Calling out Audiophile BS!

[@ZeroFidelity]

While I encourage people to use this as an opportunity to get some things off their chest, please BE RESPECTFUL while doing so. PERSONAL ATTACKS will NOT be tolerated! The average ZF viewer is old enough to know how to behave like an adult.

[@rmzidann]

I agree with you! BTW, any thoughts on XianSheng DAC-05B? Thank you!

[@Okuti8779]

Hey man. I wanted to ask you a question if it’s not to much of a bother . I wanted to know. What’s the difference between the new Klipsch RP - 8000 and the new R- 800f. Thank you

[@georgemartin4354]

I think a lot of hate for audiophiles is driven by people who can't afford high end audio equipment in the first place. Not everyone (including myself) can afford to spend $400,000 on speakers, amps and pre amps. Not everyone can afford to buy a Lamborghini either. There's a lot of envy out there. I've listened to Wilson Alexandria's XLF's in store and it was an insane experience, compared to my Klipsch speakers at home. There's no debate.

[@engjds]

I think speaker manufacturers assume people know how to set up speakers, even great bookshelfs can sound great in a very large room, so speaker size is not related to room size (thats power handling and low frequency cut off). The general rule is speaker moved out into 1/3rd of the room from the back wall, pushing it back is nearly always a compomise that gives you soggy bass.

[@njm1971nyc]

I'm a professional video/audio engineer, 30 years experience, both analog and digital. I have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pro equipment (not bragging, it's just my work stuff, and I got a lot of it second-hand at very good prices) but I own precisely zero "audiophile" interconnects. Why? Because they make so little difference. I use Belden and other quality brands, but these are not particularly expensive. Spending hundreds/thousands on cables/isolation platforms etc. is crazy. You'll always get a far bigger improvement spending that cash on better hardware! Audiophile cables are the biggest scam out there. Literally for people with more money than sense. The resurgence of vinyl is also totally crazy. Vinyl is a nice, nostalgic experience, but horrendously flawed as a playback medium. How anyone can be so smug and satisfied with a format where the last track on an LP sounds (and is, measurably) lower quality than the first track...jeez...it really makes no sense why people rave about it. The best turntable set up in the world will never sound as good as a decent-quality CD player. Anyone claiming otherwise is letting the romanticism of the vinyl experience cloud their judgement. By FAR the stupidest audiophile nonsense has to be "audiophile" power cords. Literally hilarious. So the power travels through hundred/thousands of feet of ordinary copper cable, but that 3-foot piece of pure silver (or whatever) power cord is magically gonna improve the quality of the Mains power? Give me a break!!! ABSURD! That really is 100% pure snake oil.

[@69vrana]

I am not an audophile, but I made a comparison between CD and LP that I owned, original material was recorded, mixed, etc. in analogue, only thing digital was conversion to CD (or so was claimed). Record was No prayer for the dying from Iron Maiden. True, I had a cheap system, low quality speakers, but I did notice vinyl sounding way more "pleasant" to the ear, not saying it was more accurate, it just sounded more pleasant. Call it warm or any other term that gets thrown around, because people think they know what it's supposed to mean. It was very noticeable in cymbal sound, that sounded quite harsh (lot's of unpleasant high frequency content on CD), that somehow got smoother on vinyl. My opinion is that most self-proclaimed audiophiles have very little objective knowledge about sound and acoustics, most of them have head full of some more or less (in)accurate technical specs, and they draw their mental fetish from that fact, all while defending "their" gear either because it sounds subjectively more pleasant to them or simply because they have to defend their overly expensive purchases. To be honest - what KIND of gear you use, makes less of a difference than a fact of WHERE you use that gear. I have first hand knowledge of what huge difference acoustic treatment to the ROOM makes.

[@avsystem3142]

I couldn't agree more! There is one component that I use in both my home recording studio and for the home theater equipment that has made a significant difference in the audio quality that, in my opinion, too few influencers ever suggest and that is powering all audio (analog and digital) equipment through a balanced power isolation transformer. In the studio I use a Furman IT-1210. That device eliminates any possibility of ground loops (60 Hz hum) and power line noise affecting either the recording or playback of audio. The home theater employs a similar unit from Equi=Tech. There is one difference between the two. The Furman unit is completely silent. The Equi=Tech unit emit a slight 60 Hz mechanical hum, I suspect because the windings in the enormous toroidal transformer were not fabricated in a way to eliminate some slight movement due to magnetic flux. The Equi=Tech unit is in an enclosed cabinet so it is not audible in any theater seating position. For the speaker wiring in my home AV systems I use 12 Ga speaker wire from Home Depot. In the studio I recently replaced unpowered monitors with powered monitors (a 2.1 configuration using Adam Audio products) that connect directly to the D/A converter with XLR3 balanced cables. I did not buy Mogami, I went with products from ProCo.

[@lunatrics]

Lol i agree with you 1000percent. And i stopped explaining and discussing a long time ago. :) just let it be.

[@annenominous7220]

@@69vrana records are way more compressed (less dynamic range) than CDs, especially records from the 70s and 80s, ... For many people this compression just sounds better. That is fine. To each their own.

[@tubemon1779]

Can you list some of the work you’ve done?

[@ZeroFidelity]

Here's a fun "behind the scenes" Fact! What you're watching is actually my third take of this otherwise unscripted video. In my first take, I was practically raging at the camera - microphone clipping and all! I decided that was a bit.... too dramatic, so I filmed the video again with the goal of throwing in some humor. Well, that didn't work out so well as my humor is dark and dry AF. So I decided to give it one more go by taking more of the chill route. :D

[@TheMHohSoma]

thanks for the video! at first I was a bit confused, it felt way too chilled out for a rant but with the explanation it all makes sense. and I whole heartedly agree!

[@thomass.9167]

You should release the rage-version as your directors cut.

[@ZeroFidelity]

@@thomass.9167 I would be jailed/committed.

[@backrack01]

Should've just went nuts. :)

[@jonathanreich6360]

Attach the highlights as outtakes. Just like the end of Jackie Chan movies.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

This rant is too tame, no swearing, not enough drama!

[@ryanschipp8513]

Lol

[@treyhorn5645]

😆😆

[@rainman3269]

Thomas ... You seem to nice but I'll check out ya rant ... Waiting 😉

[@NemoPropaganda]

Says the tamest of us all 😂 i wanna see you rage thomas!!! We’ve even see Jay get mad, where is the thomas rage 😡

[@ZeroFidelity]

Show me how it's done, Thomas!

[@TheDrAntoon]

I get your comment about "because it's not within your budget, it doesn't mean it's overpriced" and there is indeed expensive (however you want to define this) gear that sounds very good. However, a personal rant of mine is that a number of audio gear manufacturers have jacked up their prices in the past couple of years WAY BEYOND the inflation figures, to an extent that one wonders: where's the relationship between R&D/manufacturing and the sale price gone? And why do they do that? Because they can! There are apparently enough audiophiles that are willing to spend the equivalent of a small house for their audio system. It's really frustrating nowadays to read magazines like Stereophile or TAS because one gets more and more the impression that, in order for gear to land on the A+ list, the first prerequisite is that it should a multiple of $10.000. This probably explains the success of channels like yours, Cheap Audio Man and sites like Audio Science Review. I hope more and more people will start to see through the BS in this industry and get back to audio gear that represents REAL audio value instead of bragging rights.

[@MJHiteshew]

Thanks for acknowledging Cheap Audio Man, as I follow both you guys and my initial perception of your video was that you were going to ape his content. Kudos for being transparent, and I also liked your take on the same topic. Great video.

[@williamnaman3570]

You are placing the egg before the chicken. This channel has a long history. No need to ape anyone.

[@MJHiteshew]

@@williamnaman3570 and you are missing the context. Randy had a similar video that he pushed out earlier, and you know how topics fly through the KZbinverse.

[@williamnaman3570]

@@MJHiteshew Sorry, context is everything. I thought you didn't understand how much older this channel is and how long this reviewer has been in the industry.

[@aceofspades6667]

Sean was one of the first you tubers that rep’d cheap audio man.. he did it on multiple live streams when Randy was just starting out. Between 2 speakers needs a returns

[@williamnaman3570]

@@aceofspades6667 I didn't know that.

[@boblinscott6052]

Thanks For your Honesty ! 🎉I’ve been checking out a Bunch of you guys , thinking of getting back into the Stereo environment of vinyl /CD /streaming that we all enjoyed in the late 60’s & 70’s . There’s a Ton to decide on mixing old with new technology . Money is tight for most of us …. Retired ppl , But the joy of listening to what we all really enjoyed back than going to concerts buying the live albums playing it with your pals was like a repeat “almost“ like being there again together. Thanks to you & the cheap audio guy !☘️your both my kind of guys ☕️/🥃. 👍

[@fredflintstone8048]

One of the things you mentioned toward the end, where when you were young, new to the industry you thought you knew more than you really did, and got away from this as you got older and more experienced.. It's called the Dunning Kruger effect and it's a fairly common thing where a person who's brand new to some field will tend to over access his/her own knowledge in that field. It's an interesting phenomena. It's our ego coupled with the fact that we don't know what we don't know yet.

[@gordonshelby765]

A vreat example of dunning kruger effect are those that think they know all about the dunning kruger effect and love explaining it to people, but have never even read the paper

[@fredflintstone8048]

@@gordonshelby765 When that actually happens they get it wrong because they can only guess.

[@sidvicious3129]

Sean, I luv it you and Cheap Audioman put what has been needed to be put out for quite some time. Im proud of the fact that not only did you talk the talk but you walked the walk and admitted your own faults. Keep putting out outstanding content as usual. Your experience and connects in the Audio industry have put you in a great place for a video like this, thanks.

[@markholder6851]

I have learned one thing from the many years i have been into audio equipment. Cost doesn't matter. Just because something might cost thousand, doesn't mean it's price is justifiable. I had many years ago a all Audiolab system, the speakers were a pair of Castle Avon's. That system sounded so good, no system i have owned since has had the same emotional effect on my as that system. The sound use to give me goose bumps, ant the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. What i'm saying is, if it sounds good to you that is all that matters

[@patrickmalone9380]

I humbley add music is a expression and a feeling u u chould listen to music at supermarket and have that same feeling

[@arbitrarysignifier]

As someone who is brand new to the whole world of high-end audio, I really, really appreciate this video. I found your channel because your video on the SB-1000 Pro and SB-3000 Micro popped up in my search results. I've now come back to see if you've reviewed other specific things because I really appreciate your well-balanced, measured reviews. Funny, too, that Cheapaudioman was the inspiration for this rant, because he's the other one that I've gone back to multiple times. Thanks to you both for providing accessible information to a total novice in a way that doesn't make me feel like a complete idiot.

[@mrb3rt811]

Yes, Yes and YES!!! Well said sir! A wise man once said "It doesn't matter how expensive, how advanced, what brand, how much gear you have, what only matters is what your ears tell you".

[@gokhanersan8561]

Me and my wife listened to a 100K McIntosh system (in Upstate NY where it’s made). Unimpressed, my wife said our 0.5K (500 dollar) Denon sounded better.

[@homerjones3291]

@@gokhanersan8561 Spoilsport.

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@homerjones3291 Maybe it shines at loud volumes, I don’t know. I like to brag to friends that I live in the town they started to make McIntosh, though:)

[@andershammer9307]

I once worked for a stereo store called Audio Gallery and we got a speaker in to sell. I'm not sure if i'm remembering the brand correctly but I think it was EPOS. It was a tower speaker and I think it was a 2 way. It sounded good with a nice balanced sound. We sold that pair and then we got another pair and the highs were so bright the were unlistenable. They admitted they changed the tweeter. We ended up dropping the brand.

[@AbideinChristSealed]

What I'm seeing in certain youtubers is always ranking high end audio like $800 dacs EXACTLY in there price bracket...when I know first hand from buying one of them that it was nothing THAT special. They seem to be favoring the manufactures in justifying it's price relative to the lower and higher tier versions, with over the top praise. During their sales pitch after sounding like it's end game material, "but it's not to the level of the so and so at the $2200 price" so as to protect it's reputation also. That is not ok, and I try to avoid them.

[@2ChannelListening]

Rant #1 Is so spot on! Its amazing and not a surprise why really well built products never catch on because they DO NOT COMMUNICATE with their potential audience. I couldn't find information on some new items I bought and then the manufacturer wouldn't engage. Makes it hard for me to be nice! Spot on Sean.

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

Thank you,thank you,thank you! How refreshing to hear from someone who has undoubtedly forgotten more than I could ever hope to learn about an interest that I have become more passionate about than could have ever even imagined prior to delving into it. Little bit by little bit I have taken a hobby of mine by perusing mostly social media sites trying to understand how this often very technically challenging interest (at least for me) works without getting too bogged down that it becomes more of a frustration than a genuine hobby that I enjoy. You sir have given me at the very least some hope that there are people with a conscience who are not reluctant to admit that they were at one time in their life someone that was failing in a particular area of who they really are and decided to do something about it. I enjoy how you present yourself and the knowledge you possess that is also part and parcel of who I am or at least aspire to be. You have found something that you are very good at and my wish is that it should continue for you regardless of how some lesser souls that might not have the same wherewithal may perceive what you have to say. Namaste . ✌️☮️

[@buffal0bilious]

You, CAM, Audiophiliac, and Darko are my favorite audio channels, and a big part of that has to do with the combination of passion and honest grounded-ness.

[@gokhanersan8561]

Same here. I would love to have a beer with any one of these dudes.

[@phpn99]

Funny enough, the folks you mention are the classic "audiophile" poets who talk authoritatively about audio gear without presenting a shred of evidence for their verbiage, except the underlying "trust me, I've heard everything and I have Golden Ears"

[@abielpangga6314]

@@phpn99 exactly, people should really just go to audio science review and help themselves

[@Riddle99-v7q]

Regarding your first point, this is why i gravitate towards studio monitors even for just listening to music. Most manufacturers making them actually explain how to calibrate them according to your room etc.

[@lextek.]

It was funny coming across your channel today as I had stumbled onto Cheap Audio Man's channel yesterday and left somewhat lengthy rant. I'll keep this one shorter. One of the behaviors I've noticed over the years is that a large percentage of "audiophiles" don't actually listen to music. They listen to 5 to 15 second bursts of SOUND. The same passage from one system to the next as if that will give them any clue of the overall performance of a the system, and do it with about 10 recordings. Used to drive me nuts. I used to sometimes not change any configuration and they would swear there was a difference! One thing that always worked was to play system B slightly louder than system A and sure enough, system or amp of system B was "better". So I sold them the usually more expensive B.

[@williamdirks5805]

Here's my rant (or a small part of it): Reviewers, PLEASE stop telling me that tone controls aren't necessary, that we're better off without them. For specific reasons, I NEED both tone and balance controls (I have partial hearing damage in my left ear; I listen to early recordings from the 1930s to '60s that sometimes benefit greatly from tone adjustment). Stop arguing against features just because YOU don't use them. Does it hurt to have them?

[@davidpiscopo3774]

Yes sir, bring back the tone and balance controls so we can manage our listening experiences in real settings.

[@briansawdo6245]

I agree, we all have different listening tastes. I like a little boost in the bass and treble while leaving the midrange alone.

[@jaseamondo]

People poo pooing all over equipment they've never actually heard has got to be one of the most common things you see in forums or posts wherever etc, or worse having a opinion on how somthing sounds based purely on specs 🙈, spot on points as was the cheap audiomans 👍

[@LorDarkGoose]

Yes very true.

[@bphilbac]

Agree! Just shows how dumb people can be, having an opinion on something that you know nothing about. You can’t trust anything a person like that says.

[@NickP333]

Fantastic video, Sean. All excellent points, but I especially couldn’t agree more with your first point, when so many brick and mortar stores are closing down, and there’s really no way to audition a product. Many thanks for this vid, Sean.

[@gokhanersan8561]

As I read this we are driving to Ithaca, hoping the local Stereo store has products in their showroom floor-that we can listen to.

[@MichelLinschoten]

Well the all offer a try before buy option it's just a hassle

[@gokhanersan8561]

We went to Ithaca, and the guy doesn’t have anything to listen in the store. He says you can take one home, then return it if you don’t like it. We’re not driving an hour to Ithaca to return gear. So we left.

[@patrickfinlay2074]

Your idea about manufacturers doing adverts and advice….. that would be a game changer for any manufacturer that does it

[@dalepafford5732]

Great video. I appreciate you doing this video and appreciate you for it. I’m still new to this community, 1-2 years or so, but I DEFINITELY DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WANT TO KNOW! Your video expressed some of the things that I want to know & learn.

[@pmizz7959]

So many people need to hear this rant in the context of their every day lives. Not just hifi. 👏🏻

[@micheletrasente5836]

... definitively right, Peter!

[@1sotheary]

Yes, this is also true. I play guitar, and you'll find the same exact attitude from people in regards to musical equipment.

[@bphilbac]

Agree

[@Corner-for-Assorted-Oats]

The main thing I hate about audiophiles is how they can’t seem to fathom the idea that some people like imperfect quality

[@tonesbones502]

Another great video. Enjoyed the straight shooting. I love it when you go into the comments section of a video (of a product you know well) and there are opposition brand fanboys on there dissing the product. You ask them a question about the product and they call it crap and disappear like magic. Haha, why do they do this, seriously? Audio products are not a football teams.

[@thirdkey9]

I really appreciated when you hit on the industry providing more information so people can dial their systems and set up’s in and also on backing up on what they say their audio is delivering. Thanks for the aha moments with these shared perspectives and insights.

[@SujitMohanan]

Rant 2 - It's pretty serious. You should name such manufacturers if they have a history of such practices.

[@CirclesandSounds]

This is the most wholesome content in the community I’ve seen in quite some time. I hope everyone begins to move in this direction and appreciate the passion together instead of infighting about stupid $#¡+

[@latheofheaven]

Wow, nicely done Bro! I really liked your closing comment, that kind of brought us all together : )

[@ryans6186]

Probably the 3rd-5th video of yours I’ve seen. This one made me subscribe. I’ve been subbed to cheapaudioman and Steve for a while now, you’re my third audio channel. Thanks for great the content!

[@666chew]

Point #1 alone is one manufacturers should heed. They have the time and resources to do so.

[@bradrapp3697]

Your approach to this subject is measured and balanced. Like a good audio system!

[@jaysaudiolab]

" stop having an opinion about something you have no experience with" - i loved this one. I have been saying this on my channel for a very LOOONG time. Many people love to be opinionated about the lambos of that the world yet their reference point is a Hyundai. Seriously!

[@richardsaila8073]

There is one exception: if the thing looks so ugly that you even don't want to have further experience with it, then you have the right for opinion. 😜

[@angelochung9803]

Hyundai makes very decent cars these days lolololol

[@MarijkeWillemsen990]

I love your comment about ‘ manufacturers should give more (video) information about how to use their products and how to make the best of it. There are a lot of you tubers without self reflection who give an ‘expert opinion’ on products based on crappy testing, bad equipment and personal preferences.

[@deputy3690]

Sean, you are the very best of the best in what you say and believe. I for one believe these type of rant videos are absolutely necessary. Thank you for your passion to help this industry.

[@rdoogie71]

Regarding rant #1, you're spot on. I'm in the market for dual subwoofers and love, I mean love, how REL breaks down what makes the sub good and in what environment it works best. Nearly 100% based on how they describe their various, I'm heavily leaning towards REL's S series in my choice.

[@kimbothwell917]

I just could not let this slide by -here goes: I find your video extremely well done for Subject, clarity, well spoken and even joy and kindness. I just add our hobby/passion and practice as audiophiles, we do need the laugh (at our selves) once in a while too! Happy listening everyone!

[@Bob.martens]

According to some select KZbinrs rules, I am not an audiophile. Although every day, for at least half an hour, I go and sit neatly in between my speakers and close my eyes while I listen to whatever i want at that moment. That may be CD or streaming. Trust me,i hear the difference. Doesn't matter. I enjoy it. It cost me a lot to get to this point. Basically because I believed a lot I was told, without using my main measuring instruments: ears. I got LS50metas. I disliked them, and it took me a while to admit to that, because: hey, everybody loves them. I upped my amp game for them. From a Yamaha AS501 to an AS1100 (never a bad thing, everybody should do it someday) I still didn't like them. I still used my old B&W's. I sold the Meta's and bought two pairs of Klipsch, RP6000f and RP150m, for the same price. Sacrilege, you may say, but I'm having fun listening while learning now about room treatment. Those 6000's get boomy in smaller spaces:) That ain't working, that's the way you do it. While enjoying yourself at te same time. Try out audio gear, it's the only way to have an opinion on it.

[@scottbaylor6215]

I haven’t watched this yet but I will. Real life calls. But I did watch Randy’s and I like the fact that you support each other’s channel. Really cool. Class act

[@Michael-bj4sz]

Great comments Sean! You are spot on regarding all of your points and your requests for others to pull their heads out of their ass and provide meaningful content. I agree 100% about product changes; I have experienced this and dumped products because of this; hope the manufacturers are listening. I have recently removed myself from 3 reviewers because of their “know it all” attitude. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to remind us of obvious truth. Looking forward to your next video be it a rant, review or a discussion; I like all of your stuff because you tell like it is and you’re honest.

[@Frequincy100]

I like these zero fidelity and cheap audio man crossovers (pun intended lol)

[@En_Joshi-Godrez]

whats the pun?

[@Frequincy100]

@@En_Joshi-Godrez Crossovers like in speakers

[@taylorhickman84]

but those sand cast resistors... lolz

[@sudd3660]

this was so well structured it was not a rant at all, great opinions i can stand by :) i heard that first time was a catharsis and successive runs became more calm and collected. my biggest gripe with hifi at the moment is ported designs, people think that you can get extra bass for free. sound quality comes first(it is hifi after all), then extension of bass, subwoofers or dsp does the extension.

[@sandyearllarsen2820]

Well said. I’m in New Zealand and we have some real clowns who run audio shops. They think because they have been selling it for thirty years they know all the answers to what you are seeking without listening to you. I think more and more of us are relying on people like you to help us make a decision where to look for new products. Your frustrations with the industry are so valid. Never heard you say press that button I want to hit ………… subscribers. Well done. Love your natural style.

[@ZeroFidelity]

I didn't outright say it in the video, but yeah, a lot of the folks who own retailers tend to exhibit this "know it all" behavior. It's easy to fall into that trap when ya live in a bubble.

[@Corndog642]

25 years in this hobby has kept me humble simply because there is so much to learn. I’m still learning.

[@hershbagelstein545]

I read a lot of reviews, mostly about high end equipment. After years of this, I’ve concluded that the authors have no idea, and I really mean this, any idea of what the average consumer wants to learn. They all go over the equipment they swap in and out (like any of us have actually heard their $50K amplifier) and then reference music I seriously doubt we listen to. They avoid legitimate faults, wash over the big issue of matching sounds that work and generally just don’t differentiate their reviews from others. I’m sick and tired of reviewers “lifting” the manufacturer’s publicity brochures and integrating the info into their reviews. I know what I want: concise reviews of the pros and cons; whether a volume control actually adds noise or not; whether dual mono is better; what difference can you actually hear when you switch capacitors, etc. But nope: they all merge in my brain as a fog.

[@RennieAsh]

Some differences are so small that psychological effects are more likely the things people are "hearing" . And many people might not even be able to critically listen in the same way

[@gertrudedaraklis1170]

Well done. Glad to see and hear someone admit there human. I’ve always been loyal to honesty ( sometimes to a fault ) . Been in this hobby now for 2 yrs , watching your reviews for 1 yr now. I’ve purchased gear based off of KZbin reviews . After a while of watching reviews, U come to an understanding of who is serious and who is not , when producing a review. So , I now have 3 favorites and a few that I’ll check in on from time to time. I too am as guilty of judging personality over content. If the content is informative and true , then I no longer care of ones delivery or personality. All that took was a little humbling of myself. I replaced my passing judgment on a review, with making an effort to recognize & appreciate the personal time & effort it must take to produce a review. I am grateful for all reviewers. They are of great help to my decision making. Lastly , I wish there was a channel for beginner - aspiring audiophiles . Not dedicated to entry level products , but more to teaching the meaning of audio verbiage, with videos of connecting the same product to different applications . I.e using a portable dac in a 2 ch home rack mount system with separates or using same dac for headphones. Or why put this cable here or don’t connect to xyz terminal and why . Learned allot from u-tube reviewers with you being one of my go to guys. Keep it going. SEAN from NJ

[@ThecrosseyedTexan]

As far as speaker breaking goes I heard Andrew Jones talking about it and he said something that made perfect sense to me. He said the part of a speaker that really needs to break in is the spider because it's doped linen or something very similar. The surround and the pole piece and the motor structure doesn't really have to break in it's just that one piece, the spider. He went on to say that it doesn't take hundreds of hours it takes maybe an hour or two and then if you let it sit it'll stiffen back up again. That made sense to me.

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

Bloody wharfedales doing point 2 like its dinner for them. The changed the diamond 11.2 and the evo 4.2 rather drastically mid way thru, and god knows what else they changed that went unnoticed.

[@howardskeivys4184]

Yeh, I too watched cheap audio man’s video and as with your video, agree with and approve of the contests. I do think that a good number of veteran audiophiles will by now have wised up, and although not consciously thinking about it, will be aware of the validity of your words. I’ve been into audio since the early 80s. I knew nothing when I started my journey as an end user. 40 years later, I know considerably more than I did back when. I’m now far more confident of making informed purchase decisions, but, I still have a heck of a lot to learn and I know that if I’m still around in 40 years time, I will still not know everything and still have a heck of a lot to learn. I think a major stumbling block for many novice audiophiles is that you can ask 1 question of 10 people, manufactures, retailers, reviewers Etc. And get 10 opposing answers. I have 1 question I’d like you to answer please. Define the over used term ‘high end’? I have put this question to many KZbin reviewers, the only man so far, brave enough to tender an response is OCD hifi guy Mike. I respect your opinion and would love to hear your response.

[@sunvalleydrivemusic]

Rant #2 is so spot on! It’s happened to me and I was super bummed when I found out.

[@charlierowell9910]

I am glad people are finally saying things like this. I listened to Randy's rants your go right along with what he said. I also like that you talked about audiophiles and some of their beliefs that go against the sharing of knowledge. Once again thank you for saying these things.

[@ohnonate]

While we are ranting.. i have one! when you post a picture of your gear on facebook needing advice for an input plug and you get criticised for not having cable management and no matching colour cables🤣 relax! This is by far the best and honest youtube clip ever !!!

[@jeffmell2924]

I believe Rel subwoofers does the best with short videos explaining there products, and which sub will work best for your set-up /environment .

[@scotthullinger4684]

I used to get into a lot of the audiophile BS mumbo jumbo over the years. After a good long while, you come to recognize that no product can outperform its design specifications, and many claims which are made regarding products seriously cannot be realized. There's surely something to be said regarding good, better, and best, but more often than not, the differences are insignificant, and even minuscule. By far one of the most important things is your listening space, and also the quality of your recordings. Speakers of course need a very wide and flat response, but even if they don't quite measure up to the very best, if they fit the parameters quite well indeed, then they can still be imminently satisfying. Brand? Who cares, as long as it all statistically measures up, and your ears can hear it. Are blind listening tests even done any more? I kind of doubt it.

[@computerfreakch8912]

Because a lot depends on the physics of the sound itself and of all sorts of gear that we use in sound reproduction - I'd expect audiophiles to try to learn and understand what is going on, rather than keep throwing more money into new equipment without understanding WHY it is expected to perform better than something they already own or than anything else on the market.

[@SpeedySen]

Love the video! Some great points, especially the 1st one asking manufacturers to make videos demonstrating their products. I know REL does this but unsure if others will follow as many will find it difficult to prove their marketing claims!

[@andreemilsen369]

This is great, lots of great points, and admitting to have been there, then developed, makes me like you even more 👍 Honesty and kindness...great values😊

[@cameronkrause4712]

Shawn/Sean, You have grown, and that's why I have come to respect you. Lots of things about reviewers have bothered me, but nothing bothers me more than seeing the same couple of reviewers slap each other on the back and mock the thoughts and feelings of other people who are just being honest about their experiences. Thanks for making this video as we should all look at our behaviors once and a while and ask ourselves just what is it that we can change to make ourselves and what we love better than it has been.

[@13thnotehifireviews7]

Interesting concept here Sean. I think you are right that manufactures need to build lots more video output. It takes time though because they do need to make it represent the brand with design aesthetics etc and very few have time on KZbin to do quality videos. On hifi it’s subjective so they can’t provide data to convince people. I think there are lots of dodgy reviewers to the extent it is possible to say which ones are trusty or not. No moral grand standing. People who review who don’t risk anything by never saying products are bad or give opinions, when they review them are not reviewing. It means getting products from sources and different avenues where you can do this, that doesn’t threaten your revenue. Go with trusty brands and those that are happy with brands to say products are bad now and again. People who keep reviewing products but don’t ever mention negatives are not moral reviewers. It would eat at my soul, that the purpose on the tin - to be independent (but fair) and do reviews which means critical appraisal , we can’t do. The ones just for money are obvious and common less moral respect. Reviewing hifi is a balance between keeping those brands happy we work with and being honest to those that we don’t rate or won’t work with. People can see through the review that is gushing every time and it’s an anti review with no purpose and it’s deriding this industry.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Every reviewer has different priorities. My priority focuses strictly on providing the most accurate performance summary that I can muster about whatever I'm reviewing. Whether or not a brand is happy with me is irrelevant. The product is the product. Thankfully, most of the companies that I've worked with are VERY grounded when it comes to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their gear. The few who have their heads in the clouds or take things personally can go F themselves. It's never personal. The product is the product.

[@13thnotehifireviews7]

@@ZeroFidelity I think that’s the attitude, and if you are doing that good on you. I view reviewing hifi as a journo pursuit as much as trying to make it work with collaboration with brands , because long term the value comes from the consumer interest.

[@discostu668]

Is rant #2 based on the fact that Wharfedale literally changed the woofer design on their EVO series (or at least the 4.2s, specifically) by eliminating the phase plug, and just turning it into a dust cap? I reached out to them after a different reviewer demonstrated that the phase plug was real by pressing on it, which showed no cone movement, and when I got my own pair of speakers, it was clear that something had changed because the cone moved when I very gently pressed on the same part of the woofer on my own pair. Wharfedale did respond by saying a change had been made to fix a "wind" problem caused by certain bass frequencies, but there was clearly no announcement made by Wharfedale stating a change had been made.

[@avsystem3142]

The kind of "audiophile" behavior that frosts me are claims that are clearly contrary to the underlying mathematics and physics. E.g., Claude Shannon mathematically proved that 16-bit/44.1 KHz PCM digital recording can PERFECTLY capture audio between 20 Hz and 20 KHz. Yet there is no end to complaints about how crappy CD's sound, particularly in the early years of digital recording. Blame is placed on the digital format instead of where it belongs, the equipment and techniques use to record, engineer and produce any given album and, at the other end, the consumer products to playback that recording.

[@dazaudio2131]

When people hear 1 bad review out of 20 good reviews and think that only the bad review is true. The viewers then think this reviewer is the only good guy in the scene and no one else should be trusted.

[@ZeroFidelity]

^^^^^^^ THIS RIGHT HERE!

[@GTRxMan]

That actually has a bit of truth to it. Most reviewers won't give a bad review, they'll just not review the product. A bad review can be helpful in evaluating how other reviews address particular issues a product may have.

[@mephInc]

The only time I'll buy into bad reviews is if there's a pattern. If none of the bad reviews are the same and they are minimal, you can chalk it up to "shit happens". If most of the reviews involve similar issues and there's a decent amount, it's a manufacturer problem.

[@ta563]

I don't pay attention to reviews where they only say good things about the product. If they won't compare it to similar options and point out things that might not be perfect for everyone about it then I'm watching an infomercial and not a review. It takes guts to say "For some people this other component may be better"; because the people that sent the product you are reviewing may not send more stuff. And don't even get me started on the "I'm doing paid commercial videos for them too but I really love their speaker!"

[@larrys1911]

Audio enthusiast here. I totally agree with you. Audio Science Review is a review site that they only measure gear and make recommendations on measurements alone without listening to it. There is a whole following there that think if something measure well it will sound good and that is so far from the truth. It is part of the truth but gear than measures just average can sound way better than something that measures perfect.

[@SnapperX3]

I thought that if I bought good speakers and a good integrated amplifier I would get good sound. Wrong! This journey has been frustrating. Thankful for guys like you, Randy, Andrew, Thomas, Jay, etc.

[@Nick-sk1qp]

Interesting rant, hopefully some of the manufacturers audio stores are tuned into what you said. I like the point you made about pairing electronics with specific speakers would make it a whole easier for the consumer to make better purchasing decisions. It would be win/win for seller and the consumer, how novel is that!

[@ZeroFidelity]

Electronic/speaker recommendations would be great, but it's a fairly dangerous game to play when you're a manufacturer. Especially if you have dealers. This is mostly due to politics. If a speaker manufacturer starts telling customers that their products sound best with certain brands, it WILL bite them in the ass. Now imagine you're a dealer. You've spent a lot of time with a customer who is finally ready to pull the trigger on a system that you recommended to them. Then, right at the last second, they change their mind and say they only want to buy the speakers. Confused, you ask them what happened? The customer proceeds to tell you that the speaker manufacturer told them that there are better options out there for those particular speakers. The speaker company basically just f***d you. They compromised your time as well as potentially thousands of dollars. All because that speaker company THINKS something may be better with their product, which in many respects, is a subjective opinion. This puts you in a compromised, almost no-win position. So yeah.... this is one of the primary reasons why most hi-fi companies do not make those recommendations.

[@titntin5178]

Whilst you both make very valid and reasoned points, in my experience, this has been happening and still is happening for a long time (40 years that i remember). Richer Sounds in the uk were just a little shop in London Bridge when i was young , but they always sold recommended combos then and though they now a big national chain they still do combos.. Just not so much. As recently as last year, when I was buying Naim Atom, there was national drive to pair them with some chord speakers, same pairing in most of the hi fi outlets. Im a little contrary though, so I bought something else.. So just saying, for some of us, its not unusual to see electonics paired with certain speakers, though I appriciate others may have had a different experience! Its certainly a helpful option...

[@gokhanersan8561]

And it would dramatically reduce wasteful mountains of “returns.”

[@littlebit8901]

Ok.. Much respect! It just rose by a tremendous amount! From someone that is new to this stuff, it is hard watching videos from you tubers when you can't be certain on how honest they are being. We know nothing about them, other than what they tell us. And lets face it, money talks in this world. I guarantee a lot of people watch a video and think, "Is he saying that because he doesn't want to be cut off from future compensation/deals, from said company". I have watched several videos from a certain youtuber that always says that the product he/she is reviewing is the best ever! Only 6 months later that product is garbage now. Maybe their opinion changed for someone and they were being honest? Who knows, but it's very confusing for newbies who rely on youtuber's reviews to help them out. Especially when things can cost into the 10's of thousands of dollars just to "try it out". Needless to say, I just can't trust anything they say anymore, whether it's true or not.

[@angeldc54]

This is great, thank you. I just hope that HiFi industry doesn't end up at two extremes: smartphones and a few extra wealthy people trying to find an excuse to expend their money.

[@number1pappy]

I personally have several hobbies and unfortunately it's the same with all of them. I'm into cars,woodworking,audio, home theater, auto detailing, cooking and believe it or not quilting! Yes ,I help my wife quilt. My point is that no matter the hobby ,people have generally ruined it for me. I used to be socially active in all my hobbies but no longer like I used to be. The constant arguments just take the fun out of it. There also seems to be this desire that is rampant that unless you have the very best of whatever it is ,people just are not satisfied. When did this happen? Being in social clubs ,whatever it was used to be a place for beginners to get vital info and education from people who had more experience. Have you looked at the average social media page or channel lately? Beginners get onslaughted by more experienced people for not knowing things and get ridiculed or told the equipment they have is junk. They are also told or insinuated that unless they have the most expensive equipment there not "true audiophiles" lol. This is the furthest thing from the truth out there. I dunno what started this , was it the invention of social media and the ability to insult without fear of having to be responsible for your comments or is it something else? Whatever the reason it is , it's why I just keep it to myself for the most part these days. I got into audio because I absolutely love music. Sad thing is I don't hear that much talk about music anymore...

[@stuartkennedy4202]

Hi Sean, the points made are very relevant and as someone who cannot go into a shop (store) and listen to the multitude of Hi-Fi gear around I solely depend on your judgement and experience. My kit is made up of all your effort’s from your reviews and explanations of other related topics such as cables, connections etc which is also important when considering any product(s). Thank you for all you do.

[@homerjones3291]

Yep, agree on all three points; my pet peeves are those who post a comment that starts with “ I’ve never experienced either product A or B, but…”, those people who respond to a question with a response that never even comes close to answering the question, and those who list their equipment when there’s no relevancy in doing so.

[@stan1661]

Well it’s good to vent. The whole part swapping issue is a much bigger problem today then many think. This is impacting the computer industry as well and is being done by many manufacturers we used to trust. Hopefully some legal arguments will be made because usually that’s the only way things will change in industry.

[@adotoshny]

Oh my! This is superb video!!! Thank you, Sean! I've noticed something about myself 😊 Also, linking to rant #2, I want to share my story with IFI Neo iDSD. I bought it as a gift to my bf and it was almost straight away after the launch in 2019. It is in use as for a table set up with computer and active speakers alongside with headphones option to switch as needed. Everything was great until a new firmware came up - improved performance, fixed issues and better this and that. After the update switching between speakers and headphones changed - can't mute headphones output because speakers stop to play. But not completely - if you make it loud - you can still something disturbed. Contacting IFI - long correspondence back and forth, finally they're admitting new behaviour - but no option to roll back an update. They sent us a new Neo iDSD with a new hardware (!) for which this firmware update was released. Issue become worse - now the noise in headphones. After almost 6 months debates they finally agreed to send us old hardware build of Neo iDSD with old firmware. Issue resolved. Now we can't expect any improvements from firmware and can't trust IFI further on. So sad.

[@ZeroFidelity]

I'm sorry you went through that man. Thankfully there are other great pieces out there.

[@E.Frey2002]

Good rant and great insight. If only the concerned individuals were this willing to learn self-awareness.

[@kevron9664]

WORD...!!! Damn, if more credible influencers (like yourself) were to put their foot down like this with the manufacturers, I can picture the positive trickle-down effect for the consumers becoming a waterfall !!! Thanks for that !!!🤘🏻

[@karlsinkovits9161]

Influencer! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@deputy3690]

I love watching this video once a year or so. For me. It just puts everything into perspective.

[@rawangmp8450]

Finally someone saying what's its all about & it was coming to a head. Kudos to both for starting this ball rolling. Now who next ........ 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐

[@Drivehead103]

Sales and Manufacturing could learn so much from watching this video! Who would have known that music would lead to evolving from a jackass grandstanding know-it-all and robbing yourself of learning to a humble person that is able to learn from that and grow. Keep up the good work and shooting straight from the hip!

[@Gomez561]

This vid exemplifies your knowledge and experience in this field. Plus, your good communication and relatability skills. Much respect 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ThecrosseyedTexan]

The last part of this the conclusion. As a wet shaver and fragrance reviewer where I review razors blades and fragrances on my channel that holds true as well. If you don't have any experience with a product don't talk about it. If something's out of your price range it doesn't mean it's overpriced. If something's below what you consider good that doesn't mean it's garbage. It works the same with audio gear as it does fragrances double edge razors or razor blades. Great advice good video sir

[@knockshinnoch1950]

AMEN! Every single point you make during this "rant" I'm violently shaking my head in agreement. I particularly agree with the lack of creative use of video and the internet by manufacturers in demonstrating and explaining their products to customers in clear and easy way. EVERY manufacturer of almost EVERY product could and should do this- step by step "how to" videos would be more than welcome.

[@fertusherring3476]

I would only point out that manufacturer's habit of updating products went on in the '80s, and sometimes without the salespeople in the store telling you - or not knowing themselves. BECAUSE, back then, it was a mortar and brick establishment, NOT online. The internet was barely in use back then (1993, even). It is up to the salespeople back then to be knowledgeable, but some went go for the sale. I've encountered that with expensive used equipment, and got into a battle with a very popular store in Northern California over a preamp I asked if they'd listened to it recently (since it was used, and this was my post-reviewer days and I KNEW to ask if they'd listened recently), The salesman snottily replied it's boxed and we don't open the boxes once they're boxed. Well, I got it (and I had owned it 14 years earlier, so I knew EXACTLY how it should sound, since it was advertised as the same model I owned). Less than 20minutes after I flipped it out of mute, I heard a presentation that was not remotely what I had owned in 1992. As it later turned out, when I sent it back to the designer, he looked in the power supply and someone had changed a resistor. And the sound was anything but "musical." I disputed the charge and the merchant wouldn't let me buy anything from him afterwards until year later, when he saw my name and said "you have my preamp." And I said, "No,______ (the designer) has your preamp. Because it was faulty. Why don't you call him? He was not pleased you took in a piece of equipment on consignment and didn't even recognize it had been altered and didn't sound the way it should." After that, he was polite, because he knew I hadn't shafted him: his CUSTOMER who sold it to him used had shafted him. So, consumers need to be a bit more involved these days. That just seems to be the way of the world now, and it lacks any sense of Honor. Car parts change all the time, but how much notification does the consumer get? Very little. I see this as how things are now, in contrast to say, 1975 or even 1985 - and I'm not talking about audio. Products were made with no significant changes, and they lasted 40 years (like my mother's Hamilton Beach mixer, which weighs 30 pounds and is nearly as old as me (but I'm a bit older, at 71). Things lasted, unlike today where everything is plastic and needs replacing within 3 years. So, back to the manufacturers. As a former professional reviewer for an extremely highly regarded magazine (some might call it "THE" audio magazine of the '70s, '80s and '90s, you might start posting the serial numbers of the units you review. Then, when someone is interested, they do their due diligence and ask "Has this speaker/amp/tonearm had any updates made to it since it was reviewed on Zero fidelity? The serial number of that review was__________." Now, I realize people BELIEVE they're entitled to not have to do any inquiring, but lets be real: how many laws are changed /modified through the legislature and people barely know about them? Consumers need to ask if there's a difference. The designer can't send out a notice to people who've never owned the product (and I can tell you, some of the companies operate on a shoestring). Serial numbers are the simplest. I myself blew a tweeter and called an eminent speaker designer for a replacement. His "statement" speaker cost - back then - $130,000. My model was only $3500. But i knew this man to be cagey, and, having at one time been a detective, I asked if this was the same tweeter. "Yes," he replied. Then I asked "Is it made of the EXACT same parts?" and he hesitated and then replied, "No." (He wouldn't have offered that bit of information if I had asked.) The new tweeter did not sound the same as the old one, to my ears. This is not to say designers are dishonest, only that this is a completely different world than it was in 1986, and you cannot assume anything. So, provide serial numbers and let the customer do their part, since so much stuff is sold without ever talking face to face to a human being.

[@maheeinfy13]

Rant 2 (changing product without notice) applies to woo audio. Bought an amp from them. When asked why the amp looks different from the pictures on their website they told we IMPROVE products and its good

[@innov8tive1]

To your very first point. In the early '90s I was cutting my teeth in electronic retail as a technician. In those days, every manufacturer had a rep that would travel from dealer to dealer and help in setting up equipment and educating the sales team, brief the techs on any issues and wine and dine the management of the store. The money was free flowing, the margins were good and the internet was not around to influence buyers as it does now. The onus was on the sales team to properly qualify and educate the customer. Sure, there were magazines on the subject, but the bulk of the knowledge came through the manufacturer's rep. Fast forward a few years, the internet was taking off and people were beginning to seek information and product through online sales. This not only made it easy to get information, but also much easier to price shop. Because of this, margins began to drop to the point where they were wafer thin. Manufacturers were offering price protection to the dealers to help keep them afloat. Many brick and mortar stores didn't make it, thus the need for reps was declining. The money, the flashy brochures, the technical training, the monthly rep visits, all started to go by the wayside. This is just one guy's take on it. Since then, in some ways, things have gotten better but at the same time the waters have been muddied by all the new digital formats. I still enjoy audio (hence why I watch your channel), but for me, it's a constant cat and mouse game, driven by technology and supported by those in search of sonic nirvana...........there's my rant and my two cents worth. Keep up the honest reviews!

[@uncommonlight62]

Beautifully expressed. Nothing more valuable than honesty!

[@bartrainer3916]

Hi! I have a question about Chap vs expensive Remote Controllers used with integrated amplifiers: Can they improve the quality of trumpet music?

[@aceofspades6667]

@Zero Fidelity... Any experience with BAT amps and Pres? Had a used local sale come up for a vk255se power amp vk43se preamp that has a pretty sweet price. Have no clue if this is good stuff or not.

[@hi-fihaven2257]

Excellent editorial piece Sean! I agree with you on all points. I must admit not even being a reviewer I have still been guilty of some of those points. Thank You much for another awesome make you think video.

[@carpo719]

It's funny because I just made a video like this the other day, and I expect to get the same feedback I got when I told people speaker cables we're pretty much all the same. You're right, we are all on the same side. We all like music. But some people are tone Chasers, they're not that interested in the music. They just want the best. Same with the people who collect cars they never drive.

[@gregorypatton360]

I love listening to everything. Its all cool. Its all fun.

[@robertgoff4528]

I managed a hi end audio store in the mid 70s. Sold a lot of great equipment at the time...Mac, Marantz, Tandberg, Revox, Acoustic Research LSTs, B&W DM 6s, Quad and Infinity electrostatics. There was a lot of difference in speakers, some differences in R2Rs and a definite difference in cartridges and turntable/tone arms. I heard the first digital audio Phillips brought out and was blown away by the lack of background hiss/noise. All this is to say the difference in amplifiers and preamps sound quality is a myth. We did blind AB comparisons between a Dynaco 70 tube amp and a new, at the time, Phase Linear 700. NO ONE, without fail, could hear the difference,could identity which was which. Damping factors, IM distortion, harmonic distortion transformer coupled vs direct coupled...huge differences on paper did not come across in actual use. I know, we were all deaf, too stupid to realize the differences, bad room acoustics.... ad infinitum. If you think your $1000 speaker cables or power cords make a difference you're being fooled. But knock yourself out, it's your money. Just know that in the end and when you get as old as me, it's the music that really matters....because we dont sit around our systems listening to pink noise, white noise and sine waves. Now, I'm going get back to some Jackson Browne. .

[@ceaget7252]

Thanks Sean! Few people on the hifi train are as frank as you are, and I think it's good to do some public soul searching. Benefits anyone who's willing to look in the mirror. At the end of day, figuratively and literally, after all is said, done, and analysed, everyone kicks off their shoes, flops into their cushy chair and lose themselves in the warm embrace of their favourite music. And in that state of bliss, no one is conscious of just how lovely the highs, lows or mids are. Just the music.

[@philipciantar4824]

Hey Sean. Any chance you will be reviewing either the 1723s or 1723 Arendal tower speakers? For 2 channel reviews I've only seen their monitors. Value to performance ratio may be top tier. Maybe.

[@dsf5362]

I had a coworker find out I was into home audio, he was looking to get in cheap. He wanted and had already picked out a turntable, but he wanted advice on speakers and a receiver. I gave him a few choices even offered to loan him some of my retired equipment. I told him of some of the reviews I've seen of inexpensive entertainment that I've seen on your channel and cheap audio mans. He ended up buying speakers and a receiver and is thrilled by the performance. I could have been a snob and said that he could not possibly enjoy a system that wasn't up to level of mine. My system is maybe a step above entry level so I'm not trying to brag or anything, I was just happy to help him get a system that fit his budget.

[@outbackwack368]

I concur! Good job not dropping names... I would have!

[@louiesipes2257]

I’m guilty of saying things are overpriced. I struggle with this

[@datbaguettedoe6436]

Well, many of them are.

[@henriksrensen3220]

@@datbaguettedoe6436 only if you can't afford it.

[@adotoshny]

I have the same. Like you are looking at the range of speakers from one particular company and think - this a middle cost ones, they every technology company holds, but what's improvements in higher tiers? Just luxury polished wood? Why 3-5 times pricer? The only answer - "it is better". This is where overpriced opinion is born.

[@z-mad3435]

I'd say one must view the price not only in terms of who can or cannot afford it, but simply in terms of value, i.e. how much performance does that price buy me on a given component, especially when compared to others. I may be able to easily afford a component but might still find it overpriced because it simply doesn't deliver the performance other equally priced or even cheaper alternatives do. So overpriced, as in not worth the asking price rather than not affordable...

[@louishamilton9648]

I can only speculate on whom you are talking about😳😤🤯

[@robertyates9008]

Hey bro what is that red speaker behind your right shoulder is it Kef or B&W the tweeter looks like a B&W tweeter, Great video my bro.

[@werefed8613]

What’s your take on changing fuses? Some say it makes a huge difference. Any experience with this ?

[@shardsofcontent4829]

I like your honesty and desire for balance. There’s always something to learn. I had, at one time, sacrificed my sheer love of music for audio gear and the pursuit of rainbows. Obsessiveness and self-justification is at the heart of any of the bitter rebukes.