"Robert Morein" wrote in message
...
Bob Neidorff, who has contributed to the hobby for many years without
offending anyone, shows exemplary humility in the FAQ that he periodically
publishes. He makes the following statement about amplifiers:

"11.5 Do all amplifiers with the same specifications sound alike?
Some say that they do. Some say that they don't. Some
demonstrated that many amplifier differences can be traced to
very slight frequency response difference. Let your own ears
guide you. If you want to compare amplifiers, you can do it
best in a controlled environment, such as your home, with your
music and your speakers. Also be very careful to match levels
precisely. All you need to match levels of amplifiers is a high
input-impedance digital voltmeter set to AC volts and a test
recording or signal generator. For best accuracy, set levels
with the speakers wired to the amplifier. "

Bob's advice is a model of moderation, inclusiveness, and good humor. He
advises reasonable diligence in amplifier comparison, using commonly
available instruments.

Pretty much the same thing that's been said here for about 10 years.


He does not take a position on ABX, probably because
ABX devices are not widely available.

Who ever said one was an absolute requirement?

Whether Bob personally favors ABX is
not part of his document. Regardless, he advises users to take the course
likely to provide them with the best information with the resources
available to them. He does not tell users to discard their observations.

But he does give them the tools to help remove bias from their decisions.

Arny should be aware that Bob's FAQ influences far more consumers than his
posts or occasional publications. Arny, of course, has a reputation for
personal abrasiveness that undermines his own message. Mr. Neidorff does
not
suffer from this handicap.


Arny has a reputation for not tolerating nonsense, he generally answers
polite questions, politely.

I applaud Mr. Neidorff for publishing the most useful information on audio
that I am aware of, unconstrained by either an ideological attitude, or
monetary considerations. As an added benefit, Neidorff's FAQ tends to draw
us together, in constrast to Arny's divisive influence.

How about your own behavior? You are not exactly a role model for
non-abrasive discourse.

While there are not
many of us who could imagine an enjoyable shared experience with Arny, Mr.
Neidorff's FAQ provides us with such a vision.

Unlike yours or George's.

My advice to Arny is, become a doubter. Abandon the certainty that has
lead
to a widely held perception of obnoxiousness.

Ignore reality. Brilliant.

Respect the opinions of other
people, and consider the possibility that the real truth lies between what
you believe, and what others believe.

Ignore the evidence.