Jay's "Ugly Truth" video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkveZGS2dSI

Why does this get mentioned so rarely? 

I've experienced the "dark side" and have never had the means to afford gear that's remotely close to the level that Jay focuses on. 

What about you -- can you relate or have you always been able to maintain a healthy balance and avoid being overtaken by obsession? 

stuartk

I have had a couple of one on one interactions with Jay and found that he gave me great advice.  He stayed within my budget, gave me both pro's and con's about the direction I was headed in and was able to connect with a fantastic deal on a component I was interested in purchasing.  He actually recommended product based on what I like to listen to and had demoed.

I can see how people would take him as over the top; however, I try not to confuse that with his passion for music.

"Lather was thirty years old today. They took away all of his toys." - Grace Slick/Jefferson Airplane.

He has an ego as Big as  East coast to the West, I owned a Audio store he many be right on many things but not all Gryphon makes great gear 

but his $75k 450 lb Amp just may be a bit excessive for 95% of all living rooms .

he likes to brag ,this shows how he is unhappy in other areas and have to have 

in excess to exhibit to the world 🌍 it’s called having a balanced life.

I don’t envy him , I don’t think his absolutes hold much water what impresses me much more is to build a Audio system for much less to be. At 90% + of these giant type systems.

I'm a bit skeptical about this YouTuber for some of the reasons/impressions listed here.

That said, he's right when he says that making this video goes against his own channel's "brand." So, he gets points for that.

Something about the OCD label does describe some things I have gone through and have now pulled back from. So, points for that, too.

For those here actively hating on him, I'm not sure where the anger/passion comes from. Perhaps he struck a nerve? Otherwise, why so heated?

I'm with @mahgister about seeking sound quality with every tool possible, and I think he's right about the many ways that can be accomplished without the consumerism and expense endemic to this hobby. 

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I used to participate in his thread but stopped a long time ago because he could not tolerate opinions that he for some reasons disliked.

$150k Magico with $150k Boulders or with $50k Gryphons Essence sounded super, as I remember.

Egotistical fathead.  Talking about OCD while standing among multi-thousand kilobuck components, as if to say "Don't aspire to be me, I am too far above you".

Jay is describing someone with an addictive personality.  If it's not stereo, it will be something else.  And OCD is a problem that has nothing in particular to do with stereo equipment.  Did I leave the iron on?  Did I leave the stove on?  

One thing I did take away from this video is confirmation I have a fantastic wife.  She loves to look at the stereo but doesn't care about operating it.  She likes music, but It' not a big part of her life.  She's never once asked how much I have spent. But she loves to spend 2 hours every night sitting and listening to music with me.  She may be playing Word on her laptop while I sit in the PLP with my eyes closed, but she routinely says "I really liked that last disc you played.  Who was it?  Do you have any more of his/her music"   

So thanks for reminding me what a lucky guy I am Jay.

Sorry mate but I don’t drink any of his KoolAid with his overblown exaggeration and misguided hyperbole at best. . These is just another lame YouTube blogger airing his own obsession sufferings in the public forum for unknown personal reasons . . Yep… they DO walk among us .

To suggest that progressive audio equipment outlay or striving to an ascending wish list to recreate a better “perfection” audition performance, is a harbinger for a dark “obsession”, or an impairment risk to one’s personal life and marriage , is ridiculous. Only a moron could or would succumb .

Our forum common bespoke indulgence is just a a simple esoteric hobby to best enjoy the music performing arts as best as we can. A fine system can stir the heart and trigger an emotional response. A better performing system can do it better.
The Holy Grail in this hobby is to nobly ascend as close as possible to recreating a live performances in your own domain.

MY TAKE: If one’s circumstances permit this music appreciation to indulge into an oxygen-breather’s equipment/ system strata in …. Bravo ! Carry on , sir! It’s worth it
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

WARREN BUFFETT

 

Confronting one's demons is a good thing. Right?

Once I got to my present system I decided that going any farther would deposit me in that point of diminishing returns zone: a place where I never wanted to go. What I have is good enough.

All the best,
Nonoise

I am going to throw out all the cardboard boxes I have for my audio gear.  The hard one will be the speaker boxes.

Jay struck me as a very honest person...Once this is said...

He did not know  at first that marketing make people forget that audio is about learning synergy and learning acoustic and mechanical and electrical embeddings controls FIRST not about buying spree...

Anyway he cannot analyse this objectively because he decided to become a reviewer then he decided to sell products...

If you sell something the focus must be the product "perfections" not the embeddings and acoustic controls... The focus is purchasing and selling not thinking...

And audio is about the best ratio S.Q. /price for most people anyway not about the best in the absolute...

Because Jay is honest and very conscious he decided to face this obsession or OCD in audio... Myself i cured it by me experiments with only homemade creative low cost solutions... It worked ... And my S.Q. is the best there is for the price...😊

 

@rsf507 , @cleeds

With all due respect, aversion to Jay’s personality is not the point. I’ve never found him appealing. Nevertheless, I think the topic he raises is a worthwhile one.

For certain personality types, the pursuit of the "Absolute Sound", "Audio Nirvana", or whatever you want to call it can quickly devolve into an all-consuming perfectionism. 

@tomcy6

Thanks for sticking to the topic. I haven’t know enough audiophiles to have an opinion re: it’s common or uncommon but I’ve found myself straying into the "obsession zone" and have known others who have as well.

 

 

I saw that one - I occasionally enjoy his vids and seeing that gear, I just pick and choose what I'm interested in... 

Of course becoming obsessed with anything to the extent that it damages your relationship with your family is a problem. I’m glad that Jay has realized that audio has become a problem for him and I applaud him for telling us in case someone else is in the same position. I don’t think this is a common problem, though.

There are much worse obsessions that one can develop, alcohol, drugs, gambling, cheating on your spouse, etc. I think that audio is not a particularly common or dangerous potential obsession, but it can be for some and those people should listen to what Jay is saying..

This guy is a clown, based on what he's said here. His videos aren’t worth my time. That's true of almost all of the Youtubers, though.