HIGHRESAUDIO to stop offering MQA

[Archimago]

I'm actually not worried about the proliferation of expensive goods. Financial disparity is getting worse in this world at least for now and there will always be the very rich who will go for price-no-object goods in that part of the market. Sure, many will purchase audio equipment as beautiful pieces of furniture, jewelry, and bragging rights.

But what I believe we can achieve is to marginalize the truly ridiculous even further by shedding light on the nonsense of hundreds/thousand dollar cables, companies like Synergistic I suspect are in decline (notice the gradual decline of ads and website write-ups), reminding people of how technology (especially digital audio) actually works, and questioning the unwise proclamations of the high priests in ways that hopefully allow the silent majority watching from the sidelines to see their ridiculous stance.

I think all of us here recognize ourselves as "audiophiles" but we don't need to be "high end" audiophiles as the magazines proclaim. I suspect the "high end" is weak and we can promote a kind of "audiophilia" which can accommodate the "love" of audio and the hardware, but dissociates the claims of sound quality from price, belief in voodoo, and can speak out against the unnecessary/detrimental like MQA.

BTW: Speaking of the marginalizability of "high end" audio and the high priests, did anyone else see the video feature of Herb Reichert?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/reviewer-video-profile-herb-reichert

Geez. I don't think many people would post nasty comments due to respect of human idiosyncrasies but just look at that... My wife would be horrified if this guy was some kind of role model. I would be horrified if my kids thought this was "cool". Notice there was barely room to move. Notice too no shot of his listening room to give us an idea of the size or whether reviews are done in a space that's reasonably treated for acoustics!

[arnyk]

BTW: Speaking of the marginalizability of "high end" audio and the high priests, did anyone else see the video feature of Herb Reichert?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/reviewer-video-profile-herb-reichert

Based on your comments Mr. A, I watched it.

Geez. I don't think many people would post nasty comments due to respect of human idiosyncrasies but just look at that... My wife would be horrified if this guy was some kind of role model. I would be horrified if my kids thought this was "cool". Notice there was barely room to move. Notice too no shot of his listening room to give us an idea of the size or whether reviews are done in a space that's reasonably treated for acoustics!

Reading between the lines, I get the feeling that this is also JA's neighborhood. My first reaction is that like most of the close in NYC area, its a smelly $#!^ hole. I've spent enough time in NYC that my brain filled in the sounds and smells that go with the pictures. So I'm thinking who are you, Detroit-boy to cast stones? Fact is that the population density around here is low enough that the place blows clear due to the natural forces of nature. There are just too many sources of pollution (IOW people) in the near-in NYC area for that to happen there.

I agree with you. BTW compared to my experiences with some other well-known SP staff like Fremer, this guy is Mr. personality. His audio systems and his so-called audio lab appear to be artifacts of the 1970s. The brand names and model names have changed but the basic technology is pretty much the same. We both have Heathkit 'scopes, but mine is not in use and hasn't been used for decades.

[ftlight]

I think all of us here recognize ourselves as "audiophiles" but we don't need to be "high end" audiophiles as the magazines proclaim. I suspect the "high end" is weak and we can promote a kind of "audiophilia" which can accommodate the "love" of audio and the hardware, but dissociates the claims of sound quality from price, belief in voodoo, and can speak out against the unnecessary/detrimental like MQA.

"Rational Audiophiles", perhaps?

[ftlight]

Reading between the lines, I get the feeling that this is also JA's neighborhood. My first reaction is that like most of the close in NYC area, its a smelly $#!^ hole. I've spent enough time in NYC that my brain filled in the sounds and smells that go with the pictures. So I'm thinking who are you, Detroit-boy to cast stones? Fact is that the population density around here is low enough that the place blows clear due to the natural forces of nature. There are just too many sources of pollution (IOW people) in the near-in NYC area for that to happen there.

Bed-Stuy is undergoing gentrification, as are many parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan now being completely unaffordable for most people.

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160510/bed-stuy/bed-stuy-ranks-no-7-citys-top-gentrifying-neighborhoods-report

I suspect that Herb has a rent-controlled apartment, and it would be almost impossible for him to move to another place. I have a friend in Brooklyn in a similar situation, although he's in the rather nicer section of Brooklyn Heights.

[ralphpnj]

.....
BTW: Speaking of the marginalizability of "high end" audio and the high priests, did anyone else see the video feature of Herb Reichert?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/reviewer-video-profile-herb-reichert

Geez. I don't think many people would post nasty comments due to respect of human idiosyncrasies but just look at that... My wife would be horrified if this guy was some kind of role model. I would be horrified if my kids thought this was "cool". Notice there was barely room to move. Notice too no shot of his listening room to give us an idea of the size or whether reviews are done in a space that's reasonably treated for acoustics!

Wow so I finally got around to watching the video and all I can say is how do I get those 10 wasted minutes back? Another old guy living in the past with outdated audio equipment from his youth.

It seems that anything related to digital audio, not to mention computer audio and streaming, has never been able to penetrate the "bunker's" defenses. Poor Herb just seems like a sad and lonely old man.

[Archimago]

"Rational Audiophiles", perhaps?

Nice. I like that - the rational audiophile.

[ralphpnj]

Nice. I like that - the rational audiophile.

Ranks right up there with some other oxymorons like "military intelligence" and "elevated subway"

[Archimago]

Ranks right up there with some other oxymorons like "military intelligence" and "elevated subway"

Let's try to change that Ralph! Promote another "option", "path", "school" to follow in the public Forums and Marketplaces...

Men (usually) of distinction willing to submit to reason, objectivity, and scientific techniques like ABX and blind testing to adjudicate hardware fidelity. Able to use intellect to debate without spite. Able to acknowledge opinion from fact. Willing to call out falsehoods in the media and from Industry claims. Yet acknowledge the subjectivity of esthetics whether it be in the music we enjoy, the creature comforts of the hardware, the appearance of milled fasciae, and all sorts of other "non-utilitarian" functions of the sound system in our homes and in our possession because we can accept ultimately the joy of satisfaction in whichever way this hobby achieves for each individual.

This "path" has always been there all along of course despite the "mainstream" subjective-based ridicule, ignorance, and heavy-handed "banning" of such viewpoints. Times are changing for better or worse (probably both). And I think in audiophileland, the "rational audiophile" can significantly impact the hobby for the good. The Internet is the tool for affecting the masses.

I believe the path of the "subjectivist audiophile" is weak, ignorant, and clearly rests on an unstable foundation based on nothing but faith in false or grossly intellectually compromised idols and idiosyncratic "high priests".

That's my rallying cry for the "rational audiophile".

:-)

[Julf]

I believe the path of the "subjectivist audiophile" is weak, ignorant, and clearly rests on an unstable foundation based on nothing but faith in false or grossly intellectually compromised idols and idiosyncratic "high priests"

I agree. Unfortunately that is a very popular path these days (not just in audio matters). Anti-intellectualism is doing all too well.

[ralphpnj]

Let's try to change that Ralph! Promote another "option", "path", "school" to follow in the public Forums and Marketplaces...

Men (usually) of distinction willing to submit to reason, objectivity, and scientific techniques like ABX and blind testing to adjudicate hardware fidelity. Able to use intellect to debate without spite. Able to acknowledge opinion from fact. Willing to call out falsehoods in the media and from Industry claims. Yet acknowledge the subjectivity of esthetics whether it be in the music we enjoy, the creature comforts of the hardware, the appearance of milled fasciae, and all sorts of other "non-utilitarian" functions of the sound system in our homes and in our possession because we can accept ultimately the joy of satisfaction in whichever way this hobby achieves for each individual.

This "path" has always been there all along of course despite the "mainstream" subjective-based ridicule, ignorance, and heavy-handed "banning" of such viewpoints. Times are changing for better or worse (probably both). And I think in audiophileland, the "rational audiophile" can significantly impact the hobby for the good. The Internet is the tool for affecting the masses.

I believe the path of the "subjectivist audiophile" is weak, ignorant, and clearly rests on an unstable foundation based on nothing but faith in false or grossly intellectually compromised idols and idiosyncratic "high priests".

That's my rallying cry for the "rational audiophile".

:-)

Nice missive however you seem to have forgotten that the anti-science political party here in the US now has complete control of the government and by extension the mood of the country and the people. So basically science is now like religion and one has the option of choosing whether or not to believe in science. Even worse is that one can even choose to believe in certain parts of science while rejecting other parts. So for audiophiles this means one can believe in measurements when it comes to bit depth and sample rates (as in digital audio) but not when to comes to harmonic distortion (as in tubes versus solid state).

[Julf]

for audiophiles this means one can believe in measurements when it comes to bit depth and sample rates (as in digital audio) but not when to comes to harmonic distortion (as in tubes versus solid state).

And even for bit depth and sample rates, it becomes a simplistic pseudo-science application of numbers based on "bigger is better".

[Julf]

Oh, and just after I posted that I saw the World Health Organization warning about measles making a comeback in the western world due to people not vaccinating their children...

[ralphpnj]

And even for bit depth and sample rates, it becomes a simplistic pseudo-science application of numbers based on "bigger is better".

Correction:

In America in the year 2017 all science is now pseudo-science and one is free to believe the science or not, depending on how the science may effect one's bottom line.

[Mnyb]

Correction:

In America in the year 2017 all science is now pseudo-science and one is free to believe the science or not, depending on how the science may effect one's bottom line.

One of the wonderfull things about scientific results is that they are true even if you don’t like them or believe in them . Heck even if no one believes in them or likes them

Hence in the past before our brave new post-truth world leaders did carefully evaluate thier advisors words in matters they did not them-self grasped and accepted advice that was even against their belief system .

The fact that folks in the most climate influencing country in the world denies the climate disaster is just psychology ? Living in denial is the word .
If a truth has little value to you its easier to accept . If its emotionally disturbing and/or have greate impact on your lifestyle its a harder pill to swallow...

[drmatt]

Cor, using intellect without spite? Bring it on!