Awesome Audiophile Snake Oil

BRB going to start a publisher that requires you to burn-in your books for about 100 hours. At first it will all seem like gibberish but after 100 hours of staring at the page it will start to make sense.

. C’mon!

https://consequence.net/2023/04/half-vinyl-buyers-record-player-study/

It's been kind of an irritating practice to shove a vinyl disc into every multi-CD box set these days, thus inflating the price in the process - I wonder if that's a factor? (I sold off my player a year ago and I've still had to buy some vinyl because of this.)

doubt it, I think people feel a disconnect or nostalgia for physical artifacts related to the music they consume and are buying records to fill that hole in the time of streaming. maybe a pinch of buying merch to support an artist too

background items for social media posting, too

Pro tip: Audiophiles are the flat-Earthers of the audio industry. pic.twitter.com/SzDA8hoq8J

— Eduard (@edthesoundman) May 10, 2023

Pro tip: Audiophiles are the flat-Earthers of the audio industry. pic.twitter.com/SzDA8hoq8J

— Eduard (@edthesoundman) May 10, 2023

omg the reveal that this is all for stuff that was recorded in mono. A+

^ what this thread was born for xp

Tbf even thru my phone speaker off YouTube, that did sound pretty fuckin hot … but I’m pretty sure the perimeter whatsits had nuffin to do with it.

Yeah, it sounded great through headphones on my laptop, but can you imagine being in that room, with that guy, and trying to enjoy music without constantly thinking about how he was gonna murder you and grind up your bones for his next set of magical resonating discs?

Being a flat earther is cheap, this guy is more like a $450 a day in supplements wellness hippie

Someone in the thread linked to this full video (with more music at the end)… I admit it does sound pretty great even through my phone speaker, but yeah who knows exactly why (I will say the guy seems surprisingly chill).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr8O_jZhpl4

It sounds great because he's playing it loud (or at least it's coming in hot through the camera mic).

The bit talking about how his pucks on a pole change the acoustics of the room was the funniest part, since there's still very obvious echo in the small rectangular room with bare drywall walls.

god what an amazing video

I had a moment where I was like "wait a second...you guys...this isn't real audio equipment!" But then the joke never ends because it's not a joke...

I can hear David Letterman saying "Mah-PEEN-go! Mah-peen-go, Paul. What do we think of that?"

I’m checking out some other videos on that channel… these equipment demos really seem to favor sleepy, cocktail-jazz type music… wish they’d crank up Toto or something.

As someone else pointed, it's crazy if that entire system cost that much more than his modest-looking home.

*pointed out

hope he noted that on his homeowners insurance or insured it separately

imagine trying to explain to an insurance adjuster your zillion dollar audio system you had in this modest little house

MoFi has agreed to a $25 million settlement over claims that their “all analog” records were created using digital methods.

MoFi has agreed to let all customers either receive a full refund and return their purchases, or keep their albums and instead take a 5% cash refund or a 10% refund in credit.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mofi-records-settlement/

"claims"

how large is this business exactly because $25M seems like an insane number

Dunno how they came up with that number. The figure if everyone opted for refund? They're going to be paying out far less than 25 million.

Jonny Ive’s first non-Apple design project is this 60k turntable. (See also FastCompany article here.)

not surprised. the token projects from design studios tend to be limited run insanely priced objects that are only purchasable by collectors but look really nice in monographs and studio portfolios

just had a thought

I picked up a fresh vinyl copy of an album I love off my porch where it was delivered today directly after work. Toss it on the turntable, and it’s good but something’s kind of flat.

I’ve only recently moved my turntable setup to the living room and I’m thinking, ugh, this isn’t as good for listening due to different speakers, etc. but as I’m sipping an after work beer and kind of sinking into listening, wow, it’s great!

I kind of wonder if more than a wee bit of the audiophile mindset is the mental mood boost of experimenting with little tweaks here and there and the dopamine (or whatever) boost of unpacking a piece of gear and installing it primes the brain with little chemical changes. You then listen and… wow, this is different and better!

not completely foreign to any other consumer tech choice. there’s some guy out there posting how websites look much better on his new iphone every year

also I totally need a new phono amp

I honestly found a big difference upgrading

the most technical I have gotten lately is reading that I can use a straight-line stylus on a straight tone arm, but only if it has a spherical needle

so I’m good

The saner audiophiles I know tend to enjoy tweaking equipment the way someone may enjoy working on scale models or carpentry - the work itself is part of the hobby. They’ll even do things that have nothing to do with sound but simple design or aesthetics, like a new finish. But trying out different pieces of gear and switching out parts is very much a part of it, and even if there’s only negligible gain, it’s just fun for them to work with it and try out stuff, as long as it’s not some insane luxury cost-wise.

Me, I intensely hate incorporating any excessive labor into my listening. Spending time working on equipment instead of enjoying a record has absolutely no appeal to me. I had to get a new universal player two years ago - another Oppo (which no longer makes players) - but otherwise I haven’t done anything to change the gear for my home setup since 2015.

I've upgraded over the years but what I have now I'm completely content with. I spent a fair amount of time researching and also finding stuff on big discounts on Craigslist or online which was actually pretty fun.

anything above what I have now would just get into that insanity territory, hopefully nothing breaks.

What have you got ums?

Picking up a Cambridge audio AXA35 and a pair of KEF Q350’s for 1/3 of their price second hand was a great joy. I recently paired that with a SVS SB-1000 on special and I think this is me for a few decades.

KEFs are great especially if you can find a deal

I have a Cambridge Audio as well, the CXA60, with Dali Zensor bookshelves, a HSU research subwoofer, Rotel CD player I got ridiculously cheap on eBay, and a Rega P1 turntable I've had for 20 years.... definitely in the same zone as you

I'm really a believer in bookshelves+ a sub now, I think you have to get really huge speakers to get that kind of bass

Ohh damn an cxa60! That’s nice.have the p1 as well but haven’t seen your speakers/sub before. It really is the perfect set up for music. The sub was such a great addition to my living room, not a bass-head at all but it adds a whole other dimension to music that you miss with just the bookshelfves. I feel like this is the perfect spot for music listening where you’re getting great sound without delving into the crazy diminishing returns that happen above this price range. That said, I don’t have much experience above this price range so my opinion is mostly confirmation bias

the KEF Q350 is special, i like them better than the LS50s i had at one point.

In the mid-to-late 00s I had the opportunity to hear some very expensive systems - I'm talking on the order of $1M at the time. It definitely affected me. I am probably more on the audiophile end of this site (tube amps, nice DAC, etc.).

I am also into wine. There are definitely similarities between the two hobbies and manias. A lot of confirmation bias and diminishing returns going on.

In both cases, more $ will generally (though not always) get you better sound/taste, but above a certain point, as ums pointed out, the amount you have to spend to get something better becomes ridiculous.

In both cases, I like to think I am still reasonable - I still believe in science. I don't have the confidence/hubris to assume I could always tell two relatively equivalent products apart in an A/B test, especially as I am now past 50. Also, I can acknowledge that, at least with tube amps, there are extra-musical factors that play a role in my enjoyment.

One thing I absolutely believe in is buying gear used (other than maybe a turntable). Your money goes a lot further. Vintage stuff can be great as well.

My latest irrationality is now mildly wanting a refurbished Garrard 301 transcription turntable which are $$$$, but so freaking cool.

kind of surprised i didn't order/demo a bunch of speakers during the pandemmy. second hand PSB Images going strong.

buying gear used (other than maybe a turntable).

Why's this? I mean, get a new stylus. My Realistic Lab 390 i got at a yard sale for $10 is doing great. I would have to spend at least $500 to match it with a new table?

granted it would've been i dunno, $100 on eBay? Easily worth it

I did say maybe. Not opposed to it across the board, but turntables are more delicate than most gear and can be fiddly. If you're knowledgeable enough to clean it and fix any issues, go for it.

Beats working on old amps ime. Though I put up with that too. My Kenwood C2 preamp ought to outlive me.

Yeah, I sent the Audio Research SP-9 I inherited from my uncle back to the company for repairs a couple of years ago. I probably should have attempted it myself, but I'm a nervous nelly.

I follow someone on twitter who has been reading through speaker nerd forums and picking up sweet deals on facebook marketplace and similar spots and some of the oddball small speaker manufacturers created some interesting stuff!

I'd like to hear what a magnepan speaker sounds like. Must need a sub in the system?

i will never take stereo advice from a wine person, sorry

xxxp It's great when you can find official service for decades old gear. I had my father in law's Quad gear re-capped by a place not too far from him that the company directed me to. Not cheap but much nicer than I would have managed, and equivalent modern gear.

funny seeing posts from "PBKR" makes me wish i could buy a Pabst around here.

always makes me think of North Korea