Glad folks enjoy the humor in the Ultimate Tweak. Thanks for the compliment Rlxl. Wish I had the disipline to write more since I always enjoy it when I do. Do check out my response to the iPod thread...I think you might enjoy that too if you liked the Ultimate Tweak. I'm still laughing at Slappy's revelation! Hey slappy did you try putting some vaseline on that Boba-Fett action figure and attaching him to the end of a broomstick on a maple stand and see what happens! A bit of epoxy ought to do it!
Tom, on a more serious note; I enjoyed your post. I don't know if being sucessful and smart makes one immune to the Power of Cheese as it were. Advertising thrives on smart successful people and I'd guess the majority of Audiophiles (rather the audio buying public at large) are not on this list and do not educate themselves as well as they could. When it comes down to it, oh so many people don't trust their own judgement when they think others know better. But I agree with you completely in that your own ears are the best judge and it doesn't matter what's producing the sound as long as it works for you. I think being gullible is not necessarily foiled by being smart or successful. There are plenty of mediochre products that survive out there, and plenty of examples of $2000 power cords made with $120 of materials and driven by tens of thousands in advertising and hype. Those companies seem to be surviving and thriving as well. Furthermore I've known many people, especially those with a whole lot of money, who are all too willing to purshase items (with very minimal knowledge and questionable guideance) solely to put on display the depth of their pockets and their good taste (again, don't know that many are on this list, but I'm sure there are some). It's the American Way after all...Keep up with the Jones's...well actually it is more realisticly "Show-up" the Jones's!
PS I need to order some more of that special Hamster feed you make for the amp you sold me. I'm running out and those little guys are burning it off real quick! I just got paid, so I'm going to take the Deluxe TWL Hamster Feed this time!
Marco