Del monaco
Del Monaco
I think you’re right here.It’s also got a gadget show vibe to it. It’s certainly slick.I quite like Paul Rigby for his matter of fact take on stuff.
All you need is...
- Thread starter radamel
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Del monaco
Del Monaco
I think he does come across as a little pleased. Too much focus on presentation and not enough on substance tbh.I've not watched him before - there is a slight sense that he's pleased with himself, being centre of attention.
He also seems like he's still trying to work these things through for himself and the video is part of that process, hence it's like he's trying to persuade himself along with everyone else.
Who is he anyway? A magazine reviewer? I see he has a website.
Also like Steve G (plus the lovely Art Dudley of course)
Tony L
Administrator
I don’t understand the negativity some show. Jon Darko seems fine as far as I’m concerned, and is certainly a positive force for the audio industry, as are folk like Michael Fremer and Steve Guttenberg in their own areas. I’ve personally very little if any audio overlap with Darko (I just don’t do ‘new’!) so tend only to watch his videos when threads like this appear, but I’ve certainly nothing against him at all and I feel pfm should be welcoming and supportive to all viewpoints. YouTube is a fascinating place these days, arguably the frontline of the internet, and it is great to see audio so widely represented from new products with folk like Darko and Fremer through to classic/vintage kit restoration etc (my preferred area) with XRayTonyB, BlueGlow, Electronics Old And New etc. All most welcome IMO. If I wasn’t so reclusive/camera-phobic I’d expand pfm into this arena!
Although he is one of the 'newer' reviewers compared to some of the old guard I have been following him figuratively speaking back to when he lived in Australia some ten or so years ago.
His style has slightly changed though I think he is still pretty true to himself. Its just the way he is.
Back then he reviewed a little loudpeaker, the Quad 11L or 12L Classic of which I subsequently bought the 11L (Classic) on the basis of his review. - A small bookshelf, the latest of a line, beautifully made with real wood veneer, advanced cast chassis drivers and rock solid feeling all at a price you would have to pay 3 times as much were it made in the UK. - I still have the speakers safely wrapped up, boxed and with Manual and original links and gloves! - It's going nowhere.
https://darko.audio/2011/05/quad-11l-classic-standmount-loudspeakers/
This also lead to me buying a pair of Quad S2's. The latest model in that line. This was used with Hegel amplification and also much loved but I eventually sold that system to go active and I adore the slightly more laid back and warm sound of the little 11 so kept them.
His style has slightly changed though I think he is still pretty true to himself. Its just the way he is.
Back then he reviewed a little loudpeaker, the Quad 11L or 12L Classic of which I subsequently bought the 11L (Classic) on the basis of his review. - A small bookshelf, the latest of a line, beautifully made with real wood veneer, advanced cast chassis drivers and rock solid feeling all at a price you would have to pay 3 times as much were it made in the UK. - I still have the speakers safely wrapped up, boxed and with Manual and original links and gloves! - It's going nowhere.
https://darko.audio/2011/05/quad-11l-classic-standmount-loudspeakers/
This also lead to me buying a pair of Quad S2's. The latest model in that line. This was used with Hegel amplification and also much loved but I eventually sold that system to go active and I adore the slightly more laid back and warm sound of the little 11 so kept them.
Del monaco
Del Monaco
He’s a different style of presenter and there is a slight over confidence. Maybe over rehearsed and over edited. But I speak of his presentation,not of him. I like SG. You feel his passion and he bumbles along unscripted I feel. I don’t feel it so much for Darko. I think his business model is a little different. They are all business men in the end. I had MFs TT set up DVD. Thought it was great.
radamel
Music Fiend
I don't understand the negativity towards him either. I think he clearly is a positive force, especially showing many people who think that a mobile phone and a Bluetooth speaker is quite good that there are many better alternatives. And I certainly really don't care too much about his style.
It would be great if you'd ever overcome your cameraphobia! I'd certainly watch you with interest.
Tony L
Administrator
I’m sure it is deliberate and almost certainly fits his demographic. Jon Darko reviews a specific type of kit in a specific way, and that is absolutely valid IMO. He has 170k subscribers and that really is a lot for an audio channel, certainly many multiples of the channels I tend to watch. I’d love to know his age demographics. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what pfm is, and that is elderly for an internet resource (bell curve centred around 50-55 at my guess). I suspect Jon Darko appeals to a generation or so younger, and that is a good thing. I’d love pfm to attract a younger demographic too, plus tap into the whole headphone scene more, but I suspect the generic web forum format looks tired and old these days. YouTube is where its at!
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Seconded. Perhaps a PFM Podcast is the answer?
Del monaco
Del Monaco
How could PFM bring in a younger demographic? Could other areas be added to the forum as a lure?
Del monaco
Del Monaco
Some of us could have a go at YouTube. I think many of us have time on output hands. Maybe a system tour? Why I love my system? That kind of thing?
gustav_errata
pfm Member
I found Darko's videos very helpful when I was first getting started. He's a subjective reviewer but he's usually pretty up-front about the magnitude of perceived differences between gear, etc. He also is pretty realistic about what most of his audience can afford, so he's usually mindful of budget concerns and he has several beginners-oriented videos. Also, it was surprisingly helpful and appealing that we have very similar tastes in music, so if he liked how something sounded based on listening to the same stuff that I'm listening to, then that communicated more value to me. FWIW, I nevertheless have not bought anything that he has reviewed (I think).
I don't necessarily agree with his enthusiasm for all-in-one, aesthetically pleasing devices, but I can't hold that against him (aside from PFM's growing influence on my mindfulness of the long-term waste of such things).
As for his personality, he comes across as alright to me. If you listen to his podcast, it's obviously much less scripted so you can hear him rambling on about things too. He never seemed too full of himself or too annoying for me to ignore (which is very, very easy to do for most youtubers).
I don't necessarily agree with his enthusiasm for all-in-one, aesthetically pleasing devices, but I can't hold that against him (aside from PFM's growing influence on my mindfulness of the long-term waste of such things).
As for his personality, he comes across as alright to me. If you listen to his podcast, it's obviously much less scripted so you can hear him rambling on about things too. He never seemed too full of himself or too annoying for me to ignore (which is very, very easy to do for most youtubers).
gustav_errata
pfm Member
OK I watched the video too so I could make a more on-topic comment.
I thought the video was good. Sure, when you watch it you think "ok yes, that's obvious", but the truth is that those kinds of comments do come up, maybe not worded as "you're an idiot" but it's not uncommon to see comments here on PFM about how you don't need to spend so much money to get the same performance (e.g. DACs).
Going by my previous comments about how Darko seems to be quite aware of the beginner mindset, I think it's a helpful video to have. There's a bit of a corollary to the "you're an idiot" effect that he describes, and that's the inherent uncertainty about how much better you can do with your hifi. So recognizing this behavior of calling people out for spending too much according to one's own views is another window to recognizing one's own limits, means, etc., especially when first starting out. In other words, learning not to worry about gear that costs 10 times as much as you paid and just enjoy what you have. And yes, I do genuinely think that that is a common problem, at least based on my n=1 analysis.
I thought the video was good. Sure, when you watch it you think "ok yes, that's obvious", but the truth is that those kinds of comments do come up, maybe not worded as "you're an idiot" but it's not uncommon to see comments here on PFM about how you don't need to spend so much money to get the same performance (e.g. DACs).
Going by my previous comments about how Darko seems to be quite aware of the beginner mindset, I think it's a helpful video to have. There's a bit of a corollary to the "you're an idiot" effect that he describes, and that's the inherent uncertainty about how much better you can do with your hifi. So recognizing this behavior of calling people out for spending too much according to one's own views is another window to recognizing one's own limits, means, etc., especially when first starting out. In other words, learning not to worry about gear that costs 10 times as much as you paid and just enjoy what you have. And yes, I do genuinely think that that is a common problem, at least based on my n=1 analysis.
Del monaco
Del Monaco
I think it’s quite common around computer audio but there’s more of a debate in this relatively recent area of audio. Then again, you occasionally come upon great products at lower prices that rival much more expensive products. Magnepan LRS speakers are an example. I own them and they are remarkable for the money. They’re only $650 in the USA. In computer audio there are even more amazing low cost examples that make your eyes open wide. I have a Justboom Amp/Dac combo that is just great for the £35 I paid.Those silly money JPWs.
What I find most troubling is when hifi lovers, most notably in CA, extol ‘night and day’ differences that just aren’t there or are exaggerated by a lack of level matching or expectation bias. Making statements like the Node is massively better than a Touch. It just isn’t. Nor is it any better than a well fettled Pi. And this extends to much more expensive streaming devices where the advances are paper thin if there are any.
I’ve spent years going through the usual hifi journey and I’m at the point where I recognise the genius of marketing and exaggerated claims therein. Measurements are the big thing at the moment. How low can you go into areas you can’t hear anyway?
I think the argument is more sophisticated than than the Darko take.
What I find most troubling is when hifi lovers, most notably in CA, extol ‘night and day’ differences that just aren’t there or are exaggerated by a lack of level matching or expectation bias. Making statements like the Node is massively better than a Touch. It just isn’t. Nor is it any better than a well fettled Pi. And this extends to much more expensive streaming devices where the advances are paper thin if there are any.
I’ve spent years going through the usual hifi journey and I’m at the point where I recognise the genius of marketing and exaggerated claims therein. Measurements are the big thing at the moment. How low can you go into areas you can’t hear anyway?
I think the argument is more sophisticated than than the Darko take.
Warszawa
pfm Member
I always look forward to his videos and very much enjoy his reviews. He takes no shortcuts. Products are listened to for weeks, comparisons are always made and production is way ahead of what anyone else is doing.
Less enthused by the new bitesize news desk videos but that's fine. Some people will prefer that to skimming his website.
His point here was a little laboured but absolutely valid. I see it all the time on forums and I can't imagine how frustrating it is for a reviewer to be getting direct emails and comments to the same effect. Why do people care so much about what others buy?
Less enthused by the new bitesize news desk videos but that's fine. Some people will prefer that to skimming his website.
His point here was a little laboured but absolutely valid. I see it all the time on forums and I can't imagine how frustrating it is for a reviewer to be getting direct emails and comments to the same effect. Why do people care so much about what others buy?
Rug Doc
pfm Member
I have said this before regarding forums, but video and image integration needs to be simplified, in the same way that faceboook is so simple. One click and upload an image or video and forums would have a far greater stickiness... I guess it’s down to server space (as FB hosts, or should that be steals!) your images and videos.
