From: shetline@bbn.com (Kerry Shetline)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: CD vs. LP again (was Re: Preamp and Amp)
Date: 28 Jan 93 20:10:03 GMT
Followup-To: rec.audio
Organization: BBN
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

In article <1190796@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com>, kurts@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Kurt
Strain) wrote:
> I think I know what it is that makes some people like CD better.
> It's one of several things, like the euphonic sound of overbrightness.
> I was told the latest rage in sound reproduction from the Las Vegas CES
> is sizzle.  Sizzle is in.  Especially boom sizzle.  CD is great for that.
> Then there's all that lack of detail that enhances a recording.  No detail
> to muddy up on your mid-fi setup.  Perhaps it's grain.  Graininess to tingle

Hey, if there's some sort of distortion in CD that makes it appealing to
me, fine. Am I supposed to be impressed because you tried to turn the
tables on this argument? Am I supposed to somehow be humbled because now
you've shown me what it feels like to be accused of liking distortion?
Please. Grow up.

I'll be a whole lot more impressed if you come up with some research that
isolates the digital distortions that you claim exist, and the
psychoacoustic experiments that demonstrate the effects of these
distortions on listeners. This work has be done for the LP-related euphonic
distortions that have been discussed. All you have done so far is parrot
the form of the argument without any of the substance.

> Or it could just be the fact that their genitals finally measure up to the
> disk they're carrying.  Maybe this is the reason 99% of the CD audiophiles 
> are male.  It's got to be one of these reasons because there can be no other 
> by scientific process of elimination.  

Obviously, this is a crude attempt at humor, but even though you may be
trying to make a joke, I think this may show that you really don't have a
clear idea of what the scientific process is. You perhaps only understand
your own parody of it. I've heard many people confuse being scientific and
rational with some silly caricature of narrow pig-headedness. No doubt,
there are people who fit the bill, but there are also many who don't, and
who don't even get a chance from others who switch out as soon as someone
begins to sound "too" reasonable.

Often, regardless of how careful you try to be, how clearly you try to
entertain a wide variety of ideas, how cautiously you make caveats and
contraindications, people who are in the habit of seeing a caricature of
rationality see only the caricature.

> Face it, CD lovers just like euphonic distortion, or at least a better
> comparison to their anatomy.  And if they like CD better than MD, they're
> obvious Luddites, because MD is more advanced.

First off, I'll try to ignore your adolescent attitude. About your
assertions of euphonic distortions in CD, I will not say "prove it" (this
is usually pointless, because no one can ever prove anything to the
satisfaction of an unwilling audience), but rather I would ask that you at
least make some effort to be plausible, rather than just generating a poor
attempt at satire.

> Well, I hope you like and agree with what I say because it's the kind of 
> moronic shit I get to read from CD types here.  (From "experts", too.)

You've merely given a rough idea of the form of what has been written,
ignored the substance, and added a degree of crudity that does nothing to
enhance your credibility.

> One more thing.  If people like jj don't like what I write about their 
> opinions then I would like to see they don't write about mine.

jj was complaining about how you misrepresented what he has said, not what
you think about his opinions. You probably believe what you said, but that
seems to stem from a nearly pathological inability to absorb any of the
content of contrary opinion. You've created a caricature, you see only the
caricature, and you rage endlessly against the caricature.

Take the above complaint you made. jj said that he did not like his
statement and opinions being misrepresented. He didn't say a thing about
what was written about his opinions. The distinction seems lost on you. If
you can't follow that simple line of reasoning, it is quite understandable
why you have annoyed jj with your misrepresentations. His words don't get
through to you at all. And, so it would seem, neither does a lot of what
others say as well.

-Kerry