Bad Mojo from an Audio Engineer
Comments
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The various amplifier topologies are very different and have very different performance and advantages.
This guy obviously hasn't actually MEASURED a bunch of amplifiers. Just pick up a stereophile sometime. Every amp performs differently, the cheap amps measure like cheap amps. The measurements don't lie, my friend. -
The various amplifier topologies are very different and have very different performance and advantages.
This guy obviously hasn't actually MEASURED a bunch of amplifiers. Just pick up a stereophile sometime. Every amp performs differently, the cheap amps measure like cheap amps. The measurements don't lie, my friend.
Neither does comprehensive listening. -
hearingimpared wrote: »The one thing he got right was that a preamp will make all the difference in the world. Funny thing though I wonder what his theory behind that is?
Unfortunately, a head full of grog during our discourse leaves the specifics of his reasoning a bit fuzzy:D However, I do remember it being extremely technical and not simply opinion. That being said... he might have been spouting off complete rubbish. I really wish the more technically astute among us could have been in the same room.I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore -
zombie boy 2000 wrote: »Unfortunately, a head full of grog during our discourse leaves the specifics of his reasoning a bit fuzzy:D However, I do remember it being extremely technical and not simply opinion.
Many engineers are good at this type of thing. Spout off a few facts no one in the know can argue with, figure out the audience and if they are not up to speed then throw in your own opinion when you know its safe.
madmaxVinyl, the final frontier...
Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... -
Many engineers are good at this type of thing. Spout off a few facts no one in the know can argue with, figure out the audience and if they are not up to speed then throw in your own opinion when you know its safe.
madmax
I've had plenty of engineers, who don't realize I was an engineer, try to baffle me with jargon that they don't think I understand so that I won't argue with them.HT
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Well... I suppose I should get my learn on so when next our paths do cross, I'll be able to verbally murder him. Methinks he planted just enough seeds of truth in a swamp of lies to make his conclusions appear somewhat logical -- if not easily dismissed empirically.
I think he was also drinking a Mojito or a Mai Tai which immediately disqualifies anything he spat out.
Beer, bourbon, and my ears - 1
Girlie drinks, fruit garnishes, and his overanalytical mind - 0I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore -
And as I jar my memory, the hits keep coming...
I can't believe I forgot this gem.
He also claimed that anyone that remotely cared about the sound of their system should possess an EQ. In fact, he made the claim that a $100 system with an EQ can be made to sound better than a $20K rig without an EQ -- easily.
What a tool.I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore -
But tubes ARE very inefficient compared to thier solid-state counterparts. Class A amps are also inefficient. Look at D-class and T-class amps for an illustration.
Also, a pre-amp will make one of the largest differences in a stereo but, stick an equalizer of any sort in the mix and that will affect sound much more than any pre-amp could ever hope to.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
But for the better? My understanding of EQ's is that one part of the frequency range must be sacrificed to improve upon another. You make the ol' smiley face contour to produce more zing to your top end and more thump in the trunk, and vocals go the way of the dodo.
A balanced speaker excels from top to the bottom.I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore -
zombie boy 2000 wrote: »Unfortunately, a head full of grog during our discourse leaves the specifics of his reasoning a bit fuzzy:D However, I do remember it being extremely technical and not simply opinion. That being said... he might have been spouting off complete rubbish. I really wish the more technically astute among us could have been in the same room.
Ah, you don't need to be technically astute to give him the raspberries!!! Like these icons
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zombie boy 2000 wrote: »And as I jar my memory, the hits keep coming...
I can't believe I forgot this gem.
He also claimed that anyone that remotely cared about the sound of their system should possess an EQ. In fact, he made the claim that a $100 system with an EQ can be made to sound better than a $20K rig without an EQ -- easily.
What a tool.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA that statement alone gave you the power to tell him he is full of **** and how really disappointed you are in his lack of understanding circuitry!!!! or how about NOISE!!! -
We all know people like this,they get a degree in something and become the know-it-all on that subject.....you just have to show him and see,hopefully his ears aren't as stupid as his brain.HT SYSTEM-
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Or let him swerve home jammin his AM radio and dismiss his misinformation while we enjoy our gear and continue to develop our own understanding of audio equipment.
The guy is a chump with an opinion and you know what they say about opinions, except for ours which are highly subjective anywho! -
zombie boy 2000 wrote: »But for the better? My understanding of EQ's is that one part of the frequency range must be sacrificed to improve upon another. You make the ol' smiley face contour to produce more zing to your top end and more thump in the trunk, and vocals go the way of the dodo.
A balanced speaker excels from top to the bottom.
I didn't say it was for the better. The statement made was that a pre-amp will affect the sound the most and that is inaccurate. An EQ's whole purpose is to affect the sound. That's all it does and the more bands your EQ has, the more sound it can affect. That's all I'm saying.
However, EQ's have a purpose in that they can make up for shortcomings of a poor pre-amp or speakers with weak spots in mid-range and such. EQ's can be used sucessfully. You want to strive to get that balance by selecting components that compliment each other. However, when you have a limited budget, an EQ can be a godsend. Especially since it's hard to find a high end item like a CD changer and if you have a need or want for a CD changer, you might have to go with something that's not quite as nice as the rest of your gear. An EQ can help alleviate the shortcomings of a CD Changer with a poor audio output. No, EQ's are not for everybody but they work out great for some people. Also, if you can find a tube-based EQ, it will do a much better job of giving you that "tube sound" on solid-state gear than a tube-based pre-amp.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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Also, if you can find a tube-based EQ, it will do a much better job of giving you that "tube sound" on solid-state gear than a tube-based pre-amp.
Wouldn't a tube-based EQ be infinitely more noisy than a SS EQ? -
The problem with EQ is that, in the hobby that we are in, there are truly many things that do effect the sound... some of them in ways that aren't easily measured, some in ways that cannot be measured, but you can sure hear it!
What I am saying is, that if maintaining signal purity is a goal up on our list of important things to remember, then keeping the signal path as short as possible, and as least affected as possible, is something that we have to try to shoot for, because there is no telling sometimes where the "magic" happens, or when it is lost.
The only form of EQ I would trust are simple, well designed, tone control, and possibly corner control. Something 100% passive and 100% analog, then it may be useful, but a big EQ with 50 bands to shape the signal... I mean that is a lot of circuitry to be dealing with, there is way too much margin for loss with a device like that.
An electrical engineer that says things like what the OP states, that person has not yet had their mind opened to true hifi, and until they hear the music, they are not going to be swayed easily.
But it is not hard to put a scope on various amps and see huge differences, and if that guy says that they are all the same, then he is not only deaf, but also blind... -
Keep in mind an "audio Engineer" can become an "audio engineer" with something as simple as printing it on a business card. There are no license's...no bar exams, nothing. So please people...don't let the word "engineer" confuse the subject matter.
There was also some talk about how the latest bad recordings have come from deaf engineers. HOGWASH!
It may be true that the recorded product must first pass through the boards and onto the source by a recording engineer...but the garbage that has been flooding the markets comes largely from the mastering process. This is done by the heavy hand of the labels who have determined "The hotter, the better".
Every label out there is trying to get their product heard by the buying public. This is why these "HOT" recordings have been flooding the market for the last 10 years. A little louder than the last guys recording so to say.
This doesn't mean I agree with our friend the "engineer". That's just HIS opinion. He may one of the best "recording specialist" out there. He may know everything there is to know about mic placement, the proper use of gain, right down to backward mastering...but it sure as hell doesn't mean he doesn't know squat about cables, amps, or whether Bose is the best speaker in the business."she had the body of Venus, with arms." -
Typical!
Reminds me of what my Grandfather used to say.
The only difference between a pig farmer and an engineer is the pig farmer has the **** on the outside of his boots.HT
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I've had the honor of working with really good engineers, and the pain of working with some bad ones. Your guy was full of crap, and probably in his first years as an engineer (or a slow learner). One of the better audio engineers I worked with once said that an engineer goes to school to find out what should happen, then gets a job to find out what actually does.
A good engineer knows what questions to ask, a bad one thinks there isn't any beyond the textbook.
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