What makes SBAF so good?

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by MoatsArt, Nov 3, 2015.

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  1. MoatsArt

    MoatsArt Friend

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    Silly content - Deleted
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2016
  2. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Mm... I don't see it that way.

    Changstar/SBAF was one of the channels through which I could learn more about this costly hobby of mine, and through interaction with this community, I was able to learn more, and achieve more with the hobby by itself. Along the way, I have made friends, who can be described aptly as my best audio friends. Some are actually "super" as well. Being that way, I choose to spend more time here, despite having access elsewhere.

    The big city versus small town thing has never quite occurred to my mind. I didn't get burned somewhere else, only to come here to seek refuge and spend my time complaining about my old life. I am a member of many different communities all under the same [user]name, and I have not gotten my access revoked in any of them for any reason at all. I only had to be reasonable. Granted, some come here due to that reason, but you must realize that not everyone is like that. Some choose to be here, and spend more time here by choice, because the small size, the intimacy, the straightforwardness, and the streams of consciousness here are more valuable than the many anonymous faces elsewhere. And the thing is... I don't think the staff here actually even care that much about this "dual citizenship", so there's no need for anything such as that to be "allowed".

    Putting it that way is really just trying to dig up politics, and one thing I didn't like about Changstar, that I think some other folks can agree, is that it was devolving too much into the politics toward the end, and much less about the hobby as a whole. I am hoping SBAF will not become that way. Or to put it bluntly, I am okay with people coming here because they got banned on other audio sites, but I don't think it's something to gloat about.

    I like it here because people are more vibrant here. They can show both excitement and disappointment at something in the industry equally, and sometimes, they can also give honest opinions/reviews/impressions of a piece of gear or a manufacturer without fears of being prosecuted by any force. Some do not like that aspect of this place, and admittedly, I do not agree with everything said and written here, nor do I agree with everything spoken by many members here, including those on the staff, but that is, like, just my opinions, and the cool thing is that it's okay to do that here. I have friends here that I clash opinions with almost every single time I start putting down words (cue @kapanak :p), but that's okay, and I like it better that way. I feel that, in a way, SBAF is more like an open discussion place for me and my friends to talk about our personal audio lives, and that's the important part. I don't care at all about the rest of the other stuffs. It's not like we already don't have so much to worry about in this hobby (which cable should I buy next?).

    So, with that said, I'd say... I like SBAF for its audio opinions, for the small little things, including the pranks, that my friends play on me, and the communication/relation I get with many here. I don't care, and I don't think I'd like to see more of "hi, I got banned on xxx forums and now I'm here with my people" because that's just... like... not relevant. Please feel free to disagree but... seriously, I think it should all be about audio, and friends, and how to make both of those "best" and "super" (respectively?).

    Now, which bank should I rob in order to afford a new Sennheiser HE1060/HEV1060?

    |\/|
     
  3. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    I never went to Changstar at first because I knew it only as 'that place which must not be named', but when I did find it I was distressed by all the sciency pictures and often very blunt remarks about headphones that I had previously thought of as top-of-the-line. Now that I'm learning a bit more about the mood of the site and the people here I feel a bit more comfortable.

    Probably the biggest thing I like about here is the ease of negative comments. It doesn't feel like anything is watered down in order not to upset anyone, which is the prevalent mood in Head-Fi. I look forward to people's impressions of various cans that I may or may not buy in the future, and I fully welcome the criticism of cans that I wanted badly because of hype. I also learned that the science guys, and the dudes who are most critical of everything really like the multibit Schiit. I was sold on the Yggdrasil in the impressions thread on Head-Fi, but now I know that the Gungnir Multibit is most definitely closer to what I want. That, and I now know why I want the HD-650.

    I'll still keep an eye on head-fi just to see Jason and Baldr talk, and new product announcements. Oh, and Nomax.
     
  4. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Yeah, I understand what you mean, @MoatsArt. It is sadly the case for some here that they are in that situation (well, sad from my perspective). However, I just don't feel like it's something to be discussed at... another audio place because really, the focus should be on audio and the hobby as a whole, and much less about "what are the other places doing?"

    It's not like we're in a war, and the other communities are secretly concocting schemes to bring us down.

    In fact, I think in a perfect world, there is a reason for all things to exist.

    And if I have to be blunt, I feel Head-fi's existence is necessary. Without them, who'd be there to promote the lesser-known stuffs? The "everything is positive" attitude there is actually kinda necessary for the little guys in the industry to move forward, and that's one thing I can always appreciate. Even if they don't make great audio products now, Fiio may still be able to come out with something awesome in the near future. But the thing is... given how their cheaper products fare, I dare say... Fiio would not have made it if Changstar/SBAF was the forefront of all things headphones/audio. Most (some?) of us here would have talked them into oblivion.

    So... I like SBAF being the way it is. Obviously, one day, when SBAF grows to be as big as Head-fi, then a lot of things will change, but I know we can deal with it when that time comes.
     
  5. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Your gracious overlord moderators, of course.

    Now back in line plebian.
    :pirate07:
     
  6. antifocus

    antifocus Friend

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    We have cooler logo and darker theme.
     
  7. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Gotta love the killer 16bit (I'm thinking Super Nintendo ) font.
     
  8. rayfalkner

    rayfalkner Not to be confused with Roy Fokker - Friend

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    CS / SBAF helps to negate the hype train in this wretched hobby of mine, and thus it also negates the need for me to sell off my kidney and liver to afford all of those totl equipment. So, thank you, folks for keeping my organs intact. Keep those numbers coming! |\/|
     
  9. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    I personally think what makes SBAF so good are the people, the members, and the friendships that we can make. I have personally made some new friends, and feel I have gotten a lot closer to old friends from CHANGSTAR. I am really happy here, and it feels more laid-back. Over-all as a moderator I have found very little problems overall here compared to CHANGSTAR. Yes there are still issues, but overall it isn't nearly as bad. Seems people are more respectful and understanding of others opinions, and I think it is constructive. I am one that believes that one should look at both sides of a story to try to determine what is best for each individual. So debates and differences of opinion without arguing as much as to whom is right and wrong makes a big difference. I think we can all learn from different points of view, without retaliating.
     
  10. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    Whisky, tango, foxtrot. It happens that people + internet = genuine weirdness thus 0 _ 0

    I miss the old Newgrounds sometimes so I kind of understand.
     
  11. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    The end never stops. This song will always be in my head. Add "Shaman's Blues" too. The Doors are eternal.

     
  12. Eric_C

    Eric_C Friend

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    I wonder if SBAF, despite having so many CS people, works better than CS due to it being a fresh start that allows all us newbs to feel like we're on more equal footing with the old guard?
     
  13. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    Certain things and topics are avoided here. It is to keep the forum accessible and thus it has a higher signal to noise ratio.
     
  14. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

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    Welcoming Changstar

    [​IMG]


    Same by SBAF :

    [​IMG]
     
  15. jowls

    jowls Never shitposts (please) - Friend

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    ^So much this. Almost word for word.
     
  16. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    I felt the need for armour at Changstar. There are days when a guy just can't bothered to get the stuff out the cupboard, grease the joints, put it all on, and carry the weight of it around, just because a couple of people can't take care with their spears.
     
  17. lm4der

    lm4der A very good sport - Friend

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    My experience of CS and now SBAF might be different than others. I don't tend to join forums. I had never joined any other audio forums prior to CS, and I only recently created an account on head-fi (a couple weeks ago). However prior to discovering CS, I lurked for a long time on head-fi, hydrogen audio etc. I joined CS because I noticed that there was much better, consistent information. I actually started to learn something about which products were worth considering, whereas on head-fi it was hard to discern anything because literally every product was "zomg this punches above its price point". Conversely on hydrogen audio nothing was deemed useful past "transparent", so even your laptop out is sufficient if it isn't making audible noise. But I had started to notice differences in my low end amps and DACs, and I wanted to find out if there really was something to all this audiophoolery. On CS I could see consistency with the opinions, and this lead me to believe that maybe they knew what they were talking about.

    I left behind a few mid-fi purchases and started trying to build a semi-low cost system with synergy. Based on many posts, such as posts about rigs at different price points that were recommended as good pairings/synergistic, I started with the HD650, and slowly started upgrading the other pieces in the chain. At each stage I went with the recommendations on CS, like the advice that tube amps pair well with HD650. I am lucky to have been ready to upgrade my DAC when the Schiit multibit tech landed. With each upgrade I was astonished that I was actually able to hear what people were talking about, so I could see (hear) that the advice I was getting was reliable.

    I doubt that I would have found my way to my current rig on other forums, at least not without wasting a lot of time and money that would have probably caused me to abandon the headphone quest. So there was something about the raw tone of CS that gave it the ring of authenticity and credibility needed for me to trust it and give it a go.

    After having joined, I started to enjoy a lot of the interactions with members, and my fondness for the site grew in that direction too. However I soon noticed that there was one member, who consistently bullied people and was what I considered verbally abusive. This one person created so much noise and conflict that I could see it poisoning the well. I really think he was the main problem with the old CS. I like that SBAF values some level of civility.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 1, 2016
  18. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    My profile pic.
     
  19. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    Drugs?
     
  20. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    Certain non-audio topics were creating too much noise. At one point you have to stop making noise and for some people that is difficult. I understand your frustration.
     
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