Why So Much Childish Behavior In Audio? So Much Nonsense in Audio! More On Selling Speakers To You

Three years ago I changed this channel over to audio projects, and immediately started to notice how seriously guys take this topic. A seriousness that goes well beyond it's overall importance in their day-to-day life. There's an old saying that's pretty much been forgotten these days, and it how you shouldn't discuss religion or politics in polite company because these topic run deep. Well, apparently audio could be included in that short list because I think I've made more enemies in the last 3 years talking about audio that I did in a lifetime of talking about other things that are much more important. It wasn't long after I started talking about audio that I got a personal email from a gent that put into some very insulting words what he thought of my opinions. And over the 3 years since starting in on audio topics, I've received many more direct emails from guys than I ever did doing woodworking online. Of course this isn't my first experience dealing with people remotely on the topic. I was a member on an audio forum for several years more than 10 years ago and had my first tastes of how seriously guys involved in audio take the subject. And I get it, I do. Passion about a subject drives you to take all of the things you think you know about it more seriously. And then that deeper interest means that you will be more upset when your opinions are challenged. Like I said in the video, it can back you into a corner when you find you don't have the facts to effectively defend your beliefs. indulging bad ideas. Leaving room for doubt when a bad idea goes unchallenged. "A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on". People don't want the truth. They want what they like to believe to be true. That's why they are so receptive to bad ideas. Look at the trending issues of the day in the world at large and at the root of them you'll find bad ideas being indulged by people who should know better. And audio is no different, and I'm not just talking about the subjective side of it and the magical thinking that most of those engage in. Regarding me selling speakers: 100% of the reason why I'd get into it is because I love designing and building speakers. And selling a limited run would be a great way to do that more regularly. I would have to make money from it, but there are MUCH better ways for me to make money, so that wouldn't be the motivating factor.

It's the same in the recording industry. Saw 2 engineers argue over a 1 dB equalizer cut at 400hz. After listening to them argue for 15 minutes about which sounded better I informed them that there was no difference because the equalizer they were adjusting was not patched in.

I remember back when everyone thought the Internet would connect all the best people with the best ideas together. It turns out it's more like a dysfunctional family reunion where folks remember why they haven't visited for three years. With regards to your channel projects that include the audience, all you can do is keep trying to find that sweet spot and enjoy it when it works out. It's a shame people seem to want to seek out controversy with their parasocial YouTube hosts.

When I got into the DIY speaker building hobby in the early 1980s, I relied heavily on the information that was printed in Speaker Builder magazine. While It gave me some background in the workings of speaker design, I adhered to what I had been told too much. One project that stayed with me for many years was a three-way design for which I tweaked the third order crossovers until the tone comparison with my reference Stax headphones was indistinguishable. From researching and learning the formulas, to choosing to drivers, to calculating the crossover parts, to winding the coils, to building the 4 cu. ft. cabinets, I learned what it took to build a speaker from scratch. While I got it built to do what I intended, I failed to think "out of the box". The end result sounded better than anything I had heard at a "sound emporium", but still not that much different than what was on the market. Some of my last experiments during that period were with building a small bass-midrange horn that I had designed; but it didn't perform as well as I had hoped. This has gotten long and off point. To sum up, I appreciate what it takes to design a speaker and would only regard a completed design as worthy of being produced or offered as plans. Your sales model is a good one and I hope your design goes into production. It wouldn't be a bad idea to charge a lot more for your design plans. Anyone serious about building a speaker that exceeds the run of the mill/ off the shelf offerings in meaningful ways would be willing to pay more for your time invested.

"It is easier to fool people than to convince them, that they have been fooled" – Mark Twain

Good on ya; setting appropriate expectations and having the realization one can't know everything. Best of luck with your goals - it's refreshing to hear an opinion that seems to speak pure truth - difficult to find that kind of honesty.

I've dealt in depth with the general public for nearly 30 years and I can tel you there's no end to the number of people who think they know more than they do. There's no end to the number of people who want to be right even when they have no idea what would even constitute being right. And there's no end to the number of people who think no one else could possibly know more about a subject than they do. All three are hallmarks of childish reasoning deriving from a child's lack of actual understanding and lack of maturity. Some people never really move on from being 14 years old it's just that society forces them to reel their foolishness in somewhat in order to have a seat at the adults table. On the internet they have free reign to act like the children they really are.

Hey John Glad somebody finally had the balls to explain the human condition nowadays. I'd love to have a beer with you someday Cheers Man

There's a serious lack of comprehension nowadays. You made yourself very clear in the first video. It's the people watching that didn't comprehend what you were saying that are the problem. And to make things worse. Their continuous lack of comprehension throughout their journey in the hobby has them arriving at all the wrong conclusions. Like the simple fact that this is an amazing deal. Yet they question, complain, pester, and cajole anyway. As if you were you trying to get over on them. And also like the question about your expertise. As if speakers from Sony, or even a smaller builder, at the same price. Would have anyways near the attention to detail, thought, or skill put into them. It's ludicrous, but here we are. I really appreciate how well you explained it. I get so frustrated, and simply lack the communication skills that you seem to possess. So I have trouble doing that. And I'll be directing people to this video I'm sure. Because this is a real problem nowadays. Just look at our political situation ATM. Where a known con man is believed over good hard working people. And look at any forum about audio. Where there's scammers getting plenty of hype, and honest people being interrogated about their motives like you were. Our world is upside down it seems.✌️

I loved this one. Been a casual viewer for a year maybe. Subscribed now. 😀 I think you have talked about some of these topics that drove you to make this video, but it would be interesting to have follow up videos discussing the topics.

Spot on John! I support you all the way!

Another great video, John. Love your content!! Your thoughts on speaker measurement are dead on. I had a friend (passed away two years ago) who was one of the designers at Yorkville Sound. He told me something once that really stuck with me. He said, "We often design a speaker, build the prototype, sweep it but it still sounds wrong, despite a near linear response. We'll tweak the box, ports, or crossover values, sweep again and find the response graph is much worse but it sounds great!" I believe this falls into your message about "muddying the water." Don't get too hung up on measurements. Use them as a bass line for further work. Have I got this right?

I truly hope that you do a kickstart for the speakers and that it works out very well for you. Yes, drivers can be discontinued. The speakers that I have at the moment use drivers that are no longer available. I love the speakers and I am very careful with them. I really enjoy these "talks" and I look forward to more.

Love your videos. Well said. I actually found you building/testing speakers and then realized we also have a mutual love for wood working! Now im traveling back through all your older projects... great content! Keep it up please!

The combination of passion and subjective opinion is where it comes from. A recipe that draws the best and worst out of people. The industry also feeds into the negativity when businessmen seize the opportunity to sell $5000 braided power cables and audiophile-grade network switches promising 3-dimensional clarity that no ordinary network switch is capable of.

On your point of being friendly with manufacturers, it genuinely isn't difficult, the "problem" is simply coming up with the cash, any one of the reputable brands will help you design and build a batch for you. I'm from Trinidad, pro audio is a big thing here, and a few of the local stores have exclusive products made by the likes of Faital Pro, Eminence, 18sound, RCF and other big names, they're more than willing to work with smaller contracts, reach out to one of them online and just talk to them.

Love your take on this subject John. I would love to be able to support your project buy realistically could probably only afford to purchase your build plans. You are a wealth of knowledge and look forward to whatever comes for you in the future. Keep crushing!

Where many fallouts occur is when a person hears information that is incorrect or not fully explained for whatever reason, and that person takes it as gospel. Then they will go to war misinformed or not fully informed on whatever the topic is, and people who do that can often be quite offensive. Especially in the audio community.

The level-headed and reason-based disseminations of various audio-related topics are always refreshing for me to hear. I do wonder if audio monitors, for such things like audio mixing and mastering, do or do not interest you. Only because they do in fact interest me do I perhaps see more market potential in those. I have a pair of Focal A-80s that serve me pretty well. But I would someday like to understand why some monitors cost over $10k.

If your lawnmower doesn't use a .999 fine silver spark plug interconnect your lawn sucks. Duh.