I have no idea where JLM is coming from, or what his motive is. Sounds like the kind of guy who uses the term "Audiofools". My mama tried to learn me that you cain't reason with an unreasonable feller, but from what I've seen in the L.A. studio's that I've been in (including the old RCA room where the Stones recorded "Satisfaction", Elvis did his movie soundtracks, and Sinatra is pictured in on his old 50's and 60's album covers), High-End/Perfectionist Audio is light years ahead of Pro Sound. Those damned Yamaha NS10's are everywhere, as are Auratone's (car radio speakers in a box), decades old JBL's and Lansing's, lots of no-name compression drivers with horns, producing the most horrific vowel-colorations I've ever heard, partnered with boomy old 15" woofers built into empty cavities in very resonant walls-----anything that will play REAL loud, day in and day out, without blowing up. And Pro amps? Oy! Can you say Opamp? Once again, as long as they don't break, studio's will use them. Mass audience artists are geared towards the lowest common denominator, in both content and sound quality. Compression to make the song louder as people zip up and down the radio dial, boosted highs to make the song sound crisp on radio speakers, harmonic distortion added to make voices sound fuller, electronic echo and reverb to make the bone-dry studio sound like a cathedral, etc. Accurate sound is NOT what most engineers are trying to achieve. There are, however, some big names who have seen the light, and are bringing Audiophile speakers into their studios. Rick Rubin buys his Wilson's from Brooks Berdan (a High End Dealer selling expensive speakers, tube amps, and---GASP---designer interconnects and speaker cables), as do some other Grammy winner's. Even Henry Rollins is hipper to good sound than a lot of studio guys. He has heard all the pro gear in the studio's he's recorded in for 30 years, can afford anything he desires, and he also has the big Wilson's. And tube amps. I'm a planar-lover, which are not, of course, intended for monitoring recordings through. But that hasn't stopped some of the best British engineers (Tony Faulkner, for one) from using Quad Electrostatics for monitoring and mixing recordings. And whatta ya know.....their recordings sound better than others. A LOT better. So does the work of hardcore Audiophile Steve Hoffman, re-issue engineer (for many labels---MCA, RCA, Curb, Audio Fidelity) of a lot of amazingly high-quality CD's and (!)LP's. Done through High-End, not Pro, amps (including tubes) and speakers. So there.
