State of the industry - Roy Gregory Editorial

[wil]

That was in the context of Roy

I actually think Roy Gregory is a good writer. Strajan of Six Moons, on the other hand, is a brain bender. Interestingly though, I heard a recent podcast of Strajan with Darko, and he was straightforward, articulate and to the point!

 

[wil]

However, he retreated from this and switched "absolute sound", which meant by HP as live, unamplified music as the reference to base all playback upon, with "closest to the recording". That might be technically more approachable but doesn't have that gestalt that HP was seeking.

Well.....there have been lengthy threads with lots of arguments as to why home reproduction is like a whole other art and therefore trying to approach live, unamplified sound is not a relevant goal.

More attention by the recording industry to quality sound reproduction would do more to this goal, than anything we're doing at the playback end.

 

[Ron Resnick]

[Michael Fremer] earned it. He wrote very well, if you listen to what he has reviewed, the attributes that he has mentioned in his write ups are all there to be heard. Whether at the end he likes what you like is not as material as the honesty of being able to write what you are hearing rather spend time embellishing that loses the plot. He did not just fill up text for the sake of it. He also got to the bottom of the sound pretty well and unlike many other reviewers was not worried he had to be talk up stuff. He was also quick to respond on email. And has been very consistent over decades plus had the experience. Unfortunately some on this forum treat him with the same skepticism for other reviewers.

I agree on all points!

 

[Elliot G.]

I wonder what everyone thinks of this new organization and its possible effect on the Industry. I wonder what Roy Gregory thinks about this?

AIAP Press Release regarding its formation and launch of its Web site:
(Happy Valley, OR, June 4, 2022) The founding members wish to announce the launch of the Association of International Audiophile Publications (AIAP).
The AIAP is composed initially of ten audiophile publications from around the world, all dedicated to a set of ethical and professional standards. These have been organized as a Statement of Principles, which the founding member publications have all agree to adhere to as guidelines for ethical and professional operations at their publications. This statement is available as a download in three languages so far (English, Polish, and Croatian) at the AIAP Web site.
Our Web site and Statement of Principles will be found at https://www.aiap-online.org.
The ten founding publications of the AIAP include the following:
the audio analyst https://www.theaudioanalyst.com
Enjoy the Music https://www.enjoythemusic.com
Hifimedia https://www.hifimedia.hr
Hi-fi+ https://hifiplus.com
High Fidelity https://highfidelity.pl/@lang-en
Hifistatement https://www.hifistatement.net
HomeTheaterReview https://hometheaterreview.com
Part-Time Audiophile https://parttimeaudiophile.com
Positive Feedback https://positive-feedback.com
Stereonet https://www.stereonet.com
All members of the AIAP are committed to providing the best in high-end audio/video journalism, and are pledged to do so according to our mutually agreed Statement of Principles.
We invite audiophiles and videophiles everywhere to go to our site and read our statement for themselves.
Note that the AIAP Web site is not a discussion site, nor do we act as audio ombudsmen or audio advisors. Readers are invited to visit the AIAP member sites and use the communication tools there to pursue questions or email any of our member publications. The "Contact Us" form will send a direct email to Dr. David W. Robinson of Positive Feedback, who acts as Coordinator for the AIAP.
We welcome all interested to visit our site, and familiarize yourselves with our Statement of Principles.

---

I'll underline this invitation. All audiophiles should check out our site ASAP.

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[Elliot G.]

Well, I think TAS has brought in someone with a lot of experience, reputation...and no new ideas.

One must remember that when J Gordon Holt and Harry Pearson started their respective magazines they were relatively young men with bold, arguably revolutionary, ideas around what is high fidelity and what listening really means AND what are the goals of being in this hobby.

Fremer, although arguably a good reviewer (I too don't agree with all his approaches and conclusions) has not contributed significantly, IMO, to the larger discussion about what the hobby is about and how to achieve the goals in the hobby.

Maybe that sounds harsh but being a good reviewer doesn't mean you have a vision for the hobby...if such a vision is even wanted.

For all his flaws (and there are many) for a while JV was looking closer to the "anointed one" to replace HP as an audio thought leader. However, he retreated from this and switched "absolute sound", which meant by HP as live, unamplified music as the reference to base all playback upon, with "closest to the recording". That might be technically more approachable but doesn't have that gestalt that HP was seeking.

In the pursuit of rich clients with spiraling prices with dubious sonic benefit, perhaps this is a dead question and so it is fine to have a pure subjective concept of "If it sounds good to me it's right" and be done with it.

After hearing a live string quartet concert in Zurich Tonhalle yesterday, I am still committed to try to get that sound in my house and it is still my "absolute sound".

wow i think this may be the first time I have ever agreed with you LOL

 

[Ron Resnick]

I wonder what everyone thinks of this new organization and its possible effect on the Industry. I wonder what Roy Gregory thinks about this?

AIAP Press Release regarding its formation and launch of its Web site:
(Happy Valley, OR, June 4, 2022) The founding members wish to announce the launch of the Association of International Audiophile Publications (AIAP).
The AIAP is composed initially of ten audiophile publications from around the world, all dedicated to a set of ethical and professional standards. These have been organized as a Statement of Principles, which the founding member publications have all agree to adhere to as guidelines for ethical and professional operations at their publications. This statement is available as a download in three languages so far (English, Polish, and Croatian) at the AIAP Web site.
Our Web site and Statement of Principles will be found at https://www.aiap-online.org.
The ten founding publications of the AIAP include the following:
the audio analyst https://www.theaudioanalyst.com
Enjoy the Music https://www.enjoythemusic.com
Hifimedia https://www.hifimedia.hr
Hi-fi+ https://hifiplus.com
High Fidelity https://highfidelity.pl/@lang-en
Hifistatement https://www.hifistatement.net
HomeTheaterReview https://hometheaterreview.com
Part-Time Audiophile https://parttimeaudiophile.com
Positive Feedback https://positive-feedback.com
Stereonet https://www.stereonet.com
All members of the AIAP are committed to providing the best in high-end audio/video journalism, and are pledged to do so according to our mutually agreed Statement of Principles.
We invite audiophiles and videophiles everywhere to go to our site and read our statement for themselves.
Note that the AIAP Web site is not a discussion site, nor do we act as audio ombudsmen or audio advisors. Readers are invited to visit the AIAP member sites and use the communication tools there to pursue questions or email any of our member publications. The "Contact Us" form will send a direct email to Dr. David W. Robinson of Positive Feedback, who acts as Coordinator for the AIAP.
We welcome all interested to visit our site, and familiarize yourselves with our Statement of Principles.

---

I'll underline this invitation. All audiophiles should check out our site ASAP.

Print Friendly

Elliot, this is very interesting.

May I please ask you to start a new thread about this and repost this so we can discuss it in a dedicated way?

 

[Elliot G.]

Elliot, this is very interesting.

May I please ask you to start a new thread about this and repost this so we can discuss it in a dedicated way?

sure

 

[morricab]

More attention by the recording industry to quality sound reproduction would do more to this goal, than anything we're doing at the playback end.

Agree that it would help a lot.

 

[morricab]

wow i think this may be the first time I have ever agreed with you LOL

Well, I guess that means there’s still hope you will see the light someday…

 

[Elliot G.]

Well, I guess that means there’s still hope you will see the light someday…

Touche but first I think you need to take off those dark tinted glasses

 

[morricab]

Touche but first I think you need to take off those dark tinted glasses

If it helps me to go for systems that sound more like the live concert I heard yesterday then I think I will just have to keep them on!

 

[bonzo75]

Lynn Olson of the Ariel loudspeaker, started a 1000 page plus thread on DIY audio several years ago (Beyond the Ariel). He posted this on Facebook now. Back to the 1940s

"Thom Mackris (Galibier Design) and I are contemplating building this loudspeaker this summer. 7 cubic foot/200 liter vented bass enclosure (26"W x 34"H x 18"D), Yuichi 90x40 degree wood horn, Altec/GPA 416 Alnico magnet 15" bass driver, 18Sound ND3N compression driver (titanium nitride 3" diaphragm, 1.4" exit, neodymium magnet), and a passive high-level crossover in the 640 to 900 Hz region (crossover where both drivers have matched 90 degree horizontal dispersion).

Based on the 1930's Lansing Iconic, the 1940's HF Olson/RCA cabinet, the classic Altec 803B/416 bass driver (now made by Great Plains Audio), and modern crossover technology (with level-matching and shelf EQ as required for the Yuichi + 18Sound ND3N combination)."

 

[Lee]

Well, I think TAS has brought in someone with a lot of experience, reputation...and no new ideas.

One must remember that when J Gordon Holt and Harry Pearson started their respective magazines they were relatively young men with bold, arguably revolutionary, ideas around what is high fidelity and what listening really means AND what are the goals of being in this hobby.

Fremer, although arguably a good reviewer (I too don't agree with all his approaches and conclusions) has not contributed significantly, IMO, to the larger discussion about what the hobby is about and how to achieve the goals in the hobby.

Maybe that sounds harsh but being a good reviewer doesn't mean you have a vision for the hobby...if such a vision is even wanted.

For all his flaws (and there are many) for a while JV was looking closer to the "anointed one" to replace HP as an audio thought leader. However, he retreated from this and switched "absolute sound", which meant by HP as live, unamplified music as the reference to base all playback upon, with "closest to the recording". That might be technically more approachable but doesn't have that gestalt that HP was seeking.

In the pursuit of rich clients with spiraling prices with dubious sonic benefit, perhaps this is a dead question and so it is fine to have a pure subjective concept of "If it sounds good to me it's right" and be done with it.

After hearing a live string quartet concert in Zurich Tonhalle yesterday, I am still committed to try to get that sound in my house and it is still my "absolute sound".

This totally contradicts everything I have learned talking with Michael Fremer lately. He is full of great ideas.

 

[microstrip]

If it helps me to go for systems that sound more like the live concert I heard yesterday then I think I will just have to keep them on!

In what sense was the concert you heard yesterday different from others you have been in the past?

 

[tima]

Richard Mak was a good writer, he put in the effort by taking the equipment he had around to different systems to understand it rather than just his own. He gave up writing too early

Yes, Mak is an excellent writer who knows both vinyl technology and classical music.

 

[tima]

More attention by the recording industry to quality sound reproduction would do more to this goal, than anything we're doing at the playback end

Bring back Wilkinson, Haddy, Wallace (the U-Boat detectors) and Fine and Cozart Fine and Lewis Layton.

Bring back minimalist microphone technique.
Bring back AAA.

These things are easy to say. But I wonder what could motivate them to happen or someone willing to financially back such a venture. Various orchestras have created their own labels. Who is willing to engage with a reactionary recording producer to at least try older technique? Holt and Pearson were less revolutionary than reacting to the idea of sonic assessment via measurement; they did not invent but returned to the notion of assessment by listening.

Multi-miking is consonant with a digital era of breaking stuff into pieces then putting them back together. Is the artistry of an holistic approach to recording lost because of lack of talent or do engineers simply want an easier to manipulate medium than analog tape? Is there enough audience/consumers to recognize the difference and buy into it, to return to a golden age of recording? With orchestras struggling to survive would it take an independent effort to take on the risk? Or are we forever consigned to search for 50 year old recordings in playable condition?

 

[caesar]

I wonder what everyone thinks of this new organization and its possible effect on the Industry. I wonder what Roy Gregory thinks about this?

AIAP Press Release regarding its formation and launch of its Web site:
(Happy Valley, OR, June 4, 2022) The founding members wish to announce the launch of the Association of International Audiophile Publications (AIAP).
The AIAP is composed initially of ten audiophile publications from around the world, all dedicated to a set of ethical and professional standards. These have been organized as a Statement of Principles, which the founding member publications have all agree to adhere to as guidelines for ethical and professional operations at their publications. This statement is available as a download in three languages so far (English, Polish, and Croatian) at the AIAP Web site.
Our Web site and Statement of Principles will be found at https://www.aiap-online.org.
The ten founding publications of the AIAP include the following:
the audio analyst https://www.theaudioanalyst.com
Enjoy the Music https://www.enjoythemusic.com
Hifimedia https://www.hifimedia.hr
Hi-fi+ https://hifiplus.com
High Fidelity https://highfidelity.pl/@lang-en
Hifistatement https://www.hifistatement.net
HomeTheaterReview https://hometheaterreview.com
Part-Time Audiophile https://parttimeaudiophile.com
Positive Feedback https://positive-feedback.com
Stereonet https://www.stereonet.com
All members of the AIAP are committed to providing the best in high-end audio/video journalism, and are pledged to do so according to our mutually agreed Statement of Principles.
We invite audiophiles and videophiles everywhere to go to our site and read our statement for themselves.
Note that the AIAP Web site is not a discussion site, nor do we act as audio ombudsmen or audio advisors. Readers are invited to visit the AIAP member sites and use the communication tools there to pursue questions or email any of our member publications. The "Contact Us" form will send a direct email to Dr. David W. Robinson of Positive Feedback, who acts as Coordinator for the AIAP.
We welcome all interested to visit our site, and familiarize yourselves with our Statement of Principles.

---

I'll underline this invitation. All audiophiles should check out our site ASAP.

Print Friendly

Uh oh!!! The industry strikes back!!!

question: how does Roy make his money? Did he get paid directly by gobel, wadax, etc? What is the arrangemen?

 

[tima]

Uh oh!!! The industry strikes back!!!

question: how does Roy make his money? Did he get paid directly by gobel, wadax, etc? What is the arrangemen?

I do not understand how you are tying these statements into a group of publications under a policy umbrella? Care to explain?

 

[Ron Resnick]

As Elliot Goldman was kind enough to start a separate thread on this topic, please kindly continue this discussion over there: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...y-publications-association.35049/#post-804143

 

[morricab]

In what sense was the concert you heard yesterday different from others you have been in the past?

It wasn’t different in any way…