As I said a few days back it was a big event in my life: I bought October TAS magazine in book store

http://www.GoodSoundClub.com/TreeItem.aspx?PostID=11954

Doing it a few times in year is so wonderful journey into the realm of idiocy where the entire “official” audio live. In this TAS there was Robert Harley’s review of Aesthetix Rhea Signature phonostage.

http://www.aesthetix.net/docs/Aesthetix_TAS2009.pdf

I LOVE Robert Harley. Him and myself have a lot of similarities. For instance we both believe that an average audiophile is a brainless cretin incarcerated in unintelligent crowds that deserve minimum respect, attention or concern. Robert Harley and I just chose to act upon our feeling differently. I feel that most of audiophiles are Morons, I treat them this way openly and honestly. Robert Harley feels that most of audiophiles are Morons but he takes advantage of it and cash of their simplicity, and moronity and manageability. His last Aesthetix Rhea Signature “review” is a perfects illustration but it also a good example how one Audio-Idiot can sell to other audio-Idiots…. nothing but the concepts of pure idiocy.

 I can’s believe that Robert Harley would feel that a normal person would read his article and do not feel insulted. I do not have any Aesthetix phonostages and I feel Aesthetix. What to say about the people who own Aesthetix?

The entire concept of promoting a company that introduces an identical unit with a few “better” parts is so much below any imaginable level of self-respect that if the person do not feel it then it would not be possible to explain to him. Those reviewing pimps convinced the stupid audio public (and themselves!) that high-end audio sound is hot the hi-fi components sound.  So, the go each few month with new “discovery” of sound. Why a badly playing cellist or trombonist does not explain to James Levine that it was how his cello or trombone plays? Why James Levine demands the sound that he feel is right, musicians comply and no one have ever a second thought about it. Shall a phonostage produce a “proper sound” and shall the person who put himself in a position of “reviewing” able to evaluate how far the given  phonostage from the sound “how it shall be”. If Mr. Harley has no idea how phonostage shall sound then what the fuck he does reviewing audio, besides converting plugging himself into the Aesthetix distribution chain?  Robert Harley said that he used the Aesthetix Rhea (non Signature) version since 1995 and I am sure that he never expresses any single word about the deficiency of it sound. I do not pay attention to his reviews but if I had desire and file his former reviews about Aesthetix Rhea (non Signature) then it would be no comments about it shortcomings that reportedly were “addressed” in Signature version just because they put a few better caps (which are in fact are NOT better caps).

Pay attention that I do not comment negatively of positively about Aesthetix Rhea, Signature or not. My comments only about the absolutely idiotic methods the industry “reviewers” use to sell their crap.  There is absolutely nothing to talk or to discuss with them besides the sales numbers. Nothing else!

BTW, talking about the sales strategy: what Aesthetix is very obvious.  If you pay attention Mr. Harley spins the idiotic idea of “very expensive variable capacitors” as some kind of huge advancement that according to him also “very accurately set the characteristics of the RIAA network” (near verbatim). Anybody who has a very rudimental understanding how capacitive filtration work in RIAA would be laughing reading about the needs for variable caps to set the RIAA “accurately”.  I do not want even to debate it. There is however an easily predicable truth behind this. Aesthetix decided to employ the adjustable capacitance to make thir phonostages to implement different phono equalization curves like Decca FFSS, multiple years of Decca FFRR, AES 51, Early EMI, NAB, Enhanced RIAA and others - it become “fashionable” nowadays.  However, the Aesthetix marketing insisted that they did not release new models for years and they feel that their customers are ripe to a new round of cash collection. So, the made up the new production version but hold back for a year or two with anointment modifiable RIAA curve, letting the Audio Sheep out there to buy in the Signature version. The Signature VARIO for extra $4 will come later on which will be the very same what they run in production nowadays.  I can see very clearly the Aesthetix marketing folks looking the names in the “reviewers” pick up which whore will be selling for them publically their Signature version for a duration of a year or two. This is just about money.

Somebody might feel that marketing folks at the hi-fi companies do treat the “reviewers” with disrespect as I express in my article. Well, the truth is very far from it. Wait until Robert Harley will taken on payroll by some kind of Aesthetic competitor. Then sit with Aesthetix and ask about Robert Harley. My Gog, what you will be able to hear is beyond your sickest dreams. Well, I did it and was told “stories” about many reviewers by a number of companies that reviewers abandoned.  Those stories were graphic beyond imagination.

Anyhow, I do not know about the Aesthetix Rhea phonostage but Robert Harley’s comments about it is one more perfect example of how the industry treats you, the audio user, as you are a stupid idiots who do not deserve better. “Slaughter” both of them, - the company and the pimp who sells the scam – you Sound only will become better.