The Insane World of High End Audio! Is it All a Scam?


This 15 minutes of youtube video by "cheapaudioman" say a lot and hide a lot...

He review low cost products ...

His analysis of audiophiles world here seems fair to me...

But nowhere in all his videos and in this one  he mention "acoustics" as the basis of audio hobby, the anker of any system  and gear piece  evaluation and satisfaction...

He  always talk about the gear... Probably acoustics for him as for most is only acoustics panels purchase...

My point is not that the audio world of audiophile is a scam with scammers...

Not at all.

It is ignorance  of what is acoustics basics that makes people victim of their own decisions  and a potential prey for honest or dishonest sellers..

 

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

mahgister

@mahgister

Room acoustics.

Cutting to the chase after just reading your original post.

The first reply was crass and terribly personal towards you. I have not bothered to read further….the snobbery was unbelievable! 🛁 Rick and his logo impresses me not!

I do not normally get hot under the collar but l felt just cause to post this right back.

Yes you agree that you may not have the big bucks, but you extract and gain the maximum amount of enjoyment from the equipment you have by considering your listening space.

My conclusion to your post and the opinionated rubbish thrown your way is to say:-

Room acoustics do determine the limiting factors of your equipments potential. A really expensive piece of kit will never sound great in a bathroom no matter how good it is. I know that this is an extreme comparison (and rude comments should remain in the bathroom) but some peoples listening rooms with minimalist designs can be the most limiting factor…..arguably more than anything else.

I thought i was clear:

I said we scam ourselves first and last... (consumers as reviewers)

By ignorance of acoustics science...

I did not accused as many here the personal character of reviewers into a complotist plot to scam people...

Acoustics ignorance once i had studied it is everywhere not as a complotist perspective from anyone , but by lack of concrete applied knowledge of acoustics concepts...

 

 

Reviewers are like the consumers, they ignore acoustics, it is not deliberate, it is a consequence of the universal focus on the gear design by subjectivist as objectivists...

I knew it ONLY by my experience in my room and studying serious audio designer and top scientists as Dr. Gorike , Edgar Choueiri, Floyd Toole... Etc

 

 

To be more clear : Most reviewers i read or listened to are sincere and honest ... I am perhaps naive but it is my impression...

"All" reviewers do this? Well, maybe.

I suppose you could be saying a couple of things about gear reviewers:

1. They *intentionally obscure* the larger factor of acoustics so they can more effectively sell or promote equipment.

2. At least some gear reviewers are intentionally obscuring the larger factor but even if it is not intentional, it is the byproduct of this type of review.

I am not sure which one you believe.

 

Then i concur with your last paragraph opinion :

 

3. Gear reviewers review gear. People who watch these videos may or may not be informed about the role of gear in acoustics, but their role is narrow and the responsibility for a wider perspective is on the viewer. This is not unlike many other things we read or watch.

 

Thanks for your kind words and understanding...

 

@mahgister

Room acoustics.

Cutting to the chase after just reading your original post.

The first reply was crass and terribly personal towards you. I have not bothered to read further….the snobbery was unbelievable! 🛁 Rick and his logo impresses me not!

I do not normally get hot under the collar but l felt just cause to post this right back.

Yes you agree that you may not have the big bucks, but you extract and gain the maximum amount of enjoyment from the equipment you have by considering your listening space.

My conclusion to your post and the opinionated rubbish thrown your way is to say:-

Room acoustics do determine the limiting factors of your equipments potential. A really expensive piece of kit will never sound great in a bathroom no matter how good it is. I know that this is an extreme comparison (and rude comments should remain in the bathroom) but some peoples listening rooms with minimalist designs can be the most limiting factor…..arguably more than anything else.

I like cheapaudioman

and I had my own personal disappointing experience with him

It seems nothing will change...

 Like a bull blind by rage  seeing a red cap and going against it...

 

 

 

My point was not driving people against or for one  any reviewer...

my point was  that the "scamming" process in audio result from our own ignorance as consumers or as reviewers...

It is all right to pick gear pieces, inform ourselves about it , analysing reviewers takes, thinking about synergy...

But when we had bought the system the real job begin...

This real job is not connecting the system in the wall , judging it, and thinking to the next piece to buy... ( upgrades are not solution in half the case, metaphorically speaking, in half the case it result from our ignorance to use optimally the first piece before buying a second one)

The sound experience we will enjoy with any system at any price do not depend only of the gear system but mainly of the way we will be able to put it at his peak potential S.Q.

With mechanical, electrical, especially acoustical informed controls over our ears/brain/speakers/room relation..