The science of opinion ...

*Kicks the soapbox aside...*

Now, where wuz we....?

Oh, yeah.....opinion science...GK...burning Balsa...(cedars' better, MHO...)

@atdavid, Thanks for the opening link.
I think I’ll stay in neutral, and watch the traffic on the freeway. ;)

@geo, even better link, and more to the point. *G* 

They nearly 'lost me' in the OR.

Just think: Y'all might have been spared my blunt wit and suspect personality.

On the other hand, y'all can continue to...well, deal with my existence.

I'm more or less pleased with the situation.

...and I do try to be tolerable...kinda....maybe...perhaps...etc., ad infinitum...;)

...guess all the old codgers 'peaked early' and had to go lie down. 
Spent over 5 pages ultimately proving the original post and burnt themselves out.

*L* Damn, I'm sorry I missed the party....has everyone gone home?
*tsk* Look at this mess....opinions Everywhere.

...at least y'all weren't arguing about cryogenic cables...*smirk*

@glupson, *L* I’ve been busy with the boring real life concerns for the most part. That, and I recognized early that this thread had all the earmarks (pun intended) of heading off into infinity (6 pages and growing).

At least the title holds true; there’s certainly been a lot of opinion. Perhaps not so scientific, but...it’s an open forum with a wide open door.

Some are dead serious, some horrendously hilarious, with a sprinkling of raised fur and snarl for spice.
I came by late last night to scan from the beginning. That, in itself, took awhile.

We certainly disagree. At best, we agree to disagree but the snarling episodes override the basic civility that we ought to keep in mind.

I know I have a marked tendency to drop by various forums and wisecrack (or not so wise; one can’t be ’spot on’ All the time). And anytime GK yells "Jerry!" previously, I have this ’knee jerk’ response that’s kinda understandable. But I’ve successfully clenched my fingers to stay off the keys....

But.....MHO...considering the OP’s link @ the beginning of All This (pointing up towards all the previous posts)...

We have met the ’enemy’...and They is Us.  It's that damn bell curve, yet again. *sigh*

(@asvjerry joins the lemmings and jumps off the cliff into The Void)

I'm out to lunch...no, literally. (Yeah, I 'heard' that...)
Existence outweighs Exposition.

But I will return....Curb your enthusiasm. That should be easy.

Frankly, some threads are more fun to lurk on than to wade into.  It's like watching a free-for-tennis game played with a hand grenade...

You KNOW the pin's gonna come out of it at some point....

Channel: The Hives "Tick Tick Boom"

I may have 'trash' for a audiopile, but it puts a smile in my ears....*G*

...and @geoffkait  is channeling Dr. Strangelove...@atdavid is greasing a hamster...(Where do you think he's going to put it....and to whom?)....Commune 'Ism's may make a return socially..

All's normal in the AG Whirl'd....

@atdavid, I'll take your 11:55 post literally.  As for catcalls, provide your own litterbox. *G*

Anyway...
1 Russound multi-channel amp; 6-2 channel amps, any or all can be mono'd.  Each can drive 4 individual speakers, individual channel levels, delay, line input or individual...a distribution unit chosen for flexibility, but 'clean' enough for nuance enough....
No preamp.  Don't need nor want.
HP Pavilion 'puter, this 'n that programs.
(A pending addition is a purpose-built one with a Ryzen 5, Asus mobo, Asus Essence STX2 audio card with the break-out card, and some other cute adds. If there be a preamp, this will qualify. The HP will become a 'monitor' unit....)
2-Behringer 8024 digital EQ's; one room eq., the other for monitoring with the RTA for whatever I want to...
Behringer 2496 digital Xover
Behringer MX982 digital splitter/mixer
Two switch arrays, one an old Niles CPM-31 6x6 that still works flawlessly, the other a JVC JX-5777 AV digital switcher 6inx2out
Yamaha 6 cd player for when I'm lazy
Yamaha & Nakamichi dual cassette units (I have some....who doesn't, somewhere...with music that would be difficult to replace now....)
3 turntables: A Garrard Z100 in 10/10 shape, a Teac auto-play (again for the lazy factor), and a Rabco SL8 on a Marantz d-drive tablephysically modified.  All of which are tangential, the Z100 being an anachronism that does work.
A couple hundred albums of various, played when I feel the desire.  All of which get d'stat and carbon fiber'ed before & after...
Finally, the speakers.  Most of which have been collected and used for 'reference' use...
A pair of ESS AMT 'large' dipole drivers (High to upper mid)
Pair Polk 6" with 6" passive + 1" polydome tweets (mid to upper bass)
Pair Kenwood 3-way, tweets and mids disconnected, 10" woofers only (mid bass)
Polk Sub, 6" ported (lower bass..."boomp" enough...)
Pair SMGa Maggies' (general overall qualities; again, a reference)
Pair of my DIY Walsh, 5" main cone + 1.5" tweets; yes, a 2-way.
Pair of vintage Utah 12" with 3x9 horns, time aligned into a Walsh/Ohm arrangement; done mostly to get them off the floor and Doing Something.
The 'grins 'n giggles' development department....

All of this resides in a steel 42lx24wx13h building that we use as an office/storage space, with a sauna.inside....and my 'stuff'.

I can play this as loud as I might care to at anytime of day/night.
We have a live/work situation.  My commute is 30'

Not flawless in any respect that you might consider such.  But, it does what I like and performs in an acceptable fashion for what I'm up to.

And it didn't cost a small fortune to amass.

I'm big on flexibility, as I opened with.  And it's nearly all digital.

Oh, and my workbench for audiophilia is next to all this.  SAF is not an issue (she likes the Maggie's best), power is not a factor, all the equipment rests on recycled stone shelves 1" thick supported by 'tiptoed' 4x6's...and anything that creates heat has 'puter fans pushing air.

Seriously weird....in more ways than one.

You can keep your whatever.  If I break anything, I won't have a heart attack. (Have a defib/pacemaker, anyway...*L*)

I thought I was asked what I play with....ergo, cards face up.

And by ’nearly all digital’, that refers to the electronics. TT’s & cassettes need not apply.

Speakers don’t qualify either, but I’ve not heard a digital speaker as yet. Somebody, some day will figure out how to make silicone sing other than passing bits ’n bytes by...

Yeah, GK is certainly more ’conventional’, and definitely better ’equipped’ than yours truly. I do have a pair of my DIY’s in my office next to the above ’pile’, acting as ’puter monitors.  Something in the home as well...certainly not as 'extensive', no....

I have owned things in the past that have had more of a ’pedigree’. This in many ways is more satisfying to me. Basically amassed for my version of an ’audio indulgence’, and to allow me to fool about with my DIY ’stuff’.

The DIY factor is more of a focus point for me at this juncture. I like it as a counterpoint to what I/we do for a living. That, in itself, is creative and satisfying...

We design, build, and install custom playgrounds.
Our clients...are you children....or grandchildren.
Trying to make them Healthy, and pry them away from the Xbox.

You may have seen a bumper sticker:

GTFOutside

It’s not our motto, but it IS our business. ;)

Anyway, time to dog the walk....sunny but cold, Sunny needs her outing.

Later...

@glupson, yes to some degree.  I've been lucky enough to be in a test group for the Watchman unit.  You may have seen the ads...

During rehab for TAVR, it was noted that I 'defib' spontaneously.  Not enough to keel over, just...a 'pause'.

They really didn't want all the trouble and expense of repairing me to go to waste, literally.  So I've gotten to be a part of a study to explore an advanced defib/pacer.

Instead of the defib going off like a hammer in my chest, this one 'gently prods' my heart into motion again, with the pacer resetting the beat....so to speak.

I have noticed it 'doing it's thing' occasionally.  I'm quite happy about that, overall.

Oh, I can be a 'poster organism' for TAVR.  They didn't know Why my aortic valve went bad (<10% function) until they went in...

Mutant valve; only 2 flaps instead of the usual 3.  Apparently genetic, my older brother passed 2 years ago, likely from the same thing, undiagnosed.

My nephew's first born had heart issues.  Yep, bad valve.  Expresses in the males.  *sigh*

Now I be Borg.  "Resistance is...expected." *L*

@thyname, I've been curious about 'phones...thanks...*S*

Arrhythmia would be more correct...'skipping a beat' or so....

Due to a lack of a proper 'seal' in my aortic valve, I'd literally 'back flow'.

Tired, lack of energy...the 'pauses' were a likely side effect, unrelated but noticed during rehab.

TAVR was terrific, though.  Woke from the anesthesia feeling near normal..well, what I call normal, anyway. *G*

Some actually get to go home the following day; one went and played a round of golf. (I assume he still used a cart....)

They kept me around for 3 days, since I was considered 'experimental'.
("I'm a lab critter.....I bite.")  Certainly not because of my good looks or toleration of hospital food....*eh*

The Watchman came later, after rehab....I'm thin, so I've a visible lump in front of my left shoulder.  I asked if it's a concern about fragility.

I was told that, in one case, it stopped a .38 bullet....and still worked.

So I'll have to be very nimble, just in case... ;)

"Ear candling"? *Errr*  I'll stick with hydrogen peroxide on occasion....

Bromance..*L*  The spouse of a previous employer liked to call it 'weenie welding', to which I opined it was more appropo to the gay community.

Glad you like the heart saga, atdave. It was interesting to live through, actually.  Esp. the 'live through' part. ;)

And hey, if my little episode here gives pause to consider, not all heart problems are the 'sudden pain before you hit floor' variety.  Mine came on slowly; time to plan, consider options, and mentally get set up for it.
There's still potential for surprise, there's choices.  I was dead set (and nearly so) against open heart surgery.  I was well aware of the pain and the long recovery from it.  I just happened to be lucky to be in the right time: TAVR had just become an option for patients that were 'younger' than typical, and weren't so far gone that it was the ONLY option.  Lucky to be in the right place as well: a city with a marvelous heart center in a hospital literally a 1/2 mile from where I sit Now....and the cardiologists that staff it happened to be part of the study of which I'm now a part of.

And, if being a guinea pig for the greater good for y'all as well...hey, I volunteered happily.  Take some, give some.

If anyone that reads this, or hears of this from you and it Matters...

Time and trouble spent well.  A karmic duty, perhaps a debt paid.*S*

I may not win a lottery for cash, but I won the one that mattered.
To me, for my spouse, my relatives, and the friends that tolerate me in the flesh. *L*

Y'all are lucky, too.  I merely 'pop up' in these various forums and be a pest poking a keyboard in jest.  Sometimes I do come up with the rare aside that makes some sort of nonsensical sense, but I have to wait them as well....

And, as for that...I do thank y'all for your tolerance.  I try to give what I get, basically. ;) 

...and dinner's ready...

Tonight: Norwegian Chinese.

Keep bangin' the rocks together...;)

@glupson...That's the problem with life sentences...you're only truly dead in the joint if you die of natural causes in a permanent fashion, or someone makes you that way....
As for the latter, it's a toss whether it's better to have the authorities or a jail mate do the deed.

I suspect deep anesthesia is very similar to death in some ways.
You 'go under'...there's no dreams, until your consciousness slowly returns.  Awareness that you're again aware of being 'back'...sound returns like a volume control rising, again slowly.

Then you become aware of the plastic breathing tube that's still crammed into your mouth it's uncomfortable and getting more so because it's sticking to the sides of your mouth and throat because your mouth is dry as paper...

"Uhgulblth!"

"....he's waking...We'll get that out of your mouth in a moment..."
(You're finally aware that they're still setting up in Recovery, but you still can't see...but you think 'not soon enough, dammit...')

"mmfth"  Your eyes are open but focus is just starting to work.  The room an out-of-focus fishbowl that begins to make sense...

You take a deep breath...without the oxygen mask you've had for 3 days prior....

It worked...It works.  Wow.... 

Hmm...some 2, 2.5 years ago...every 6 months I get follow-ups, once a year they check the defib/pacer.  The last, just 2 months ago.

That was a experience...*G*  Basically, the tech sets up a large-ish laptop, twiddles dials, switches...and my heart trace is on screen.

"How'm I doing?"

"5 by 5...you're good to go."

"That's it?"

"Yup."

That's when I asked about how durable the device is....

There's only 2 recorded instances when one has failed.
One was in a car accident and the implant's cable broke.
The second was the .38 bullet....but it stopped it, and he survived.

It's about 2.5 in. in diameter, maybe .5 in. thick.

Lucky shot.... ;)  Lucky guy...

I've got a visual memory for the most part.  My spouse Ev has one good at events and when they occurred.  I kid her that, between the 2 of us, we have an entire one. *L*

She'll be watching a movie..."This is So Interesting, maybe you'd..."

"I hope so..we've seen it twice together before.  In the next scene..."

"What?   Oh..."

"....he's just about to kiss her.  *chuckle*  What happens next is 'typical Hollywood hook-up'...."

....and I get the 'smart ass' look....*shrug*.

But, to her credit, she can remember in great detail something we did (or didn't) do 5 or 15 years ago.

Anyway...enough...*S*  Stay healthy; it's been interesting but not anything I can recommend to go through.

I enjoy the general attitude and commentary here @ AG.  I Do learn and get exposed to the current level of the 'state of the art'.

Sometimes the 'art' outweighs the 'actuality' of the equipment under discussion IMHO, but I'm willing to let one or many enjoy what they may perceive.

I don't have to agree with Everything; but I'd like to be given the same latitude.

Rather profound...it's etched into my memory, I can still recall that damn breathing tube....

But other than the 2 catheter entry points on my thighs...painless.

And it was like having a switch flipped.  It's that instantaneous.

*G*  I wonder if I've put anyone else 'here' in a coma yet...

When I was catching up on this forum, scanning the repartie' and all...it did strike me in general how all responded to the line of our thinking, and the responses/reactions.
I'd gave the sci paper a look....without taking notes but considering it's line of reasoning...
Overall, it's correct...for a larger surveyed group.
When one 'get's into the weeds' with a small group of AG posters....
too many variables, too small of a 'sample'.
Group dynamics only work with mass quantities...then we 'average out'.

Nothing 'average' 'round here...the old comment about 'opinions and a common body part' come into play. ;)

@geoffkait , I don't claim to be a comedian, but life in general either seems funny in its' nature, or one has to somehow find a laugh to get through things.

We get upset with each other over things, concepts, or reactions that on occasion my response is "Oh, c'mon.  This is like the 'angels on a pinhead' rant!  It goes Nowhere for Nothing worth the mental energy or anguish!  Calm down and Think."

One wants to toss anything humorous into the middle of it like tear gas. 
Break it up before someone breaks something.  Endless tail-chases over opinions vs. attitudes vs. things unmeasurable except by perception.

...and we should all know quite well by now how perception can effect what we say and think... ;)

MHO...repeat, MHO.

Hi all...been a day.  Went to a 'mac 'n cheese' competition in the afternoon, local restaurants for a music school. A fun interlude that gave me a tad of heartburn for a good cause. *G*  I think the local lobster house tipped the scales by loading up the judge's plates. *L*

But anyway...anesthesia revisit....the only times I didn't 'go under' for a procedure was:
-Getting 'fixed', so I'd 'shoot blanks'.  Worth having done, but with a 'local' it felt very weird having the surgeon pull the plumbing about.  Not painful, just....Very difficult to describe a discomfort of that nature...
-My 1st colonoscopy.  Done with a cocaine variant, wide awake but more buzzed than anything done on a 'recreational' occasion.
You could have driven a bus up my backside and I would have been amused, watching the whole event on the screen nearby.
Seeing one's innards, this journey up this vaguely pink rippled tunnel later helped understand how the gerbil must have felt. :)
At the 'end' of the 'trip', we encountered the Lone Polyp.
"We'll take care of that", followed by the flash of the laser.
Then the whole journey in fast reverse....

I thanked them for the 'buzz', laughing.
"I can't remember when I've been that wasted, thanks!  See you this weekend! ;)"  I think they were somewhat amused that I enjoyed myself.

It's good I had a ride home...spouse noted that I was likely one of the few that would go back just for the high despite having a tube stuck in me 'sdrawkcab'....  Not so cheap thrills...

I've been disappointed by any of them since....*damn*L*

*L*  No, nothing quite that 'heavy duty'.
Best description I can offer is Pink Floyd's "comfortably numb".
Lying on my side, watching the screen, making the occasional observation (or absurdvation), aware of the activity behind my behind.
Absolutely bombed, watching the show on the screen.

"You doing alright?"

"You can make it Better? *drugged chuckle*  Please do."

*bemused laugh from 'back there'*

PCP?  Once...which was Enough.
'Acid'?  Got bored with everything looking like it was composed of polyethylene.  Only entertaining during the initial 'rush' state.
After that, just resigned to being awake for the interval beyond, went on with whatever occupied the time.
Left it behind long ago.

Would only consider it again at the very end...of me.  There had been studies done in Europe in the late '60s'~early '70's by therapists to see if it helped 'end of life' patients deal with the inevitable.

There were some positive signs that it did; 'ego-death' prior to the real deal was the point of the studies.  The thought was that the fear of the end of 'me' was the big issue; that death was natural, the normal result of being alive in the first place....

We only become aware of being alive @ birth, that it's part of that process that we should expect to cease awareness @ death.

Christian theology teaches otherwise...(I was raised Catholic, BTW)
Science and the pursuit of the mysteries of the composition of matter, energies, and all that makes up the universe shows how little we know of it.  How all of this immensity that we occupy on this dinky particle of a planet actually works.

At the end of it...all we can really do is accept it.
It's impressive that we're capable of asking the questions. *G*

But, we're still just Smart.  Not as Wise as we ought to be. ;)

(And how much further can we get 'off topic'. *L*)

As for equipment, this came across my screens today:

https://www.samsung.com/us/business/products/displays/direct-view-led/the-wall/?cid=dis-btb-stc-di-us-other-prog-08122019-15476-4173270-252493110-120003303&attributioncampaignid=7011Q000001RDbb&dclid=CJPSu7Wr4uUCFfDJ4wcdJMwHpA

Wait until That hits Walmart....

@erik_squires  "Psych 'O Stuff"....*whew*  That'll be good for about a dozen pages....After getting through equipment choices, cars, homes, spouse vs. 'trophies' (implant variants should be avoided @ all costs), toothbrushes....

The edges of our screens will begin to bleed.....

*G* I’m not a fan of DerPhil...and when in the hospital for any length of time I obviously chafe to get sprung from the joint ASAP...

There’s sick people there.!
 I may be contrary, ’odd’, ’different’, but not sick. *hmph* (Well, nobody buys that...shucks...*L*)

geo, I take 10 meds daily...none of which are ’entertaining’ in the least.
Two of which (Entresto & Eliquis) are normally not supposed to be taken in unison. I asked my cardio ’bout this:

"We feel the benefits outweigh the risks for you."

"Wonderful, Mark. I’ll have them carve that on my rock."
He’s gotten used to my amused irony...

As for my next coloncruise (since I obviously enjoyed That compound), it’s likely an excellent reason to Not employ it. It must be strange enough to stuff a instrument up someones’ tush; to have them enjoy it and wisecrack (pun!) through it has to be distracting...

Query: "How does it feel to have to come here? Does it help to have someone to talk to?"
Opinion: It depends upon what’s going on. If a topic strikes an interest or curiosity, I’ll look in. If it’s technical and of interest, I’ll scan to perhaps glean some knowledge; perhaps try to ask some pertinent if I can.
Some subjects seem to reek of the onus of starting a ’flame fest’; the ’cable conundrum’ is an infamous one...and things of that nature.

It’s how we end up responding to each other over some subjects, stretching over multiple pages, makes one wish for a marshmallow on a stick. The heat gets almost palpital....

...and occasionally I just feel the need to wisecrack....

"It’s just this little chromium switch....*clic*...y’all are So superstitious..."

@geoffkait , *G* You go, guy!  I'll be at one of front tables...and be kind enough to not to resort to laying dead flowers at stages' edge. ;)

'State of the art' bleeding edge stuff will likely always remain beyond the reach of my wallet.  So I can relax and just enjoy what I enjoy, as you (and everyone else) may @ their discretion.  I'll have my opinions, as simple or obtuse as they exist.  And all can have theirs as well.....

'Twas always thus. *G*  May we always learn something other than mere dislike of the individual, who is just as fouled up as we are in their HO's. *L*

"Cables, Mabel?  I ain't gonna strung out or up over 'em..."
(Or most else, either....don't have the time nor the energy to waste...)

@erik_squires , on the bright side, it ought to keep him in or out of trouble that everyone can keep an eye on....;)  Besides, he seems to be stating a particular type of toothbrush by #....now, That's esoteria... *G*

@glupson...couldn't resist that...since a "Curaprox. 5460" doesn't seem an audio appliance...nor anything else I recognise right offhand....or any other appendage either...*L*

Well, it's been a load 'a laughs, guys.  I just learned today that I'm doomed to the drawing bored for the next month for two 6 figure projects we're the preferred supplier of.  One in SC, the other in AL...both muni parks.  Concept drawings, shop drawings, site visits, and trying to explain to strangers why we do what we do and how.

It's a living. *G*  It'll also make me a very sporadic im-poster here, so y'all will get a well-deserved break from MHO about O. ;) 

Y'all take care.  People like me on the highway...;)  Apex Everything.

"#9....#9...#9"...and counting...*pfht*