Branding

You know what? Audio related hearsays are flocking out from the bat caves. Half of them are partially correct, this is a repetition of blind men and the elephant. Everyone is selling their stories from their perspective which is somewhat inconclusive. Patient, time will work its magic, the story will reveal itself in due time.

Ironically, people are saying irresponsible things with no fear of repercussion. I have in the past engaged with these people, stand down was the best thing to do. They don't worth your time. Time is better spent listening to music than listening to their unsubstantiated bullshits. A highly respected audio veteran once advised me, the sound emitted from his system is his credential and the testimony of his ability. I couldn't agree more, hands down. So, go take a listen to his system before taking in his words.

Is high-end audio the only path to the highest fidelity? I was inspired by a cook today, the simple analogy; good ingredients and a bad cook against so-so ingredients and a good cook, who do you put your bet on? Bullseye! I guess your answer is similar to mine. We are the cook of our system, the question lies in our setup ability to realize the full potential of the system. And it is more than plug and play, powered up and you have guessed it right, a big mouth. You might get away with nonexperienced audio folks with your stories, but your lies remained forever because no way you could retract what you had said. The truth will one-day prevails, maybe not tomorrow, not next month, not next year but that day will eventually come.

Now, the things about brand affection particularly the high-end ones, they don't hold all the answers to good sound. High-end audio cures no bad acoustics or corrupted power. You got to hit the nail on the head and get to the bottom of it. Your right limb is wounded, the doctor amputates your left limb, what say you. You are screwed! On acoustics issue, there are more than absorption and diffusion than one might think, that's so elementary. I would rate room acoustics and power above audio hardware. Three together, they make out of the trinity of good sound. So, when a guy comes and tells you replacing your equipment with a high-end equipment, give him a silly grin. If the guy says that he will buy from you if the equipment does not sound good in your system. You should broom him out of your house. He is taking you for a ride, your loss is his gain, that's not a way to treat a friend but a fool. The hell they and their brand affection, go take them to somewhere else. I judge a product by its sound, not brand nor aesthetic. Look at the big picture, will you?

On the other hand, some are eager to prove themselves, wanting the attention by selling bullshits. People who regard themselves too highly, unfortunately, they aren't exposed enough to draw a conclusion. A learned scholar always gives the benefits of doubt that allows for the unknown. I must say that I'm amazed by their gutsy words and claims since their system is rather unaccomplished. Their arrogance knows no bound, may I ask if they know about sound? A sterile sound is not a good sound. A lifeless sound is not a good sound. A colored sound is not a good sound. A fuzzy sound is not a good sound. A congested sound is not a good sound. You got to be kidding me! The choice of their acoustic treatment alone is good enough to shed some light into the level of their sound quality, this is coming from my experience.

We are no saint, we make mistakes, we say the wrong things but we learn from our mistakes, repent and move on. The whole encounter humbles me, makes me guard my mouth, not to make any unsubstantiated claims. It's a terrible feeling that your words come haunting you one day. You will forever carry the name. My confidence comes from my continuous learning and experimentations. My system isn't perfect, whose is? Because I have my sound priority, the naturalness of sound that obliges to play a grand piano well. Why piano? Because piano covers the most octaves in a single instrument, seven octaves plus a minor third to be exact. It is that simple.

Well, don't take my word for it. Look around you and your audio buddies, they have lost their hearing to their sight. Their buying decision is heavily influenced by the brand legacy and maybe peer pressure. Never subscribe to the idea that high-end audio is the only key to good sound, never fall into symbolic audio. Never to be a prey of the media which works on your perception. You don't have to look far to see how the media influences the voters in an election. Media becomes the darling of politicians and celebrities. No, I don't deny high-end audio's sound merit but a well setup system taking care of room acoustics and power, thing can only get better thereon. It is a different story if you want to have a symbolic system to impress your guests and your friends. If that is the case with you, go buy the most aesthetic appealing and the most exorbitantly priced audio, they do enough to separate the masses, to attain an exclusivity satisfying your self-esteem. Sound quality is irrelevant.