Can we have an "Ask Sean" catagory?

We already have the Ask Sean.....throw out a question and he answers........

a little bit of empowerment is a dangerous thing

How about an "Open Mouth-Insert Foot" category also?

Hi Mt:

This is a common newbie mistake. Sean is not really a person. It is obvious, once you think about it at all, that no one person could type, much less know that much, about audio.

S.E.A.N, is actually an acronym for "Syndicate of Encyclopedic Audio Nuts," has thousands of active members, and is rumored to be located in a big building near Waco.

Sincerely
I remain,

Thanks for the kind words Mt10425. I do what i can, when i can and am glad that i can help. Having said that, Tubino is absolutely correct. I've already got a big mouth and don't need any type of "throne" to give me an even bigger head. On top of that, i need to spend LESS time on the computer in order to get more things done AND maintain my own learning. After all, i'm only repeating / expounding upon subjects that have already been covered by those that are truly deserving of recognition.

If i personally had to say "THANK YOU" to someone, it would be:

1) my Father for exposing me to "audio", which led into other forms of "electronics" in general.

2) J. Peter Moncrieff of International Audio Review ( IAR ). He showed me what it was to be an "audio scientist" and made me want to understand in explainable form the how's and what's rather than to guess at them or believe what i was told by "guesser's" aka "GESR's" ( Golden Eared Subjective Reviewer's ).

3) David Spiegel of Audio General Incorporated ( AGI ) for being both a visionary and demonstrating that audio can be both "spectacular" and "reasonably priced".

With the education that i received from those mentioned above and my background in RF ( radio frequency ), i think that it has allowed me to look at / examine AF ( audio frequency ) from a slightly different point of view than that of most other "audiophiles". With that in mind, it sometimes amazes me that AF guys overlook some design attributes that us RF guys take for granted / assume should be "standard issue". Then again, the folks that design and work with devices that work at "ultra-mega-super-duper high frequencies" probably laugh at all of us "low frequency fools", me included.

We've all got our place in audio / electronics. So long as we keep learning and climbing up the ladder, we'll make room for someone below us to pass that knowledge on to as they start their climb. If we all take the time to share what we've learned, people won't be shopping for audio gear at Best Buy for very long : ) Sean
>

PS... If we all knew what we should know about the subject and passed it on, "high end" wouldn't exist as we know it today. As much as it would upset some people, "Snake oil" would no longer be available for sale : )

Clueless: Thanks for the kind words : ) Sean
>

PS... BWA-HAHaha... : )

Sean is a busy guy and it is all the more remarkable that he can afford the time necessary to discuss and answer in such detail questions ranging from obvious to impossible. I have nominated him for "altruist of the year " in another post in the past and feel as strongly as you do in this regard. Clueless is correct , he is not human and resides in a jar in Waco . He is a program that is liquid in form and passive in nature. To answer an obvious and lingering question that will no doubt be a topic of discussion for years to come ; he is not Jay Leno and is actually a well known pornstar nicknamed the Tripod. Hope this clears up the mystery that consumes us all..... concerning Sean.

I think Sean and Slappy need to get together and do a question and answer show. Should make for some insightful answer and laughs.

I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. I enjoy reading both Slappy's and Sean's post.

Thanks,

As long as Slappy asks the questions and Sean gives the answers. :-)

It's good to see so many followers. Sean, even if you're just repeating previous info, at least you remember it. Some of us are at an age when much of our info takes on a dyslexic form when we are fortunate enough to remember it. We need reminding. Thanks again.
Slappy is simply an inspiration to us all!

Ok, lets have another round of posts! Oh, sorry...it seems I've had too many posts already.......

Huh? What?... sorry, was clipping my dog's toenails.

Thinking of my dog...
I have a dog named Jagermeister. She is a german shepard mix, a mutt. Good dog too. My fiancee has a pure bread siberian husky named Malibu (yes there is a booze theme)from a very impressive lineage.
My dog is older and bigger therefor the most dominant. She would sometimes display this dominance by humping the holy hell outta malibu.
Everytime i saw her doing it i would praise her and shout out "Hump jager, Hump! Good Girl! Hump Jager!"

Eventually she put 2 and 2 together.

Now anytime my fiancee gets on my nerves i tell jager "Hump" and she happily bounds over to Malibu and gives her a good strong humping.

I absolutly love it. When im an old man on my deathbed, that will definatly be one of my fondest memories.

The moral of this story is, take advantage of opportunity, cause you never know when it can brighten yer day and piss yer girl off at the same time.

:)

Wait... What was the question?

Buscis: "open mouth, insert foot" category? Sheesh, i'll be busy with both of these going at the same time. The scary thing is that i wear a size 15EEE. At least now you folks can see where and how i got the big mouth. Maybe sometimes i shouldn't try to fit BOTH feet in there at the same time : )

Thanks for loving and / or putting up with me folks. We are like a big family here, in-breeds and all. Does this mean i can show you my scars now? : )

I know that some think of me in some ways as the "older brother" aka "the know-it-all". Sometimes though, i'm sure that i'm closer to being the "younger brother". That is, the one that "speaks before thinking" : )

Either way, don't hesitate to hit me with the "stupid stick" when i get out of line. Just remember, i might like it, so use it sparingly : ) Sean
>

PS... Me and Slappy together as an audio talk show??? Sheesh, i can't begin to imagine. As "un-organized" as i am in real life and as much of a "lovable knucklehead" as he is on these forums, i think that the only thing that ever got finished between the two of us would be a LOT of bottles and cans. CRANK up the tunes : )

Slappy's better than Jay L. (Paints a funny picture with words,well)---(Think I peed my pants)--- Ok, back to audio. Do we need crazys here?? Don't give me that; "we're all crazy here" line.--- I've heard that before. As a bottom feeder and the man in charge of getting out the word to the masses re. Home Depot silver wires, I too have a purpose. Do you suppose Sean is really Carl_E after the lobotomy? You know when a guy can explain something I know nothng about;and make me think"now I do" hey, that's a gift. Thanks Sean.

Funny Slappy, I was discussing you with another Agon member and we both agreed that you would be the first Agon memeber we would like to go have a berr with. Maybe one day we'll come a knockin' on your door, but do let the dog hump our legs oK? We'll buy!

Happy Listening.

Sean is one of the smartest people I have been lucky enough to communicate with. Some may think I've gone too far but he may just be a genius. In my work I communicate with many engineers and scientists. Very few have impressed me with encyclopedic knowledge and the ability to assimilate and then communicate it like Sean. No doubt he posts some big numbers on the IQ tests. Sorry if I made you blush Sean. Thanks for all the help you have given me and others.

If Sean is a "genuis", maybe he should manufacture something?

Everyone knows that Sean is very knowledgable about equipment, but he is also a "stand up" guy, and helpful to people he doesn't even really know.

I bought a phono stage from a guy who took the money, never sent the unit, and then finally after much contact finally returned my money. While this was going on I posted a thread about it. Sean contacted me to find out if the guy was in the Chicago area and said he would go over and get the piece of gear for me. I was very impressed by his offer to help.

Everything worked out ultimately without his involvement, but he was the only person that offered any tangible help. For that he has my respect and appreciation.

Sean, sorry I missed you at the CAS meeting! Keep up the good work!

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I appreciate it, even though i know that i'm "like a rose". That is, nice to look at from a distance, but up close, you have to watch out for the thorns : )

Jes45: According to IQ tests that i took 25 years ago in high school and other testing that i took for a job ( you wouldn't believe what this place put you through ), Sean is a genius. He is also Irish, making him unmotivated and willing to let others benefit from their efforts.

If you wonder why i bring up being Irish as an "excuse", look at Ireland as a Country. How many other Countries in this modern day and age are still governed by another Country? Irish people are all great talkers and deep thinkers ( just ask them ), but we just aren't motivated enough to follow through with all of our "brilliant ideas".

As such, many of the ideas and research that i come up with end up in other people's product lines. I've done research and development for over a half dozen different manufacturers in the past and still do work for some today as needed. I hope to change that soon for my own financial benefit, but i'm not starting with audio related gear.

Many of my ideas are quite diverse and nothing that i myself would like to market. Given that i don't know how to approach a manufacturer with an idea without having them steal it out from underneath me, i've sat on these ideas / potential products.

If you're wondering how i could design or research a product for other manufacturers and not know how to go about approaching one with an idea, those manufacturers always contacted me first. As such, they presented the idea of what they were looking for / wanted out of a product, we worked out the facts and figures and i gave them what they were asking for. To be honest, many of these "opportunities" came about after they got to know me. How did that take place? Simple. I called them up on a regular basis to yell at them about how they were screwing up their products and offered insight as to how they could make them both better and less costly to manufacture. After getting several earful's and following through on a few of my suggestions, they saw the value in what i had to offer and took advantage of the experience that i have in the field that i work. That field is RF communications.

Walking in off the street with an idea for a marketable product and not having your intellectual properties stolen from you is another matter all-together. I'm not a lawyer, have never played one on TV and don't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express on a regular basis. As to why i haven't contacted a lawyer to go about doing this, figure it out for yourself. I'm Irish : ) Sean
>

PS... I've had offers from various audio related manufacturers to work as part of a R&D team on several different occassions. I've always turned them down. The reason ? I love audio. I used to love RF communications before it became a full time job. I still like RF, but it is no longer my main source of enjoyment. On top of that, i enjoy communicating and working with people on the subject of audio and would like to continue to do so without any limitations. Working for audio related companies and then discussing various products from different manufacturers would be a conflict of interest as far as i'm concerned. As such, i'm willing to turn down money in order to maintain what i enjoy as a hobby and source of enjoyment. How much longer that will last, i don't know.

PPS... While talking to Arnie of Audiogon a few years back, i mentioned that i had a very specific audio related business in mind and was working towards making that a reality. Given that it was a few years ago, you can see how well i've followed through on those plans?

Damn that Irish blood. Maybe i need a transfusion. Or a drink : )

Hi Sean. Nice to see you getting recognition so richly deserved.

I know what you mean about fear of intellectual property theft. I been sitting on an idea for a decade due to lack of connections/experience (I'm Scottish -not far removed from Irish. Probably have that "Lazy" gene too).
I've looked into the patent process and learned:

1. When you file a patent, it is viewable by the public until approved (effectively spilling the beans).
2. Unless your application is PERFECT (by gov standards), it will be rejected.

The implications are obvious. If you mess up your application, anyone can co-opt your idea by filing a corrected application (Jeez, not TOO stressful!).

I also have a question today:

Mine ARC VT-100 has been in storage for 8-9 months.
How long before its capacitors start to go south?
Also have a preamp and CDP in limbo.
When should I start to worry?

Thanks again for your nobel service!

Where have I seen something that was an original idea of yours that has been implemented by a manufacturer? Not being mean, just wondering where you handywork lies?

Well, in the vein of trying to give something back, you might try a simple nondisclosure agreement (NDA). The idea is to preclude a receipient of confidential info from disclosing or using it. Not perfect, since usually NDAs also have exclusions for things already in the public domain or things the receipient already knew about (which gets a bit tricky). On the other hand, they are enough of a stick that some companies won't sign them for fear of getting sued for something they already had in development. But, a decent lawyer and a good NDA might make it worthwhile to make some pitches.

Sean has been helpful to me as well in a few instances, heckuva nice guy. I'm Irish as well, Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I have had a LOT of experience with mutual NDA's, I'll send you a few to peruse. Thanks for everything Sean!

When I envision Sean and his rig's, I think of the professor on Gilligan's Island. Half's of basketball's holding woofers made out of latex gloves and tweeters made out of soda cans, speaker wires made out of aluminum foil, a rubber band drive cdp, paper clip IC's, etc.

Interesting part is that his rigs are probably better sounding than most SOTA rigs costing mega bucks.

Sean, thank you for the wealth of knowledge that you are always happy to provide. I admire that you never really promote anyone's products, but go beyond labels to help everyone understand.

Regards,

PS - Do you have my coat hanger IC's done yet?

Regards,

Dweller: Much of how long components can sit will depend on the temperatures that they are exposed to and the build quality of the components used. Due to the high voltages involved, it is easier for a cap to "go south" in these devices than it is for SS. That's because the high voltages make it easier to jump across / arc out whereas the lower voltages found in SS gear won't do that.

With all of that in mind, most newer caps are very stable and can hold their own for quite an amount of time. Capacitors drying out were much more of a problem 20+ years ago and have only gotten better since then. As such, i don't see much of a problem with letting items sit for extended periods of time. At the same time, i would not take an amp out of storage and throttle it hard right off the bat. Any other type of line level device should be okay for normal use.

If you want to be "careful", you can purchase a variac and power the devices up gradually before applying full voltage. This allows the capacitors to gradually "re-form" without massive in-rush current, increasing both their reliability and minimizing the potential for damage. Starting off at 10% - 20% of rated voltage for 24 hours and then gradually stepping the voltage up over an extended period of time ( several days ) is the best way to do things. This is kind of a slow and painful process ( who wants to wait and got the room for all this stuff to be laying around plugged in??? ), but it can be worthwhile if you have very old gear and / or gear that has sat for an extended period of time.

As a side note, it is better to simply power up gear every now and then rather than let it sit forever and then try to variac it.

Jes: Here's a list of some of the companies that i've worked with in the past. Some of the products involved are radio communications transceivers, antenna design, antenna mount design, microphone design, communications grade speaker design, wire & cable design, etc...

Ranger Communications: Ranger is based out of Malaysia and is one of the largest manufacturers of radio communication devices in the world. They design, build and manufacturer well over a half dozen different brands of products, both for themselves and for other manufacturers. When they introduced a new product line appr 5 years ago, i worked on the prototypes and was the "expert" quoted in their press releases that were sent out to various distributors and retailers.

Funny thing about that situation was that i didn't quite say what they put in print / attributed to me. Do you wanna guess if what they printed was MORE or less "flattering" to their products than what i actually said??? Remember, they are advertising their own products here : )

As a side note, i have pretty much broken all contact with these people. Due to what turned out to be a rather "one sided" relationship and a LOT of broken promises, i no longer correspond or consult with them.

Galaxy Electronics: This company produces radio communications transceivers, transmitters and HF linear amplifiers marketed under two different names. I have worked with this company in resolving various production problems for appr 7 years now.

Cobra Electronics: Manufacturer of radio communications transceivers, hand-held two way radios, communications accessories such as microphones, speakers, antennas, cordless telephones, radar detectors, etc... Worked as consultants helping to solve production problems / reduce failure rate on specific products. After implimenting the suggestions made, both product reliability and performance have drastically increased and sales are up. The person responsible for contacting us and putting many of our recommendations into production has since been promoted.

Astatic: Currently under new ownership, Astatic manufacturers communications grade microphones, antennas, antenna mounts, etc... They also used to manufacture audiophile grade phono cartridges, replacement stylus assemblies, etc.. I had previously worked directly with Scott ( former VP ) and Mark ( former head design engineer ) on several projects. I am currently working with their marketing / QA department in trying to resolve an on-going problem that came about due to a production change.

Workman Electronics / Twinpoint Incorporated: This company manufactures / imports / distributes various electronic and communications based products under multiple names. They produce everything from wiring harnesses to light bulbs to antennas to speakers to microphones to antenna and radio mounts, etc... Many of their products / assemblies are sold to other manufacturers who market them as OEM parts. I've worked with one of the owners of this company for several years both developing new products and refining existing designs.

Wholesale Parts Incorporated: Another manufacturer / importer / distributor / OEM supplier of misc radio communications and electronics products. Have worked directly with the owner in refining existing antenna designs and antenna mounts in the past. Am currently designing new antennas and antenna mounts for future introduction.

I was asked by one of the largest wholesale distributors of RF gear in the USA to write a column in their monthly sales literature. The owner of this distributorship also asked me to write a book pertaining to RF communications i.e. kind of a "big dummy's guide" for several different types of installations. Given that i don't like the business ethics of this company and didn't want to be publicly associated with them, i turned them down.

There are other situations that i could mention, but i think that you get the idea. As i've mentioned before, i am basically a "tweaker" i.e. good at "refining" existing designs. Most of my work with the various manufacturers listed above has typically been to take an existing design and "squeeze" measurably better performance and reliability from it. Many times i am able to do so while lowering production costs, which really makes the manufacturers happy. I have also built prototypes and given design specifications for new products, so i'm not just limited to "cleaning up" someone else's mistakes. Sean
>

I appreciate Sean's common sense look at audio. It cuts through a lot of the hype of most reviews. Makes a lot of manufacturers look stupid but hey, that's half the fun (I'm kidding). Can I really ask questions here?
Well I've been wondering for over a year about Sean's recommendation for Goertz I/C's. He said something about them being the best in existence but for a few easily corrected design flaws. Never quite understood what the flaws were but always wanted to try them except I forgot what particular model it was.
And #2 when can we all come over and hear The System?

I appreciate Sean's common sense look at audio. It cuts through a lot of the hype of most reviews. Makes a lot of manufacturers look stupid but hey, that's half the fun (I'm kidding). Can I really ask questions here?
Well I've been wondering for over a year about Sean's recommendation for Goertz I/C's. He said something about them being the best in existence but for a few easily corrected design flaws. Never quite understood what the flaws were but always wanted to try them except I forgot what particular model it was.
And #2 when can we all come over and hear The System?
Thanks.

Uh, Slappy, I was the "other" Audiogon member Bigkidz was refering to on that "get together beer party" FYI, I.B.T.B.!! Remember the "make Slappy happy and get-em back on the mappy" post ? The doggy thing, .......well it'd have to be one really pretty dog !!!!

Cdc: I am not a huge fan of most Goertz interconnects, so there must have been some type of mis-communications here. Having said that, i AM a huge fan of their flat speaker cables.

As far as their "Micro-purl" interconnects go, they can work pretty well for balanced cables but less so for single-ended (RCA) based cables in my experience. The dielectric used is of low quality and the potential for VERY high capacitance, which rolls off the top end, is also quite prominent. The electrical characteristics will vary depending on how the conductors are configured / wired up. Given that these are a three conductor design ( like the PBJ but WAY different ), they can be used either way ( XLR or RCA ).

For use as a balanced cable, the cables should be configured so that you have the hot, neutral and ground in that order. Given that some XLR equipped gear uses different pin configurations than others, the only way to know if the cable itself was configured in the appropriate manner would be to verify continuity from pin to pin. I'm not sure which pin configuration that Goertz uses from the factory, so you might want to find out what lay-out your specific gear uses and then discuss this with Goertz if you're interested in using these cables.

As a side note, Component A, using one XLR pin configuration, combined with Component B, which uses the other XLR pin configuration, will produce horrible results. As such, you should ALWAYS make sure that your components use the same pin configuration BEFORE buying or using XLR type cables. There are two different standards in use and it can be VERY confusing.

As an RCA type cable, I found these to sound somewhat bright and bloated. I would think that these cables would work best in a "budget" system that lacked extension at both ends or in an HT installation. The tilted up extremes might tend to sound more "dynamic" or "punchy", which might be exactly what you want for a lack-luster movie based system.

Their flat interconnects, the one's that look like mini versions of their flat speaker cables, are VERY high in capacitance. With some components, high frequency loss and blurring may become instantly noticeable. I have a set of Goertz Silver Sapphire's and tried them between the digital source ( Philips SACD 1000 at the time ) and my HT Pre/Pro ( Sunfire Theater Grand ). I compared these against several other designs in that specific location of the system. Some of the other cables were copper, some were silver and some were a hybrid silver & copper. The Silver Sapphire's didn't do too badly and actually beat a few other cables. While the SACD 1000 didn't have the most "revelatory" high end, i didn't notice any detectable reduction in extension or blurring. Other components may not respond in the same fashion. As such, you might want to check with the manufacturer of your components to see how load stable they are with high capacitance interconnects.

Other than that, i do appreciate the kind words of support from all of you folks. Best wishes to all and good listening... Sean
>

Mattybumpkin - when I read your post a different Professor came to mind as a picture in my head of Sean: Remember the professor on "Rocky and Bullwinkle" that they always went to for science questions. He'd open his closet to get the magic blackboard to explain upon. Opening his closet a cascade of miscelaneous objects and devices would come tumbling forth and bury everyone around. He'd emerge from the rubble with his magic blackboard to expand it to a much larger size and explain Rocky, and or Bullwinkle's scientific questions......Audiogon may be Sean's magic blackboard. At least we're saved from all the misc. stereo debris cascading out of his closet like an audio avalanche!!

Hey Professor, er, I mean Sean.....I'd like to I take Mt10425 up on his great suggestion and point you to my recent post to the 'amplifier' section. Somehow it got listed as a Review(?!). Anyway, you can find it here.

Best,

Marco

Marco: You are probably closer in your description than of my "clutter" than Matty is. As to your question, i responded there prior to coming back to this thread. As such, "you've got mail" ( in that thread ). Sean
>

Thank you for the prompt assistance Sean! I will have to give that recording a careful listen at lower volumes and get back with a response on that thread. I could answer from memory, but I don't think listening thus far has been as deliberate as it could. I'm usually just enjoying the recording so much that I get lost in her voice. It's certainly much less apparent if it is there, but I'll check again.

I'm a man of clutter myself, but I usually know where everything is......well, most things anyway! Now where is that damn CD?!

Thanks again!

Marco

After owning my adcom gfp-750 for 4 years I finally understand the diff between passive and active mode, thanks to Seans answer today on another thread..I propose Audiogon put Sean on the payroll--thanx Sean

Sean's contribution is very significant. About time we provided something in return.

I submit that Sean, like all respectable Irishmen, needs a drink & a project. I expect that too much of the latter probably robs him of the former:) -- unfortunately...

I'm too far away to supply the drink.

HOWEVER, I can supply an extra, "A'gon", project: designing a symmetrical rca-terminated IC cable:

Being an experienced RF-er, Sean can easily do the calculations required for rca terminated cables -- to whit, rca being ASYMMETRIC, what's the wiring geometry, implementation technique, etc, to make the cable symmetric within the audio frequencies range...
I.e., diametre ratio b/ween hot & return wires, how many twists/length, shielding necessary (or can we do without, for now), etc.

Say we use enamel-coated copper to make things simple...

How about that?

I'm joking, although I've been trying to crack this nut with indifferent succes for some time now!

Good to have you around, Sean!

....and the award goes to........
nice acceptance speech on that 3-12 post be careful a breast doesn't pop out ;-]

Hey sean!

Thanks for the kind words. Audio show eh? For some reason i think everyone would be calling it an Audio knock-off of "Love-Line" with Dr. Drew and Adam Corolla. Im sure everyone can guess who would be in what role.
Yer right though, we definatly wouldnt get anything done. (hic)

Thanks Sean. Maybe Sterophile could hire you as a columnist? I can just imagine the contrast with Art Dudley.

Slappy: Adam & Dr Drew ??? Sheesh. I'm resigning before we start : )

Cdc: I have a lot of respect for Art Dudley. I just wish that he would stick to audio when writing in audio mags. He's not afraid to share his opinion about gear ( or anything else for that matter ), even if it isn't "PC" or positive.

Having said that, even if i don't agree with the point of view being expressed, i admire someone that is willing to let it all hang out as he does. Hopefully, Stereophile will not soften up / change his vantage point and he'll figure out that we are most interested in his thoughts on gear, not world situations. Sean
>

I guess Sean has been banned from Audiogon.

No way! Say it aint so!
Sean isnt gone is he?

It's true Slappy. Sean revealed a dealer who was less than up front about disclosing his intentions. Then an exchange of accusations turned the dealers thread into an integrity debate. Then Sean took out an ad on Audiogon that apparently irritated the administrator who allegedly banned Sean from the Gon. Last I heard, Sean has been reinstated but has not been willing to post. He would like to see Audiogon require dealers to be identified.
I communicated with Sean recently. He has posted some at the Asylum but is mostly just enjoying the music.
Your story about the humping dogs was very funny.

Let me get this straight. The vistors to this site enjoy one visitor in particulars views so much that they ask for a special category for him alone and then the hosts of the site banish said particular contributor? Huhh?

MAN THATS LOCO

That's not loco at all. If I am an administrator, I'd ban Sean too. Who needs a guy who can do my job for free. I still got (theoretically) kids to feed.

Feed those theoretical rugrats some ground-up dishonest dealer. After
you chop'em up into manageable parts, just shove'em in the meat
grinder, dump that in the blender, bottle it all up, add some carrots and
plenty of sugar and you got some good eatin's for them Jr. Administrator
Rugrats. Should keep em happy for the summer, while not loosing a
damn fine resource for all of us!

Marco

Somehow I missed the "integrity debate" about audio salesmen. Sounds like amusing reading.

Like used car and vinyl siding salesmen, on up (down?) the range to congressmen and even presidents, integrity is a quality that an individual can exhibit, no matter what the reputation of others in the profession. Objective review of the range of products offered as audio high end devices plainly reveals that many, if not most, lack any scientific basis, and, worst of all, often use misapplied science mumbo jumbo in the sales pitch. In this environment it is hardly surprising that audio salesmen have an uphill battle to establish their integrity.

Sean has strong opinions and speaks his mind bluntly. I often disagree with him, but find his comments interesting, and often informative. I miss him.

This is a chat room, where no one can get punched in the nose. "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me".

Eldartford, The integrity debate was on the Dynamics vs. Electrostatics thread started by Lrsky. He started the thread asking the question about the differences in the two. As the thread was picking up steam, Sean gleened from Lrsky's posts that he intended to sell a brand of electrostats that he had been espousing.
As you might have guessed, Sean took him to the wood shed and taught him a lesson. Lrsky's fellow dealers came to his aid and much emphasis was placed on the fact that Lrsky had decided to become a dealer after starting the thread. I agreed with Sean that Lrsky should have revealed his dealer status immediately when it happened. Lrsky has held some serious positions at major high end companies. He should be held to a higher standard and that is what Sean did.
What Sean was complaining about to Audiogon was dealers who post and reply on the Gon and don't reveal their business associations/ conflicts of interest. My memory is foggy on this but I think it was stated that Lrsky actually complained to the Gon about Sean. In the end, the thread and Sean were deleted.
I personally visit the site less now that he is gone. I used to enjoy reading his threads and answers that stirred the pot. I actually think Sean was a draw to Audiogon due to his knowledge and controversial stature.
I thought of Sean like a doctor prescribing medication. His prescriptions were usually on target for the problem but the medication wasn't candy coated and often the pills were too big for some to swallow.

FWIW Sean was not banned because Larsky complained - he was banned because he took out an Ad in which he made some caustic remarks about the establishment. It was very much an "in your face" statement, and as much as I appreciate the help Sean has given folks here, and as much as dislike touts and shills, if I were the owner I would have banned him as well. Some one posted recently that the bann has been lifted - I don't know, but I hope he reappears.

Newbee- yes his ad was surely the cause. If in fact Lrsky did complain, that probably wouldn't have been enough to do him in. I heard he had been reinstated after a relatively short suspension also.

Well, now for the bad news. I have it on good authority that Sean will not reappear in these forums. :-(