For someone who is a self-proclaimed non-technical person, you sure are trying very hard to convince me that your twisted thoughts on "jump factor" were arrived at through a scientific process...LOL.
"My revelation on the amplified electronics-induced jump factor came by analyzing and experimenting and using my ears, actually by happenstance, but it turned out to be an experiment. That’s a scientific term."
Complete and utter random dinking around now masquerading as actual experiments...
What is a scientific word? Experiment? Geez did it hurt to use it for the first time?? It was happenstance, no wait it was an *Experiment*... Please tell us clearly which it was and how did it get elevated from a happenstance to experiment. What did you then do with your single observation? You sure spun quite a yarn around it. Did you control for other factors? Did you try the same electronics you thought were the source of the "jump" with other speakers, other sources? Did you try various amp topologies (PP tube, SET, OTL, SE transistor) to see if any others did it? It is nice you have some fantasties that are spun out of that non-technical unscientific mind of yours but what understanding do you actually have to make such a judgement?
"You on the other hand have yet to conduct a single experiment regarding this jump factor phenomena IOW your complete lack of experience. Yet, you profess to be the scientific expert. Put that in your science pipe and smoke it a while."
Where is this coming from? What do you know about the experiments I have and have not conducted? You have a spy camera in my home now? What makes you think I have a complete lack of experience? Experience along with critical thinking skills and analytical training are the things i have in spades...who are you to judge? In addition to hundreds of live, unamplified concerts and practice sessions, I have done multiple recordings, been a reviewer for a magazine and designed and built speakers and electronics. i know what live dynamics are and when a system can approximate them or not.
"I’ve yet to meet one that possesses even basic listening skills. Near as I can tell the majority of science-minded types in high-end audio have long ago abandoned their untrustworthy listening appendages and instead focus on measurements for their supposedly trustworthy eyes. As a result, many have abandoned pursuing live music or the absolute sound as the holy grail and the new holy grail is measurements. In an audio-only industry mind you."
What a load of BS. Good scientists never throw away their observations and only look at the measurments...you are again conflating scientists with engineers...typical for non-technical types. Good scientists look at the measurments and then what they hear and try to understand what makes one result in the other. There are several hypotheses that can be derived from such a simple connection...all of which are testable...and some have been done but doing studies with humans as a detector is always tricky.
"The fact that you don’t even have the hutzpah to take a simple true or false position to my question about Harley’s statement (even with all your vast music and scientific background) tells more than you think. Look, it’s not rocket science. It either smacks one in the face or it doesn’t. Your lack of commitment here leads me to believe you lack even basic listening discernment to sufficiently distinguish the large gulf between live music and playback music."
Didn't realize this was a pissing contest, Stenho. What does Chutzpah have to do with anything? Harley's statement is extreme and I stated that I have experience that partially contradicts it. I have no doubt information is lost at all stages...but a catastrophy?? I also notice that rather than answer it for yourself you have decided you will "test the scientist" to see if I come up with the "right" answer...where is your balls to answer the question? You are right it's not rocket science it's audio science (not that you would know the difference). And I would say it is not as clear cut as either you or Mr. Harley seem to think it is. Have you ever recorded your own voice on a direct cut record? I have and I can tell you it was a spooky experience hearing your voice played back more real than you have ever heard it before. What I mean is that it went microphone, cutting amp, lacquer...and that's it. Much less lost there I can tell you... you know it immediately (smacks you in the face to use your crude language). I doubt Mr. Harley has ever done that...not many born in the second half of the 20th century have. Now, I can believe the whole recording chain as practiced commercially is likely highly detrimental and one can easily hear the effects on many many many poor recordings...but I am not convinced that most of the loss is at the microphone also because of my own experiences with very short, simple recording chains that when played back sounded quite convincing...particularly compared to the usual commercial outing.
"For example. Around 2008, Jonathan Valin of The Absolute Sound said, “We are lucky if even our very best SOTA systems can capture even 15% of the magic of the live performance.” Paraphrased. I like to substitute believability for Valin’s use of the word “magic”."
Now Valin?? OMG! You have picked two of the biggest audio charlatans out there to use as examples. What does he know??? He was a fiction writer who went on to write audio fiction. He is not called "Sterile" Jonathan Valin for nothing... For large orchestral works, he is probably even overestimating...I have been on record on this forum saying I don't think a system exists that can truly do this big music justice (Although a couple large horn systems did better than most). I would say that he is underestimating what can be done with simple arrangements and smaller ensembles. Such a number he throws out comes right out of his ç%&.
"Based on my own experimenting over the years and using my ears, " Which experimenting? You have been making recordings? You haven't mentioned it until now if you have been. Have you tried the wide array of microphones available out there? What did you actually do to conclude this?
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"The good news for you is one is not required to possess a discerning ear to build a truly musical playback system. After all, there’s always luck of the draw and gulp science to aid you."
If you are successful (questionable) then I guess the luck thing worked out for you because science surely didn't. If you say you have a discerning ear, well let's hope so but I have no proof of that one way or the other. Your little video does not assuage my concerns...