Mono & Stereo

[Pim]

Hi guys,

You might want to read this article in the context it was written in. It's the 'I have a website that posts lots of pictures of extremely overpriced audio equipment that's specifically designed for 'new money Asians who like to show off how rich they are' and I needed to do something against Devialet because my advertisers are rapidly loosing clients to them', context.

I have a quick look at his site quite often and he has NEVER written an article on ANYTHING affordable. He lives in an 'if it's not high priced, it's not high end' world and he's angry because he now has to share his world with people who don't have 7 figure incomes. It's like the Volkswagon Phaeton; How dare an ordinary brand build a high quality car? The snobs won't touch it because of the badge. But when they put a Bentley badge on it then it's ok. Even though it's built on the same platform.

I spent a day going from high end dealer to high end dealer in Bangkok a few years ago. The stuff they have on display is anywhere between expensive and unaffordable. The sound? Not one system could play the song I had chosen without the harsh 's' in it. Not because the systems are no good. It's because they don't know how to set the systems up properly. That's because it isn't about quality sound but all about showing off. I now have my modest system and the harsh 's'? Gone. And it's NOT MUFFLED. It just sound damn good.

Why are you calling out "new money Asians"?  Do you think Asians are the only group of people who can fit this description?  Do you think that Europeans or Americans don't share these characteristics?  You making such a blanket statement about an entire group of people based on one day visiting hi-fi dealers in one country reveals that you're not immune to snobbery either.

Hi Pete,

The only reason I used that term was because Mono and Stereo seems to be aimed at Asia and because Asia is booming there is a lot of new money around. There's nothing more behind it. If I offended anyone I'm sorry.