will get built by the people who build them, for the reasons they build them. In that sense, it seems you have lost control of the future of your creation, which I am not saying to inform but rather to remind.
I do hope I and many others get chances to hear Milquiades, and then we can test the notions that it does/does not require special sensibilities to appreciate. This may mean I am more of a cynic than you, but although I am often annoyed I am seldom surprised when people aspire to and settle for nothing more than patent mediocrity, nor when they eschew that which I most admire, for any reason. I say, that's how it is, you just can't let that sort of thing stand in your way.
Hegel? Musil? You might count on one hand the number of people who really do share your taste, sensibilities and commitment. And your observations about division apply to "us" also, ne c'est pas? You must get bored without relevant feedback.
But I wish you would compare and contrast the "relation between ML2's best performance and boundaries of 'conceived reality' ", at least give us a shot at it...
Best regards,
Paul SRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site