Kevperro, please do get back with us and post which cables are the "cats meow." I also suggest that once your have played all the cat sounds that you can stand, try "Furry Sings The Blues," by Joni Mitchell. |
Miracle Cures: Stevemj needs a keyboard break in device. His present model is stiff, and will not respond properly to input no matter how often he gives it the finger. Data that it does transmit, is either out of context or condescending.
Perhaps instead, it is his computers chip set, and the keyboard is not at fault. The processor has never been broken in with sufficient hours of full bandwidth truth, thereby producing answers not applicable to actual human experience.
Or, the last possibility is that the devices are OK, and the operator is not broken in. This situation is very dangerous at an audio site. Postings here are required to be from people who listen to music and realize that dealing with equipment is a fact of life.
In that case, the miracle cure would consist of Stevemj turning off his computer, hooking up a set of cables, and breaking himself in at the same time as the wire. I'll bet that in less than 100 hours, his keyboard would begin to respond as accurately the other posts on this topic. If he resists, he can return to his "water conditioned" pool. I am certain he has experimented with it quite a lot, as he is certainly all wet. |
Redkiwi, again you have saved me considerable aggrivation in my own reply to this. When did this site become one of ABX arguments rather tools needed to make music? Reminds me of a bumper sticker that circulated in my area for a good while, it read, "Shut up and Dance." |
Redkiwi, the "insist and insist again" in your post is dead on. Their preference in this forum appears to be centered on convincing us that our equipment and our music systems should be held accountable to their standards of testing.
I will hold to that view, just as soon as they offer information that aids in improving my music, or they choose to contribute to the cost of doing things their way. My testing procedures have resulted in equipment matching that consistently produces music that I love. Perhaps these guys have let the blindfold slip over their ears as well as their eyes, this would explain why they think all wire sounds the same.
By the way, I hope you know that the "Shut up and Dance" was aimed at the ABX guys who would rather fight than switch. The switch in this case being the "on" button of their music system. |
Shame on you too Stevemj, there you go, protecting the scientific evidence again. Obviously it is more important for you to be "scientific" about all this, than finding what works. As far as 702, I hope that this topic is being monitored, obviously you have even less respect for the people that host us, than those of us that BLINDLY follow the rules. Now that is a blind test! I hope you do not expect us to have any compassion for you when you are banned for failure to follow Audiogon's request. Pretty much tells me what I need to know about your character and integrity. Why would I ever believe in a method set forth by a person who has such blatant disregard for the rules? Or is it a fact that because you are such a clever engineer, that the rules do not apply to you? |
You posted:
You just won't behave yourself . Just because you are an electrical engineer who works in audio and nearly everyone else who posts here doesn't even understand electricity, doesn't give you the right to go
making stupid anti-group statements. Right on JD, I'm with you pal.
Do you sincerely believe your dialogue is supportive of the people who visit here? Looks more like a backhanded slap at us poor slobs that do not understand electricity. Why do you offer cloaked praise for 702 "the engineer," and then act surprised that we have not seen a change in your posting habits?
As for 702, I do not know what kind of engineering you do, but you certainly do not fit the profile of the people I know in audio. Four days ago I wrote three top audio engineers, one in speakers, one in amplifiers and one in cable. All three shuttered at the topic of scientific argument. I am asking permission right now to reprint their replies. These engineers have chosen to move past the discussion stage, they provide state of the art product to the real world. |
702, you wrote:
Albertporter: In what way do I or Stevemj reject "finding what works?" That is precisely
our point, to accurately find what works. I do not fit your profile of the people you know in
audio? I'm okay with that. And I've been involved with a few state of the art audio products
here and there, too, with more in the chute.
My reply:
You reject what works simply by not searching for it. You find solace in the numbers and blind tests, rather than putting great product in real life situations and having the confidence in your own ability to make a decision based on the results.
You do not fit my profile of other engineers in audio as most of them are dedicated to music. I have never heard you speak of a single piece of music, nor of your own equipment. In addition, I know dozens of audio manufacturers on a personal basis, many for more than 20 years. Every one of these people test their creations with music in an audio system. As to your involvement in audio design, reveal what projects you are (or were) involved in, and I probably know the people you work with. In fact, if you posted with your true name, I would probably already know the answer to my question. |
702, you are obviously coming from different side of the business. Our request for you to discuss your choices in equipment is to determine whether you actually listen to music.
If you are blessed to hear exclusively live performances, then that is just wonderful ( for you). The rest of us must contend with the parts and pieces that make up our systems in a never ending attempt at perfection. You continue to dismiss anyone's opinion that offers their experience as to the performance differences in cables (or whatever). The problem is that you never try to enter into our world, where we are trying to make it right with the tools we have at hand.
Perhaps at your place of employment numerical data is the only truth you need, as it allows your projects to pass or fail, becoming self fulfilling in your experiences. I have no clue as to what role you actually play in the audio community, as you are vague about that as well.
I do know that If you continue expressing your data only point of view, and never touch on the hard knock experiences of making your music system work, you will never get any converts. You are undoubtedly Intelligent and strong willed, but you obviously lack experience in the specific areas we are discussing at this site.
My comments about your lack of dedication to music refers to your insistence (particularly) of ABX testing. You never discuss the pleasure of new software, or the real life choices you have had to make to get your system right. You make it appear that you are not involved in our labor of love, but rather for the love of the scientific aspect, and the shelter it seems to provide you. I can never relate to someone who enjoys the numbers more than the experience of making long term choices that evolve the music toward greatness.
I have a true story to relate. My best friend spent much of his youth, racing cigarette boats. These are the ultra high speed variety, powered by large auto racing engines. One Sunday during a competition, he and his mechanic had spent two weeks prepping the "perfect' engine for their boat. The dyno tests proved that it had the most horsepower possible, the hull was the perfect design for the weight and drive system, and they had worked out the exact fuel mixture for the temperature and humidity. They felt absolutely assured that their work of art would sweep all the competitors aside.
The very first run, with perfect execution in every driving skill, they met with severe defeat. His mechanic charged over to the competitors boat, and returned with a report. "That guys engineering is absolute crap, he is using the wrong fuel injection, his camshaft is not the right grind for that engine, and drive train is a mismatch for the hull."
My friend just stared at him silently for a moment, and then replied, "Why don't you go explain all that to him, maybe he will give up and go home instead of sticking around here kicking our butt all day."
Often, the guy that keeps experimenting, focusing his experience, and continuing to discover and educate himself as to what works, wins the prize. Numerical data is just a guideline, it is not a substitute for long term listening, or the free exchange of ideas among those trying to solve the problems of musical reproduction. |
My sincere thanks to Redkiwi and the others here that are as obsessed with the music as I am. I was afraid I would open this thread tonight and see a big bloody battle again. It is SO nice to see familiar names and sensible data posted on this subject. |
Stevenj, I cannot tell if your post is in jest, or you are sincere. If you are suggesting that lowering and raising the damping factor with a switch is a joke, I can assure you that it is not.
Controlling an amplifiers damping factor is not novel. The Wolcott Presence amplifiers have had this feature for two years. The user has easy access to a toggle switch for both high and low position, and a rotary knob that adjusts within each range. Adjustment of these controls provides performance changes that are not only easy to hear, but at the discretion of the listener.
The man who invented this product is an engineer who values specifications, but is also aware that the reproduction of music is an art as well. If it is of any interest to you, the switch changes the positive control feedback voltage internally, without affecting the load to the output transformer. |
