person wrote:

“… this is our new flagman speaker and if I let you to listen it then you shell not comment on it for one year.”

person wrote:

“… you can listen it but you have not say about it to anyone.”

person wrote:

“… but if you think the unit is unspeakable garbage I prefer you don't put that on your website.”

I hear these types of requests again and again. Surely I understand where people are coming from and surely I respect the rules of engagement, if I decided to proceed. I have many occasions when some dealers, distributors or manufacturers exposed me to something with at prohibition to express my public opinion about that “something”. Many “stature of limitations” on these agreements are up and I free to say whatever I wish but irony is that possible negative or positive judgment about a product, a company, a topology or about a specific installation attempt is not what interests me. In fact I find that it is extremely unpleasant and hugely ungratifying to express negative or critical comments about audio components or installations. And the reason for that is, not that I do not like to do it but extremely antagonistic  and near-idiotic perception of majority of audio public to any critical feedback. Pay attention I said critical feedback, not negative feedback!

It is astonishes and annoys me how audio-fools accept criticism. If you have a house with and leaky roof and someone told you is that a roof building techniques where not appropriate for the amount of precipitation in your region than most likely you will not hold personal grudge against the person but a rather begin to EDUCATE YOURSELF on the subject of a roof fixing. With Audio everything works differently. A person who stepped into a big puddle of water on your floor and the person who pointed you at a wet spot at your ceiling become not a trigger for you to assess (or reassess) the state of your perception but rather at a personal enemy who violently trespassed your little backyard. Talking about me. The irony is that I do not ever remember that I ever passed any negative judgment or just negative perception without trying to justify or rationalize the events (unless the collaborator is a cretin that makes me to become economical and do not waste my time). Those rationalizations attempts, acknowledgment of negative consequences to Sound, recognition of the patterns are actually it is the most interesting and gratifying thing for me in my negative remarks. I learn on the mistakes of others very much as I learn on my mistakes. I'm sure everybody else do the same, so I wonder why everybody else in Audio just afraid to acknowledge the sightlessness of their pursue and stop to treat mistakes as failures.

Why audio people are so driven by fear? If those people have just business motivations (and I would perfectly understand and respect it) then why do they care to expose their products to such people like me: It is known that I don't give a shit their about business interests or agendas. If they are interested to a pure sonic evaluation of their products than why do they afraid of any criticism? If they in insist me to keep my position public doesn't mean that they have at premonition or confidence that their products supposed to be underperforming sonically?

Well, I do not want to sound that I am overly dummy and that I do not understand the situation, surely anyone who reads it understands it as well. However, behind all that “understanding” I think laying a huge shotgun with which the audio people should themselves in own leg. I think the Real Audio self-education starts with elimination of fear, openness and ability to recognize and exchange assessments or compare notes honestly and unconditionally. Certainly honesty is not something which prevents from critique mistakes; still the Truth never exists in “conclusions” but rather in conditions and circumstances. That elimination, bleaching, and abolition of fine nuances of conditions and circumstances is something that I feel is terminally lost when audio people do not practice to criticize audio and do not practice to exchange their criticism publicly. I would wish more people will share my views as I know it would lead to better Sound in the peoples listening rooms and also it would lead to the less amount of Moronity among audio public.

Hello Romy and friends,

With regard to constructive criticism:

At the risk of stating the obvious: Not many people (audio manufacturers included) have your level of references with regard to both sound and equipment (to say nothing of musical culture). Serious audio manufacturers would probably very much value the input of a pair of ears like yours (they’d be crazy not to), if they could just get it to occur before putting the product on sale. Such a scenario would of course wreak havoc with the cat’s routine…

With regard to the apparent ignorance and “high-end” gear:

I think it comes down to a question of passion.

As becoming an audio manufacturer often has its roots in a passion for, if not sound, then SOMETHING, I believe that in most cases the manufacturers do have the best intentions, and do try to build the best products their ability allows.

However, though it sounds ridiculous, I also believe that most manufacturers simply do not have the references necessary to judge their own work. This BTW is not restricted to audio:  I know a lot of “automotive engineers” that will not acknowledge the importance of a rigid chassis; this is because they have never experienced a proper rigid chassis… The result of their work is Twisto-Flex garbage!

The truth is that this sort of reference (be it an automotive chassis having reference level rigidity, or audio) is super difficult to access. One would however think that those having sufficient passion would seek out such references (why they would not, is something I don’t understand)…

At the same time, those having the passion of the average postal employee should be stripped of their badge as creators (That’s the mild version…The general lack of passion I find in others is a wall against which I regularly slam my head. Is passion not what differentiates a human from a cabbage?)

Your system and particularly the Macondos is an example of a level of reference that is very difficult to access… Believe me I know… My back is killing me from the work I’ve been doing, but the rewards are already so apparent. Though I may not be able to walk when all is done, the experience so far has been supremely educational… I’m no different than anyone else… Without having made this investment in time, sweat and cash, I simply would not have had access to this knowledge (this tool really).

The public of course suffers from the same lack of access to these references, and hence is ignorant of what is possible. People simply do not know enough to demand better, or how even to define “better”. They would if they could, but as you often say, the mass of equipment available to the public does not favor such enlightenment.

The audio world is no different, and is orbiting within the current, very narrow base of references… It doesn’t make sense… If they are not good, how then did they become our references??? History shows that the people can be massively led, and massively misled. I suppose the “why” is another subject. As inappropriate as they may be, we have these references and most if not all equipment is designed with them in mind. Music has of course somewhat evolved as a function of the capacity of the equipment (current pop music often lacks mid range but has a lot of narrow band bass and HF…Most PA/concert speakers no longer even bother to incorporate a dedicated mid range driver!).

It is unlikely that the situation be changed over night by a manufacturer offering one piece of really superb equipment. That one piece of superb equipment would likely be completely incompatible with anything else currently available.

I believe that people are still sensitive and respond to genuine quality (though some need to be smacked a bit harder before they catch on), and because of this there is some very long-term hope.

In the mean time, in the name of the advancement of mankind, those few with true reference level access (regardless of the domain) should share this access as often as is practicable … Which I suppose is exactly what this site does.

Jd*

Actually I would like to stay at on the subject of this thread - the benefits of critiques and the benefits of positive perception of critiques. I less care about corporations as they have no personal consciousness but I rather target my attention to a person who “does audio”, regardless what industry status s/he put on himself/herself.

The critical assessment the sound of playback installation is superbly important if proper assessment techniques are used. I remember a few years ago Vladimir Lamm suggested me literally to write down the notable perceptions that I experience with my playback in order to teach myself to clearly identify problems. I did and then I reviewed my log as time went by. Lamm was absolutely correct proposing it and I found that it was a very power method to teach own awareness about proper assessment methodology. I do not do logging and analyses of my listening practice anymore… but how different my entire website from my old listening log? Sure they are in a way the same. My early logging practices turned into my site that you read now, my inclinations for objective critical assessment turned into my firm audio conception:

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

and some of my broader views turned into  a quite effective OBJECTIVE methodology for Audio Evaluations:

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=50

(that I never took further then Seconded Level publicly). Frankly, looking at audio sites and taking with audio people I would like less to see their “wondering mind navigating from a component to a component” but rather would like to hear their critiques and their chronicle about audio that they practice…

Paul S wrote:

The truth is that if most of the seekers at this site knew what they were really in for by "copying Romy", then they would be wise to give up now.

Well this is part of a bigger subject. I have a written and extended fairly insulting post sharing my feeling about some people who “imitate me”. The morons jump on my site, or stop in my home, found some pictures or look at a piece of junk sitting on my shelf, and if they see a total result acceptable for them then they buy this specific element, and they under a presumption that this element  will give them a hypothetical gain in performance. What actually is more ironic that those peoples then send me e-mails or call me asking me why the things doesn't work to them. It happened many-many times, and when I informed them that they were damn to be engage in this venture to begin with, because they wear just who stupid to understand what was going on the then they get aggravated. I wrote that long post, again, again and again explaining that the solutions might be replicateable only in context of replicateable objectives and understandings of the basic application, however before I posted my laptop crushed and I lost it, I hate to write it again.

Meanwhile the Morons ™ keep sending me e-mails with accusations. Fuck them! The irony however is that I never proposed to anyone to do any duplications of what I do. Well, I proposed to people to build Melquiades or at least start using the 6E5P, I do not see a lot of people to do it. So, why I received e-mails from idiots accusing me that they bought ADS 10 and it sounds horrible? Do they understand what it was used for and why it was mentioned at my site? Yes, unfortunately many-many-many of the people use no brain in audio at all….

I always said that regular audio-freaks, who mostly unprovoked bend themselves in demonstration of the excessive and stupid devotion to audio manufactures, are the worst case. Ironically that “devotion” is not what the manufactures demand but the obsequious and almost sycophantic loyalty is all that lives in the empty heads of audio simpletons, the simpletons who, if they like something then they feel strong need to build a “Church of Admiration”….

I had a guy I knew Seattle who recently bought a Weiss DAC1 possessor in Europe. Since he did not need to right the way we decided to ship the unit to me and let me to listen it. It was very interesting as I have similar-class Larry DA-924 DAC and I do not have experience to have them bother running full 24/96. This Seattle  guy was very interested in the result (so did I), as well as number of other people who use ether Weiss or Larry and who were very exciting to learn about the results of the shoot out between those two high class pro DACs.

When the Weiss was shipped (***) my Seattle guy informed me that after I listening the DAC he does not what me to mention it on my site. The quote in the post above “I relay like Daniel Weiss and if you think the unit is unspeakable garbage I prefer you don't put that on your website” was actually his quote. This “arrangement” is kind of made me very uncomfortable. I do not particularly care if I post my audio finding on my site but I do not rally like when someone impose conditions for me dictating what I shell say or not say… in audio. Come on, get some freaking perspective: the guy bought used DAC on second hand market and he wants me to listen it, pass my observation to him but do not tell to anyone else. How stupid is it!!! If Daniel Weiss himself send me the DAC he would never asked me to shut up about my opinion about his DAC, but a little audio freak who bought the thing on second hand market feels that he what whatever reasons shell  “keep publicity vigilant”!

Sorry, it is not the game that play or willing to play. I informed the Seattle guy that until he remove any pre-conditions for me listening the DAC I will refuse listening it. The DAC is sitting in it’s box for a week in my home and I never even took it out of it box. I will be sending the DAC back to Seattle with a wish to the DAC’s owner to go fuck himself. The sad part is that in all this saga the Weiss DAC lost opportunity to demonstrate what it is capable of. The only subject that heart was Truth about the actual sonic performance of the audio component and it is very unfortunate that the Truth became a hostage of totally empty audio agenda and very stupid brownnosing fear.

guy sergeant wrote:

Thousands of other people make comparisons like this every week but manage not vent their feelings publicly about what they find.

And it is exactly why there is no common sense in audio. Those “thousands comparisons” not only should be public but they should be instantaneously accessable and be able to be interpretable from multiple dimensions. I do not want to sound like I too much care or have an etching intention to make my findings about one or another component public but I do not want to be EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED by anyone to share my views on anything if I develop a wish to do so…

guy sergeant wrote:

Compare them. You aren't obliged to broadcast the outcome.

However, in what you said, Guy, there is very rational point that I think I overlooked: I might be “prohibited to vent” it on my website (although I presume that Weiss will NOT be “unspeakable garbage” as I heard this unit before) however. I also have no obligations, or at this point interest, to share my views about Weiss DAC with…. my Seattle guy.

This actually opens for me an opportunity to look at the issue differently: since I pay those $160 for shipping then why do not I spend my time with the unit, get my reference about it sound, share it with a half dozen people who are interested about the Weiss vs. Lavry subject but do not share my observations about the Weiss sound with my that Seattle guy? I think it would be fear.

Hm, very nice, Guy. It is not the first time when I found my site acts so educational for myself…

guy sergeant wrote:

The other option is of course "Publish and be damned" the only downside being that people may be less reluctant to lend you things if they are concerned that they can't trust your confidentiality. Romy! you're no better than the magazines you despise! What is the world coming to?

The subject of this thread was a call to open our minds, to come clean about our audio assessments, about our audio results and to let out ability to express what we feel to run free. I do not play games, I know those games, but I do not play them. And it is my wish.

BYW, I would like to accent that the Weiss DAC is publicly available unit and it should be no confidentiality of any kind regarding it. It is not an experimental project with unknown results. I was involved in number of experimental project, including with “big name’ companies and you never heard or will hear from me about them. Those projects ARE off the table for any public exposure. However, as a serials production, publicly available model … what is the problem there?

In the end Clark, said right about Truth. What we care more: about the health of César or about preservation of Roma? It is not a question that'll make me to think too long…

guy sergeant wrote:

Romy. I understand the dilemma.  People sometimes lend things to me to listen to them. I like having the opportunity to hear these things and sometimes to broaden my understanding.  Publically available or not, I wouldn't express a view unless asked to. Its like the true cost of the loan but respecting such confidentiality is a price I'm happy to pay to satisfy my own curiosity. Fortunately, my opinion isn't really worth anything to anyone other than me.  Yours is, whether you like it or not.

No one cares about your or my expressed opinions if there is an open opinions pool. Only in the environment of closeness, “conspiracy” and confidentiality there are opinion makers and there are people who willing to put the, on a position to manage opinions. It was one of the subject against which I am aiming this thread.

It is a public unit and since Weiss is one of the leader of own class it should have public exposure. Mr. Weiss is a very normal person with perfectly healthy perception of the things. When he designed his unit he made many public inquires about desirable futures of his DAC and publicly explained what he was doing. It would be interesting to hear what he thinks about the performances of his DAC, in comparing to his competitors but the stupid industry removed microphone from the people who shell talk and stack it to the hands of reviewing imbeciles. I would like to hear what Lavry and others thinks about Weiss. I would like many Weiss user to express their views on Weiss as well. why not? In an environment of open, honest and no-fear sharing of perceptions it might be no stupid “opinion stars” but rather a healthy opinions competition, the competition for more reasoning, more rational and more evolved reference points. That is something that I would call an “environment of healthy public critiques” and it the way how it should be.

Everything else is just crap where the people in-compliance turn themselves inot crap. If you look at your colleges in industry, or at those who willing to behave like the are in the industry then you will know what I mean.