Audio Hype!!

A thought...and why the hype succeeds.

I have been a hi-fi enthusiast for over 30 years (I consider the term "audiophile" a perjorative that reeks with the scent of HP and all the other know-nothing self-appointed gurus who depend on "audiophiles" to slavishly follow them so they can reap the benefits of free equipemnt and "industry accomodation prices.) I have been down the high-end road twice. I left the hobby for over a dozen years and returned to listening to music, not equipment. I now build my own amps, preamps and make my own cables and power cords. It is emminently satisfying and produces a home listening experience you can't buy down at High End Inc AT ANY PRICE!

I know of no hobby where a larger percentage of its participants through such lavish sums of money at things they know so little about. And they become the rightful prey of snake-oil peddlers of magic wires and $6K AC cords, of exotic wood hockey pucks and pointy things that either "couple" or "decouple" (pick your ad) your amp from its platform.

Do yourself a favor. Next time you feel the need to upgrade, go to your local university bookstore and get a copy of their introductory text to circuit theory. Learn Ohm's law. Then get a copy of the 4th edition of the Radiotron Designer's Handbook or Tremaine's Audio Cyclopedia (both OOP), and start trudging through. Your fatter bank account will be your reward.

A secret - everything you need to know to build a good amplifier was already known by 1930. In 1927, Western Electric engineers built a single compression driver that had flat response from 80 Hz to 15kHz. Try to find one like it today.

Educate yourselves (yes, you're gonna have to do a little math, but it's simple algebra) and stop spending thousands on speaker cables with mystery boxes or "light" as an insulator (Geez, was Barnum ever right) so you can hook them to an output transformer that cost $50.

Even if you don't want to venture into DIY - but the very best in music reproduction in the home is coming off the workbenches of gonzo DIYers, not off the assembly lines of Krell or ARC - you will still know enough to not fall for all the BS and smoke and mirrors the Harry Pearsons of this world try to foist onto you.

An educated consumer makes wise choices. A man with the Recommended Components List in his hand is low-hanging friut ripe for the picking.

I have read some of the threads here and must agree with the person who obsrved that a large number of folks are assembling systems based on the status they convey and not the music the can play. If you know how this stuff works, it's not necessary to repeat their status-concious mistakes.

Feel free to flame away at my e-mail addy ;-).

Swampwalker, I am being tolerant. For years I was working 60+-hour weeks and was a "checkbook" audiophile simply because I had money but no time. Even so, that didn't stop me from continuing my "education" in things electronics which started in grad school (Math) when I took a sophmore-level EE circuits course.

I agree with you. Not everyone can DIY. But I do think everyone can make themselves into an educated comsumer. I assume people in this hobby are reasonably bright from the simple fact that someone is paying you a big enough salary to be able to afford these audio baubles. That implies some level of intelligence.

Why trust an audio reviewer (ever wonder how one "qualifies" to be a reviewer?) or a dealer ("High End Done Right!") when you can trust yourself?

Jacks, I don't really think you would understand. Your question isn't even phrased correctly. As for the comment about DIY shows, whay am I not surprised?

Jacks, my man, I'm not sure where you are coming from but I assure you I am not taking a sour grapes attitude. I design and build my amps and preamps to play music the way I hear it live and am totally satisifed with the result.

I have owned some very high priced and well received gear (I was a corporate executive who was well paid prior to retirement)that was totally disappointing. In my retirement I have returned to my electronic roots and can assure you that any competent DIYer can build something that will outperform the rip-offs down at High End Inc.

Throw away the 'Pile, TA$, Ultimate Envy and all the rest and buy a copy of the the Radiotron Designer's Handbook. Trust me, you will cry at the $$$$$ you have wasted on crap that doesn't and can't make a difference.

V=IR. It's the law, man. Just do it!

(BTW, if a power cord radically affects the sound, you own a component with a poorly designed power supply.)