[golfbravobravo]

Interesting article I came across this morning, and thought I'd share. While this forum is civil and kept fun, most in my experience aren't, and this article (opinion) really resonated with me.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/04/audiophile-snobbery-may-be-killing-our-hobby/

I left the Audiogon forum for this very reason a few months ago. As I was looking at Stereophile's AXPONA coverage this morning and adding up the system cost (several systems north of $500k and two well over a million). Throw in the snobby, obscure music, and YouTube reviewers talking about $25k components and $50k speakers like they are where "Audiophile" starts, and yeah no wonder it is turning off average people and new people. Hence a bunch of well-off, opinionated, old boomers pontificating is helping to diminish the crowd. (For reference median income in the United States is $37,585 annually). I assume many of us (myself included) do earn more than this to support our hobby - at least from the pics some of you post. But we should be welcoming of those who don't to the hobby.

That said, I commend the civility in this forum, and Schiit for producing quality Audiophile-grade stuff for less than a median-year's work. While I have a McIntosh system as well, I must admit my Schiit components are every bit as good - and I even intermingled them with Skoll providing phono-pre duty in the McIntosh system to sound even better! I have heard some of these "High-end" systems, and they are beautiful and sound good but aren't really that much better in my opinion. Though I like him in general, I disagree with Steve G saying there is no such thing as diminishing returns.

My point is if you have the money for a Bugatti and D'Agostino that's awesome! But, it doesn't mean everything else is junk just because it costs less and you get to talk down to everyone else from behind the screen. If someone enjoys their $149 Vali3, that is awesome and valid too. The more people we can encourage to get into this stuff, the more buyers there will be, the more competition, the more innovation, and the more enjoyment for us consumers. So remember - keep it civil.

Have you counted the number of opinionated Boomers here?

 

[jonathan c]

Very cool, I can also recall those being called pin straighteners, I like them for tube shipping as well as keeping pins oriented.

... ... do you put pin #1 in hole #1, ...

 

[Ableza]

Have you counted the number of opinionated Boomers here?

I'm not *that* opinionated, am I?

 

[golfbravobravo]

No, not really. More that I'm retired and can't spend more than 15 minutes a day doing actual work. I read that the first thing one should do after retiring is to set goals, so I did.

You need to slow down. 15 minutes. A day???????????

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

... ... do you put pin #1 in hole #1, ...

OCD ...

 

[sam6550a]

Thanks that is certainly a start and it saves me doing the research lol.

Where is that listing to be found?

 

[sam6550a]

Thought you might get a kick out of this. This post will self-destruct in 24 hours to prevent permanent damage to my reputaion.

(and these aren't mine.....just tubesitting for a friend)

And you said "No GE tubes sound good"?

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

And you said "No GE tubes sound good"?

Did he forgot the comma?

 

[sam6550a]

Excellent, you should keep those for yourself and send me an assortment of something I might like. I am busily shopping for adapters so hurry!

I use GE 5670W in my Vali 2++ and it sounds really good, especially compared to the stock tube. I only have 2 of them, but I will share!

 

[Paladin79]

I use GE 5670W in my Vali 2++ and it sounds really good, especially compared to the stock tube. I only have 2 of them, but I will share!

Loan me one to try, if nothing else I will annoy Cowen with it.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

I use GE 5670W in my Vali 2++ and it sounds really good, especially compared to the stock tube. I only have 2 of them, but I will share!

Same as mine.

GE5670W performs really well. the stock tube not bad at all, just sound a bit different, kind of too wide for me.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Loan me one to try, if nothing else I will annoy Cowen with it.

Consumes his "15 minutes"

 

[dstrimbu]

Orinoco Flow…. Just a tad shouty/sibilant; I’m going to go with the mastering; as it’s very transient towards the beginning. Someone wasn’t watching VU levels…

[on edit: shouty not shorty - stupid AI]
[on 2nd edit: entire song is/has that high treble shoutiness]

Must be the master

Which version of the album were you playing? It was a CD, right?

 

[bcowen]

You need to slow down. 15 minutes. A day???????????

Did I say day? Crap. I meant week. Thanks for catching that.

 

[Bowmoreman]

Which version of the album were you playing? It was a CD, right?

Yes, CD. Apparently, it is to Bismarck’s liking….