Ah! Thanks for the clarification, Steve. That really helps.

I am in the middle of a major editorial project, but will get back to you with a few responses soon.

Actually, you sat at our table and thanked me as I recall - I was sitting at the PF table with a number of our writers. David Robinson was sitting on the dais... he and I own PF along with our wives all as equal partners.

Not sure how or why MQA is being thrown into the mix here, but it seemed important for you to do so.

And I understand now that your use of "we" is in reference of you speaking for everyone.

How can one argue (disagree) with an opinion? Can't really as we all hear, and interpret/value what we hear, differently. And while measurements can tell us what we should be hearing, that does not mean we will either like it, nor not like it. Best example is JA's measurements over at Stereophile and Art Dudley's reactions to whatever he is reviewing - they tend to not correlate. For sure some rooms sounded better than others, and some rooms sounded rather good even within the constraints of the hotel rooms being what they were... that can be found at any show. At THE Show, some people will find that many rooms did not meet their expectations of what is good "enough" - perhaps the 50% as you noted. Is 50% good enough? Apparently not for some.

"You want to disagree with me I’m fine with that but appealing to authority by pulling the numbers game is pretty sad." Uh, what? Are you suggesting you are the authority? The authority of what? What is good sound? Measurements?

And what numbers game? If you are referring to it being crowded (the attendance), well that is just an observation.

Am thinking that if someone is having issues with ALL the Press, than the issue is not with the Press...

Dave Clark

Well David, our paths may have crossed with the guys at Tektronix and Reed College working on audio or the Oregon Triode Society. Our paths certainly crossed at the Annual Gala. I sat at your table and thanked you afterward. And I would be the person who wrote the “MQA is Vaporware” post a thread still going strong in its eighteenth month. And a thread that the last time I checked had more views than MQA site.

I have no association with any show or company in the audio industry.

John Atkinson Editor of Stereophile calls us the “We who oppose MQA fraternity” but it has evolved to include people who think subjective evaluation of audio equipment has gone too far and want the pendulum to swing back to include a more objective view.

We are having a problem with the audio press so you should not expect a good reception was a statement not an apology. Have the pledges broken a few rules and taken some liberties criticizing the audio press? Yes. Do I particularly care? No. Have the members broken rules and taken liberties criticizing the audio press? Yes and I care because they should know how to express themselves better. But a charter member the late Charles Hansen didn’t set the best example with his attacks on the press. He was a friend and I could have stopped him and didn’t. Selfishly I wanted the brain dump on digital audio I was getting.

Charley’s tirades have led to a lot of behind the scenes discussions about what is known as “talent acquisition.” Who is getting paid in the audio press?

My point is I analyzed the sound of the rooms and my analysis was that the best you could you could do was 50% of what you could in my office or a good home. Then I helped a few people get their rooms to at least that point. Against the constraints I thought most rooms sounded pretty good. You want to disagree with me I’m fine with that but appealing to authority by pulling the numbers game is pretty sad. Should I trust you? No I make everybody start at zero and prove their case. The exception in audio is companies with large operating losses; they have to start at minus ten.

When you said why even offer press credentials? You should know that is an idea being kicked around. Finally did you think our issues with press were limited to just Stereophile and The Absolute Sound?

Now you have me curious, Steve.

Who are you? Who is the "we" in your second paragraph? And are you formally associated with this event?

And as to "...we are having a problem with the audio press so you should not expect a good reception," I'd recommend that you not go into public relations. Your apologetics need some real work.

Dr. David W. Robinson

Sadly three of our writers who also attended felt that overall the sound was poor - not a reflection of those exhibiting, but the rooms themselves... reflecting the sound with the hard surfaces and all. No pun intended! We found that the rooms who were able to work with what they had (adding carpets, speaker placement, etc.), and played the music at a lower level, were able to compensate for the issues of the room. Of course fill the rooms with enough people and most issues will go away as well. Trust me when I say that I understand how a room at a show can impact the efforts of any manufacturer.

Uh, "And in case you haven't noticed we are having a problem with the audio press so you should not expect a good reception" suggests that perhaps pf should just avoid any future show? I was unaware of an issue with us per se. If this was the case then why even offer Press Credentials?

And in case you haven't noticed we are having a problem with the audio press so you should not expect a good reception.