Why You Need To LIE in High End Audio Reviews.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

* * * In the interest of being accurate and clear - if I suggested in my video the Atma-sphere no longer makes tube amps, or has repudiated tube amps as a whole that was unintentional. * * *

[@gabriellegiovanni7899]

I was surprised that atmosphere still existed…, and that they made a class D amp.

[@jmal5390]

Having spoken to Ralph a few times, I don't think that he feels tube amps are sonically inferior to class D. I think that he believes they are on their way out for other reasons. They are large, power hungry, and tubes are becoming harder to source. I also think he is an honest guy that knows more than most will ever know about audio engineering. I've never heard any of his amps, but one thing that he does not do is hype his products, which was how some of your remarks came across. Ralph is one of the good guys in the industry.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jmal5390 Maybe so, however he sure does rub a lot of people the wrong way on the forums with his condescending posts regarding tube amps and their "inferiority" to Class D. Just reading the reactions to his posts makes that clear. Also, the fact he stated on the forum yesterday that "negative reviews are unethical" doesn't really paint him as "one of the good guys". He never missed the opportunity to lecture someone on why and how tube amps are inferior.

[@jmal5390]

@@GreekAudioGeek Have you ever asked to explain what he means? I assure you he is incredibly knowledgable and what might appear to be a simple statement likely has quite a bit of supportable thinking behind it. I have not read any of his recent posts, but historically he has provided a lot of great information while patiently enduring trolls with no engineering knowledge. I think the bigger issue in audio reviews is the litigiousness of manufacturers when they get anything but a glowing review. Have you seen the recent blowup over the Tom Jones phono stage that Mend It Mark repaired in a video? Talk about exposing a piece of garbage.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jmal5390 I have asked him. Repeatedly. Then I gave up as it wasn't worth dealing with him especially after I witnessed how others were getting treated by him as well and what he was saying. I agree companies inclination to threaten/sue/harass a reviewer is a sure-fire way to do massive PR damage to themselves.

[@howardskeivys4184]

Yeh! I used to consider myself an audiophile. That is to say “someone who enjoys attentively listening to music and cares passionately about the way it’s reproduced. Not any more!!! Since discovering the KZbin audioph community I quickly realised how esoteric, patronising and elitist many audiophiles actually are. Not a group of people I’d particularly care to be associated with.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

There is a strong following of audio lovers on my FB page whom we enjoy discussing all things audio with an open mind. I don't let it get into the petty arguments like on forums. I simply delete anyone who acts like an ass. :)

[@howardskeivys4184]

👍

[@Newrecordday2013]

Great video. I couldn’t agree more.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thanks for watching!

[@AmericanAudiophile]

Needs to be said. Good video!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thank you!

[@gabriellegiovanni7899]

There’s a lot of very expensive gear that does not sound very good IMO. That being said, the problem with most reviews isn’t so much that they are all positive but that they all say mostly the same thing about every piece of gear. This leaves you not knowing much more about the gear after you read the article then before you started.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jdlech Respectfully this is kinda a mute point. It is so easy to measure and always get different results depending on hose it is measured and what gear is measured. Do you buy gear soley on spec or do you listen to it first?

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@jdlech - I have. All the time. I don't listen with my eyes. I listen with my ears.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jdlech I just don't care what you think.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jdlech LOL. Dude - you need to become less angry in life.

[@BobCoalWater]

They might be mad because a bad review could make there equipment lose value and by the way, I don't care what you say, someone that's into tweaks is an audiophile.

[@bunsw2070]

People flip out over negativity. I recently wrote a comment criticizing the movie Gladiator. I went into details of what was wrong with the movie. It didn't matter. People in their responses went completely mental.

[@tbs526-u1p]

I did the same thing I sold my Audi A3 turbo and bought a Honda Civic coupe. The best move I have done in years! By the way I have a Marantz AV receiver, Polk speakers and love it!!!!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

LOL - I'm glad I'm not the only one!

[@d.n.a5415]

You are clearly an audiophile. There’s no shame in being an audiophile. Everyone loves music. Audiophiles just prefer listening to music from the gear they adore.

[@scottlowell493]

Μιχαήλ! Stereophile has been caught hyping reviews (starting with Alon). The speakers were about as good as $499 towers back then, but they were $5000 a pair. In order to appease everyone, Stereophile amended the review. They changed it from an already too generous "C" to an "A" in the ultimate act of disingenuous shilling. They also demonstrated a pattern of praising a product as near perfect. The next year, when a new model came out, the old one suddenly had glaring issues. I wish I had a dollar for every high end component/speaker I listened to that didn't sound good...with obvious distortions or flaws. (Im talking about LOUD port noise, and tweeters that could peel paint)

[@keldherbst]

There are honest guys out there, and there are bloated egotists, who take it personal when you are honest about the crappy gear they like. But in reality, it isn't about that at all. It's about listening to music you love on a system that is satisfying your expectations. Who cares what others think about your system? When you've been in the game for over 50 years, you obviously should've learned to ignore idiots. And there are plenty around in audio.

[@martyjewell5683]

Very good point. Honest guys and honest gals. Ain't just a guy thing. It's about what you like in music reproduction, your taste (or lack thereof). As Charlie the Tuna was frequently told... StarKist don't want tuna with good taste, they want tuna that tastes good.

[@isobutylquinoline]

When things are both subjective and system dependent, this tends to happen. People need to learn how to read between the lines, find people they trust and most importantly, experiment. Audio is a personal journey of learning.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Absolutely true. The only thing that matters about your gear is if you like it.

[@asparagoosagus5954]

When you can emotionally handle negative opinions on things you like you can also gain useful insight from reviewers you disagree with because you can get a gauge of how their tastes relate to your own

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Well said.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Hello, internet. Nice to meet you. 😂

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Howdy sir!

[@PlaybackMansion]

Hey, it's the guy who got threatened with a lawsuit because his review was honest and technically rigorous! Glad you stood up for yourself Erin!

[@grandmasterjo1]

The fact of the matter is most who do reviews on audio gear are paid to say what they say. PERIOD. I SAY MOST Audio is subjective It’s personal Everyone’s ears hear differently Audio cosmetics also play on the mind It’s difficult to tell between a $1000 and $2000 amplifier Both are good But does the more expensive one sound twice better ? The difference in sound is subtle but definitely there. What one sees on the scope is not necessarily heard Again it’s the language in convincing the buyer how good the amp is. Buying the best system and having the worst room acoustics makes different reports What you hear is what you get. Not what you pay is what you get The music on debates is better than the noise in music 🤪🤪🤪🤪

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Completely agree with you. Some audiophiles in this hobby are simply whiners. Thanks for calling this out!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thanks for watching!

[@RalphOnofrio]

Great video.....I'm not one of THOSE audiophiles.....BUT.....I do still play my LP's and my 45's..Also have a TAPE recorder.and a cassette player..I have new and old equipment, and I use it all....and happy with it...I'm also a drummer and songwriter.I record my original music...That being all said,The ONLY thing that tortures me, are these CD's that are so highly compressed that they hurt my ears.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Hello and thanks for your comment. I really do think the older gear and new gear that is of the older designs is better than much of the ?new" deisgns. I agree compressed sound robs us of the magic of music.

[@theodoregarland3509]

Good car analogy! I sort of feel like you driving the Audi when I am playing records or my tube gear. I fear the wear and worry about when I should replace the stylus or tubes.

[@PlaybackMansion]

Yassou! Another trend is companies threatening lawsuits if a review isn't positive enough. Even if they're bluffing it's chilling I just watch reviewers whose description of products match how I hear them. I ignore reviews that come out on "release dates" because those reviewers have a relationship with the company that they probably don't want to compromise

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Yes - you are right!

[@paulpavlou9294]

I agree with lots of what you have to say. I too love tube amps and lots of vintage gear. I’m still chasing the sound of a system I heard 50 years ago. And I do love the sound my own system. I do understand that some reviewers are doing it full time for a living and need to make money to do what they do. However I wish that they made it clear at the begin of each review that they are being sponsored or paid for the review.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Hi Paul - I totally support people making money off their hard work and time spent for reviews. They SHOULD be able to get pair. Just be honest and transparent about it and no one will have a problem with it. For instance there are two come to mind that charge either $600 or $1500 just for them to walk into your room in a show and mention it. No pay means they won't even walk in. So if they mention the room you know it's not that they liked it - it's that they were PAID to pretend they did. And it makes you wonder about the award lists that the group that claims they are in this "part time" have recently posted - how much might it cost to be on that list since they won't cover any room in a show unless you pay them?

[@VinylLatte]

“It only matters what you think” 👈 that’s it right there. Anytime someone gives me crap about what I say in a review, I encourage them to buy the product themselves and get their own experience. We all hear things differently, thus we’ll all have a different view on how something sounds. Just go and experience it yourself.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Exactly! It really is that simple.

[@davidspendlove5900]

Your own ears are the only review you require , take everything else with a pinch of salt.

[@jozefserf2024]

Poor advice. You can't listen to all recordings and inaccurate playback will suit some recordings better and others worse. Why not give them all a good chance?

[@Hi-FiChess]

That's exactly what the problem is, there are way too many emotionally fragile people. We all have different hearing and hear frequencies at different levels. A basic hearing test will tell you exactly that.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I agree. It's simple - why can't we just respect other people personal opinion on such a completely subjective hobby?

[@Hi-FiChess]

@@GreekAudioGeek I think it’s a combination of the results of everybody gets a trophy, which in turn created emotionally fragile people and that way too many people turn it into a D measuring contest. Saying you don’t like what they like is insulting their manhood almost. I think those two play a big role in all the hostility.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Agreed. Any differing opinion is viewed as "aggressive" and "confrontational". They have zero critical thinking skills.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Great video!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thank you sir! Looking forward to finding a date to meet up.

[@dannyrichie9743]

@@GreekAudioGeek Figure it out and let me know.

[@ChrisMag100]

I just finished reading the review and many of the comments on that thread. Here’s my opinion. There’s nothing wrong with what he wrote. That said, I can guess easily what kind of sound the writer prefers based on the associated gear he’s running. While I haven’t heard the amps in question, I was offered a set for evaluation, by a guy I know who from an audio society. He really seems to like the Atmasphere class D monos. He normally runs OTL amps and Quad electrostats. Not my jam, but I understand the appeal. Regarding the content of the review, I have concerns. First, he’s powering the amps through a PS Audio Quintet. That distributor is a run of the mill choke-filtered distributor, similar to products from Furman and others. Personally, I have run into odd interactions with class D amps, and specific other equipment with SMP supplies and certain power products which worked very will with other gear. At a mimimim, the reviewer should have tried the amp without his DIY power cords and PS Audio distributor. Secondly, he complains about a lack of dynamics. Again, strange, but okay. Why not try to figure out why? The power output of the Atma amps is comparable to the benchmark. Output impedance is suitably low, but not as low as the Mola Mola Perca I run as a reference. Higher output impedance will lower the damping factor. The Atma and benchmark amps seem to have similar specs in that regard. The gain of the Atma-Sphere Class D amps is 22db. Most modern solid state amps are over 28db (THX spec), including the AHB2. Input impedance of the Atmasphere amps is 100k ohms, double that of the AHB2. This decision was probably made to optimize for a tube preamp, which often need a relatively high input impedance. No clear mention of what he used as a preamp. He mentions having a Benchmark on hand, but doesn’t say what, if any preamp he used. For all we know, he drove them directly off a DAC, which in itself could have been a factor, especially if he uses really long interconnects. We don’t know, but unbuffered outputs into a low gain input stage with a high impedance might not yield a good result. He describes using Mogami speaker cable and interconnects. Which ones? He sells them on his page, but doesn’t tell you what you’re buying. Did he use the WEL interconnects or the Mogami? Again, which Mogami cables? Balanced or single ended? How was he controlling volume? Digital volume control in a streaming app or analog? How long were the amps powered on before he decided to listen to them? He mentions using the PS Audio to provide a 12v trigger, which could mean they had been powered off up until he listened. Was he also powering class AB amps through the Quintet to do quick swaps? If so, what is the idle draw of those amps? I could go on but I won’t. It’s a poorly done review. I have no association with Atmasphere but, I have done limited hifi review work and in the 90’s, I worked in the industry. If I had been in this guy’s shoes, I’d have reached out to Ralph, the designer. It doesn’t seem like he did that. In fact, the most recent post in that thread is from Ralph, who gives some background on previous issues they had with the reviewer in question. I’ve never heard of that guy or that site until today. No idea if he’s being sincere or if there’s bias involved. Maybe his impression is legit. Maybe it’s a hack job. Ralph is constantly posting to various forums and everything I’ve even seen suggests he’s a guy who has a solid rep and is often very helpful to DIY and hifi buyers who want more knowledge about the reasons behind design choices.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I fellow reviewer commented to some of us on the review of the Atma-sphere amps. His exact words were "he bought one and had nothing but issues so he returned it. He received another to review and had nothing but issues so canceled the review". I've yet to hear a positive comment from someone non-biased or paid about their experience with Atma-sphere

[@edwinperez125]

Hear hear!!! Listening is what is needed for an expert to comment on anything in audio. Great video commentary

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thanks for commenting and watching!

[@052RC]

Overall, this is a good topic to have a discussion on. However, I think there's one piece you're missing in all this. And its easy to overlook. I'm somewhat familiar with 10audio. He's just a guy that's really into audio, and does semi professional reviews on gear he has experience with. Even if I don't always share the same opinion with him, I believe he's being honest. He's reviewed some class D amps and gave them very high scores, and others he gives very low scores. He's clearly not a hater of class D like so many people are. When you see people attacking negative reviews and comments on class D amps, they're usually not audiophiles. Its just the opposite. For some reason, the concept of high end audio offends certain people to the core. They see something that triggers them, and they hate. If you watch the arguments carefully, you'll see most of the haters are not audiophiles. They just take time out of their lives to criticize how other people spend their money. They typically have little to no experience with the gear they hate. To them, everyone should own class D amps. They measure good so there's no reason to buy something different. Simply put, they want you to do it their way and get upset if you don't. Eventually, you'll figure out that this has nothing to do with audio equipment, and has everything to do with emotions. For example, they always talk about science, but when you ask them to reference some type of test or evaluation where actual science was used to validate the results, they can't. Some of these arguments have been going on for decades, and they refuse to do any real science and settle the matter. That's what most people miss. They cry science but won't do any. As for an excess amount of positive reviews, that's completely explainable. There are 2 main reasons for this. Most reviewers try to review products they like. For example, a reviewer sees a product they like at one of the big shows, and asks to review it. The chances for a bad review are pretty low because their previous experience. The other reason is industry related. There is less to complain about with new equipment. For example, back in the 70's and 80's, there was solid state gear that sounded like solid state gear, and tube gear had its own sound. As the years go by, companies that make solid state gear have been trying to design their equipment that shares some of the properties of tube gear. Manufacturers of tube gear, have been trying to emulate solid state in some ways. With each new generation of equipment, designers keep working on the weakness in their designs. So far, its been going fairly well, and that means there's just less to complain about.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Lots of great points in your comment.

[@dtracy03ss]

@052RC Heck I love anything that Reproduces a Sound I like , not Bright and Forward to the point that you get a Headache, BUT Some People like that ? I Prefer Class A all the way to G and whatever comes next! Like Tubes too, but Dang I'm more of a 200 WPC guy and I realize Tube is more of a Voltage rated thing but the Prices for High Power Tube Equipment just hurts my Budget too much, AGAIN I'm for Anything that makes Beautiful Music ! That's why I Like the GREEK!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@052RC Thank you sir!

[@timessquarerecordscom1469]

I agree Sound went backwards from the early days I went back to mono Using a Fairchild mono cartridge all vacuum tubes Emotional

[@ΑπόστολοςΑλεξίου-κ2μ]

Hello from Greece!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Hello!

[@ΑπόστολοςΑλεξίου-κ2μ]

I admire your videos! Keep the good work! 👍

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thank you so much! What part of Greece are you in?

[@ΑπόστολοςΑλεξίου-κ2μ]

Originally I am from Trikala, Thessaly and now I live in Nea Artaki, Euboea. Where are you from?

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Kalamata

[@jozefserf2024]

A dishonest reviewer is a criminal. No one likes wasting money. Comparative reviews tend to be more useful because they can highlight dofferences - cool v warm, laid back v dynamic, bright v dull, smiley or frown frequency curve, bass performance etc

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Comparative reviews are only relevant on that system, in that room, with that system synergy and to that one person's ears.

[@TomSherwood-z5l]

Presumably if you are making low production high dollar gear, you want high praise to justify the high price. I have heard some reviewers say, they just don't review bad gear so no hands down scathing reviews. Implying that if they did not review it, must be worthless. I got tired of buying costly glossy magazines of audio some time ago. I just got to be satisfied with what I have for the time being.

[@roscoejones4515]

Of course i had to read that '10 Audio' review you referred to, then root around on the web for pissed off babies. Found a couple on something called 'Audio Shark' (apparently the whiners are owners of the Amas Phere amps in question, shock!), yes, Ralph Karsten chimed in (he has always had a presence on the web, has always struck me as a good dude). I was buoyed to see most of the comments were supporters of the 10 Audio reviewer! So maybe there's hope yet. "The root cause of the problems is that in the modern world, idiots are sure of themselves while the intelligent are full of doubts" Bertrand Russell.

[@DAVID-io9nj]

Yes, big difference between a musicphile, and an audiophile. Most audiophiles are really only interested in the gear, the more unique and esoteric, the better.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I admittedly like both but the musical flow and enegagement is always paramount for me personally.

[@scottsimonds6214]

The people who decry negative reviews likely have some emotional attachment to the equipment being reviewed. They may have fondness or own the brand, topology or even the particular piece of equipment under review, in these cases easy to understand their response. For instance, I'm into SET and horn loudspeakers, over the years I've seen plenty of negative reviews of these topologies from both objectivist (measurement) and subjective camps. I couldn't care less, I made my choices to please my own ears. I've heard plenty of high end systems using other topologies over the years, some are pleasing to my ears, others not. People forget subjective reviews are just that, they are one person's opinion. If you need validation, go find a positive review of your equipment, no doubt you'll find it.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I agree. People are emotionally needy and unless they receive constant positive reinforcement and receive participation-trophies they melt down.

[@jeffreylehman1159]

The only opinion that REALLY matters is yours. There is no perfect speaker, amp, or system. So, listen to what you want. Same goes for music.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jeffreylehman1159 10000% true.

[@JohnHughes-ng6qi]

What forum is all this drama on? I don't see it in my regulars.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Audio Shark.

[@marksironi3324]

Well sure, everyone wants negative reviews of the things they hate and fantastic reviews for the things they love. And that tube tester is sexy. I haven't seen one of those in a long time. I am sadly old enough to have walked to the pharmacy to test and buy new tubes for our TV.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thanks for watching. I'm loving the tube test so far.

[@dtracy03ss]

Even Better on the Atmas amps they're going up over a Grand on Jan 1st By the way you Love Live Tubes, I Live Love non tube. Although I Bought the Advance Paris A12 which has a couple tubes in the Pre amp section, still Love watching your vids , because I really like to be open to any type of music reproduction!!!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Increase over $1000? Wow. That's crazy.

[@dtracy03ss]

@GreekAudioGeek I'm More of a Vintage Equipment with Modern , by that I mean the A12, and Pioneer SX1280 fully restored and updated Cost actually was 500 More than the A12, Teac VRDS 701 and Pioneer CT-A9X Cassette, Modern all the way on Turntable and Parasound Preamp, and a Geshelli Labs J2 Maxed out with 4499 Chips, and a Node X Streamer also of Coarse great Power Protection and Conditioner. Thanks for All you show us! Forgot the Spendor Classic 100s and JBL L100s With KLH Model 5s for Variety!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Sounds like you have some nice gear!

[@Philflash]

Nice channel 👍

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thanks!

[@arthurroberts5474]

What a lot of melodrama.

[@flyingjeff1984]

I'd like a list of the names of the paid reviewers. Those folks would be blocked by me in a heartbeat.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

First and foremost any "reviewer" who is also a dealer by default has a major conflict of interest, right? Whether it be trashing brands they don't sell or doing the old "pump and dump" routine of gear. Like when one of them keeps saying he's looking out for you, but then does a video trashing a brand because they would accept him as a dealer but he leaves that last part out. The big guy gets $1500 to cover a room at a show or he won't talk about it. The people whose in their name says they are not in it full time are also pay-for-play for show coverage. I've heard their rate starts at $600 and if you don't pay they will pretend your room / company doesn't exist. Again - to be clear - I FULLY SUPPORT people getting paid for their work. Just be transparent about it and don't pretend you are only covering a brand or a room because it's "one of the best sounding rooms" when in fact it's only because they paid you. Just my personal opinion.

[@renesklangwelt4393]

Block them ALL - and you will have your peace of mind. Do you want to watch trash all your life? 😁😇

[@Lif-999]

Hahaha. What a can of worms you've opened! And yes, I broadly agree with most of your sentiments. But I do refute the statement that you are NOT an audiophile! And here - in my humble opinion - is why: If you own more than 1 DAC, or 1 preamp, or 1 amplifier, or 1 pair of speakers, you are an audiophile. If your interconnects and speaker cables add up to more than £200, you are an audiophile. If you have more than 1 main system, you are an audiophile. If your system[s] cost more than [lets say] £1000 each, you are an audiophile. And if you have a dedicated listening room, guess what, you are an audiophile. So how many of the above criteria do you fulfill? Most - if not all - I'll wager. This then makes you [and me both] audiophiles! What an unedifying thought!!! But don't worry! If [like me] you rail against the very idea of being classed as such. Because I believe that audiophiles fall into broadly two camps: the gear snob audiophile and the music lover audiophile. Now I know which type I conform too. And you...? Cheers for all the content Michael. Addendum: For all the easily triggered out there! The above is not meant to be taken too seriously, ok! So if you do feel the outrage and vitriol arising, might I suggest you source some nice soothing music for your - no doubt expensive - system, and chill.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Hey - thanks for your great post. My personal opinion has changed over the years. I used to think I was an audiophile, but now I've come to think of audiophiles as people who dissect music listening looking for everything that is wrong rather than putting the overall musical engagement first. I'd like to think I put the music first, and the gear second. I hope that makes sense.

[@Lif-999]

@@GreekAudioGeek Absolutely. It is your passion that comes across the most.

[@carminedesanto6746]

Good afternoon ☕️🍩☃️ The Aufio/ fool and their money are soon parted .

[@michaelmityok1001]

Yup. But then again hypocrisy is a fairly common affliction generally 🙄

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Very true.

[@3dScience_uk]

heyyyy amazing t-shirt

[@martyjewell5683]

Whether high end or budget quality audio, fair "unbiased" reviews seem a thing of the past. Not saying that audio publications from the 1970's didn't fudge reviews or accept "tweaked" components for a swell review. But three magazines did do honest reviews; Consumer Guide, High Fidelity and Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/Hifi Equipment gave brutally honest reviews. Now with internet access any numbnut can claim to be an audio expert. I never liked the word Audiophile as it invoked a certain amount of snobbery. Audio Enthusiast seems a more correct phrase.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I agree with you about the terminology. I don't want to be called an audiophile any longer.

[@gtronn74]

❤

[@peterbigblock]

Yassou, Mike!

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Thank you!

[@markrigg6623]

Music lovers use their systems to listen to music. Audiophiles use music to listen to their systems.

[@andreabincoletto8609]

Of course, audiophilia is an hobby, targeted to get the best possible sound, by means of gear. A music lover is a very different thing. Stop this BS, you genius.

[@JoseGarcia-oo4mc]

Excelente 👍

[@fivish]

Tubes were obsolete in 1970. Nothing better in speakers since 1980. Class AB amps are excellent. My qualification are decades in audio R&D and Member AES.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

You sure you don't mean 1972 or 1975? Since we are throwing out arbitrary years and completely false statements like "class AB is the way to go" I wanted to join in. There is not a single solid state amp made that can compete with the organic-ness of of a quality tube amp.

[@mosfet500]

I disagree. Qualifications don't mean you hear any better than anyone else. I'll take class D over A/B any day.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@mosfet500 That's your personal choice which means there is no right or wrong answer.

[@mosfet500]

@@GreekAudioGeek Yes and no. For accuracy of reproduction and efficiency class D wins out. With that said, yes, that has nothing to do with musicality any more than distortion does. Nelson Pass did an interesting experiment years ago. He sat people down and played different systems to them. What a good majority of people prefer is distortion, second harmonics mostly. He designed his amps for that distortion and you can see it if you look at the FFT's of his very popular amps. Here's where class D comes in, because it is so accurate (if you don't believe me listen to Bruno Putzey who is the preeminent expert on class D) you can contour preamps to give the sound you personally like, which I do, BTW. I design mostly preamps, tube preamps and this is where I add the second harmonics (Nelson does it Jfets). It's much easier to add harmonics in the preamp than power amp which is a current device. I mate tube preamps with class D and save all the expense of tube and transformer output stages. You can make a class A/B amp that almost equals a class D amp for accuracy but it will never equal it in efficiency which means that the power stage has to be very robust, which means it will be very expensive unless you use an SMPS which for some reason people think is inferior but isn't! It's better, much better, just like class D. So you can achieve a much better amp for your money with class D and more accurate sound too boot. The key is the low power preamp and that's where you should focus your attention. What I suggest you do, since you like tubes, is to audition a class D power amp with a the tube preamp of your choice and see if I'm wrong.

[@jeffreylehman1159]

@@mosfet500you make a lot of really good points here, especially about harmonic distortion. I have been thinking about building a new system using a tube pre and class d amp, so I found your post very on point.

[@sunshine242-l4y]

This is one of the reasons I don’t offer my experience in forums and heck, even at the store. You offer a differing opinion and it’s like you are personally attacking people with how people respond. I thought this was supposed to be fun. I would say manufacturers can behave the same way. It’s just unfortunate though for the people trying to research all that they can in order to make an informed buying decision that the conversation can get skewed quite a bit.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I totally agree.

[@Keith-ux9ku]

Wonderful to see someone who understands the need for a tube tester.

[@crBudgetWatches]

I don’t like McIntosh amps , I have tried a few and always come back to my Rotel costing many thousand less. But if I say it to my friends I get cancelled immediately.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

There is no "right or wrong" when it comes to audio. If you like the way it sounds better, that is all that matters. I have found that typically Mc lovers are a unique breed of people. Ask them how do they feel now that they own gear that is now owned my Bose - the antithesis of anything high end.

[@kellygreenii]

Disagree. Critical listening is a skill. So one person may hear differently because he has a more discerning ear. Now what they think and feel about what they hear IS subjective. But there has always been a diminishing return relationship between cost and quality. A $2000 piece of gear may only sound 5-10% better than a $1000 one The questions are: Can you hear that difference personally? (some can, some can’t.) …and is that small difference worth the difference in cost (some say yes, other know). But some set themselves up for disappointment by expecting dramatic differences.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

" A $2000 piece of gear may only sound 5-10% better than a $1000 one". Respectfully, you must have very limited experience with low-end gear with gear to think that is true.

[@kellygreenii]

@ I’m a musician and my father was an audiophile. Bought my first stereo 40 years ago.

[@sunshine242-l4y]

Next hot take/can of worms video: equipment listening comparison videos.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

LOL.

[@fonkenful]

@@GreekAudioGeekSpeaker sound clips. OK, I have to be honest here, properly done - such as by Ron at New Record Day - I think you can hear differences between speakers, or even room acoustic treatments when listening to a binaural in room recording on headphones, but I’m probably in the minority.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@Fonkenful - I agree with you when done right you can hear a difference. How much you can tell from that is debatable as you are also hearing the room as well as the speakers.

[@fonkenful]

@@GreekAudioGeekAbsolutely. Next topic - “what does a perfect room sound like?”

[@phillipmorris9847]

You torture me with all your rediculously overpriced tweaks 😪😂

[@GreekAudioGeek]

I try. ;)

[@gregquinn9429]

OK - won't listen to you anymore bye🔊

[@GreekAudioGeek]

Great! Thank you!

[@suwatt6019]

Audiophiles are a fun bunch lol. Hey why won't you review this turd?! Because it's a turd...

[@burton7023]

Most so called audiophile are liberal elites I've been in this hobby longer than most of these so called reviewers but according to them 40 years isn't enough to know anything 😂😂😂

[@GreekAudioGeek]

No one has the right to tell anyone what they hear, don't hear or if they are wrong when it comes to a 100% subjective hobby such as audio.