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Intersting Phenomena [message #3155]

Fri, 26 May 2006 19:54

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

I am noticing more and more the encroachment of the high end into DIY territory. Funny because the whole DIY thing started as a backlash to the high end shenanigans. Pomposity/insane pricing/out of touch with the mainstream, no dedication to the sound or the music; just the fetishistic worship of mega-price totems.R emmember when no one could enter any audio salons without bowing on one knee to the audio god installed within. The lost circulation of the magazines.
Now I see what appears to be a sudden interest on the net with a new paradigm resembling the old High End aristocracy of pontification and pomposity. Soon there will be a fat guy sitting on a throne offering edicts determining who is worthy of the best lists. The wheel turns.
In the end after the disenchantment sets in again the humble DIY'ers and Vintage guys will rise like the pheonix to re-take the audio arena, but until then I guess we must suffer the resergence of the "High End".

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3156 is a reply to message #3155]

Fri, 26 May 2006 21:30

MWG
Messages: 344
Registered: May 2009

Grand Master

I think a lot of it has to do with the availability of disposable income. There has been a dramatic increase (except for mine

) in the last few years. Look at all the bling bling crap that's for sale. Stuff that does nothing but look flashy.

I think there is a line of departure between a DIY home built amp that works well and a botique amp with flashy plating and or wood panels that produces the same quality as the DIY at 12 X the price.

I'm not knocking nice looking VS utilitarian. I do think that there are too many folks investing way too much ego into audio. Audio equipment is for the playing of music. Not to sit and worship the equipment

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3157 is a reply to message #3156]

Sat, 27 May 2006 07:02

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

I know; what kills me is the whole audio thing goes through this every ten years or so. They get all hot over glossy photos and phony reviews then they get bored or broke and the cycle starts all over.
But on the bright side; people becoming wise to the hype is what started the whole SE/Horn speaker revival. So we ride this out and wait for the return of sanity and the good things that comes with it.

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3158 is a reply to message #3157]

Sat, 27 May 2006 09:02

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18787
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Not to sound too cynical but the whole audio industry seems troubled to me. I've always thought it was because of the nature of the science being fairly low-tech compared to other fields. Brings with it a lot of charlatans and snake oil. Easy enough to deal with though - Just ignore them, trust your own research and judgement.

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3159 is a reply to message #3158]

Sat, 27 May 2006 09:24

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

True enough; but there is always, when you deal with human perception the intangibles. Like a soup; good ingredients and a good recipe; combine and stir. One person follows the pattern and another is a great chef; same ingredients same recipe. So what is the difference? ( Other than one gets paid a whole lot of money and fame and the other just eats lunch.)
Thats the border where what we know as science in the present intersects with what we have yet to discover. I call it intuition; some call it religion.
As you said; science is just another way of percieving the world.
Trust your own judgement; thats the ticket!

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3160 is a reply to message #3157]

Sat, 27 May 2006 09:26

MWG
Messages: 344
Registered: May 2009

Grand Master

I at first thought the revival of interest in vintage equipment was a really good thing. Now it seems that the my collection is bigger than yours guys are taking over the field. So the folks who actually want to use the equipment are being priced out of the market for the second time

I saw a nice Yamaha M-80 amp on CL but it was nearly 400.00. Inflated prices may hit a wall one of these days and level out. Probably be like gasoline though and hit a plateau and stay there

I did pick up a nice Sony cd changer for the museum yesterday. It's nowhere near TOTL but works & sounds good and if I tape over all the buttons but the play and volume on the remote the old folks can work it

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3161 is a reply to message #3160]

Sat, 27 May 2006 11:37

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

You hit the nail on the head. I used to go to guys houses who had upwards of fifty pieces of audio gear and it just sat there collecting dust. Same with guitars; how many good kids would give their eye-teeth to play a 56 strat? Some dim-wit has dozens of them stashed in his basement so his wife can sell it when he kicks the bucket.
Records too; I play every album I have and I tell people up front they have no business hoarding music like some obsessive-compulsive dweeb.
Collecting is a disease; people can't perform in life so they hoard stuff. And is it my imagination or do they all have the same personal affect? That sort of rushed intensity and superior front with a guarded insecurity?

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3163 is a reply to message #3161]

Sat, 27 May 2006 15:02

Damir
Messages: 1005
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

I talked to my friend a two days ago about not-so nice aspects of this hobby and these forums, and he said "what did you expect of those audiophiles? I`d stay away pretty far from all those ...philes!"

http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/buzzcocks/boredom.html

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Re: Intersting Phenomena [message #3164 is a reply to message #3163]

Sat, 27 May 2006 16:42

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

Yeah but it happens in every pursuit. Although the huys who build motorcycles or play golf seem a little more comfortable in their hobbies.
And the guys who race three masted schooners around the world; they seem pretty damned content.

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