[The Monkey]

Following up on an earlier thread I started, I figured a poll might be a helpful indicator of how much support there is for a separate electrostatic/planar forum. My reasoning is that the threads dedicated to these topics (e.g., the Stax "New" thread, the ortho thread) have become dense and unwieldy, but they also contain a ton of useful information. I think it's pretty clear that planars differ enough from dynamic headphones that they warrant their own section, similar to IEMs/portables.

 

[n_maher]

I do not support polls not started by adamcalifornia.

 

[The Monkey]

Dagummit, I forgot to make that a choice.

 

[snejk]

Voted no. Although not all electrostats are high-end I believe the high-end subforum to be a perfect place capable of having more separate threads, the amount of posts over there is not very huge anyway. I just think Stax fans etc just like the idea of their little hiding places in the 1000+ or even 10000+ threads.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snejk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Voted no. Although not all electrostats are high-end I believe the high-end subforum to be a perfect place capable of having more separate threads, the amount of posts over there is not very huge anyway. I just think Stax fans etc just like the idea of their little hiding places in the 1000+ or even 10000+ threads.

Perfectly valid opinion, of course. However, I will point out that even some of us Stax fans are finding the little hiding places to be a bit cumbersome.

EDIT: Regardless, thanks for explaining your vote.

 

[jinp6301]

x1000 this makes so much more sense then the high end and the up and coming budget forum

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snejk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Voted no. Although not all electrostats are high-end I believe the high-end subforum to be a perfect place capable of having more separate threads, the amount of posts over there is not very huge anyway. I just think Stax fans etc just like the idea of their little hiding places in the 1000+ or even 10000+ threads.

I'm kind of in this camp myself. I'm not sure why there are mega Stax threads. It would be just as easy to break down the topics in a more focused way. The more active threads about electrostats, the more enthusiasm it would generate, or so I would think.

While I don't see anything 'wrong' with adding new forums, the risk is that eventually the content will be spread too thinly and become overly diluted. Just my opinion.

There have been suggestions to add forums such as Musician's Corner (or something like that where Head-Fi member who also happen to be musicians can hang out). Same for a "Low End" forum (to compliment the High End forum), which was an idea that I quite liked and supported. My suggestion was to call it "Budget-Fi", but that never really took off either.

It will be interesting to see what people have to say about this idea. The forums can be arranged in any number of ways, so whatever makes sense and will best help the typical user navigate the site. It's just a matter of knowing how much of a "need" this would be to how many people.

 

[krmathis]

/me support that!
Even if I can manage quite well as of now...

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

I've voted yes, I think it'd be handy having a planars forum where information about specific cans, mods, recommended amps, etc is more accessible and focused. Navigating those huge threads about Stax and orthos is a complicated task considering the handicapped search tool that non-contributors have available. Also for someone willing to start into planars could be overwhelmed, even scared by looking at those huge threads as his/her almost only resource for info in this site.
Moreover since all Stax or ortho things are debated into the "main threads" is quite difficult not to lose track of the ongoing conversations, which frequently are several different ones at one time. So it's very easy duplicating questions or missing a reply you may have received.

 

[Duggeh]

Not all Stax/planar is high end, and so keeping electrostatic discussion in that forum is I think incorrect. By that same rationale, not all Orthodynamic/planar stuff is budget, home bodging DIY felt disc cutting mid-fi, but you don't see T50RP discussion in the high-end forum.

I support a non-dynamic transducer forum. I think that the high-end forum isn't fit place for conversational threads which encompass all the information outwith its remit. I would have thought the high-end forum to be a place more for the discussion of top end sources, amps and headphones in their own right, rather than as an aspect of a wider topic involving things outwith that area. The Stax thread can move from the HE90 to the SR-3N very quickly or indeed, talk about both at once.

 

[Brighten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not support polls not started by adamcalifornia.

LMAO

 

[dickbianchi]

I am a recent new-user of stax, and as I plod laboriously thru all nine zillion posts in the new stax thread, I keep wishing the material were better organized and information more readily available. In addition, I am aware that i haven't even found all the threads with planar-earspeaker information yet.

 

[Maxvla]

I think the biggest reason to do this is because when people get a slight interest in orthos or stats then take a look at those mega threads their interest instantly is extinguished, I know mine sure was.

A separate forum for these topics will generate interest in this division of headphones.

I also think the high end forum should be abolished, especially if we do this new planar forum. At that point every high end product will have it's own dedicated forum it can be discussed in. Relative to my dislike of a Budget-fi (sorry Wayne) I don't see any reason why a price tag should keep a topic in another place. Look at HD800 and PS1000, do you see those being talked about mainly in the high end forum? Nope, but they are certainly high end cans. I see no reason why other high end products can't be discussed in their own normal forums.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've voted yes, I think it'd be handy having a planars forum where information about specific cans, mods, recommended amps, etc is more accessible and focused. Navigating those huge threads about Stax and orthos is a complicated task considering the handicapped search tool that non-contributors have available. Also for someone willing to start into planars could be overwhelmed, even scared by looking at those huge threads as his/her almost only resource for info in this site. Moreover since all Stax or ortho things are debated into the "main threads" is quite difficult not to lose track of the ongoing conversations, which frequently are several different ones at one time. So it's very easy duplicating questions or missing a reply you may have received.

Exactly why I voted we need a separate forum - the "big stax thread" and "big orthodynamics" thread are where questions and answers are more easily lost, and in it's own forrm if can be split out into topics and issues for each thread if needed.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I also voted yes. Those monstrous threads are a clear indication that there is enough interest to support a subforum. I've tried to stick my head into those threads and they're almost impossible to keep up with. A dedicated subforum would really help and I think it would get a ton of traffic.