This would troll better in rec.audio.tech I think. Tubes aren't generally
associated with linearity.

"TubeGarden" wrote in message
...
Hi RATs!

Inspired by another Subject:, I thought I would play devil's advocate for
the
sheer joy of being a smarty pants earhead with an attitude

OK, so audio circuits and components have some measureable, and
repeatable,
characteristics. Fine. Where the train went off the tracks and up the
dragon's
butt was when someone had the great notion that higher, or lower, as
applicable, measurements Must sound good. They were real, and could be
printed
on the box and the advertising, so, what moron would doubt the obvious
conclusion that they were God's way of picking out good ear toys?

Sigh. Listen to stuff and decide what, if anything, you enjoy hearing.

Do you need a meter to tell you if you like a piece of music or a
performance?
They used to put a meter on the crowd's applause to tell which was the
best
performance. The idea has some mob appeal, but, when you are finally alone
with
your system, it lacks a certain, what is the phrase? Oh, yes! It lacks a
f***ing clue about what is going on here and now 8^)

I have had a friend tell me with great joy about how wonderful it was to
listen
to music with the amplifier in constant overload, as indicated by a red
light


Yes, loud can be fun. Distortion can be fun. But, contrary to some
zealots'
loud opinions, none of us knows which form of fun is the absolute best for
everyone.

I may or may not enjoy a performance or a system, but, thinking that if
you
measure everything very carefully, you can be sure to please me every time
is
just lame. I am not a finite state machine. Sometimes I like things,
sometimes
I don't. I am not "in error" in either situation. I am fickle, and flawed.
That
is what is so great about "Can't get no staisfaction!"

Yes, we can measure and test and quantify. It is often fun.

Please do not think it is the only True Path to audio joy.

Each of us must find our own way.

Or die trying

Happy Ears!
Al



Alan J. Marcy
Phoenix, AZ

PWC/mystic/Earhead