pink fish influence
- Thread starter koi
- Start date
How about you buying me a lunch and we can have a nice little chat about it.
Cereal Killer
432
For me its been a great help in terms of system type rather than product selection. Its also helped me find and discover things from other markets that are totally relevant and much more satisfying. My systems had a complete changed in the last four month but is now finished. PFI did influence a few products and decision making in my active systems, but more recently I returned to using a quality dealer, Audio Emotion, who've helped me bring my system back to where I wanted it with my old favorite speakers but with an amp and front end I'd had no experience of till going to see them. Dealer do still have an important roll to play 
Cable Monkey
A chip on both shoulders...
Forums of any orientation have two types of contributors. Those looking for advice and direction, and those who give advice and direction. Too few of us have the experience to recommend anything other than what we own, or have owned so the written word has to be taken with some reservations.
The social element is what really spreads genuine advice, going to someones home to listen to their kit. Bringing something of your own to insert into that system. Seeing if it works well, what the differences are between the flowery prose of reviews and the cold hard illumination of listening comparisons. I think it is the potential for a forum to become the catalyst for us to get together that cements choices and goes a long way to ensuring those choices stick around for a while.
The social element is what really spreads genuine advice, going to someones home to listen to their kit. Bringing something of your own to insert into that system. Seeing if it works well, what the differences are between the flowery prose of reviews and the cold hard illumination of listening comparisons. I think it is the potential for a forum to become the catalyst for us to get together that cements choices and goes a long way to ensuring those choices stick around for a while.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
I agree with CABLE MONKEY, but people can and do fall into both camps, as I do.
I've not only enjoyed being part of the FORUMS (NOT 'fora') and especially P.F.M., I've gained advice, tips, suggestions and recommendations which have helped me change my entire soundstage these past few years.
One can give advice on received wisdom (as many do) or actual experience. Neither of these can guarantee to be pertinent, as all installations are unique, I'd say. But every little bit helps......
I've not only enjoyed being part of the FORUMS (NOT 'fora') and especially P.F.M., I've gained advice, tips, suggestions and recommendations which have helped me change my entire soundstage these past few years.
One can give advice on received wisdom (as many do) or actual experience. Neither of these can guarantee to be pertinent, as all installations are unique, I'd say. But every little bit helps......
Cable Monkey
A chip on both shoulders...
Should have said that apart from a few intransigents who only beleive what they have or do is any good, or those with such a lack of self belief they are constantly seeking advice, most of us do switch mode depending on what we wish to do. Even the oldest most knarled audiophile will occasionally ask for advice, and the greenest newbie still has plenty to offer.
Robert
Tapehead
I agree with CABLE MONKEY, but people can and do fall into both camps, as I do.
I've not only enjoyed being part of the FORUMS (NOT 'fora') and especially P.F.M., I've gained advice, tips, suggestions and recommendations which have helped me change my entire soundstage these past few years.
One can give advice on received wisdom (as many do) or actual experience. Neither of these can guarantee to be pertinent, as all installations are unique, I'd say. But every little bit helps......
I'd also agree with his post in that it's the community (on pfm) that is all important.
The audio room on most forums can be effectively written off in terms of providing any genuinely useful service to those with a system problem. Hand on heart, when I log into pfm, AoS or WW I do so thinking 'wonder what they are all on about today'
Interesting banter - that's how to view these things IMO and there is nothing wrong with that.
The real worth comes from the peripheral areas (in terms of numbers) and you can get genuinely useful help and advice (and give it) in the vintage and diy sections. One post from people such as Martin Clark or PD in the diy room is usually of more real worth than the entire day's audio room posts, in terms of offering genuinely useful help.
This forum is a little different in that it also has a great photography section.
Personally, I rarely go into 'off topic' since I get quite enough of that at work, thank you!
Specifically regarding the advice given in the audio room, I sometimes feel a forum is counter productive in that it can instil more doubts and confusion than it offers useful assistance.
Asking for advice and receiving twenty different recommendations is of limited worth!
In this area, audio forums are quite different to other hobbyist sites where advice tends to more directed, relevant and coming from a position of common agreement.
Ask for recommendations regarding say, film grain on a photography forum and the advice given we be pretty useful. Ask about taming a bright sound on a hi-fi forum and you'll likely be told to clean you pugs or shove spikes under the shelf +20 variations....
Nuff said.
Sid and Coke
and so the rebuild continues..
Have had loads of excellent advice from PFM members since joining. I discovered PFM when i got a s/h Linn LP12 and wanted to know basically whta to do with it to getting working at its best.
The members of this community come from such diverse backgrounds that the off topic room is one of my first www ports of call if i need advice or help with basically....anything !
The only duff bit of advice that i have followed in all this time is to buy the album Suicide - Suicide, however Mr Foxes other fantastic sage advice, comments and wickedly dessicated humour more than make up for wasting the price of a BK Whopper with cheese....
I have found that my mind does change, (broaden and narrow) over the years so i may 'get' Suicide one day , hence it retains its place within my modest collection...
The members of this community come from such diverse backgrounds that the off topic room is one of my first www ports of call if i need advice or help with basically....anything !
The only duff bit of advice that i have followed in all this time is to buy the album Suicide - Suicide, however Mr Foxes other fantastic sage advice, comments and wickedly dessicated humour more than make up for wasting the price of a BK Whopper with cheese...
. I have found that my mind does change, (broaden and narrow) over the years so i may 'get' Suicide one day , hence it retains its place within my modest collection...
I have gained immensely from this forum.
I'm in two camps at the same time. Happy with some stuff and not with others. My main system hasn't changed except the power amplifier has become Avondaled. A logical step forward in my opinion. My main system is so enjoyable I can't see it changing at all. My secondary system started as small bedroom system based on Naim 32.5 and 140 with some older KEF speakers. After having lots of enjoyment messing with quads i tried messing with naim and found the older preamps not satisfactory in my system. I'd wanted one for years, but my dreams were dashed.
Then I discovered preamp messing and built a B4 subsequently remote controlled. this has been a fantastic experience. Thanks to Tony, Pig's dad and many others. I now have a unique system that's next to perfect. I just need to pluck up the courage to Naim case my preamp and power supplies.
This process hasn't been upgrading, in my view. It's more like widening my experience and learning. I have no need for more volume or more detail. The only thing left is more knowledge and understanding of various loudspeakers.
My main regret is that most people live away and I can't listen to their systems and nick their ideas.......The only down side of living in the lake district.
Thanks everyone.
PS. I've a bad habit of commenting when I shouldn't so if I've reduced anyone's enjoyment of PF then here's another apology...
I'm in two camps at the same time. Happy with some stuff and not with others. My main system hasn't changed except the power amplifier has become Avondaled. A logical step forward in my opinion. My main system is so enjoyable I can't see it changing at all. My secondary system started as small bedroom system based on Naim 32.5 and 140 with some older KEF speakers. After having lots of enjoyment messing with quads i tried messing with naim and found the older preamps not satisfactory in my system. I'd wanted one for years, but my dreams were dashed.
Then I discovered preamp messing and built a B4 subsequently remote controlled. this has been a fantastic experience. Thanks to Tony, Pig's dad and many others. I now have a unique system that's next to perfect. I just need to pluck up the courage to Naim case my preamp and power supplies.
This process hasn't been upgrading, in my view. It's more like widening my experience and learning. I have no need for more volume or more detail. The only thing left is more knowledge and understanding of various loudspeakers.
My main regret is that most people live away and I can't listen to their systems and nick their ideas.......The only down side of living in the lake district.
Thanks everyone.
PS. I've a bad habit of commenting when I shouldn't so if I've reduced anyone's enjoyment of PF then here's another apology...
Brian
Eating fat, staying slim
I've been given plenty of excellent advice here on pfm.
In fact, here's a very recent example from just 6 weeks ago in a thread I started when I was having problems with a forced change of treble unit in my diy speakers.
The whole thread is here
I did exactly what was suggested by "demotivated" and it worked a treat. I'd been struggling with this for some months to the point I'd gambled on some IPL S5TLs that didn't work out, the point is I thought I couldn't get the KLS3's working properly again and the answer was given on pfm.
When it comes to equipment recommendations (upgrades) I've never been influenced by anything other than what I can hear, so I've not been influenced by comment on pfm. However, where I was influenced (or rather helped) by pfm was in 2008 when I needed to temporarily set up a second system in another location and didn't want to copy all of my CDs. I asked about this on pfm and the overwhelming vote came back for a "Squeezebox", which I'd never heard of. Well I looked into it and then took the gamble by buying one. I converted all of my CDs to FLAC and set the second system up using a laptop to the Squeezebox. I was so happy with that setup it eventually found its way into the main system when I no longer needed the second system. That was another success for pfm imo.
Generally I think you have to ignore any foo type stuff and the other, what I call, "religious" stuff, but that's easy enough.
People have been to my place and I've been to theirs. All a great experience.
pfm is great forum.
PS : I already have a razor and I've been plenty of coat recommendations to think about.
In fact, here's a very recent example from just 6 weeks ago in a thread I started when I was having problems with a forced change of treble unit in my diy speakers.
The whole thread is here
I did exactly what was suggested by "demotivated" and it worked a treat. I'd been struggling with this for some months to the point I'd gambled on some IPL S5TLs that didn't work out, the point is I thought I couldn't get the KLS3's working properly again and the answer was given on pfm.
When it comes to equipment recommendations (upgrades) I've never been influenced by anything other than what I can hear, so I've not been influenced by comment on pfm. However, where I was influenced (or rather helped) by pfm was in 2008 when I needed to temporarily set up a second system in another location and didn't want to copy all of my CDs. I asked about this on pfm and the overwhelming vote came back for a "Squeezebox", which I'd never heard of. Well I looked into it and then took the gamble by buying one. I converted all of my CDs to FLAC and set the second system up using a laptop to the Squeezebox. I was so happy with that setup it eventually found its way into the main system when I no longer needed the second system. That was another success for pfm imo.
Generally I think you have to ignore any foo type stuff and the other, what I call, "religious" stuff, but that's easy enough.
People have been to my place and I've been to theirs. All a great experience.
pfm is great forum.
PS : I already have a razor and I've been plenty of coat recommendations to think about.
Not appreciating Suicide is it?
Don't try The Revolutionary Corps of Teenage Jesus then, you won't like that.
Music recommendations are always too personal, most of the turgid stuff I see being discussed here I would not let through the door, and no doubt others would fail to see merit in Conrad S and that.
DS
Don't try The Revolutionary Corps of Teenage Jesus then, you won't like that.
Music recommendations are always too personal, most of the turgid stuff I see being discussed here I would not let through the door, and no doubt others would fail to see merit in Conrad S and that.
DS
Robert
Tapehead
Good old science to the rescue again in that case.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Norwich isn't the Lake District but I'd echo your comment above. The only audiophiles I've met here for mutual benefit have been Wammers, (who do seem keen on 'bake-offs', for some reason.
). Is there a geographical grouping tendency for Fishers, I wonder?