Best Audio Related Story (or joke).


With all the stress and pressure going around at Audiogon these days, (posting issues, complaints and legal issues), seems like this would be a good opportunity to inject some light hearted audio related comments, stories or just plain old jokes. Please share yours!
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Years ago my amplifier designer buddy was discusted with a mediocre review that he recieved from TAS. They had said that his small "budget" amp , was just O.K.(as compared to their "reference" amp, which weighed 100lb+ , with big beefy handles, etc..). So he had a big beefy box made with his company's logo on it , and presented it at the next Consumer Electronic Show.This "amplifier" must have been the biggest box at CES that year. During the sound "demonstrations", everyone commented on the amplifier's great sense of ease, it's excellent dynamics, it's obvious refinement. Many a reviewer wanted to be the first to review his new "reference" amplifier. The new amp had a hidden hinged top cover, so that my buddy could show his closest friends the contents of his "reference" amplifier. What was inside? A mass marketed car stereo amplifier!
Response to David99 about reviewers. Your statement is exactly what my buddy was trying to disprove! These individuals are not always the godly, golden eared people that everyone takes them for!...they are human, like you and me. This means that we all have preferences, are not always impartial, and usually can be swayed to believe in something, due to our pre-concieved notions. Additionally, CES shows have some of the worst rooms in which to make decisions on "what a new component sounds like". Believe me, there is more than one reviewer "recommended manufacturer", that is actually a stinker, as compared to their competition. IF ANYONE READING THIS THINKS OTHERWISE, THEN YOU ARE READY TO JOIN THE P.T. BARNUM CLUB! (P.S.-I will contact my buddy this week to see if he is willing to reveil himself.)
Here's a true story. When I got my new speaker system (a four-piece system with an active crossover), the guy who built it didn't have monoblock crossovers for me, so he gave me two stereo ones, both prototypes, to use till the new ones were built. The speakers were built in a large warehouse, not hermetically sealed. When he arrived with the new crossovers, I went to take out one of the old ones and found a dead bird under it (don't ask me how, but I'll bet it flew into the 3 1/2 inch port of one of the subwoofers in that warehouse)! Of course, I turned to the guy and told him with a straight face that no wonder his speaker sounded dull to me, it had a dead tweeter. He then hit me on the head with my new crossover......
Ray, in response to your question in new postings, copied and pasted here at this site: Does anyone know of any collections of audio-related humor on the web? I miss the Lirpa articles in Audio (I know there are two listings on Audioreview). This will bring this thread up to the top, where you may access them, and hopefully post something of your own. Albert