[CSIR]

So I'm watching the video on YouTube from the 2017rmaf:



Did this guy think he is a dolphin? He is suggesting he can hear down to 200 dB and that it is not only a slight difference but he says it makes a huge difference... BS detector went into hyperdrive there.

Is this audible? Are the measurement machines accurate enough down there?

Second thing he says about his son noticing the sound difference from a slight modification of the Dave prototype DAC. This is off a kids tv show. Second ping from the bs detector. Does his son also comment everytime the volume is slightly different? I know of zero nine year olds that would comment over audio quality like this. Maybe going from an iPhone to a 5.1 surround system.

I know his dacs get many praises but from that video he seems like a used car salesmen.

Compared to watching the video from 2016 about headphone advances is night and day. The whole panel there was great and didn't make outlandish claims.

 

[ZappaMan]

The dude is making top class audio equipment - has been with acclaim for some time - has probably been the inspiration for millions of revenue - job creation - real stuff.

He’s a long way from a used car sales man, he’s a very open and informative individual who actually answers questions everyday on the chord forums here on head-fi.

So watch yourself!! He might drop by and that’ll be embarrassing for you.

 

[bigshot]

If he claims he can hear down to -200dB, I'd like to see him prove it.

Most high end audio equipment manufacturers make fine quality products. The problem isn't with their equipment. It's how they represent it. A lot of very respected DAC designers were perfectly happy to claim that jitter was a serious problem when it wasn't. Other respected ones claim that super audible frequencies are required. Still others make nice new streaming formats with lots of shiny new DRM but no visible improvement in sound quality over free open source formats. There are a lot of very highly respected DAC designers that are full of.... oh I almost used a brand name, but I don't want to target any brand in particular. They're all equally guilty.

 

[ZappaMan]

Anything else you’d like him to do while he’s at it?

 

[bigshot]

Whistle "Dixie"

 

[bigshot]

...and put a shoe on his head.

 

[CSIR]

So watch yourself!! He might drop by and that’ll be embarrassing for you.

I think it's awesome that brands engage with both customers and potential customers.

Having said that if he could prove that he could tell a difference and show his kid also noticing a difference than I would be very impressed and slightly embarrassed. I would also immediately go out and buy the Dave. I just think that hell has a greater chance of freezing over.

 

[ZappaMan]

If he ‘proved’ that, I suspect you’d move the goal posts and then want him to prove the next thing.

You’ve every right to be cynical of course, but I think the independent designers are genuine pioneers. I suppose It’s easy to keep asking everyone else to prove everything. I just think, enjoy life, lighten up, let the sunlight in, trust people unless you have a reason not too, even if what they say sounds implausible to you, surely, that’s a nicer way to live your life.

 

[bigshot]

If he ‘proved’ that, I suspect you’d move the goal posts and then want him to prove the next thing.

Oh no! Don't worry about that. If he can hear something down at -200dB under music at a normal listening volume, I will get down on one knee and worship him as King of the World. Go get him on the horn and have him come in and tell us all about it! I'm eager to see him prove it.

If you want to get a sense of what sort of level below music that noise becomes inaudible, check out the Ethan Winer videos in my sig. He does that exact test and has posted the files so you can download them and hear for yourself. How many dB down do you think you can hear?

 

[ZappaMan]

How would you like him to prove it? To come round to your house with his audio equipment?

 

[ZappaMan]

Have you watched this video by the way, can you quote where he makes this claim, it’s context, and it’s time position in the video?

 

[ZappaMan]

Have you ever created a dac or anything?

 

[bigshot]

I think it's one of the first tests in the first video. He takes an annoying buzzer sound and drops it lower and lower under music until you can't hear it any more.

By the way, I think if you actually heard a sound at +200dB, it would probably kill you instantly. I provide that little factoid just for context. We had a discussion of this very quote a month or two ago and we had a great laugh at it then too.

 

[ZappaMan]

I think it's one of the first tests in the first video. He takes an annoying buzzer sound and drops it lower and lower under music until you can't hear it any more.

By the way, I think if you actually heard a sound at +200dB, it would probably kill you instantly. I provide that little factoid just for context.

Is that in this video?

 

[ZappaMan]

Can you prove that a sound at 200db would kill you, have you personally saw someone die?