Who do you listen to

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karatestu
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Who do you listen to

Unread post by karatestu »

On audio matters that is.

I find it is a mistake to listen to anybody but yourself. After all it is you that has to listen to it with your ears and preferences. I think it is best that you don't worry about what others think of your system. It seems most people want a pat on the back from others who say well done that's amazing or want to impress you with how much they know (or think they know).

It seems to me the real audio enthusiasts are those that quietly beaver away with their projects and don't feel the need to show the internet world how good they think they are. I have fallen in to this trap but as you all know i know feck all.

So from now on my diy activity is for me only. I can't be arsed documenting it any more, anywhere. Sorry to anybody has actually been interested.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by Fretless »

Don't forget those who listen to you, Stu.

Your wild and wacky self-build projects are certainly a source of entertainment and information. Sorry that you're not feeling so good at the moment with a sawn-off finger and a twisted back - but don't let that get you down too much.

As you said - alcohol helps ! :obscene-drinkingdrunk:

I have found that recording various exploits here means that you have a diary of successes (and failures) to look back on when you wonder "now, what happened when I did THAT ?" and it can be really useful.

So ... Always Look on the Bright Side

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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by savvypaul »

You've put a huge amount of effort into your projects, and your posts here.

Everyone needs a break, sometimes.

I'm sure you know a lot more than when you started.

I quickly found that Richard had 'golden ears'. He worked stuff out in 20 seconds that it took me 3 or 4 tracks to realise. But what I learnt from him was not what was good or not good, but how to listen. Listen to the music, not the sound.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by slinger »

I generally try to take a consensus of opinions if at all possible. Preferably of people who may have some of the same kit as I do, like the Tinker Board for instance. Hopefully, given a bit of time and distance, you'll reconsider.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by karatestu »

Thanks for your kind words. That Monty Python cheered me up a bit. I am feeling lousy at the moment. Badly cut my thumb which wouldn't stop bleeding, did my back in just bending over :roll:

I find it very easy to get disheartened. Not that anything has gone wrong, far from it. My audio projects seem to go pretty much according to plan. The eternal speaker development has really surprised me. Designing a speaker by ear is fraught with unknowns that require lengthy listening and chin scratching to move forward but i feel great strides have been taken in the quest for my perfect experience.

I have at times been tempted to try and measure things but always talked myself out of it, thankfully. It is too easy to listen to the sound sometimes and not the music and the way it makes you feel. I blame that on reading too much on other forums to the extent that it becomes like a little devil on your shoulder nagging away. Well no more, i have had enough of that.

I need to learn to concentrate on the music only like i did when Richard was still here. Lost my way a little in that respect. Trust your own ears needs to be repeated several times a day. Have confidence in your own abilities and don't let comments on the internet sway you from the goal. Other forums are strictly a no go zone for me now - they too easily corrupt the fragile ecosystem.

There, rant over and i feel a lot better :grin:
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by SteveTheShadow »

I listen to what was/is known as “The Panel” on Audio Talk as I have been (for the past 15 years) primarily a DIY’er. I learned how to do circuitry from Morgan Jones and the panel themselves. I still listen to them for the practical ideas on how to put electronic hardware together.

The most important thing, as a DIY’er that I learned from them and latterly Richard, is that in terms of the electronics, it is the power supply that is the make or break aspect of a piece of amplification hardware. A crap circuit of course cannot be rescued by a well engineered power supply, but a great circuit, sure as hell can be completely fooked over by a crappy PSU.

Now over the past 15 years I’ve built so much stuff, I can’t even remember some of it and everything I’ve built has (to me) been the bees knees. Too enthusiastic has been my Achilles heel, and yes, it has irritated the hell out of quite a few people I know. Much given to hype and hysteria, I’ve blundered and blustered along my DIY pathway, so much that any credibility I ever had as a discerning listener and commentator on sound quality, has long since evaporated.

Only a couple of years ago, I was ready to pull the plug. In my own head, my credibility was shot and I believed (possibly with good reason) that I was either an annoying little jerk, deluded know nothing idiot, or a complete joke - take your pick. The low point had to be the little adventure with semi-omni speakers. These speakers, their cabs now probably part of some sheet of particleboard on the other side of the planet, were the straw that broke the camel’s back, such was the tide of ridicule they unleashed. The more I tried to defend them (and they were and remain THE best speakers I’ve ever had in my room at home) the worse it got, until I had to flee the forums for the sake of my own sanity. I just didn’t have the bloody-minded, dogged ‘fuck you’ attitude required to keep on with their development, in public at least. If ever I decide to revisit the semi-omni concept, you can be sure there will be NO, repeat NO mention of them EVER on a public forum.

I sympathise with Stu, but the scene needs DIYers and I would urge him to keep going and keep reporting; it makes things interesting. It’s taken me fifteen years to realise that as DIYers, we are a niche element of a niche hobby and nobody really gives two fooks what we think as we are way out on the eccentric fringe of hi-fi. We provide good copy and good entertainment. I no longer care what anyone else thinks, but it doesn’t mean I can’t publish my meanderings. I just don’t take myself, or my ravings seriously these days, and the side effect of this is that I’m enjoying my DIY more than ever and having a laugh as my system edges ever closer to a sonic and musical rapture. Age and wisdom have their uses.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by Alfi »

Sorry to hear of your injuries Stu, perhaps you should slow down a bit on the audio hobby as I feel your work and family commitments are heavy enough on their own.

With respect to your audio projects, you have inspired me hugely to have a go myself - upgrading my A20 to something much greater and now of course my tribute to the Doc project in slowly piecing together that will look like (if not perform like) a Second Statement amplifier. Both yours and Steve's work on your Doc supplied amp boards have spurned me on in the DIY world to achieve greater sounds.

I really enjoy your posts on the subject of DIY audio, but to be honest I cannot keep up with your dynamism. But at the end of the day you must follow the path that suits your particular world.

:guiness;

Best wishes.

Alfi.


PS. don't let forums like pfm get you down either.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by karatestu »

Wow, what a post Steve. That has gone a long way to make me feel sane again, thanks :guiness; I agree with all that you say to the extent that i believe we are very similar. I have built a few things (probably not as many as you) that go right back to when i started diy in 2008.

I can switch in the course of one day from being really enthusiastic about what i am creating to it being total crap and fit only for the farm skip. I must be bloody bipolar or something. Or i read something on the all knowing internet that shatters my dream in to pieces as it infers i have absolutely no chance of making anything worthy of being classed as hifi. Lowfi is the only possible result from people like me.

It has been a bit of an unhealthy obsession for me at times. I often have periods of furious activity and it is SO exciting but then the time comes when i burn out and i can't get to sleep because of some diy thoughts in my head. Then i know i have to stop and give it a rest for a while. All this time i have thought i had learned many things over the years and then Lurcher makes a comment that i did not actually learn anything and the whole pack of cards comes tumbling down.

I am not aiming to let others hear what i have made like you Steve. I personally don't see the need apart from maybe getting some honest views about how i could maybe improve them. I remember your semi omni experience at MRCU and really felt for you at the time. They were obviously in a room which was too big but at home it's a different matter altogether. Although mine probably have the fire power to fill a larger room what with the 12 inchers the concept works perfectly in a home setting. I do hope you go back to them even if in private, it is heartening to hear that you still think of them as your best speaker to date.

Are we really on the fringes of the hobby like you say ? Does nobody listen or take notice ? Maybe they don't have to take any notice as they don't actually build anything and just shell out for manufactured equipment to get their kicks. That is just not for me. I can't build everything required but i will try to do as much as possible because most things are over priced and under engineered imo. Plus the bespoke aspect of building a diy system makes it possible to do things that can't be done when putting together manufactured kit.

Sorry that you think your credibility has been shot to pieces. That is certainly not my view of you. In fact your posts here are very thought provoking, thorough and interesting. The way you describe how the music has changed after a modification certainly proves you know what you are talking about.

There is too much willy waving, ego and other nasty human characteristics going on in general in hifi forum land. It drives me mad these days, to the point that i am giving up on them (apart from this one). It is the only place i feel safe to talk bollox and give my purely subjectivist opinions about something i have made or modified. My last few forays on other forums have led to some very unhelpful and sometimes rude comments from certain people. I have had enough. Some of us want to be polite and helpful if we can whilst expecting the same in return from others. If somebody asks a question that i think i can answer then i do so in the friendliest way i can. If i ask a question and somebody replies then i make sure that i respond and thank them for their time and consideration. It is very rude not to.

Humans really can be nasty, unhelpful, rude, selfish and deliberately annoying. Time now to retreat here to the comfort zone knowing that i won't get jumped on by a bunch of objectivists. I have thought about what i said in the opening post last night and i still stand by it although i have reconsidered my intention to stop posting about my projects. I will continue documenting what i have done but i am not going to comment on sound quality or why i guess it is happening. It just opens me up to too much ridicule and know it all snide remarks. It will be like this - this is what i have done today plus a few pictures and that will be it, no mention if i think it is better or worse,

Regards, Stu
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by CN211276 »

Hope you are feeling better soon Stu. Although I am far removed from DIY I like reading your posts.
I find this forum by far the best source of advice although there is much I do not agree with. My ears will always be the judge and I am aware that we do not all hear the same thing, or like the same sound. The Internet is full of self appointed gurus and there are a few I find credible. Most spout :Bllocks: . Anyone who judges equipment through WAF speakers or subscribes to the gospel of ASR is dismissed out of hand.
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Re: Who do you listen to

Unread post by karatestu »

Alfi wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 2:46 pm Sorry to hear of your injuries Stu, perhaps you should slow down a bit on the audio hobby as I feel your work and family commitments are heavy enough on their own.

With respect to your audio projects, you have inspired me hugely to have a go myself - upgrading my A20 to something much greater and now of course my tribute to the Doc project in slowly piecing together that will look like (if not perform like) a Second Statement amplifier. Both yours and Steve's work on your Doc supplied amp boards have spurned me on in the DIY world to achieve greater sounds.

I really enjoy your posts on the subject of DIY audio, but to be honest I cannot keep up with your dynamism. But at the end of the day you must follow the path that suits your particular world.

:guiness;

Best wishes.

Alfi.


PS. don't let forums like pfm get you down either.
Thanks for your words of encouragement Alfi.

I will get over my injuries, in fact the bandage came off my hand today. My bulging disc will pop back in after a few days.

It's good to have a go isn't it and be rewarded with something which sounds good. But you do know we are deluding ourselves don't you ? How can us lesser audio mortals actually build anything of worth ? If you route that earth wire 1 mm in the wrong direction you might actually make the whole thing oscillate and blow up :lol: If we don't actually measure anything then it ain't worth a shit. It's all nonsense in the eyes of the oh great objectivist Lord. :bow-yellow:

All the best, Stu

P.S How did you know which forum i was pissed off at :lol: Back in the days of EWOTW this forum was widely seen as a vipers pit. I would suggest that the real vipers pit is in fact PFM.
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