Art Dudley Calls B.S. but without naming names - PLEASE DO!


Hey all,

As someone who hasn't been reading the audiophile press for all that long, I stumbled upon this article that I'm sure it lit up these airwaves when it was first published: https://www.stereophile.com/content/skin-deep

It's a great article and one that any knowledgeable person would most likely agree with, but hey, spending your own hard-earned (or inherited) money is a right and a privilege.  Art does call out some brands that he perceives to give great value:  AMVR, VPL, Conrad-Johnson, DeVore and Harbeth and Kimber and Peachtree and Quicksilver and Rega and Rogue and Spendor and Wavelength.  Shouldn't NAD be on this list?  

But what he doesn't do and I think is warranted, is name the companies that are most egregious in selling high-end products where the performance is far below the cost.  

I, for one, would love to see a list of those manufacturers from the people who read this forum.  You can group them by what they manufacture or just put them in order as you see fit.  I think it would be most helpful in calling b.s. but with "added-value", which is what this whole article was all about.  Right?

128x128lgoler

Showing 4 responses by jhills

P.T. Barnum, the second greatest conman/showman ever, once said "There is a sucker born every minuet"....Jim
+1 kahlenz
I have had nothing but good experiences with most all of the companies you mentioned. And most have very good products that fall within the reach of an average person's budget...Jim
@johnk
I agree. While it’s someone’s right to spend mega bucks to by gear, without doing their homework, believing that higher bucks always means better sound - as that reasoning becomes the common consensus - it’s inevitable that good companies, who build very good equipment and sell it for a fair and reasonable price, will jump on the big bucks band wagon. Another nail in the coffin of a disappearing market...Jim