Audio Talk - what is it?

[SimonC]

I'm just as guilty on the non-posting front, mainly for the same reason as Jack stated. 95% of what I prototype and build is not good enough to be worth posting about. I'm learning a lot along the way, but thats what it is - learning. There's nothing very derivative or new about what I'm learning, but as a mechanical engineer its increased my knowledge of electronics and acoustics a lot in the last 10 years. (This is now having benefits at work, but thats a different thread for a different time).

One of the questions I ask myself is should I be posting about the 'failures' and asking for help from the members in understanding why they failed? I've not done that as it feels like I'm being selfish expecting members on here to solve short comings in my knowledge, plus its nothing that hasn't already been covered elsewhere. I enjoy the process of learning, and I listen, test, read, revise, listen in my own world and at my own pace with the occasional post.

The other 5% is out on the edge (mainly around numerical analysis and fluid/structure interactions), and I don't post as I can't be arsed explaining the concepts and what I'm experimenting with. (Nothing against anyone on here, you are all great people, its just I'd rather put my energy into seeing where it goes than typing about it at the moment).

Its a hard balance to find on any forum: to be dynamic and challenging without being insulting. The internet is both a blessing and a curse, it encourages comment, but most subtlety is lost along the way. I use Owston as my anchor, to me it fires my enthusiasm and reminds me that we are all doing it for. Without the forum I wouldn't have Owston...

I'm OK with quiet times on here, and just as OK with the dynamic times.

[pre65]

I suppose the commercial aspect of some members work limits what can be displayed on a public forum

You are making the same assumption there that Greg did some years ago,

OK Nick, but if I asked you for full details of your new mosfet amp so I could build myself a DIY copy you probably would decline.

That's the sort of thing I meant.

[Nick]

I suppose the commercial aspect of some members work limits what can be displayed on a public forum

You are making the same assumption there that Greg did some years ago,

OK Nick, but if I asked you for full details of your new mosfet amp so I could build myself a DIY copy you probably would decline.

That's the sort of thing I meant.

You are more than welcome to buy a pair and reverse engineer them and post the circuit if you like.

You make my point. if I posted the steps that lead up to the current circuit all that would have happened is that people would have watched me do it, then you may have tried to copy it, probably fail, and I would either have to help or it would be seen as a bad design. I would get nothing of value back, but if I post via email to Andrew and a few others, he will come back with ideas and we both progress. Just putting up designs for others to copy is not and never been the point IMHO.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Nick is in the same boat as me, what is mine is mine and that is my income. What I give is what *I choose* to give.

[pre65]

So Nick, still sounds like you are protecting your commercial designs to me, and I would not expect otherwise.

You've helped and advised me, and many others, to build our projects and I'm most grateful for that help.

[Dave the bass]

What I give is what *I choose* to give.

Gosh.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Does that surprise you, or are you being sarcastic that it should be obvious. It seems there are people (or just a person) who needs the obvious explained.

[Nick]

So Nick, still sounds like you are protecting your commercial designs to me, and I would not expect otherwise.

Yep, does that make you feel better?

That wasn’t the point I was making. There is discussing basic theory and ideas that could be done but generally isn’t on the forum, without posting a complete how to finished design.

[al newall]

This forum doesn't need a kick up the ar*e, it just needs some input from young people who are interested in how things work.
Sadly there are very few about.

My interest hasn't waned, but my needs have changed.
Happy new year, by the way.

[Dave the bass]

Maybe another reason theory and projects don't get discussed so much on the forum thesedays is that there's probably a few splinter-groups that have formed off-forum that meet up face-to-face quite regularly to discuss builds/problems/life/the universe/theory/books/music/projects etc etc.

Certainly that's been true in my case since our-Thomas appeared on the scene here. Having someone who you can bounce ideas off in-person saves a lot of typing.

[shane]

For me this forum is a beacon of hope in an uncaring world! My family are content to listen to the noise emitted by an iPhone on full volume for their musical needs and regard me as slightly odd to expect anything better, so this place reminds me that although I may be odd, at least I'm not alone. I follow all the discussions to increase my understanding, but due to constraints of space, time and finance I don't give much in the way of technical input myself. Later in the year I'll be able to put together the phono2 project I recently acquired, and I have an idea for a collection of Vestax and Heybrook turntable bits. Both will become threads on here. The othe bright spot is young Matthew, who is embarking on a 6550 build, hopefully starting in a week or so. He says he will join up and document progress a well.

It may be a bit quiet at times but this place keeps me sane.

[Mike H]

I haven't posted much of anything new lately simply because the kit I've got at the mo does what I want, so there's no urgency to do anything new. It's problee not a coincidence that this happy situation has coalesced over the last 8 and a bit years as a result of learning things from the forum and fests, etc.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

You only know what you know (in this case as a group), and individual and group ego creates the belief that that is all there is to know. In many areas you haven't scratched the surface yet, you seem to have rejected paths without even exploring them. Complacency and closed minds

Comfortable self satisfaction.

[Cressy Snr]

I mean, as far back as 2008, somebody called us a "backslapping bunch of wankers" so evidently our collective minds have been closed for nearly 10 years. I think that is an exaggeration of course, but...

What we could do with, is when somebody comes up with a radical approach to something, no matter how daft soundng, the left brained logicians, however tempted, need to grit their teeth and try not to comment unless there is a serious health and safety issue in what the arty types are proposing.
Engineering and art can be difficult bedfellows at the best of times as, Jeff Medwin has found out big style on Audio Asylum, but best not talk about that can of worms. And Mr Sakuma? Now there's a controversial figure.

[Greg]

Maybe another reason theory and projects don't get discussed so much on the forum thesedays is that there's probably a few splinter-groups that have formed off-forum that meet up face-to-face quite regularly to discuss builds/problems/life/the universe/theory/books/music/projects etc etc.

Certainly that's been true in my case since our-Thomas appeared on the scene here. Having someone who you can bounce ideas off in-person saves a lot of typing.

Yes, exactly the same here. There are four of us in the Bristol area, all originally linked through AT, who meet up at least once a month to discuss the latest tweaks to our systems and of course, we always have a good listening session. These days, often the talk is about new music we have discovered. Every meet up is enhanced with a nice pub lunch with an excellent pint of locally fermented still cider. Perfect!