severian wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...


wrote:
This was so good, I thought it should be shared.

"There is no way the ABX comparator can be used to prove or disprove
the existence of a caring God. But it does offer hope of proving, for
the first time, whether some of the less-credible observations of
perfectionists have any basis in reality or are magnificently-conceived
self-deceptions. That is why, even though I feel that the device itself
needs further implementation, as the jargoncrats would put it, I also
feel it is the most significant contribution to audio that has come
upon us in years."

J. Gordon Holt

http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/121/index2.html


Wherein J.Gordon Holt, founder of Stereophile writes:


"I feel this is the first really significant contribution to the audio
field in years"

and


"I can only hope ABX sells a lot of these"


and closes with this gem:


"But, God, how I'd like to put some 'undergound' reporters claims to
the test with this"


I can hardly wait to hear the Atkinsonian blather/spin/bull**** on
this. :-D


Well, if you go back and read the older Sphiles when JGH was in charge, the
editorial tone of the mag was completely different, and in my opinion
superior. The descriptions of the sound, subjective though they were, were
nowhere near as extreme or flowery, the equipment was not nose bleed
expensive, and the whole feel and editorial drift was closer to todays
Sensible Sound than what Stereophile has become.


Yes, I well remember the old S'phile under the direction of JGH. It was
a refreshing contrast to the other US mags of the day.


There also was a decided
skepticism, especially toward tweeko mods and claims.


Agreed. One can see that from the last line of the quoted article:
"But, God, how I'd like to put some 'underground' reporters claims to
the test with this". IMO, at the time, Holt was refering mainly to
Pearson et al at TAS, but I'm sure it would apply to the $tereophile of
today, as well.


Somewhere in the whole
progression of the magazine this editorial slant disappeared.


Drowned in a torrent of snakeoil and greed when Atkinson took over. :-(