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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: How does it sound?
Post Subject: Old and Dead Hi-Fi Editors vs. GSC Collective ConsciousnessPosted by Paul S on: 5/5/2013
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This takes me back to previous discussions we've had about differences between the languages of Music and of Hi-Fi, and I hereby refer readers to these posts.  I'll add a link or links if I can find them.

In direct response to the subject post, 50 years ago, I just wanted to be able to meet and talk with people on the subject of hi-fi, itself, and it was mostly like early rocket science, I suppose; we just patched stuff together and listened to the results, with LPs, tape, or FM sources.  I think that meeting some people in the recording and hi-fi manufaturing "industries" early on had a sort of "mechanical" or "grounding" effect on me that took me many years to get over, if indeed I ever did.  In those early days, I was excited when J Gordon Holt began to develop a sort of "Esperanto for Hi-Fi", in an attempt to codify the language of what we hear.  Although I made every effort to learn and speak this language, it was not widely accepted, even by the other Stereophile writers, and it was basically ignored by most other people "in the industry", and it quickly faded into oblivion.

At this time, I read and/or listen to others for clues about not only what they say are hearing but also what they are listening for.  I think it helps me if someone talks about the Music itself; but it's hard to be sure.  While this "system" is bound to be hit or miss, speaking about Sound itself and in terms of Music is all I know to do at this time, "supplemented" by a truly bastardized "electro-speak", where standard electrical/engineering terms have been hijacked and morphed to serve musico-auditory ends.  The truth is, I don't often talk about hi-fi to anyone outside of GSC!  Add the Romy-isms, and one could say we have our own, evolving language here, and (not to be philosophical), I guess this lanuage stems from and reflects the GSC "collective consciousness".

Best regards,
Paul S

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