Baldr
Sponsor: Schiit Audio
- Joined
- May 14, 2011
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I promised a brief on the IIYIs (influential intellectuals yet idiots)who are of such an influence in the audio industry. This is it, presented with the following foreword: This is by no means intended to be interpreted as a “conspiracy theory”. I do not believe that any forces are collaborating against better audio. It is just a wider angled view of our audio manufacturing biz than generally considered.
I design and build audio equipment. Any such component, is a sum of its parts. The parts, such as capacitors, inductors, resistors, and semiconductors have tremendous power in determining the electronic performance and therefore sound of anything I build. If I am what I eat, the component I design is what parts I pick and combine.
In the manufacture of audio gear, there are two general categories of parts – actives and passives. Most passives, at the risk of generalization, are divided into “commercial grade” normal performing and speciality grade “high performing”. These components are used in any and all sorts of electronic products: analog, digital, medical, consumer, etc., etc. The semiconductors (actives) used in manufacture are a far more significant determinant of the performance of the final product. This leads to the question - “Who decides which active parts to make?” Could it be the IIYI’s? You bet.
A count of major semiconductors makers in the US and Europe reveals about a dozen or so. Careful perusal of a few of of the makers’ marketing people reveal an extrapolated total of 18 product managers PMs (1- 2 per company) who determine the pattern and families of parts which are made available for audio manufacturers.
Several years ago, I was drafted to serve on a EIA board which negotiated with the as yet not risen to power EU’s regulations. Not having the power to tax, the EU seemed to impose as many regulations on their future member nations as possible, including very expensive ones: pointless rf radiation requirements for D/A converters, stupid over engineering requirements for power transformers, bend specs for bananas, passports for horses, ban on tea bag recycling, etc. I can state that I have never seen such a useless and inapplicable collection of regulations which do nothing to protect and everything to increase the cost of goods to the buyer. The reason I bring this up is that these same PMs, liked to hang out on the boards with the “screw the European consumer with regulation” policy wonks I was fighting with in the EIA. The majority of them have never worn a good set of cans nor listened to a good pair of speakers. They had no passion for music. They could not grasp the difference between science and scientism. They did however, have all of the right school pedigrees. EEs with MBAs, and not from online institutions either. They were no fun and only expert at advising others on what they couldn’t do themselves. IIYIs all.
These types are also seen at AES shows, where their corporate sponsors are handing out grants to favored academics, doing all they will to influence papers which inform semiconductor development. High end oriented types are predictably and condescendingly marginalized by the status quo at AES shows. I am not speaking of faith based hawkers of magic clocks or previously frozen cables. I speak of advocates of better performing gear (me) assured by the AES masters that over a certain level of performance, nothing is audible. Hence the rise of Delta Sigma DACs. Cheap – good for business. This is the arena where all acceptable manufacture is blessed. If it ain’t endorsed at the AES, it ain’t entering the mainstream. It is also the reason that all of my best performing and sounding DACs are derived from industrial rather than audio intended parts. Screw the IIYIs.
I design and build audio equipment. Any such component, is a sum of its parts. The parts, such as capacitors, inductors, resistors, and semiconductors have tremendous power in determining the electronic performance and therefore sound of anything I build. If I am what I eat, the component I design is what parts I pick and combine.
In the manufacture of audio gear, there are two general categories of parts – actives and passives. Most passives, at the risk of generalization, are divided into “commercial grade” normal performing and speciality grade “high performing”. These components are used in any and all sorts of electronic products: analog, digital, medical, consumer, etc., etc. The semiconductors (actives) used in manufacture are a far more significant determinant of the performance of the final product. This leads to the question - “Who decides which active parts to make?” Could it be the IIYI’s? You bet.
A count of major semiconductors makers in the US and Europe reveals about a dozen or so. Careful perusal of a few of of the makers’ marketing people reveal an extrapolated total of 18 product managers PMs (1- 2 per company) who determine the pattern and families of parts which are made available for audio manufacturers.
Several years ago, I was drafted to serve on a EIA board which negotiated with the as yet not risen to power EU’s regulations. Not having the power to tax, the EU seemed to impose as many regulations on their future member nations as possible, including very expensive ones: pointless rf radiation requirements for D/A converters, stupid over engineering requirements for power transformers, bend specs for bananas, passports for horses, ban on tea bag recycling, etc. I can state that I have never seen such a useless and inapplicable collection of regulations which do nothing to protect and everything to increase the cost of goods to the buyer. The reason I bring this up is that these same PMs, liked to hang out on the boards with the “screw the European consumer with regulation” policy wonks I was fighting with in the EIA. The majority of them have never worn a good set of cans nor listened to a good pair of speakers. They had no passion for music. They could not grasp the difference between science and scientism. They did however, have all of the right school pedigrees. EEs with MBAs, and not from online institutions either. They were no fun and only expert at advising others on what they couldn’t do themselves. IIYIs all.
These types are also seen at AES shows, where their corporate sponsors are handing out grants to favored academics, doing all they will to influence papers which inform semiconductor development. High end oriented types are predictably and condescendingly marginalized by the status quo at AES shows. I am not speaking of faith based hawkers of magic clocks or previously frozen cables. I speak of advocates of better performing gear (me) assured by the AES masters that over a certain level of performance, nothing is audible. Hence the rise of Delta Sigma DACs. Cheap – good for business. This is the arena where all acceptable manufacture is blessed. If it ain’t endorsed at the AES, it ain’t entering the mainstream. It is also the reason that all of my best performing and sounding DACs are derived from industrial rather than audio intended parts. Screw the IIYIs.
