postjack

I can kind of understand both sides of this argument, but certain anti-slander practices are what makes me veer strongly to the "fuck you, fuck your business, and fuck your shitty product" side of the issue. But HF started out as a smaller group, a "subculture" of the audiophile community (as steve hoffman put it), and as such everyone was buddies. Its kind of like if your friend has a band, and they are just "OK". Its not really your type of music, but the scene at the shows is fun, and your friend has a really great time playing. Do you tell your friend his band sucks asshole? Do you tell everyone not to waste their money on your friend's band's CD, to buy the new Spoon record instead, since its a much better value for your money? Or do you goto the shows, and encourage them to continue playing, and try to get others to come as well? But then if the band is Creed, and you don't know Scott Stapp, its much easier to say they suck asshole, and to tell others not to waste their money. So maybe five years ago everyone at HF was buddy buddy and it was all good, but I signed up a year ago, and I don't know Mikhail. I don't know Ray Samuels*. I don't know what their dreams are, I don't know their families, I don't know what their favorite food is. Hell, I don't even know what kind of music they listen to. I wasn't "there" at the beginning. The only time I've ever seen either of them post are when they are hawking a new product. So what obligation do I have to be polite to them about their products? Why in the world do *I*, the end-consumer, have to sweeten and butter up my impressions of their amplifiers? After all, aren't I their target demographic for product sales, namely the guy who doesn't already own a solid gold SSSDDDSS b52 balanced raptor apache maestro? Aren't I a newbie, and doesn't it take new blood, like mine, to spend money and thus grow the hobby? So why do I owe amp manufacturers anything at all? I give you the money, you build and ship a quality amp to me. Beyond that, I don't owe you shit. And if you fuck with me, or bullshit with me about lead times, or don't give me ultimate customer service to resolve any problem that may arise, you better believe I will crucify your ass in a public forum. * - I'm just singling out Mikhail and Ray because they are what I consider the "big two".

Well put. Honestly granodemostasa, you can't control what other people's reactions will be to your comments. You don't have to "flip 'em the bird", but you can just walk away. I only kept up with the impressions thread for the first few days after the meet, and I actually posted a request asking for more negative reviews of gear, pointing out that you were the only poster who, as of yet, had anything negative at all to say about any of the gear they heard. In a meet that large, with that many people, and with that much different gear, it is fucking impossible, IMO, for everyone to like every single fucking piece of gear they hear.

I actually am considering building the flexy stand, looks like it would be a lot of fun. Not sure if I have all the tools I need, but I'm sure I could make an afternoon of it at Lowes and in my garage. As far as prebuilt, the circuit city one and the VTI one are still most attractive. Good point about the three legs though. The three legs do make me nervous as hell, is that really stable? Like what if just a tad too much pressure gets put on the back corner, wouldn't the whole thing come a' tumbling down? Forgive me if I sound ignorant, I'm not a big physics guy. The Ikea Lak thing would be ideal, but I have no local Ikea store, and they don't deliver the lak tables.

i wouldn't worry too much about it. i mean, its the internet. Either we all become superb writers, masters of self-expression in our given language, or we give each other the benefit of the doubt and wait until the birth of V i D e O F o R u M z yall... thats when the ladies will be all like "wassup check me out" and i'm like "daaaaaaamn girl". then we won't have to read or discern anything anymore.

Here's another cheapie, this one from circuit city: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gusdorf-Audio-Tower-61325-/sem/rpsm/oid/122685/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do Bonus on this is I can just drive down the street to pick it up from the confused circuit city guys who won't be able to find it in the back. but its there, because their web site says so.

I know its just reviews on a site, and they should be taken with a grain of salt, but for what its worth: "I needed an audio rack that could accommodate my 60LB amplifier and my 80LB Audio Video Receiver. I chose the VTI Series 4-Shelf Audio Rack. When the package arrived, I opened the box and knew I was getting a quality product. Everything was well-packed and protected. Assembly was a snap and now, my equipment is displayed proudly and securely with a ton of style to spare. If you're looking for an audio rack that can handle some beefy equipment, look no further." and: "Best rack I've seen for under $500. Very solid design with adjustable legs; ideal for my turntable. It also holds my heavy vacuum tube gear without a problem. I only wish the legs were sand fillable, but for the money, I know of nothing better."

actually this one looks nicer: http://www.racksandstands.com/VTI-BL304-VI1005.html#

who's attacking you?

So basically desk space is getting to be a problem. I realized that when I have my monitor on top of my CDP, it does deaden the music a bit to my ears, so now it is in the back corner of the desk on top of some old books and it is hard to read. So I want to get some kind of floor standing rack to accommodate a 17" wide, 12" deep cdp, a PPX3, a future amp, and possibly, if I can get a stable enough stand, room at the top for my TT (17"w, 13"d). Anyone have any good recommendations for component stands on the cheap? I was thinking of going with Boltz since I enjoy my CD rack, and they would match, but goddamnit I don't want to pay $600 for a component stand. I'm hoping to get something more in the $200 range, if not cheaper. Doing a bit of google research, I found a site that seems to be custom made for my needs: Racks & Stands! I'm thinking of something like this, though there are lots of other great racks and stands to browse through on this site.

DUDE THE 97/98 POST-ARENA ROCK FUNK/GROOVE PERIOD IS ESSENTIAL PHISH! but I also love 80s dead so...

I initially came here specifically to bash HF. I was really more mad at myself for being "taken in" by all the happy scrappy fotm BS. But I ended up staying here because when I ask a question, it gets answered by some really, really knowledgable folks, and not by a swarm of fanboys, frothing at the mouth for everyone and anyone to join their "XXX Appreciation Thread" collective: True, everyone here has their bias as well, but since we are a smaller community, it is easier to know where everybody stands. I post more here now for purely selfish reasons: I just get better advice on how to spend my money. Plus being able to use profanity is nice. I know thats really immature, but cussing makes me laugh.

awesome.

^^^

+1 lol.

Some good points made so far. Personally, I would prefer a community where there was only one state-approved headphone amp, manufactured in state-run factories owned by the proletariat. For the people, by the people: and while the streets run red with the blood of the fat capitalist bourgeois pigs, I could enjoy my Socialist Worker's of America Party-approved symphonies on my "Headphone Amplifier One," so named because it is the only (legal) headphone amplifier in existence. Also Jews and Catholics could not use the amplifier. But until my dream of a totalitarian communist state comes true, in all its ethnic cleansing glory, I'll just have to do what we do in a free market capitalist society, and vote with my wallet. If I don't like the fact that an amp manufacturer stiffs tons of angry customers by spending time putting research into what to me is the fucking dumbest looking amp I've ever seen, then I don't have to patronize said amp manufacturer. Also I can get on internet forums and make my opinion known.

welcome to headcase!

The SA-10 is a really exciting player to me. If the 999es conked out today I'd probably pick one of them up.

awesome! i love the wood.

Sure, based on what I've read concerning the two cans' sound signatures, it is kind of ridiculous to try and say one is better then the other, just that one prefers Joe or John's sound signature better. but hell I did it anyway, cause I'm a rebel. one day I'll get banned from here and start my own radical headphone forum. www.head-jack.biz I'm insanely curious about the GS1000, but I'm pretty sure I would hate it. I almost want to hear it, just so I can hate it.

So I'm having one of those moments... been weeks without my RS-1s, just listening to them for the first time since I got them back, MFSL Cream Disraeli Gears, "Sunshine of Your Love"... I have a hard time grasping how it can get any better then this. I'm sure the HP-2 is a great can, but damn man... RS-1s are teh awsome can. And the tubes haven't even had but 5 minutes to warm up.

ack! will do, thanks earl for the head up.

Thanks for the review, I've been trying to decide whether to purchase the KSC75 or the HP-2.

Oh, so does Grado still physically manufacture the phones?

Note that Grado repaired the RS-1s and shipped them back to me before the Alessandros have even shipped. Earlier this week I emailed alessandro and they told me the ms2i was "backordered"... how can an item be backordered from the manufacturer?

woot, rs-1s just showed up at work! made my weekend. can't wait to hear how they sound.