Atkinson's February editorial

[Robert Morein]

Capsule: JA's February editorial addresses the attempts by some to establish
a trade organization to repopularize high-end audio. He opines
pessimistically for the effectiveness of such an organization. But the
chances of success are not emblazoned on the logo. They reside in innovative
thinking, and willingness to commit resources to actualize that thinking.

All industries seek voids and attempt to fill them. For some years, the
industry has concentrated on the extreme high end. This is one way to create
new customers, but it is not immune to saturation. Audio is particularly
subject to saturation, because it does not follow Moore's law, and the
equipment lasts a long time. Thus, audio manufacturers find themselves
addicted to trivial forms of novelty in order to convey a sense of newness.

Apart from the health of the "industry", there is the question of cultural
survival of listening to fine music for entertainment. While the health of
the industry is of justifiable concern, everyone who is involved must make a
personal decision as to the basis of their advocacy: consumption of music
for cultural health, or the financial health of the industry. Inevitably, as
rec.audio.opinion shows, these two linked interests conflict to some degree.

I find my own thoughts more consonant with the cultural issue. When I went
to college, a stereo was the thing to have. Fly-by-night discounters haunted
the dorms. I was pleasantly in need. Besides music, high fidelity was the
first infusion of high-tech into our lives. It can no longer represent "high
tech" very well, even as the technology has improved. The virtue remains,
but the glitz has faded. Thus, the virtue of music becomes ever more
important to continuance of the hobby. Early exposure of children would be
ideal, but the long wait for children to turn into buyers would not appease
an industry organization.

In the near term, perhaps some interest could be aroused by exhibits at
universities, more of a week or month in duration, with well set up
listening rooms.

[ScottW]

"Robert Morein" > wrote in message
...
> Capsule: JA's February editorial addresses the attempts by some to
> establish a trade organization to repopularize high-end audio. He opines
> pessimistically for the effectiveness of such an organization. But the
> chances of success are not emblazoned on the logo. They reside in
> innovative thinking, and willingness to commit resources to actualize that
> thinking.
>
> All industries seek voids and attempt to fill them. For some years, the
> industry has concentrated on the extreme high end. This is one way to
> create new customers, but it is not immune to saturation. Audio is
> particularly subject to saturation, because it does not follow Moore's
> law, and the equipment lasts a long time. Thus, audio manufacturers find
> themselves addicted to trivial forms of novelty in order to convey a sense
> of newness.
>
> Apart from the health of the "industry", there is the question of cultural
> survival of listening to fine music for entertainment. While the health of
> the industry is of justifiable concern, everyone who is involved must make
> a personal decision as to the basis of their advocacy: consumption of
> music for cultural health, or the financial health of the industry.
> Inevitably, as rec.audio.opinion shows, these two linked interests
> conflict to some degree.
>
> I find my own thoughts more consonant with the cultural issue. When I went
> to college, a stereo was the thing to have. Fly-by-night discounters
> haunted the dorms. I was pleasantly in need. Besides music, high fidelity
> was the first infusion of high-tech into our lives. It can no longer
> represent "high tech" very well, even as the technology has improved. The
> virtue remains, but the glitz has faded. Thus, the virtue of music becomes
> ever more important to continuance of the hobby. Early exposure of
> children would be ideal, but the long wait for children to turn into
> buyers would not appease an industry organization.
>
> In the near term, perhaps some interest could be aroused by exhibits at
> universities, more of a week or month in duration, with well set up
> listening rooms.

I think a major point has been missed in this. Music popular with alot of
kids today doesn't sound better on a great hi-fi.
Rap & screeching distorted metal actually sounds better on 96k mp3 players.
Put that crap on a good hi-fi and even the kids can't deny it sounds bad.

ScottW

[paul packer]

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 12:18:59 -0800, "ScottW" >
wrote:


> I think a major point has been missed in this. Music popular with alot of
>kids today doesn't sound better on a great hi-fi.
>Rap & screeching distorted metal actually sounds better on 96k mp3 players.
>Put that crap on a good hi-fi and even the kids can't deny it sounds bad.
>
>ScottW

Agreed. A symphony or jazz orchestra only really comes alive on great
equipment, but a guitar solo already featuring a deliberate 50%
distortion is better masked by lousy equipment. I don't believe the
new generation want or need good equipment, and if they had it they'd
only be complaining that it lacked bass, midrange and treble.

[Arny Krueger]

"paul packer" > wrote in message

> On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 12:18:59 -0800, "ScottW"
> > wrote:
>
>
>> I think a major point has been missed in this. Music
>> popular with alot of kids today doesn't sound better on
>> a great hi-fi.
>> Rap & screeching distorted metal actually sounds better
>> on 96k mp3 players. Put that crap on a good hi-fi and
>> even the kids can't deny it sounds bad.
>>
>> ScottW
>
> Agreed. A symphony or jazz orchestra only really comes
> alive on great equipment, but a guitar solo already
> featuring a deliberate 50% distortion is better masked by
> lousy equipment.

You need to ask whats going on technically.

Most likely, you have a system with limited frequency response accidentally
rebalancing a recording that was poorly balanced in the first place. Of
course a really good system with flexible equalization could do the same
thing, and retain its advantages with good recordings.

Oh, I forgot - golden ears audio systems don't have flexible tone controls
or equalizers. Does that mean that they aren't really as good as their
owner's claim?

>I don't believe the new generation want
> or need good equipment, and if they had it they'd only be
> complaining that it lacked bass, midrange and treble.

As a rule commodity audio systems have better performance than ever at a
give size and price point.

Plug some really good headphones into an iPod or equvalent loaded with
uncompressed or properly-compressed music files and you've got first rate
sound.

[Clyde Slick]

"ScottW" > wrote in message
news:4LMHf.109322$0G.102589@dukeread10...
>
>>
> I think a major point has been missed in this. Music popular with alot of
> kids today doesn't sound better on a great hi-fi.
> Rap & screeching distorted metal actually sounds better on 96k mp3
> players.
> Put that crap on a good hi-fi and even the kids can't deny it sounds bad.

Not exactly the right kind of fodder for the Quads.



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[Clyde Slick]

"Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
...
>
> Plug some really good headphones into an iPod or equvalent loaded with
> uncompressed or properly-compressed music files and you've got first rate
> sound........

.......but third rate music.



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[Arny Krueger]

"Clyde Slick" > wrote in message

> "Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Plug some really good headphones into an iPod or
>> equvalent loaded with uncompressed or
>> properly-compressed music files and you've got first
>> rate sound........
>
> ......but third rate music.

Just goes to show that Art has not a clue about which music is available on
an iPod, and which is not.

[Clyde Slick]

"Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
...
> "Clyde Slick" > wrote in message
>
>> "Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> Plug some really good headphones into an iPod or
>>> equvalent loaded with uncompressed or
>>> properly-compressed music files and you've got first
>>> rate sound........
>>
>> ......but third rate music.
>
> Just goes to show that Art has not a clue about which music is available
> on an iPod, and which is not.
>

another one flies right over your head.



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[John Atkinson]

Robert Morein wrote:
> Capsule: JA's February editorial addresses the attempts by some
> to establish a trade organization to repopularize high-end audio. He
> opines pessimistically for the effectiveness of such an organization.
> But the chances of success are not emblazoned on the logo. They
> reside in innovative thinking, and willingness to commit resources to\
> actualize that thinking.

You can find this article at
http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/206awsi/

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

"ScottW" > wrote in message
news:4LMHf.109322$0G.102589@dukeread10...
>
> "Robert Morein" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Capsule: JA's February editorial addresses the attempts by some to
>> establish a trade organization to repopularize high-end audio. He opines
>> pessimistically for the effectiveness of such an organization. But the
>> chances of success are not emblazoned on the logo. They reside in
>> innovative thinking, and willingness to commit resources to actualize
>> that thinking.
>>
>> All industries seek voids and attempt to fill them. For some years, the
>> industry has concentrated on the extreme high end. This is one way to
>> create new customers, but it is not immune to saturation. Audio is
>> particularly subject to saturation, because it does not follow Moore's
>> law, and the equipment lasts a long time. Thus, audio manufacturers find
>> themselves addicted to trivial forms of novelty in order to convey a
>> sense of newness.
>>
>> Apart from the health of the "industry", there is the question of
>> cultural survival of listening to fine music for entertainment. While the
>> health of the industry is of justifiable concern, everyone who is
>> involved must make a personal decision as to the basis of their advocacy:
>> consumption of music for cultural health, or the financial health of the
>> industry. Inevitably, as rec.audio.opinion shows, these two linked
>> interests conflict to some degree.
>>
>> I find my own thoughts more consonant with the cultural issue. When I
>> went to college, a stereo was the thing to have. Fly-by-night discounters
>> haunted the dorms. I was pleasantly in need. Besides music, high fidelity
>> was the first infusion of high-tech into our lives. It can no longer
>> represent "high tech" very well, even as the technology has improved. The
>> virtue remains, but the glitz has faded. Thus, the virtue of music
>> becomes ever more important to continuance of the hobby. Early exposure
>> of children would be ideal, but the long wait for children to turn into
>> buyers would not appease an industry organization.
>>
>> In the near term, perhaps some interest could be aroused by exhibits at
>> universities, more of a week or month in duration, with well set up
>> listening rooms.
>
> I think a major point has been missed in this. Music popular with alot of
> kids today doesn't sound better on a great hi-fi.
> Rap & screeching distorted metal actually sounds better on 96k mp3
> players.
> Put that crap on a good hi-fi and even the kids can't deny it sounds bad.
>
> ScottW
>
Well, at least not for our demographic, but that may not be how thge people
listening to it feel.

[Arny Krueger]

"Clyde Slick" > wrote in message

> "Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Clyde Slick" > wrote in message
>>
>>> "Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> Plug some really good headphones into an iPod or
>>>> equvalent loaded with uncompressed or
>>>> properly-compressed music files and you've got first
>>>> rate sound........
>>>
>>> ......but third rate music.
>>
>> Just goes to show that Art has not a clue about which
>> music is available on an iPod, and which is not.
>>
>
> another one flies right over your head.

Art can't take responsibility for his inability to construct proper
statements.