[mithrandir38]

JA comes across like an A-hole when he says things like "some people may prefer the sound of truncation". That's what I have against him. He plainly mischaracterizes what people are saying. He's an unprofessional jerk.

 

[artur9]

There's another comment on that thread that shows the number of bits used by various A/D devices.  I think they maxed out at around 21.3b but most were below 20b.
 
Dunno if that's true or not but it was an interesting counterpoint to the 24b or junk argument.

 

[FrivolsListener]

I wondered if Tonykaz was the guy I remembered who did Random Capitalization of Words for No Reason.   Yup, that's him.
 
He seems to have no love for Schiit any more and definitely no love for trying to get the bit-perfect version of the recording back.
 
That's too bad.  I think it's his loss, personally.

 

[zabzaf]

Tonykaz is an audio legend around these parts. He would come to our Metro Detroit meets and literally be the most interesting man in the room.

Rumor has it he has relocated as we haven't seen him around in a while. I know he's pretty active on Tyll's site.

 

[OldRoadToad]

JA comes across like an A-hole when he says things like "some people may prefer the sound of truncation". That's what I have against him. He plainly mischaracterizes what people are saying. He's an unprofessional jerk.

If by "JA" you mean that frAudiophile John Asskissin of Stereopile, I agree.  I cancelled my subscription for a myriad of very good (to me) reasons not the least of which is I consider him to be a blight on reality as it relates to audio.
 
"Sigh"...This will doubt less send some one scurrying for their safe space. 
 
ORT

 

[winders]

I was planning on subscribing to Stereophile...until I read about the stuff with Schiit. I only had a Mimby and a Vali 2 at the time, but it was clear he was some kind of massive butthead. So, if you are reading this JA, you are causing prospective customers to not subscribe.

 

[aamefford]

 
If by "JA" you mean that frAudiophile John Asskissin of Stereopile, I agree.  I cancelled my subscription for a myriad of very good (to me) reasons not the least of which is I consider him to be a blight on reality as it relates to audio.
 
"Sigh"...This will doubt less send some one scurrying for their safe space. 
 
ORT

As I was scurrying for my safe place, I had an unrelenting desire to meet John Atkinson in a bar and buy him a vinegar and water......

 

[7ryder]

There is a problem in "high end " audio. It's long term existence as we know it depends on maintaining the belief that there is a direct and inviolable correlation between price and sound quality. This month's Stereophile has a review in it of a $20000 preamp. If a preamp's job is to pass a signal from a source component to an amplifier while imparting minimal effect, why does more stuff in the box have to mean better sound?  It doesn't.  A source selector, low noise power supply, minimal low distortion gain stage, and a volume control should do the job.  I don't see how adding more is better. How do you add signal purity?  If the best preamp is no preamp than the best compromise should be the least preamp.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to own a finely crafted piece of esoterica, whether it be a watch, a firearm, or an audio component.  However, when people know that this is about pride of ownership and not about actual performance, they buy what they can afford and enjoy it without feeling they have to save up to purchase something from the next price level.  I keep reading reviews where somebody writes about how good something is and it is "only" $2000.  That's insane.  The review magazines, especially at the highest end, are in an incestuous relationship with the manufacturers.  The guy writing reviews gets a half a million dollar system to play with on indefinite loan.  Easy to say a $25K wire is worth every penny when you never have to spend a dime.  Don't investigate for truths you don't want to know or your play toys will disappear.  Most of the time, even when low priced gear gets a good review, its of the "its very good but not quite as good as the very best" variety.  They have to maintain the price/fidelity illusion or the whole game is over or at least the number of players is seriously reduced.  I cancelled my subscription to TAS some time ago due to a completely inane series they were doing about computer audio.  Sorry but I need a plausible explanation for things. There was too much serious attention being payed to completely magical thinking.  I re-subscribed after reading the completely heretical review linked to below.  RH felt like he had to add disclaimers but at least they didn't fire the guy.  

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/benchmark-ahb2-amplifier/

So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying that putting more electronics in a preamp won't necessarily make it sound better much in the same way as jamming a bunch of sentences together, instead of using paragraphs, won't make a post easy to read?

 

[CarlosUnchained]

So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying that putting more electronics in a preamp won't necessarily make it sound better much in the same way as jamming a bunch of sentences together, instead of using paragraphs, won't make a post easy to read?

That's the reaction of someone that only read news headers.
Also completely unnecessary, as this post.

 

[7ryder]

That's the reaction of someone that only read news headers.
Also completely unnecessary, as this post.

Actually I read the entire post. My attention span is pretty good... Squirrel!

Lighten up dude, it was meant in jest.

 

[Robert Wortman]

JA comes across like an A-hole when he says things like "some people may prefer the sound of truncation". That's what I have against him. He plainly mischaracterizes what people are saying. He's an unprofessional jerk.

​It's going to add correlated noise at -120 db.  So what?  Dither, no dither, that far down no one is going to hear it.

 

[Robert Wortman]

So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying that putting more electronics in a preamp won't necessarily make it sound better much in the same way as jamming a bunch of sentences together, instead of using paragraphs, won't make a post easy to read?

​Seems like a normal size paragraph to me.  Do you only read graphic novels?

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying that putting more electronics in a preamp won't necessarily make it sound better much in the same way as jamming a bunch of sentences together, instead of using paragraphs, won't make a post easy to read?

Give the man a break.

 

[TGeorgeL]

In regard to JA and his measurements sections of Stereophile reviews: despite other issues I may have with the magazine (and all other online and paper magazines that I may read), these measurements portions seem to me to be the only place I find actual criticisms of audio equipment. If an amplifier does't put out its rated output, if distortion is way higher than advertised or than it should be, if a tweeter is wired out of phase with the other speakers in the box--JA can be counted on to let us know. Sure, he can be sarcastic and many other things--he is good with the written word, better than most. The measurements may not be relevant to the sound, they may speak against my favorite companies (Schiit), but there is not the constant reading between the lines that I feel I must do with almost all reviews of audio equipment wherever they appear. All of this is IMO of course.

 

[HumanFly]

Just ignore the man. Really. Everytime you even mention him you generate clicks. And that is all he ever wants.
Only by truly ignoring him and everything he writes can you make a point .
I ended up on that site for the first time ever because you guys were going on about it, so I generated income for the guy you so dislike.
Took me 5 minutes to think: "this is reidicoulous, I cannot afford any of this!" and leave
 
All you need to do is leave and it WILL go away.
If you keep going there however...