I find it amusing that he says that Golden Ears don't exist...then that they do.
How typical.
I have long said that hearing is based largely on education. There's no need to assume an inherent physiological mechanism (Although there is emerging evidence that there are "super tasters," people who can, in fact, taste more acutely than others. Interestingly enough, 'super tasters' appear to produce more saliva, which in turn carries more flavor molecules to their taste buds, which gives them an edge on perceiving more subtle flavors. It's fascinating research. Whether physiological differences will ever be found in otherwise normal listeners is an open question.) when so much can be accomplished simply by teaching people to actually pay attention to what their ears are trying to tell them.
In the real world, you see this when people lose their sight. Their hearing 'becomes more acute' to compensate. Whether there is a physiological change is unimportant, at least to a first order approximation. What matters is that they hear better. Leave the how and why for later.
The trick is to learn to hear without having to lose your eyesight. I used several methods to this end, one being that I taught myself to walk through the house at night with no lights on, using only my hearing for guidance. Warning: You'll collect a fair number of bruises on your shins at first. Keep at it and you'll get better.
Although I do not bill myself as a Golden Ear, I do hear things that others do not seem to hear. I do not, and never have, claimed that my ears are superior, per se, only that I have taught myself to hear.
To say that Golden Ears do not exist, then to say that you can teach yourself to be...well, what? What do you call someone who hears well?
Er, um...might I suggest the term Golden Ear?
As for his other points, I leave them as exercises for the reader, but I will note in passing that acuity of hearing is useful in distinguishing the truth or falsehood of claims in audio. In other words, learn to hear before you mock others for hearing things. You may find yourself learning new things.
Grey
How typical.
I have long said that hearing is based largely on education. There's no need to assume an inherent physiological mechanism (Although there is emerging evidence that there are "super tasters," people who can, in fact, taste more acutely than others. Interestingly enough, 'super tasters' appear to produce more saliva, which in turn carries more flavor molecules to their taste buds, which gives them an edge on perceiving more subtle flavors. It's fascinating research. Whether physiological differences will ever be found in otherwise normal listeners is an open question.) when so much can be accomplished simply by teaching people to actually pay attention to what their ears are trying to tell them.
In the real world, you see this when people lose their sight. Their hearing 'becomes more acute' to compensate. Whether there is a physiological change is unimportant, at least to a first order approximation. What matters is that they hear better. Leave the how and why for later.
The trick is to learn to hear without having to lose your eyesight. I used several methods to this end, one being that I taught myself to walk through the house at night with no lights on, using only my hearing for guidance. Warning: You'll collect a fair number of bruises on your shins at first. Keep at it and you'll get better.
Although I do not bill myself as a Golden Ear, I do hear things that others do not seem to hear. I do not, and never have, claimed that my ears are superior, per se, only that I have taught myself to hear.
To say that Golden Ears do not exist, then to say that you can teach yourself to be...well, what? What do you call someone who hears well?
Er, um...might I suggest the term Golden Ear?
As for his other points, I leave them as exercises for the reader, but I will note in passing that acuity of hearing is useful in distinguishing the truth or falsehood of claims in audio. In other words, learn to hear before you mock others for hearing things. You may find yourself learning new things.
Grey
Interesting and maybe controversial article
to explore and maybe discuss.
If this article is a lie or not is hard to say.
If it is a total lie, there are no 'Audio Lies' at all.
If this is total truth there are at least 10 'Audio Lies'.
I think it is no lie to say some of it may be true.
How much it is up to us to find out.
If we are interested.
I am.
GRollins is at least intersted in one of these statements, too.
A little bit for those who are lazy downloading PDF:
to explore and maybe discuss.
If this article is a lie or not is hard to say.
If it is a total lie, there are no 'Audio Lies' at all.
If this is total truth there are at least 10 'Audio Lies'.
I think it is no lie to say some of it may be true.
How much it is up to us to find out.
If we are interested.
I am.
GRollins is at least intersted in one of these statements, too.
A little bit for those who are lazy downloading PDF:
For Mikeks (off topic)
Hello Mikeks,
I recently asked in another thread whether anyone could please send me a PDF or DOC file on your article on Triple VI protection. I have the original Electronics World article here, but I seem to recall you saying there was errors in it.
Would be much appreciatted. Thanks
Kevin
Email is kevin.d@dnc-electronics.com
Hello Mikeks,
I recently asked in another thread whether anyone could please send me a PDF or DOC file on your article on Triple VI protection. I have the original Electronics World article here, but I seem to recall you saying there was errors in it.
Would be much appreciatted. Thanks
Kevin
Email is kevin.d@dnc-electronics.com
the audio cryptic....blah!
Years ago I subscribed to the AudioCritic when it was new. One year I sent in my money and never received a refund after learning it went out of business. Mr. Aczel, or whoever the jerk was, took my money with no problem. I never thought too much of the man's character after that. People like that are not usually much trustworthy in anything they have to say I have learned throughout the years about human behavior.
Years ago I subscribed to the AudioCritic when it was new. One year I sent in my money and never received a refund after learning it went out of business. Mr. Aczel, or whoever the jerk was, took my money with no problem. I never thought too much of the man's character after that. People like that are not usually much trustworthy in anything they have to say I have learned throughout the years about human behavior.
So many articles are still like that - and so completly useless for discussing the problems of hypes and lies - because they are full of lies and non-information themselves. The discussion is actually so far beyond that already, thats a laugh. People like the writer of this "article" pamphlet is hardly more than the music critics, who have never been in the concert, judging music by talking, movies by reading and books by listening to gossip.
Another problem and a mystery:
This last complaint is for me the most revealing, since it connects to something I've known for years. My friend asks, Why do dark-sounding units have dark cases and bright, metallic-sounding units silver chassis? The dark thing, the solid-state thing, the "real" real thing, it's simply not credible. And so predictable.
Two points here. My friend's complaint about predictability calls to mind that sad sack of audiophile clichés into which the observationalist too often reaches for inspiration. We tend to model the vocabulary of our perceptions on that of colleagues, no few of whom are, in my opinion, inept or worse. Point two: this business about dark box, dark sound, etc.
An experiment some years back had the testers painting identical loudspeakers different colors.
Subjects reported the speakers sounding dark, bright, and so on, depending on the enclosure's color.
Is silver wire sounding bright and with a clarity in the upper range
while copper more warm and with a musical mid range?
Will cotton wrapped silver get a soft and natural tone?
While PVC plastic wrapped wire get a more artificial clinical soundstage.
This last complaint is for me the most revealing, since it connects to something I've known for years. My friend asks, Why do dark-sounding units have dark cases and bright, metallic-sounding units silver chassis? The dark thing, the solid-state thing, the "real" real thing, it's simply not credible. And so predictable.
Two points here. My friend's complaint about predictability calls to mind that sad sack of audiophile clichés into which the observationalist too often reaches for inspiration. We tend to model the vocabulary of our perceptions on that of colleagues, no few of whom are, in my opinion, inept or worse. Point two: this business about dark box, dark sound, etc.
An experiment some years back had the testers painting identical loudspeakers different colors.
Subjects reported the speakers sounding dark, bright, and so on, depending on the enclosure's color.
Is silver wire sounding bright and with a clarity in the upper range
while copper more warm and with a musical mid range?
Will cotton wrapped silver get a soft and natural tone?
While PVC plastic wrapped wire get a more artificial clinical soundstage.
Interesting that you should mention that, even as a joke. I was at a wire demonstration recently and that was exactly the difference that we "heard." Who knows, maybe it's true, but I sure wouldn't assert it as "fact" without doing a properly controlled test. If the difference we heard was real, then I am at a loss as to why it wouldn't be audible blind. Unless, of course, it's not real, just my human brain playing tricks on me. Naughty, naughty brain. Thinks about girls, then goes and fools me about wire.
I have a certain amount of sympathy with some of his opoinions but not necessarily the way they are presented. It just takes the discussion into the "Yes, it is!" --- "No, it isn't." sort of p***ing contest. I much prefer, for example, Rod Elliot's approach when he is challenging a a point of view. Namely, actual experimental data or at least a simulation. That gives you something of substance to debate.
There are somethings I won't talk about anymore. For example, if asked my opinion on cables these days, my stock (and true) answer that they bore me. And my advice is to use coat hangers or $1,000 per foot platinum plated thingees or anything in between your heart desires and leave me alone. Please.
There are somethings I won't talk about anymore. For example, if asked my opinion on cables these days, my stock (and true) answer that they bore me. And my advice is to use coat hangers or $1,000 per foot platinum plated thingees or anything in between your heart desires and leave me alone. Please.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.