Has the forum died?

[Gazzip]

I cannot be the only person asking myself this, surely?

Only a handful of posts over several days? PP gone walkabout? Cno also AWOL? what's the score?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I cannot be the only person asking myself this, surely?

Only a handful of posts over several days? PP gone walkabout? Cno also AWOL? what's the score?

been asking the same ...

 

[davedotco]

I cannot be the only person asking myself this, surely?

Only a handful of posts over several days? PP gone walkabout? Cno also AWOL? what's the score?

been asking the same ...

Answer in the other thread!

 

[Blacksabbath25]

*pleasantry* ok I see

 

[ChrisIRL]

Everyone is after getting actives so nothing left to talk about. See what you've done active promoters!

 

[ChrisIRL]

Streaming has a lot to do with a drop in interest in hifi too I believe. There is an increasingly huge array of cheap devices that allow all sorts of streaming options that offer sound quality good enough for the majority. It's become less about making your hundred or so cds or records sound great and more about having hundreds of thousands of albums at your fingertips sound good enough. People have become more obsessed with the gadgetry of access. This is apparent in many of the big name hifi company offerings. Look at the Naim muso qb as one example. Cheap by their standards and only capable of mediocre sound quality vs what they've preached for decades.

 

[stereoman]

Streaming has a lot to do with a drop in interest in hifi too I believe. There is an increasingly huge array of cheap devices that allow all sorts of streaming options that offer sound quality good enough for the majority. It's become less about making your hundred or so cds or records sound great and more about having hundreds of thousands of albums at your fingertips sound good enough. People have become more obsessed with the gadgetry of access. This is apparent in many of the big name hifi company offerings. Look at the Naim muso qb as one example. Cheap by their standards and only capable of mediocre sound quality vs what they've preached for decades.

I don't think HiFi will ever will be overshadowed by new streaming , bluetooth technology etc. Look at the Vinyl comeback. Streaming , Bluetooth is just more convienient for many. The sound quality of those products need to take years to compare to any good profi HiFi. I don't think HiFi is endangered. Just oscilation. I also use streaming but at the same time never gave up HiFi. Future will tell.

 

[manicm]

Streaming has a lot to do with a drop in interest in hifi too I believe. There is an increasingly huge array of cheap devices that allow all sorts of streaming options that offer sound quality good enough for the majority. It's become less about making your hundred or so cds or records sound great and more about having hundreds of thousands of albums at your fingertips sound good enough. People have become more obsessed with the gadgetry of access. This is apparent in many of the big name hifi company offerings. Look at the Naim muso qb as one example. Cheap by their standards and only capable of mediocre sound quality vs what they've preached for decades. 

The Musos, for what they are, sound pretty good, as do things like the B&W Zeppelin.

 

[chebby]

By and large the people muttering into their beer* about Naim's declining standards are the last ones to actually buy any brand new. They're all still mourning the loss of their cherished 'chrome bumpers'.

Anyway, they mostly hang out at PFM.

* The warm, beardy stuff brewed in sheds by retired computer programmers and Morris dancers.

 

[andyjm]

When I first got into this HiFi lark, mainstream products were generally dreadful, and an enthusiastic amateur with a soldering iron and a bit of basic knowledge could build an amp on his kitchen table that would outperform most of the commercially available equipment.

Magazines like practical wireless, wireless world, everyday electronics had a never ending stream of tweeks and designs that the enthusiast could build - and make a real difference to the quality of his setup.

Those days have gone. Mainstream products are now pretty good, and all the bits that matter are tucked away and beyond the reach of the enthusiast. Nanometer geometries in D2A converters, fancy digital filters and sampling techniques embedded in firmware - it might as well be magic for all the difference an owner can make.

So the keen enthusiast is reduced to dicussions about mains blocks and the difference between two perfectly good and identically sounding bits of speaker wire.

Its no wonder that forums of this nature are dying. To a certain extent they have performed their function, mainstream HiFi is now pretty good - we should pat ourselves on the back.

 

[Native_bon]

Think you bunch are getting old. Hangout with the grandchildren more. *mosking*

 

[shadders]

When I first got into this HiFi lark, mainstream products were generally dreadful, and an enthusiastic amateur with a soldering iron and a bit of basic knowledge could build an amp on his kitchen table that would outperform most of the commercially available equipment.

Magazines like practical wireless, wireless world, everyday electronics had a never ending stream of tweeks and designs that the enthusiast could build - and make a real difference to the quality of his setup.

Those days have gone. Mainstream products are now pretty good, and all the bits that matter are tucked away and beyond the reach of the enthusiast. Nanometer geometries in D2A converters, fancy digital filters and sampling techniques embedded in firmware - it might as well be magic for all the difference an owner can make.

So the keen enthusiast is reduced to dicussions about mains blocks and the difference between two perfectly good and identically sounding bits of speaker wire.

Its no wonder that forums of this nature are dying. To a certain extent they have performed their function, mainstream HiFi is now pretty good - we should pat ourselves on the back.

Hi,

There is still the enthusiasm, but I agree the lack of interest in technical/science subjects has led to a decline in an interest in Electronics. This can be seen as a decline in publications, where many electronic publications are not available in newsagents etc.

Diyaudio.com has many interesting threads, but they are technical, and less hifi music or system based discussions.

Unless you subscribe to audio or speaker building publications, then the current publications (hifi and electronic) now seem very defficient in audio projects, although, there have been class D designs recently (4 years ago). In fact for hifi, I have not seen any diy projects for decades, apart from hifi-critics speaker design.

Despite the integration and increase in complexity of DAC chips, you can still build your own DAC using these chips, since the Internet allows for ease of data sheet retrieval, and manufacturers forums to ask specific questions, which were the domain of bona fide audio manufacturers only, previously.

You can still build amplifiers, class A, AB, D, etc., or purchase modules, it is just that hifi magazines have perhaps, lost their way. You can implement your own digital filters using COTS DAC's, if you want. In fact, DSP has offered another expanse into which you can modify.

Aspects such as Wifi, bluetooth etc., are possible to implement yourself, but, you need to be an electronic, software and networking engineer to build your own project.

It seems that the expanse of possibilities has created a rabbit in the headlights effect, or people just don't have the range of capabilites required. Perhaps projects need to be a two person affair, but finding two people who live close to one another interested in the same subjects seems rather rare.

So, the enthusiasm and interest exists, but the number of people interested is woefully limited.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Pedro2]

I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them. Unfortunately, in the age of Trump and Brexit, level headed discussion and debate seems a little thin on the grounds these days. I must be getting old ..... I'm nostalgic for more noble times!

 

[Gazzip]

I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them. Unfortunately, in the age of Trump and Brexit, level headed discussion and debate seems a little thin on the grounds these days. I must be getting old ..... I'm nostalgic for more noble times!

Well said, although I think it goes deeper than just the actice vs passive debate. There is a palpable sense of nastiness about the forum these days. When I first joined it was a good place to ask questions and learn about the hobby. Sure, you got the ocassional frosty response but generally people wanted to help. Nowadays asking (or answering) a question can quickly have you branded as an ignorant buffoon by some of the more agressive members. Unfortunately those members seem to be the more active ones on here in recent times.

I think I know a little bit about this hobby and have something to offer. I may not be an electronics engineer but I have experienced a lot of kit over the years and am happy to help people when they ask if I can. However in doing so I regularly get abused by certain individuals. One even started a thread entitled "Gazzip" so he could abuse me. Why would somebody just starting out on their journey bother exposing themselves to that by posting on here?

 

[drummerman]

I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them. Unfortunately, in the age of Trump and Brexit, level headed discussion and debate seems a little thin on the grounds these days. I must be getting old ..... I'm nostalgic for more noble times!

It's always been like that.

 

[Electro]

I think if I had joined this forum sometime in the last year I wouldn't have stayed long.

When I joined this forum I did so to talk to like minded people with a similar interest and maybe pick up some good ideas along the way and it was a pleasurable place to be.

The greatest gift this forum has given me is the discovery of new music to listen to suggested by others on the 'what are you listening' to threads and I am very thankful. *i-m_so_happy*

Now there is just too much infighting and pontification that chases most of the newbies away, you only have to look at the number of first time posters that ask a question and are never seen again !

As to the hardware we have never had it so good, there is so much superb equipment to choose from at very reasonable prices we are spoilt for choice .

The problem for HiFi in general is the lack of time to sit down and listen to music on a dedicated system and enjoy the music, the pressure on time is far greater now than in the past, many people live to work and work to live so there is very little free quality time to do the thing they enjoy, they would rather spend what little time they have with their family.

It is just another symptom of the general quality of life being eroded away bit by bit and people becomming less tolereant and angry on a subconscious level.

Imo of course *smile* .

 

[Pedro2]

I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them. Unfortunately, in the age of Trump and Brexit, level headed discussion and debate seems a little thin on the grounds these days. I must be getting old ..... I'm nostalgic for more noble times!

It's always been like that.

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be *smile*

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

"I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them."

Probably the core of the problem. Everytime a technical versed person comes by, she's attacked on different levels. This makes them go away.

But if a community is too primitive for knowlegeables persons to be on, it should raise concerns about the points of views in this community.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Still working for me. *good*

 

[manicm]

"I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them."

Probably the core of the problem. Everytime a technical versed person comes by, she's attacked on different levels. This makes them go away.

But if a community is too primitive for knowlegeables persons to be on, it should raise concerns about the points of views in this community.

Technically versed? Oh that would be fr0g and Vladimir then?

 

[Gazzip]

.

 

[chebby]

"I think the recent 'discussions' (I use the term very loosely) re active v passive has left a nasty taste for many. It did for me anyhow. When discussion about hi-fi turns into character assasination, then some folks will go elsewhere and I don't blame them."

Probably the core of the problem. Everytime a technical versed person comes by, she's attacked on different levels. This makes them go away.

But if a community is too primitive for knowlegeables persons to be on, it should raise concerns about the points of views in this community.

Technically versed? Oh that would be fr0g and Vladimir then?

And Andyjm.

 

[jonathanRD]

nobody is indispenable.

but it needs others to 'step up to the plate'!

That's life and progress. *smile*

 

[stereoman]

I cannot notice anything "dead" here. It's full of themes , topics and new threads. Don't worry, it's not gonna die out unless it is taken off the site.

 

[manicm]

nobody is indispenable.

but it needs others to 'step up to the plate'!

That's life and progress. *smile*

This is a hi-fi and leisure forum, I don't think anyone has to step up to anything. And if you really want to engage with real techies I'd suggest other forums. Naim has a few people for starters.