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Article: Editorial: What's Wrong With You?


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2 hours ago, Jud said:

I guess I'm a stickler for trying to be accurate - can anyone find an interview or piece of writing where Alan Parsons actually said what was attributed to him in that quote?

 

Closest I got was a 2012 interview in a publication called CEPro, where, under the headline "Alan Parsons Rips Audiophiles," the engineer and musician had these among other things to say:

 

 

So the man who supposedly criticized audiophiles for not just enjoying the music seldom listens to music for enjoyment.

 

 

The man who supposedly criticized audiophiles for listening to equipment says the art of listening is critical, and you can learn how to "discern minute differences in pieces of equipment."

 

Here's his "rip" of audiophiles:

 

Audiophiles don't pay sufficient attention to room treatment compared to pro sound people, and will pay lots of money for comparatively small improvements that aren't necessary in the pro environment.  Wow, just scathing.

 

_ _ _

 

I think highlighting the quote that Parsons may or may not have really said, and the blaring headline, in contrast to the much more balanced view presented in the actual interview, are symptomatic of exactly the sort of thing your editorial critiques, Chris.  Do race drivers have this jaundiced view of car collectors, or do car collectors think this sort of thing about themselves or fellow collectors?  Professional golfers or weekend duffers about the guy with an expensive set of clubs?  Don't know.  Maybe it exists and I'm not aware of it.

 

If people are that much into regret at participation in the hobby or anger at the industry that absolutely forces you to spend money on equipment(!), maybe we need an AA (Audiophiles Anonymous) section here where they can let it all go and feel cleansed.

 

Is more knowledge about how stuff works (or doesn't) better?  Absolutely.  To me that's not at all antithetical to enjoying my hobby.

I could pass on my own assumptions about a few things from what I believe Chris was getting at, where it was coming from, and also that I understand the victories of your post. 

 

But overall, +1, this deserves a reply. 

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50 minutes ago, rickca said:

A psychiatrist would have a field day just analyzing some of the characters here on AS.

 

4 minutes ago, accwai said:

 

Psychologist?

 

Whatever.  😉

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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I've run into musical genre bias as well, never understood it.  As a musician, I never judge other people's tastes in music and just encourage everyone to listen to whatever connects to them. 

 

It's also maddening to walk into hifi shops, tell them i listen to prog rock/metal, and they are clueless about suggesting gear to me.  Or very resistant to me demoing Sepultura at listening volume while DAC shopping 😡

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9 hours ago, accwai said:

 

Chris, you've probably way underestimated the showoff freaks. Cleverest of them can take advantage of both gear and music at the same time. Look at this guy:

 

https://youtu.be/pd1JYxBZS3s

 

Worst, he's into heavy photo gear and blasts around in Ferraris ← yes 's', mid *and* front engine. whatsbestforum.com is packed with freaks like that. As a service to the people, could you open a subforum here so we can rat these guys out? Then we can bring full force of the AS brigade to bear and shame them off the 'net :x

 

Takes only seconds of system playback to hear that his rig is way out of whack - not worth taking seriously ... as good an example as any of how audiophiles lose the plot; if the intention is to connect to the music ...

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2 hours ago, JDoyle said:

“Jay Leno owns 150 cars...”. 

I own a collector car as well as my stupid overpriced stereo, I’m proud to be a double wacko!  😂

 

JD

 

Hey you are normal.  I'm right there with you, and I have a lot of Nikon camera equipment as well. :)

The Truth Is Out There

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24 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

Takes only seconds of system playback to hear that his rig is way out of whack - not worth taking seriously ... as good an example as any of how audiophiles lose the plot; if the intention is to connect to the music ...

 

If he likes his system’s sound that’s all that matters. You’re defining his plot and suggesting he can’t connect to the music unless he follows your plot. 

 

I don’t understand why you care. 

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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18 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

If he likes his system’s sound that’s all that matters. You’re defining his plot and suggesting he can’t connect to the music unless he follows your plot. 

 

I don’t understand why you care. 

 

I care because I believe systems like his have led the world of audiophiles astray - I'm sure if I put on any of my test CDs on his rig they would sound abominable - and he would come back with that casual, so typical, throwaway, GIGO ...

 

Which is why 'normal' people think this world is nuts - they want to listen to higher quality versions of their favourite music; and, the "fancy rig" makes them sound worse!

 

If people want to ladle makeup all over their recordings that's fine - but they shouldn't kid themselves that they are getting closer to what was in front of the microphones ...

 

 

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Just now, mav52 said:

 

Have you actually heard his system at his place in person  ?   

 

You don't need to - the YouTube clip passes on all the information to clearly define what the sound is like; I have heard oodles of rigs in person that make those sort of noises.

 

Just think ... if the musicians of the recording happened to also be in that room, and played a bit; how would that sound, over that YouTube item? There are plenty of clips where exactly that has been done - one thing is always obvious: they don't sound like a hifi system! ^_^

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Some of you guys are tough with Christian (Rocketman); he's one of the nicest guys of the planet. Plus, he's in a brand new home now, new room and all.

He's an avid true audiophile explorer, on a journey that the majority of us can only dream of. 

 

And that is what I have to say about it. Chris is 100% right with this thread's intro. 

 

The support we give is the love we have. 

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11 hours ago, Jud said:

I guess I'm a stickler for trying to be accurate - can anyone find an interview or piece of writing where Alan Parsons actually said what was attributed to him in that quote?

 

He didn't.  It was someone else who made the comment to the interview. He said many good things in other interviews but those were mostly inconvenient truth for audiophiles.

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