petition for marv to release his article on the headphone industry

This is probably it. You need to accept what the common denominator of the potential buyers is. If i look at the consumer electronics, especially smart-handheld-things industry. I am baffled how it works, but it does and it is controlled by marketing departments, which controlls sales. It seems the real thing is 'getting to know' your customers. Or maybe designing the perfect customer like Apple does.

Nah, just kidding.

 

I think mutual respect should be in order, only you can't expect that (with company vs customer as well) This is why we get these heated conversations online especially in audio and gaming industry.

 

I recently went to a Detroit Headfi meet, while Jude did bring a Hugo, there was plenty of DIY tube amps, project Fostex, modded cans, and some neat china-fi. Headamp was there as well, which despite feeling odd about having professionals in a small room in a community rec center, it was nice to finally hear some stax. So I don't really know what to make of all the cries of the death of the hobbyist, but then I don't/have not gone to the Big Shows.

 

Thank you for all of your points, MERV... I find this one in particular to be very relevant and exciting... I think it would be an amazing achievement for our hobby as well. It could be yet another tool to serve newbies to the hobby immensely, and also achieve a formalized support network for existing folks. Watching what SBAF is accomplishing already, I totally hope this happens.

 

My perhaps uninformed take:

The trend for mid-fi headphones is the straight-outta iDevice/Android usage, tailored to (compensate for) today's production values, because that's where the growth and money is (multi-Billion dollar industry). And as long as people are willing to dish out $$$ for the uber-fi halo headphones, well why would the flagship companies reverse the pricing trend? Afterall, crazy pricing grabs attention, which leads to mostly glowing reviews and exposure in venues (in addition to purely hobbyist websites) catering to consumers that want only the best, which, based upon sales results up and down their product line, leads to potential validation that the pricing strategy is successful.

Sure that maybe backfires for a company like Ultrasone (and maybe they still sell well in a specific market), but for the companies whose products are actually perceived to be good (yet maybe overpriced), what would it realistically take for them to make a change and "throw us a bone"?

Hell, you guys with the collective knowledge and maybe industry experience should go beyond tweaking and start making headphones that cater to what this collective community is looking for.

 

1) Just as a data point, I think applauding good companies is way more healthy than spanking poor ones.

B) Good luck starting a HHA. Seriously. There are some amazing things it could do.

IIV) I think a serious attempt at an open-source, 3D printable headphones would do wonders.
Might drive headphone costs down as a by-product. (You'll have to think about that one.)

 

There are enormous quantity of data on making your own speakers. DIY speaker making has more content than all headphones content in all of head-fi and elsewhere combined by several folds. And that's not even including all the electronics content for said DIY speakers.

I think an effort to come up with ideas regarding headphones drivers and enclosures, with science and measurements backing it (the way speakers and their cabinet calculators do for example) would be a very positive move for this hobby.

Also, starting a society, and even more so an association (especially non-profit) is a huge undertaking, but the repercussions on the rest of this hobby will be massive. I think we should do it. More than a few of us have the experience necessary for these matters (we have lawyers, accountants, etc among us).

 

I agree with Tyll and think open-source, 3D printable headphones would do wonders for the industry. I've been working on some myself and would love to find like minded individuals. PM or email me if anybody would like to discuss further. Or, start a new thread...

I also agree that applauding companies is the best approach, While I feel that spanking some would bring me great satisfaction, it would likely kill our business.

Regarding a HHA, seems daunting but count me in as both a member and contributor, or any way I can help.

 

Tyll always with quality posts and thoughts. I do agree with you in a sense as well Marv. A negative review or thought here needs to be placed on a bad product though, company bias and past gear should be ignored. I think that each piece of equipment should be held on its own merit.

 

Crap needs to be called out, it just doesn't need to happen with venom. For example, if one of the audio review sites posted on how they've gotten really inconsistent measurements from Audeze LCD-3s, they should say it. But also, invite Audeze to comment on the problem as well. Kinda the standard sort of reporting thing.

Or if the Ifi Nano sounds terrible, say that it sound bad and why. But don't pile on, saying Ifi is a terrible everything (even if they are). Honestly seeing that something is bad helps everybody: Helps customers make better decisions, helps get crap off the market and helps companies that could be great learn that they have have to be better if they want to play in the big money headphone market.

 

I agree. Focus on the product. If enough criticism on a big range of products from a company comes out, that will speak as much about the company than just piling on.

 

This guy disagrees with you.

(post excised by Head Fi sentinel, basically Shillheart bagging on CS/HBAF as purrin says below)

 

I know Dan from Mr. Speakers was thinking about open sourcing the Alpha Dog design when he finished selling them. That would be a great starting point for a community driven 3d printed headphone.