Robn13
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2012
- Posts
- 21
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- 10
Rants of a Noob.
1) Poorly engineered devices/buggy function/art vs. science/technology excuses. In looking for/researching/investigating portable audiophile solutions, I am struck by the number of high priced units that are thrown onto the market only to be followed by evaluations by users and excuses from manufacturers of the type just mentioned. The situation is compounded by poor or non existent customer service/specifications/instruction manuals. By all accounts Dr. Fang Bian is a brilliant, great guy who has done much to advance the audiophile cause. He has also brought to market a succession (as in one after another) of poorly engineered, buggy, and otherwise compromised devices with poor customer support, education, and instruction. As anyone with business experience will testify, this is NOT a good business model. Then, as after the May, 2011 Stereophile Review of the HM-602 DAP, he trots out the art vs. science excuse when the device tests poorly after measurement. Well, OK. Hearing is an elusive, individual perception. What sounds good to you might not sound good to me. But everything in the natural world is distributed in the form of a bell shaped curve. I want that product sitting right at the top of the bell, where the greatest number of people actually agree it sounds great. As a doctor myself I recognize that the practice of medicine, while rooted in science, is actually very much an art. BUT, I make damn sure my patients know this BEFORE problems arise instead of after the poopoo hits the fan and I look like an incompetent jerk making excuses trying to avoid a malpractice case. As the nwavguy very astutely reveals in his blog, a lot of so called and very pricey audiophile equipment just doesn’t test out very well and really doesn’t blow anybody’s hair back. Bottom line situation and result: poorly engineered, poorly performing, poorly supported equipment, expensive and a poor value, with sales driven by marketing BS, hype, and pretty anodizing. That ain’t what I want in attempting to purchase good sound.
2) My second rant involves the audiophile as a guinea pig or an idiot who will tolerate any inappropriate situation a vendor inflicts on her. I plug my audiophile dac/amp into my laptop/desktop via a simple usb connection and at least have the illusion of great sounds. Why the hell can’t I do this with my latest, greatest, super Android smartphone? Why can’t I use the damn thing as a simple digital out device when it does a gazillion other things that I could care less about and will never use. And most of which are designed to put more money in the carrier’s pocket. And while I can at least clear my laptop of this bloatware, there is no such provision on my “smart”phone. Apple? OK, it’s slick. I can forgive the battery, no expandable memory, and no Flash crap. But again, what about simple digital out. OK for a $30 dongle that sticks 2” out the bottom I can use the ipad. Anything else and I have to buy a $500 plus device that Algo and Fostex are just happy to sell me. Then I have to worry about that becoming outdated by some change Apple makes and pairing it with some other brand’s amp if I don’t like their amp. Does anybody besides this unsophisticated noob think this is insane and that audiophiles, in the fullest sense of the street word, are being completely dissed?
I just think it has gotten to the point where we have the economic clout to plainly state that we will not tolerate this garbage any longer. If people like Jude can have the drive and creativity to put a site like Headfi together, people like Jude could also become a powerful advocate/spokesman with manufacturers. From where I sit, we all sure as hell need one.