Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
ralphpnj wrote: That's true but I've yet to see a meaningful measurement of USB cables. Yes, over priced, high end USB cables are my pet peeve and I rarely miss a chance to rip the audio magazines over their evidence free belief in the superiority of USB cables costing more than $25 over a well made, to specification under $25 USB cable. http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_cable.htm http://marlene-d.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html michael123's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=23745 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
mlsstl wrote: One can leaf through the Playboy and Esquire magazines of that period, or watch how movies TV presented trendy young men, and get a pretty good idea that good hi-fi systems were hot stuff. Playboy had pictures and/or articles about hi-fi systems?? Can't say I ever noticed them aubuti's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2074 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
aubuti wrote: Playboy had pictures and/or articles about hi-fi systems?? Can't say I ever noticed them Heh, as you imply , are people actually -reading- playboy and similar magazines ;) Mnyb's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=4143 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
michael123 wrote: http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_cable.htm http://marlene-d.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html Thanks for the links. Interesting reading, mot of which I do not agree with but at least there were some measurements. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
mlsstl wrote: The mental image of an audiophile in the 1960s was a handsome young fellow in his smoking jacket, holding his pipe while pulling out a hot jazz album to put on the turntable to impress the beautiful young lass sitting on the sofa nursing a highball. What's the mental picture of an audiophile in 2012? An aging, paunchy fellow, sitting all by himself, wondering which set of magic cables will expand the soundstage of the 10th remaster of a multi-miked and overprocessed classic rock album by 6 inches. And one wonders why the hobby doesn't have much appeal for the young trendy types these days. The world has simply moved on. ;-) You must be joking! it's 2012 and at over a weekend the end of May, as we have done since 2006, my fellow DIY valve amp hobbyists will be having our six monthly meeting in a local pub function room. We have a great time and we certainly DONT believe in exotic wires or any of the other foolery that goes with the outer limits of this hobby. This is how I'll be dressing for the occasion. [image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7181882/81693.jpg] SteveCresswell's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13120 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
A modern audiophile has little in common with a DIY hobbyist. One of the biggest differences is that the DIY hobbyist needs to know something about how things work, while the modern audiophile only needs a computer keyboard and a dictionary of superlatives. Soulkeeper's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=35297 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
SteveCresswell wrote: You must be joking! It's 2012 and over a weekend the end of May, as we have done since 2006, my fellow DIY valve amp hobbyists and I will be having our six monthly meeting in a local pub function room. We have a great time showing and listening to our latest creations and we certainly DONT believe in exotic wires or any of the other foolery that goes with the outer limits of this hobby. There are always exceptions to any rule, but that doesn't change the reality that audiophilia is a shrinking hobby for an aging male population. I note you admitted that you are a DIY tube amp hobbyist, building your own stuff. Now that's a subsect of a subsect! ;-) It's neat that you have some fellow travelers and get out and about with them, but that hardly makes it a widespread popular trend. Unfortunately, the magic wire and tweak got its foothold in the hobby for two reasons. First, the price competition, especially with big box stores and internet sales, for speakers and gear got so intense that those remaining on the sales side desperately needed some high-margin stuff. Second, the level of technical interest in the hobby (particularly at your DIY level) subsided over the years which left a base of consumers who were perhaps a bit more susceptible to the pitches for magic wires. It is certainly a more complex phenomenon than that with lots of other factors to consider, but the hobby certainly isn't what it used to be, nor will it ever return to what it once was. mlsstl's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9598 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
Oh yes DIY tube amp building is definitely a subsect of a subsect, but of our 30 strong group, there are younger members the youngest being 18. Plus there is my son, who is 28, has built several of his own tube amps and has a small business making and selling hand-crafted wooden chassis. There are others who also have small businesses making and selling self designed and built loudspeakers. I totally agree that the hi-fi business is doomed if it carries on as it is doing and peddling voodoo to the gullible. I know that in the UK there is something of a return to the roots of hi-fi as it was in the fifties, with enthusiasts building their own gear. The days of mass market hi-fi have gone forever and the industry will have only itself to blame when the end comes. It is salutory to note that all of our DIY group once used nothing but commercial gear, but have rejected it completely as it was nothing more than a money pit, that produced mediocre sound quality. Here is a sample set of pictures of the stuff we do First my system comprising home designed and built valve amplifier feeding my own design Metronome tapered quarter wave loudspeakers. [image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7181882/801asystem.jpg][image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7181882/801aglowshot2.jpg] Below is another fellow DIY hobbyist's hand crafted speakers that he builds to order. [image: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f296/Dingsking/IMG_2756a.jpg] Yes I suppose we are part of an underground movement but in our neck of the woods it is getting bigger. There is still life in the old Hi-Fi scene, if you know where to look. SteveCresswell's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13120 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
mlsstl wrote: Unfortunately, the magic wire and tweak got its foothold in the hobby for two reasons. First, the price competition, especially with big box stores and internet sales, for speakers and gear got so intense that those remaining on the sales side desperately needed some high-margin stuff. Second, the level of technical interest in the hobby (particularly at your DIY level) subsided over the years which left a base of consumers who were perhaps a bit more susceptible to the pitches for magic wires. Great insight! I never thought of the Magic/Monster Cable phenomena from the sales/margin prospective. That goes a long in helping to explain why the mass market audio retails so willingly push overpriced cables onto the unsuspecting public. Mass market Blu-ray player: $79 with a razor thin profit margin. Magic HDMI cable: $79 with a super wide profit margin. Total: $160 with a workable profit margin. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
mlsstl wrote: What's the mental picture of an audiophile in 2012? An aging, paunchy fellow, sitting all by himself, wondering which set of magic cables will expand the soundstage of the 10th remaster of a multi-miked and overprocessed classic rock album by 6 inches. I wish I'd said that! ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
mlsstl wrote: The mental image of an audiophile in the 1960s was a handsome young fellow in his smoking jacket, holding his pipe while pulling out a hot jazz album to put on the turntable to impress the beautiful young lass sitting on the sofa nursing a highball. What's the mental picture of an audiophile in 2012? An aging, paunchy fellow, sitting all by himself, wondering which set of magic cables will expand the soundstage of the 10th remaster of a multi-miked and overprocessed classic rock album by 6 inches. Mnyb wrote: The sad thing is that it is the same fellow ;-) mlsstl wrote: Yes, unfortunately our natural tendency is to go off the rails if we're not careful. Going off the rails would be as follows (to paraphrase): What's the mental picture of an audiophile in 2012? An aging, paunchy fellow, sitting all by himself, wondering which set of magic cables will expand the soundstage of the *close miked and under-processed female vocal quasi-jazz* album by 6 inches. Note: the 6 inches is very important in this scenario. Hint: think throat. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
ralphpnj wrote: Audiophilia is slowly dying and as these dinosaurs die off so will high end audio as we know it today. Full disclosure: I am 57 years old. People have been saying this for as long as audiophilia has been a hobby! Fact is, audiopilia is not a popular hobby for the young, for many reasons: * They don't have the disposable income required; * Engaging with music is hard with a young family and kids around; * They have other priorities; * They are not as patient; * etc As people grow old, people appreciate music more, have more disposable income, and have the disposable time to sit down and listen. Quite simple really. amey01's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11274 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
amey01 wrote: People have been saying this for as long as audiophilia has been a hobby! Fact is, audiopilia is not a popular hobby for the young, for many reasons: * They don't have the disposable income required; * Engaging with music is hard with a young family and kids around; * They have other priorities; * They are not as patient; * etc As people grow old, people appreciate music more, have more disposable income, and have the disposable time to sit down and listen. Quite simple really. I disagree with some of your points and agree only tepidly with others. The 1960s were probably the golden age of hi-fi. The 1950s were still heavily DIY and by the 1970s things had started dividing into mass market vs an increasing trend toward super pricey stuff (the Sequerra tuner came out in the mid-70s, priced at a then-unheard of price of over $3,000.) But in the 60s, any young up coming sophisticated young man had to have a nice hi-fi system, and for the most part one could put together a very respectable system on a young professional's income. One can leaf through the Playboy and Esquire magazines of that period, or watch how movies TV presented trendy young men, and get a pretty good idea that good hi-fi systems were hot stuff. I don't think things are any more complicated than the attention span of modern young trend setters is simply pointed in a different direction these days. Of course, it didn't help that the high-end segment of the audio hobby devolved into a super high priced, obscure chase for wires, tweaks and generally strange things that make no sense to the majority of the populace. The mental image of an audiophile in the 1960s was a handsome young fellow in his smoking jacket, holding his pipe while pulling out a hot jazz album to put on the turntable to impress the beautiful young lass sitting on the sofa nursing a highball. What's the mental picture of an audiophile in 2012? An aging, paunchy fellow, sitting all by himself, wondering which set of magic cables will expand the soundstage of the 10th remaster of a multi-miked and overprocessed classic rock album by 6 inches. And one wonders why the hobby doesn't have much appeal for the young trendy types these days. The world has simply moved on. ;-) mlsstl's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9598 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
ralphpnj wrote: For the major US audiophile publications, Stereophile, I would venture a guess that the average age of the reviewers is somewhere around 50 to 55 years old. However if one doesn't count the oldest and the youngest reviewer then the average age is more like 55 to 60 years old. (Youngest reviewer is around 30 years old.) In the case of The Absolute Sound, I would venture a guess that the average age of the reviewers is somewhere around 70 to 75 years old. However if one doesn't count the oldest and the youngest reviewer then the average age is more like 55 to 60 years old. (Oldest reviewer is around 85 years old.) Audiophilia is slowly dying and as these dinosaurs die off so will high end audio as we know it today. Full disclosure: I am 57 years old. TAS average 70-75??!! Stunning. Of the long time reviewers, I do have great respect for John Atkinson. In fact, Stereophile's measurements courtesy of John is the only reason I still have a subscription. As an aside, I would love to see audiophile magazines publish the DR value for every album they review... That would be great incentive for record labels to pay attention that many of us actually do care about dynamic range. Has anyone seen a letter to the editor about this??? If not, maybe I should write one.. Archimago's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2207 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
Archimago wrote: TAS average 70-75??!! Stunning. That is only my guess and by no means accurate. A kind of like what Soulkeeper wrote only more tongue in cheek. Is there a smiley for tongue in cheek? To answer my own question, yes there is: :-J means tongue in cheek. Archimago wrote: Of the long time reviewers, I do have great respect for John Atkinson. In fact, Stereophile's measurements courtesy of John is the only reason I still have a subscription. That's true but I've yet to see a meaningful measurement of USB cables. Yes, over priced, high end USB cables are my pet peeve and I rarely miss a chance to rip the audio magazines over their evidence free belief in the superiority of USB cables costing more than $25 over a well made, to specification under $25 USB cable. Archimago wrote: As an aside, I would love to see audiophile magazines publish the DR value for every album they review... That would be great incentive for record labels to pay attention that many of us actually do care about dynamic range. Has anyone seen a letter to the editor about this??? If not, maybe I should write one.. Excellent idea! Please do write a letter. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
ralphpnj wrote: That is only my guess and by no means accurate. A kind of like what Soulkeeper wrote only more tongue in cheek. Is there a smiley for tongue in cheek? To answer my own question, yes there is: :-J means tongue in cheek. That's true but I've yet to see a meaningful measurement of USB cables. Yes, over priced, high end USB cables are my pet peeve and I rarely miss a chance to rip the audio magazines over their evidence free belief in the superiority of USB cables costing more than $25 over a well made, to specification under $25 USB cable. Excellent idea! Please do write a letter. :-) You never know, that 70-75 may be exactly correct... For fun, I even borrowed a $200 USB cable from the local AudioQuest dealer to compare with my $20 run. Listened back and forth for 2 weeks ever couple of days. No difference IMO and promptly returned it. Of course, the citizenry over at Audio Asylum we're impressed by this kind of disconfirmatory report. Hmmm, thanks for the encouragement - think I'll fire off a letter over to Stereophile about dynamic range... Archimago's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2207 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
Their knowledge of digital technology indicates age 90+, while the alleged golden-ness of their ears indicates that they were conceived five minutes ago. They truly are a mystery. Soulkeeper's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=35297 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
Soulkeeper wrote: They truly are a mystery. An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in mystery garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How old are these audiophile reviewers???
For the major US audiophile publications, Stereophile, I would venture a guess that the average age of the reviewers is somewhere around 50 to 55 years old. However if one doesn't count the oldest and the youngest reviewer then the average age is more like 55 to 60 years old. (Youngest reviewer is around 30 years old.) In the case of The Absolute Sound, I would venture a guess that the average age of the reviewers is somewhere around 70 to 75 years old. However if one doesn't count the oldest and the youngest reviewer then the average age is more like 55 to 60 years old. (Oldest reviewer is around 85 years old.) Audiophilia is slowly dying and as these dinosaurs die off so will high end audio as we know it today. Full disclosure: I am 57 years old. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94485 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
