After having a quick read through this thread I found it a bit funny/sad to see the reactionary and immature comments from both sides. Now I wont buy into that by naming names... but you know who you are. It saddens me that groups of differing opinions/age brackets/social status/ and income brackets can't just get along here. Sure this thread WAS started in what I consider to be an unnecessarily inflammatory tone, with probably a certain amount of flippancy. Like a boy in the restroom with a firecracker. This may or may not have been intentional....
WE-ALL OF US follow these 'hobbies' in what could only be described as an insanely passionate manner (otherwise we wouldn't be here); and this feeling, when provoked can lead to disagreement; but that is where it should end. Discourse is healthy, but when generalizations and personal attack (how ever measured) occur on both sides over matters of opinion, this is when we need to take a breath and remember why we are here... to find new and different ways of achieving our own personal sonic nirvana!!
Now... I sit squarely between the camps in many ways... i'm mid thirties, A lover of both IEM's AND Speakers (I lust over B&W). My portable rig consists of an IPhone 3G and SE530's with a pico coming soon. My Active Speaker rig (KRK) mind you is also connected to my MAC via an RME fireface firewire interface over balanced XLR, with some HD25's for when its quiet. Now this setup is by no means audiophile but it does have a certain amount of refinement IMO.... but most importantly I LIKE THE WAY IT SOUNDS, along with the feeling it can dredge up in me. (I like my audio just on the chunky side of 'right' (just a touch of the basshead) and i'm in the market for a hybrid headphone amp/pre-amp.. perhaps the lisaIII or millet hybrid; for listening not producing obviously)
Good value for money can be had in audio in a number of ways (and at a number of different price-points) I agree that buying something on name alone is elitist. and stupid, but so is polishing a turd and expecting it to sparkle. Now these are the extremes and there are good arguments on both sides but that is where the problem lies (in taking a side). If someone wants to put together a 'good sounding' system by using the 'sum of the parts is greater....' approach then thats cool. It is possible to put it together and have it sound good (half of that experience is the fact that YOU made it), making a $200-300 DIY system sound like a $1000 brand name one is also within the boundaries of imagination. But lets not pretend like $1000 system is in anyway going to get you into HI-FI land. To be honest I like a bit more meat on my bones anyway so to speak; that is to say that not everyone likes a refined and sophisticated sound signature.
Now the prevalence of BASS BOOST, people amping signals that are already amped just for the heck of it and adding massive CAPS to a signal chain that already has some dodgy caps within it isn't head-fi either although it does seem to be becoming more popular. EACH TO THEIR OWN I GUESS. Respect has to be shown both ways in order for this community to function. There is a tendency for people of the digital age (of whom I am one) to right off both the old technology and its proponents as being inaccurate, old hat and inferior; but this just isn't true. Some of the most engaging systems that I have ever heard are analogue or at least hybrids. Of course they bring with them their own problems and idiosyncrasies. Neither should digital technology and its cohorts be written off as clinical and lifeless. both of these statements CAN be true given a certain combination of components. In my experience also some of the most progressive thinkers that I know are 'more mature'.
This discourse will continue for many years to come; and i'm under no illusions that this little ti-raid of mine will stop it (nor should it); but lets remember that it is just that.... discourse. With such a subjective pursuit there can be no definitive answer; only matters of opinion. but lets show each other some respect or it will splinter to the point where there is no community to disagree amongst.
Now.... back to my bedtime tunes.... goodnight people
Peace OUT
And just for the record; I use Cans as part of my mastering process regularly; in fact most tracks that I work on will get tuned to some degree on headphones. This is not uncommon; just as I also give my music a run on piece of crap all in one systems at friends houses so as to see that it works on as wider audiences setup as possible.... Also my headphones cut out the possible room treatment issues. Of course in matters of imaging, monitors/speaker can't be beat IMHO.
