The “friendliest audio forum”?
- Thread starter 2FarGone
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Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
You'll find it's a group of about 10-15 of them who are on all the forums. Many use the same names. There is no escaping them nor what they want the forums to be like. They are the smaller number of people but the biggest voices. It's always their way or the highway. No differing thought or opinion is allowed.
I would encourage you to ignore the bickering and instead contribute by starting interesting topics - audio or non audio related.
Odd isn't it that this friendly and polite forum gets relatively few posts (though most are very worthwhile), while others that are inhabited by flame-throwers get huge numbers of argumentative contributions. And oddly, these forums have a blinkered view of our hobby and woe betide anyone not towing the line. One I'm thinking of could well be occupied by the deaf as listening to music seems the last aspect of the hobby they are interested in! Yes, you guessed which forum!
I'm pretty new to it, but I enjoy this forum. Seems to be a lot of knowledgeable people here-a good mix of industry pros and consumers. I've been a lawyer for more than 40 years. Back when practicing law was a real profession-now its just a money grab like everything else-I learned from some very distinguished practitioners. An early lesson was to attack your opponent's position with zeal, but never attack your opponent. That's a pretty good principle to keep in mind.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
This forum has been a very polite and very informative forum for quite some time. A few (very few) people tend to cause conflicts whenever they can and will not let it go no matter what other, long term, members say. You will learn to try and ignore those few people and enjoy the discussions and point of views of the others. Especially us long-term members are very helpful. The owner, Mike, is very good and very informative. He even shows great restraint (much greater than I would) with these main forum aggregators.
Shadowfax
Well-known member
With the small bit of bickering here, for High End Gear, this is the best place I have found. I have been a member since Mike's first year. There was a bit more discussion back then. Maybe there was more new and interesting gear. Maybe more people were in the market for new gear. Maybe multiple factors. Maybe many are distracted by other things going on.
But, when it comes to people having experience with a multitude of products and gladly sharing, this is the place. I am not in the same league as most here but I learn and aspire to having better sound on my budget. Since I was a teen, I hung out in one of the best High End shops in the Philly area called Soundex. I bought my first system with my first income tax refund while they were in a tiny strip mall. My second system when they were in a giant house. They then built a 22 showroom building. I would go there on Saturdays with a stack of CDs and wander around from room to room. Several times I went into Room #1 and closed the door and played with the latest and greatest megabuck systems.
Anyway, I still love this place and I also like friendly banter. A few go a little further and sometimes need to be reigned in. I had my account threatened a few times several years ago for off topic thread activity so I have been guilty of the current complaint in the past.
Lets all try to post fun, informative, and engaging topics and keep this place #1
But, when it comes to people having experience with a multitude of products and gladly sharing, this is the place. I am not in the same league as most here but I learn and aspire to having better sound on my budget. Since I was a teen, I hung out in one of the best High End shops in the Philly area called Soundex. I bought my first system with my first income tax refund while they were in a tiny strip mall. My second system when they were in a giant house. They then built a 22 showroom building. I would go there on Saturdays with a stack of CDs and wander around from room to room. Several times I went into Room #1 and closed the door and played with the latest and greatest megabuck systems.
Anyway, I still love this place and I also like friendly banter. A few go a little further and sometimes need to be reigned in. I had my account threatened a few times several years ago for off topic thread activity so I have been guilty of the current complaint in the past.
Lets all try to post fun, informative, and engaging topics and keep this place #1
Well said. I sincerely wish all of you would create topics. My day to day is so wrapped up in the minutia of the business from manufacturing to distribution to retail to trade show planning, that I don’t want to make topics all about me, my brands etc. That would get boring even for me! I’m more interested in what you guys are seeing, reading about, find interesting - audio related or not.
The other forum has basically the same topics over and over again with continual one upmanship from the same 20 guys. Man, that gets old fast.
Here’s a topic idea: in 2026, how are you, the consumer, procuring information about new products? I’ve seen a fundamental shift since Covid. In speaking with thousands of consumers since Covid, when they call or come into the store, they start out by telling me where they heard about a product. This source is fundamentally different than it was before Covid.
Has YouTube been your go to? Online magazines? Print magazines? Facebook? Instagram? Forums? Shows? Your trusted dealer?
The other forum has basically the same topics over and over again with continual one upmanship from the same 20 guys. Man, that gets old fast.
Here’s a topic idea: in 2026, how are you, the consumer, procuring information about new products? I’ve seen a fundamental shift since Covid. In speaking with thousands of consumers since Covid, when they call or come into the store, they start out by telling me where they heard about a product. This source is fundamentally different than it was before Covid.
Has YouTube been your go to? Online magazines? Print magazines? Facebook? Instagram? Forums? Shows? Your trusted dealer?
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BendingWave
Active member
I think SM has changed the game and will continue to do so. The press has a role but IMO they have gone from review based to being reporters. That's fine but the shift has become very obvious as there is IMO no consistent point of view and that everything is good and that allows for more advertising revenue.
If everyone has a different reference than there is none
Shadowfax
Well-known member
I like how you summed it up on "Reference"
Back in the 90s and 00s, there were pcs of gear sort of labeled as Reference Gear and reviewers compared other units up for review to the Reference pcs. That way people who heard the Ref Unit would have an idea as to how the unit being compared would be.
BendingWave
Active member
If we examine one major publication they have large panel speakers as a reference, Omni directional 4 piece system as a reference, large horns with multi subs as a reference and large dynamic cone speakers as a reference from their four main reporters. This is interesting as I am sure that the four have probably not heard each others systems, they are all "reference" and as we all know they are all very different.
So how can they all be a reference? reference to what?
So how can they all be a reference? reference to what?
Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
Sincere question: If everyone hears differently and has different rooms to deal with, how can there be one reference and who decides what that one should be and based on what?
BendingWave
Active member
that's an easy question. What exactly is the goal of an audio system?
Everyone does not hear differently but many do not know how to listen, very different.
If its just whatever you like then this is what we have.
The Absolute Sound and the Stereophile started out with well defined goals.
HP was my mentor and he was looking for the sound of unamplified instruments in an acoustic space. This is how I was taught.
You may disagree and that's perfectly fine but what is your goal?
These are "reviewers" no? How does one review without a goal or a target?
If we have four targets then we don't have one goal do we?
Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
Meant in the spirit of conversation: I personally think the entire concept of a reviewer for audio is a broken concept.
To have someone tell me what they hear (different than me) in their room (different than mine) with their gear (different than mine) with goals (different than mine) contributes nothing of any sort of value to someone looking for guidance to purchase gear (in my personal opinion). It holds as much weight and credibility (IMO) as any random person on a forum or Facebook page.
Instead these should be viewed as simple entertainment and fun to read or watch pieces. Actual value or weight given to the reviews should be no more than any random posting.
Again - just my personal opinions. I get move value out of talking with my audio buddies who I know hear like me and look for the same things than any official "review".
BendingWave
Active member
well you are making my point.
HP took us on a journey, he did comparisons, he talked about music, recordings etc. Today its just reporting a bunch of marketing and lately talking about the great food and trips they went on.
It is what it is but one thing for sure IMO its not being a critic.
What I was referring to was the medium (said in my best Marshall Mcluhan voice).
Randy Myers
Well-known member
I read a couple magazines. I do value opinions if their reasons are given.
I have found it increasingly difficult to find useful and honest advice regarding new products and technology long before Covid, though I'm sure Covid has made matters worse.
The swamping of printed magazines by the internet and mostly misleading information from self-appointed Youtube "experts" is largely to blame, plus the unfortunate reduction in the number of good high street dealers. There are now sadly very few reputable hi-fi mags that employ / engage real experts to do proper reviews and write reports. These reviewers have at their disposal a range of ancillary and compatible equipment and often ones to do comparisons with. They also have access to measurement equipment, and generally the magazine reviews include second opinions offered by fellow reviewers - all unlike most Youtube guys.
I enjoy and appreciate audio forums but, as most contributors are familiar with a very limited range of equipment, they inevitably tend to sing the praises of the equipment they own themselves. I’m certainly guilty of this and so are most other consumers (though often reluctant to admit it), but there’s still lots of advice available that potential buyers need to sift through to decide their own destinies. I asked questions about suitable amps for my own speakers when I decided to move from tube to ss and was offered lots of valuable advice and honestly held opinions. However, after buying or borrowing a dozen of these amps to try in my own room with my own speakers, I found that several were in fact poor matches. But that must be par for the course and an example of the folly of buying without proper research and arranging home demos.
Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
Thanks Elliot for explaining.
mep
Well-known member
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- Dec 4, 2013
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I'll take a stab at how can 4 different people/reviewers have 4 different reference systems.
Whether you are a reviewer or an audiophile, your system is YOUR reference system. And I predicate that statement based on people who don't constantly change out different components in their gear and they NEVER have a stable reference system in their home.
We need to stop thinking that a reference system means that some non-existant majority of audiophiles would all agree that any particular system based on price is reference quality.
When audiophiles and reviewers attend audio shows, they are comparing the gear they hear in the rooms they choose to go into against their stereo systems because their systems are their reference. I've never heard any audiophile at any show I attended compare show systems against live unamplified music in a concert hall.
Some people who attend shows including reviewers bring music with them which has cuts they consider to be reference level music in order to compare what they hear at shows vs. their own reference system. The results of what they hear can lead to purchasing decisions.
As for reviewers' systems, I think the size of their room and the level of the gear in their reference systems will dictate the level of gear they review.
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