If this article were printed on toilet paper, it would then at least have a function IMO.
The author needs to stop whining. No matter what you do, or how well you do it there will always be critics. Such is life, deal with it.
I don't know what he's engineered, nor do I care much. Maybe he does a great job, maybe he's part of the problem. Audiophiles probably make up a fraction of a percent of the people buying music. It's not like we're some dominant force that influences what everyone buys by any means!
He argues that they (as a whole) do the best they can. Well, as a whole, it's not good enough. Technology has gotten so much better and the tools have gotten so much better. Why has sound quality gotten worse, for the most part? I'm not talking about the small labels who hold sound quality on a high regard, I'm talking about 99.9% of the recordings and labels today. Apparently, this guy hasn't heard about the loudness wars. As exhibit A, I offer Metallica's Death Magnetic. As exhibit B, I offer Metallica's St. Anger. Anyone with half a brain and one level of hearing above being legally hearing impaired can tell this isn't the best sound quality possible.
The guy also acts like audiophiles are the only ones online complaining. I'm in the process of painting my next apartment. Being that there's so many brands of paint and so many price ranges out there, I decided to do a little reasearch on what the house painters think. I wanted to avoid buying the paint industry's version of Bose. I found a few forums. Those guys argue paint like we argue gear. They bashed certain brands and lines, and praised others. They attacked each other about their opinions. Replace names like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and Behr with names like Bryston, McIntosh and Bose, and you've got exactly what we have here. Look at auto repair forums and check out their engine oil threads. Yeah, we're the only ones who complain and split hairs. Yeah, we're responsible for the garbage 99.9% of the labels put out. What a load of crap. I guess the house painters are responsible for over-priced and watered down paint too. Same for shade tree mechanics and engine oil.
Perhaps we should shut up and act like everything everyone makes is the best they can do, and we should praise it.
In regards to everyone using the Internet as a podium to complain, criticize, defame, etc., no one's saying anything today that they haven't said all through time. It's not like all of a sudden, the internet allowed free speach. The difference today is that it's no longer just word of mouth. It's written down so anyone can see it. It's no longer behind closed doors or between a few people; it's out in the open. If people can't deal with that, maybe they should just turn off the computer.
The guy needs to grow up and stop blaming everyone else. If his albums' sound quality is so great and is honestly the best he can do, why does he have the need to cry about people criticizing the entire industry.
There's plenty of Bryston haters out there. Does James come here and cry about people not liking his gear? Does he say the people who complain about Bryston's sound quality are what's killing hifi? No. Why? Because he's a normal human being and he's too classy to get caught up in that nonsense. I'm sure he's heard a ton of criticism about his gear. I've yet to hear it phase him.
