Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry

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Roninaudio

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Bemopti123

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #1 on: 28 May 2018, 11:55 pm »
One of the giants of audio has passed.  Have a restful voyage. 

Phil A

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #2 on: 29 May 2018, 01:42 am »
RIP

mr_bill

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #3 on: 29 May 2018, 02:12 am »
hurts my heart....

Tyson

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #4 on: 29 May 2018, 02:55 am »
Wow.  Shocking.  I had no idea he was sick.  Man what a loss.  RIP.

JLM

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #5 on: 29 May 2018, 10:39 am »
deleted
« Last Edit: 29 May 2018, 12:14 pm by JLM »

dpatters

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #6 on: 29 May 2018, 11:29 am »
Sorry for his passing, but I never saw what major contributions he made to home audio.  I've not been impressed with his products or their sound, use of square boxes to house off the shelf drivers, or the premise of striving for bigger more expensive gear.  In fact it's my opinion that his sort of stuff makes audiophiles look weirder and harder to relate to the rest of the world.  I know he used 'mysterious' dense cabinet materials and automotive paints while following the arrival time concept in a MTM arrangement but none of those attributes are earth shattering ideas.

I know I'm stomping on his grave and coming off as a hard ass, but honestly am I the only one to call out the emperor's new clothes?  He didn't invent a concept or a technology.  His noteworthiness is in simply finding a way of selling expensive brute force speakers, many of which looked hideous and overwhelming while being simplistic in design.  My viewpoint is contrary to most audiophile thinking which often prioritizes the overstuffing of rooms with a lustful collection of trophy gear regardless of what it sounds like and IMO explains why audio continues to fight an uphill battle for sales - the premise just doesn't make much sense. 

Frankly most of the concepts in speaker design had occurred before any of us were born.  In our lifetimes ground breaking advancements in loudspeakers have been limited, to the Heil folded tweeter, Martin King's MathCad design application, and the KEF coincidental (not simply coaxial) driver.  No new cabinet types have been invented, just improved materials and testing techniques have been developed in the past 70+ years.  The most progress we made relating to speakers has probably been in the understanding of room acoustics thanks to the Canadian Research Council and a few others.

I'm no huge Wilson fan but your comments are just downright rude given the circumstances.

Don P.

Roninaudio

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #7 on: 29 May 2018, 12:14 pm »
Sorry for his passing, but I never saw what major contributions he made to home audio.  I've not been impressed with his products or their sound, use of square boxes to house off the shelf drivers, or the premise of striving for bigger more expensive gear.  In fact it's my opinion that his sort of stuff makes audiophiles look weirder and harder to relate to the rest of the world.  I know he used 'mysterious' dense cabinet materials and automotive paints while following the arrival time concept in a MTM arrangement but none of those attributes are earth shattering ideas.

I know I'm stomping on his grave and coming off as a hard ass, but honestly am I the only one to call out the emperor's new clothes?  He didn't invent a concept or a technology.  His noteworthiness is in simply finding a way of selling expensive brute force speakers, many of which looked hideous and overwhelming while being simplistic in design.  My viewpoint is contrary to most audiophile thinking which often prioritizes the overstuffing of rooms with a lustful collection of trophy gear regardless of what it sounds like and IMO explains why audio continues to fight an uphill battle for sales - the premise just doesn't make much sense. 

Frankly most of the concepts in speaker design had occurred before any of us were born.  In our lifetimes ground breaking advancements in loudspeakers have been limited, to the Heil folded tweeter, Martin King's MathCad design application, and the KEF coincidental (not simply coaxial) driver.  No new cabinet types have been invented, just improved materials and testing techniques have been developed in the past 70+ years.  The most progress we made relating to speakers has probably been in the understanding of room acoustics thanks to the Canadian Research Council and a few others.

Your not a "hard ass".  Just an ASS.

JLM

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #8 on: 29 May 2018, 12:17 pm »
Sorry, should have posted this a couple of years ago.  Would that have made it more palatable?

JohnR

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #9 on: 29 May 2018, 12:19 pm »
This is a nice (short) retrospective:

https://youtu.be/bwdmO_jQ1_0

RIP

wushuliu

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #10 on: 30 May 2018, 12:50 am »
Sorry, should have posted this a couple of years ago.  Would that have made it more palatable?

Based on the articles I've read, one of his major contributions to audio was just being a decent and giving human being.

I'd say that counts for a lot these days.

poseidonsvoice

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #11 on: 30 May 2018, 01:01 am »
This is a nice (short) retrospective:

https://youtu.be/bwdmO_jQ1_0

RIP

Very nice John, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Anand.

Brettio

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #12 on: 30 May 2018, 03:37 am »
This is a nice (short) retrospective:

https://youtu.be/bwdmO_jQ1_0

RIP

She is one classy lady.  I wish her and the Wilson family the best during this difficult time. 

Folsom


geowak

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #14 on: 31 May 2018, 12:08 pm »
JLM - Not sure why you posted that comment. All I can think is that some people have to make anything that happens good or bad about themselves. Are we supposed to think of your tremendous insight and disregard what a talented man has done for the high fidelity community? I put you in the Roseane category. Crude comment, very disrespectful and not needed. But then is this post becoming about you?

DW- RIP. I think your speakers and contributions were tremendous. The Duette was one of the best small speakers I ever heard.

JLM

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #15 on: 31 May 2018, 12:52 pm »
JLM - Not sure why you posted that comment. All I can think is that some people have to make anything that happens good or bad about themselves. Are we supposed to think of your tremendous insight and disregard what a talented man has done for the high fidelity community? I put you in the Roseane category. Crude comment, very disrespectful and not needed. But then is this post becoming about you?

Just tired of so many getting suckered into the marketing hype that surrounds audio and folks being too politically correct to be honest. 

twitch54

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #16 on: 31 May 2018, 01:55 pm »
Just tired of so many getting suckered into the marketing hype that surrounds audio and folks being too politically correct to be honest.

again JL, while I agree with your thoughts, this particular thread was not the one to voice them.

advice .......... quit while you're behind.

as for DW, sad....RIP

woodsyi

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Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #17 on: 31 May 2018, 02:33 pm »
I am personally not a fan of big Wilson speakers because they are set up too hot for ears and QPR isn't very good -- they have to recoup marketing cost somewhere. There is an underdog quality to Audio Circle that favors small guys offering quality products at reasonable prices.  Flip side of that is poopooing companies that have made the "big" time.  There are many reasons why they made it including marketing, capital resources, hard work and luck but they can't make it without quality products that stand the test of time.  The Wilson speakers don't suit my taste but I won't fault them for their quality build.


I respect any person/company that makes enough profit to "thrive" in this business.  DW, you done good.   RIP.

Wind Chaser

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #18 on: 31 May 2018, 03:08 pm »
JLM - Not sure why you posted that comment. All I can think is that some people have to make anything that happens good or bad about themselves.

The same can be said for your comment. In fairness to JLM, he deleted it long before you posted your comment.

As for what he said, that his his OPINION. This site allows that. Personally I find mob mentality far more offensive.

Douger

Re: Sad day. This guy was a major contributor to the industry
« Reply #19 on: 31 May 2018, 04:43 pm »
JLM, KEF licensed the Dual Concentric technology from Tannoy years ago.
If one doesn't have anything nice to say about a nice deceased gentleman, a gentleman manages not to say it...