tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post532225756352941834..comments2024-03-28T00:31:13.472-07:00Comments on <em>Archimago's Musings</em>: DEMO: Listening to the Cayin RU6 R-2R noise and distortions with headphone load. Confirming subjective impressions. And Jim Austin / Stereophile's "Thoughts On Reviewing".Archimagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-596385823705837562022-10-03T03:39:55.080-07:002022-10-03T03:39:55.080-07:00What made me purchase the RU6 was the (however fal...What made me purchase the RU6 was the (however fallible) A-B testing here: https://youtu.be/nxrhRBiqt2I DSD type DAC simply sounds a small nuance drier.<br /><br />As for subjective testing the source makes some difference according to my hearing :) (Mobile phone is worse than Ipad Pro 2021 even with Dolby Atmos disabled on the phone which initially confused me). I think any device at max volume Rune J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00533369413024774262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-7067635612845589172022-10-03T03:29:58.119-07:002022-10-03T03:29:58.119-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Rune J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00533369413024774262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-39818971845584324772022-02-26T10:12:34.541-08:002022-02-26T10:12:34.541-08:00Hi DColby,
"this is ridiculous and just prov...Hi <em>DColby</em>,<br /><br /><em>"this is ridiculous and just proves that these guys writes reviews based on their feelings and trust that we will take all this bullshit for granted"</em><br /><br />Yup, at the heart of it, it's mostly about "feelings" if we're all just being honest. Obviously, I cannot imagine Jim Austin (or the other usual suspects) ever agreeing Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-66807703376385890192022-02-26T09:59:23.906-08:002022-02-26T09:59:23.906-08:00I no longer subscribe to any audio magazine and th...I no longer subscribe to any audio magazine and this article reminds me that I made the right decision.<br /><br />I recently tried to determine which output would serve me best: Realtek Optical Digital Output (toslink) or Kernel streaming (USB). To switch from one to the other, I had to change the parameters in the playing software and select the appropriate DAC input: this takes about 30 DColbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02194041666378116593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-86461796402699927922022-02-25T19:46:23.118-08:002022-02-25T19:46:23.118-08:00Well said Charles,
I agree, this is the awful &quo...Well said <em>Charles</em>,<br />I agree, this is the awful "potential" that the advertising arm of basically any company or Industry would never want to be open about. As far as I can tell, 2-channel audio devices at least, especially DACs, CD players, streaming devices are already <em>mature</em> as technologies when it comes to accurate high-resolution reproduction devices. There is Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-334411007338372122022-02-25T18:34:16.747-08:002022-02-25T18:34:16.747-08:00Thanks G, good to know that "Level 8" is...Thanks <em>G</em>, good to know that <strong>"Level 8"</strong> is what I'm aiming for as a start. ;-)<br /><br />I'll have a peek at that ASR link and see if I can get my own music going. Still going to be arduous not allowing my own music for the formal (non-practice) sessions although I can understand why. I think it would be quite easy to cheat otherwise. Just wish there Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-73395465161158545622022-02-25T17:58:35.350-08:002022-02-25T17:58:35.350-08:00Great, thanks Mikhail,
Will keep an eye on that on...Great, thanks <em>Mikhail</em>,<br />Will keep an eye on that one as well. Nice seeing the various options out there. ;-)Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-18168490944372151232022-02-25T02:03:42.418-08:002022-02-25T02:03:42.418-08:00As far as the 'next level' goes, I mention...As far as the 'next level' goes, I mentioned this on ASR, but it bears repeating. In his review of the ridiculously spendy CH D1.5 transport, Jim Austin lets slip a revealing comment, "One of the reasons that audio is so addictive—and takes such a big hit on our pocketbooks—is that we get used to a certain level of performance. We raise our systems to a certain level and acclimate. Charles Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09657251150380437112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-32742764935861381062022-02-21T19:36:25.467-08:002022-02-21T19:36:25.467-08:00"Thanks G,
Interesting test software... I did..."Thanks G,<br />Interesting test software... I didn't do any pretraining and spent a few trials listening to the first track and got tired by Level 6 after 26 trials (start at Level 2 I think). There's only so long a guy can tolerate listening to the "How long has this been going on?" track. ;-)<br /><br />Definitely will need to devote more time to this to "rise up Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14918823338469326910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-57190868953194297662022-02-21T19:09:17.382-08:002022-02-21T19:09:17.382-08:00Archimago, G, there is also great ear training sof...Archimago, G, there is also great ear training software accompanying the book "Technical Ear Training" by J. Corey: https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/jason-corey/technical-ear-training. There is no "certification" as with Harman's program, however you can enjoy growth of your technical listening skills, and it allows using your favorite tracks.Mikhailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247181793198240403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-64320557443035575212022-02-21T10:31:55.312-08:002022-02-21T10:31:55.312-08:00Hey Unknown,
I've been criticized by some that...Hey <em>Unknown</em>,<br />I've been criticized by some that I say too much about <strong>"mQa"</strong> in the blog which was why I avoided bringing it up here simply because the issues with <em>Stereophile</em> and how Austin, Atkinson, <em>et al.</em> think are IMO fundamentally flawed regardless of MQA.<br /><br />You are right, the whole MQA debacle is a symptom of the Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-7068995170906079212022-02-21T04:04:34.413-08:002022-02-21T04:04:34.413-08:00Arch-
Just went and read the JA column. It's s...Arch-<br />Just went and read the JA column. It's seems like some sort of new age nonsense. But I better understand now why he and his writers still support that failed format, MQA. His POV leads to nonsense conclusions and self-delusional responses like the ones over there to MQA. Dannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00895051757855940430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-89709591333662776872022-02-20T20:31:12.791-08:002022-02-20T20:31:12.791-08:00Thanks G,
Interesting test software... I didn'...Thanks <em>G</em>,<br />Interesting test software... I didn't do any pretraining and spent a few trials listening to the first track and got tired by Level 6 after 26 trials (start at Level 2 I think). There's only so long a guy can tolerate listening to the "How long has this been going on?" track. ;-)<br /><br />Definitely will need to devote more time to this to "rise upArchimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-27763296638745970662022-02-20T18:36:01.122-08:002022-02-20T18:36:01.122-08:00"I still think at the very least, there shoul..."I still think at the very least, there should be some kind of minimum standard "certification program" for subjective reviewers (like this). Not likely to happen ever, but if one is serious, listener training I think is a must." <br /><br />Dr Sean Olive et al of Harman International have developed just such a program to train the listeners used for their research (requiring Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14918823338469326910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-57193123836394027502022-02-20T16:17:01.007-08:002022-02-20T16:17:01.007-08:00Yeah, I like the use of the word "exceptional...Yeah, I like the use of the word "exceptionalism" here as well, <em>Doug</em>.<br /><br />There is an air of superiority, elitism, self-importance among the gurus which by association gets endowed upon the acolytes who follow along. This relates as well to what AudioPhil below discusses about the tier system of Class A/B/C which provides a hierarchy to where one belongs within this Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-66814918738488074922022-02-20T15:30:36.325-08:002022-02-20T15:30:36.325-08:00Hey AudioPhil,
Well, tell us how you really feel. ...Hey <em>AudioPhil</em>,<br />Well, tell us how you <em>really</em> feel. ;-) I think as Voltaire once observed: <strong>"When it is a question of money, everbody is of the same religion."</strong><br /><br />Really the only way to be free to speak about this stuff without fears of repercussions is to ensure that there be no conflicts of interest, with financial reward being <em>numero Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-28473047510445973112022-02-20T15:01:55.740-08:002022-02-20T15:01:55.740-08:00Thanks for the note Phil,
Great to hear you're...Thanks for the note <em>Phil</em>,<br />Great to hear you're having fun with the RME ADI-2 DAC. Definitely a different listening experience comparing that with the Cayin RU6!<br /><br />I think you've touched on the fact that there are <em>multiple intents</em> that we as audiophiles can speak to. These are some of the important nuances which often get lost when we might talk about "Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-165515156301823152022-02-20T13:24:11.578-08:002022-02-20T13:24:11.578-08:00AudioPhil, I fully agree with your words. There is...AudioPhil, I fully agree with your words. There is an unhealthy loop of reviewers "leading" the crowd and the industry, and at the same time being led by the marketing departments of the industry who suggest them which particular features of their expensive machinery to advertise. The result is a complete technical confusion for buyers. Here is an example that struck me recently: when Mikhailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247181793198240403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-70396469374713632302022-02-20T08:57:13.994-08:002022-02-20T08:57:13.994-08:00Yeah Doug, I was thinking the same thing (and you ...Yeah Doug, I was thinking the same thing (and you used a great word "exceptionalism")and how Jim Austin's writing naturally appeals to others that also like to think of themselves as exceptional. It allows them to justify $10,000 DACs and idiosyncratic designs that don't measure well. <br /><br />Yeah Arch, I bought my SVS actives about 9 months into the pandemic when it became JoethePophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05131188466458926859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-53124731060108598862022-02-20T07:49:00.537-08:002022-02-20T07:49:00.537-08:00"praises the research done by Dr. Floyd Toole..."praises the research done by Dr. Floyd Toole to “…uncover patterns in human emotional response.” And then he effectively dismisses its importance because “…what you learn from such research reveals little of interest about any individual in the group."" Those phrases triggered me too. <br /><br />It seems to be a common tool for laying baseless claims and recruiting disciples. Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12981828921649308703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-33034232427291569632022-02-20T00:05:22.157-08:002022-02-20T00:05:22.157-08:00Greetings Joe,
I think I spent way too much time o...Greetings <em>Joe</em>,<br />I think I spent way too much time on this Austin article ;-). But since he's the Editor-In-Chief of <em>Stereophile</em>, I just found the content too disappointing not to at least try to parse out the intent in more detail, especially as a general message aimed at reviewers at large!<br /><br />That part about Dr. Toole is odd. I mean, it's one thing to Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-49005559481857613952022-02-19T23:37:12.650-08:002022-02-19T23:37:12.650-08:00Hi Vaal,
Yes, I agree. Subjective reviews can be e...Hi <em>Vaal</em>,<br />Yes, I agree. Subjective reviews can be <strong>entertaining</strong> and many of them can help us figure out if a certain device is worthwhile. I like when the subjective review is practical and the reviewer is able to show the utility of a product, or describing likes and dislikes of the design.<br /><br />If a person has good ears, sure, the description of the sound Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-43292143039623267792022-02-19T22:47:14.258-08:002022-02-19T22:47:14.258-08:00Moving over to my take on Jim Austin's article...Moving over to my take on Jim Austin's article, we need to consider that Stereophile audio equipment reviews on $50K speakers and $20K front ends serve a much different purpose than Consumer Reports reviews on toasters. <br />Having gone down that rabbit hole to some extent earlier in my life, and to have evolved considerably over the past decade, I will say that for many "audiophiles&AudioPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08106888598140626861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-23553469872939539702022-02-19T22:42:44.166-08:002022-02-19T22:42:44.166-08:00Hey Arch, got a few thoughts I want to share first...Hey Arch, got a few thoughts I want to share first on my personal experience with the RU6 and on my interpretation of Jim Austin's article from another perspective.<br />First, thanks for some more rigorous testing of the RU6 to further elaborate on the distortions noted in your original review. I'd like to add a few more thoughts on my experience with it now that I've had it for a AudioPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08106888598140626861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-30388686607289938932022-02-19T17:16:48.740-08:002022-02-19T17:16:48.740-08:00Hey Arch, I see you have spent far more time tryin...<br />Hey Arch, I see you have spent far more time trying to understand and analyze Jim Austin’s article than I was willing to. Thanks for that. What did strike me as needing little analyzing on my part to disagree with was the same bit you included. First he praises the research done by Dr. Floyd Toole to “…uncover patterns in human emotional response.” And then he effectively dismisses its JoethePophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05131188466458926859noreply@blogger.com