An audiophile foo doubters explanation - why I’m a doubter
Feb 16, 2018 11:30:50 GMT
julesd68 likes this
Post by Tim on Feb 16, 2018 11:30:50 GMT
Magic paint, magic fuses, tunnels to Quantum never never land . . . blah, blah, blah 
I don't buy into most audiophile marketing, especially at over inflated prices and I don’t mind expressing that opinion, much it seems to the dislike of those that do. Here’s why for me it’s foo.
The overarching reason is I’m just not interested no matter what the claims may be. Having worked in manufacturing, albeit for a short period, I understand marketing, margins, R&D, the human psyche and how to sell an upmarket product for an upmarket price and exactly what things cost, especially if they’ve originated in China. So if I say I think something is bollocks, to me it is, it’s that simple. I’m not saying what you believe or don’t believe in is bollocks, just that I think a particular product is bollocks – it’s not personal. I can do that can't I? I don’t need to try it to dismiss it either, as miniscule changes/improvements don’t interest me at all. My plateau of diminishing returns has pretty much been attained.
It’s also about what I know to be fact, that we and our golden ears really can't be trusted as much as we think. Time of day, how we feel (health has a huge impact on hearing), the weather, the national grid, ambient noise . . . the list is endless. I would wager my no claims bonus I could sit 10 audiophiles in a room for blind testing, play some music and then ask them if they prefer product A over B, but not change anything. A percentage would express a preference and depending on the status of some of those, others may follow due to peer pressure – it’s human nature and happens time after time. Increase the volume by a fraction of a db and for sure they’ll tell you they prefer one over the other.
Fine you say, but I’m on my own in my own room and nothing is influencing me - really? Think about that, how did you find out about it, who do you know who has one declaring it a must have, how much did it cost, are you seeking or wanting it to sound better (that’s the kicker right there). Again, there’s a long list here too, backed up by lots of science and real-world trials. If you don’t know much about Thomas Edison, Google is your friend.
But why is it foo to me? Well firstly as I said, I don’t buy into marketing, I have an aversion to it because I know how it works, I also try to only buy what I actually need not just because I want it, frivolous consumerism is damaging the planet enough. But the biggest reason is I would never, no matter how much I had, spend large amounts of money for something that may or may not sound 0.1% better. Show me a product for £10.00 that will improve my sound by 10% and I might be interested. But if I have to sit and concentrate so hard to even notice a difference, then to me it’s a waste of time and money. Each to their own, if that excites you then work away, but if all you seek on a public discussion forum is people agreeing with each other, then it’s going to be very dull and have a very short shelf life.
Music isn’t a hobby to me, it’s a deep-rooted passion, so I don’t need to endlessly search for a better sounding audio system – the music itself is my nirvana. I've stopped searching for the holy grail, safe in the knowledge it’s an unattainable goal. Contentment shouldn’t be underestimated – knowing how to achieve it though is another matter.
Now you may or may not agree with the above and I’m perfectly fine with that, it’s my truth. You can also tell me to feck off and stop expressing my opinion, I’m fine with that too
I don't buy into most audiophile marketing, especially at over inflated prices and I don’t mind expressing that opinion, much it seems to the dislike of those that do. Here’s why for me it’s foo.
The overarching reason is I’m just not interested no matter what the claims may be. Having worked in manufacturing, albeit for a short period, I understand marketing, margins, R&D, the human psyche and how to sell an upmarket product for an upmarket price and exactly what things cost, especially if they’ve originated in China. So if I say I think something is bollocks, to me it is, it’s that simple. I’m not saying what you believe or don’t believe in is bollocks, just that I think a particular product is bollocks – it’s not personal. I can do that can't I? I don’t need to try it to dismiss it either, as miniscule changes/improvements don’t interest me at all. My plateau of diminishing returns has pretty much been attained.
It’s also about what I know to be fact, that we and our golden ears really can't be trusted as much as we think. Time of day, how we feel (health has a huge impact on hearing), the weather, the national grid, ambient noise . . . the list is endless. I would wager my no claims bonus I could sit 10 audiophiles in a room for blind testing, play some music and then ask them if they prefer product A over B, but not change anything. A percentage would express a preference and depending on the status of some of those, others may follow due to peer pressure – it’s human nature and happens time after time. Increase the volume by a fraction of a db and for sure they’ll tell you they prefer one over the other.
Fine you say, but I’m on my own in my own room and nothing is influencing me - really? Think about that, how did you find out about it, who do you know who has one declaring it a must have, how much did it cost, are you seeking or wanting it to sound better (that’s the kicker right there). Again, there’s a long list here too, backed up by lots of science and real-world trials. If you don’t know much about Thomas Edison, Google is your friend.
But why is it foo to me? Well firstly as I said, I don’t buy into marketing, I have an aversion to it because I know how it works, I also try to only buy what I actually need not just because I want it, frivolous consumerism is damaging the planet enough. But the biggest reason is I would never, no matter how much I had, spend large amounts of money for something that may or may not sound 0.1% better. Show me a product for £10.00 that will improve my sound by 10% and I might be interested. But if I have to sit and concentrate so hard to even notice a difference, then to me it’s a waste of time and money. Each to their own, if that excites you then work away, but if all you seek on a public discussion forum is people agreeing with each other, then it’s going to be very dull and have a very short shelf life.
Music isn’t a hobby to me, it’s a deep-rooted passion, so I don’t need to endlessly search for a better sounding audio system – the music itself is my nirvana. I've stopped searching for the holy grail, safe in the knowledge it’s an unattainable goal. Contentment shouldn’t be underestimated – knowing how to achieve it though is another matter.
Now you may or may not agree with the above and I’m perfectly fine with that, it’s my truth. You can also tell me to feck off and stop expressing my opinion, I’m fine with that too
