Scientific proof that wine snobs are full of it

[Ben]

I prefer a $90 bottle of Balvenie over a $14 bottle of Old Overholt, but if I drank Balvenie like I drink cheaper spirits I'd be flat broke. I'm probably visiting the liquor about every other week to replace a bottle that was emptied from the home bar. Granted I have company over that likes to drink but I don't have guests over every weekend.

No question that I like High West over Old Overholt every time, but if it happened to be the reverse, I'd be happy too (and my wallet would be even happier). :)

[MechAg94]

I suppose someone is also going to try to tell me that old vinyl records don't sound better than CD's.  




What do you mean "what are CD's?"
  

[MechAg94]

I shared a bottle of Don Perignone (or however you spell it) with a few friends once.  It was hands down much better than any other champaign I have ever tasted before or since. 

Maybe I should not buy anything labeled "French Shampain" and comes in cartons. 

[charby]

No question that I like High West over Old Overholt every time, but if it happened to be the reverse, I'd be happy too (and my wallet would be even happier). :)

I like Pendleton's rye for a cheaper but better tasting whiskey. Old Overholt seems to be sold out most of the time.

Plus when its being mixed into something, who gives a *expletive deleted*it if its top shelf or not.

[Ben]

Plus when its being mixed into something, who gives a *expletive deleted* if its top shelf or not.

Yup. Old Overholt is easy to find around here and is good (I think) for Old Fashioneds. As are several cheaper whiskeys I can think of off the top of my head.

I'd have to cry a little bit though, if I saw somebody doing something like using Lagavulin 16 as a mixer. That's a scotch that's worth every penny, and must be enjoyed straight up.

[Balog]

I can't stand Jack Daniels, but it's great mixed with Coke.

[Brad Johnson]

I'm wating for wunna you air-yu-dite snobs to start dissing the miracle of all foods, Spam.

Brad

[birdman]

...

Tell ya what. I'll cut you in for 5% if you get really really drunk and give me some good obfuscation marketing terms for the "best" speaker wire that the PRC is capable of making on 5-kilo spools.

 

I'll take you up on that next time I get drunk, or if you visit and we get drunk.

[SADShooter]

I'm wating for wunna you air-yu-dite snobs to start dissing the miracle of all foods, Spam.

Brad

Nah. Spam frittata and "French Shampain" could be the base fror a pretty amazing brunch menu.

[Viking]

Mmmm-hm.

Like handguns.

Or cornbread.

[birdman]

I suppose someone is also going to try to tell me that old vinyl records don't sound better than CD's.  




What do you mean "what are CD's?"
  

How something sounds is subjective, regardless of what audiophiles think.
CDs accurately reproduce (from an information theory perspective) a frequency span up to 20+kHz.
That said, it is objectively possible that vinyl can better reproduce impulsive sounds that have Fourier components in excess of 22kHz.
Of course, most people think vinyl sounds better because its ironically, usually more distorted, and more importantly, rarely listened to via ear buds,

[Fitz]

It's the same concept behind tube guitar amplifiers.

Perfect reproduction, and a very abrupt distortion (versus a gradual curve in tube amps)  that solid state circuitry provides, is not very musical.

The imperfection enhances the music.

Another example is the difference between quality "listening" speakers and reference monitors. The goal is to use something super accurate to mix/master the material, so that it sounds good in an accurate reproduction, whereas stereo speakers designed for listening are purpose built to enhance the source.

[zahc]

You mean like how this one says DIRECTIONALITY matters on a wire due to grain structure from drawing?  Whoa...you mean pretty much ALL EM symmetry arguments are invalid when talking about high end audio?!

Some cables have shields terminated at one end, typically the source.  It is also quite possible for a cable to have ends with different impedance. None of this is probably relevant to audio cables but there are at least some reasons why a cable could legitimately be directional.

[birdman]

Some cables have shields terminated at one end, typically the source.  It is also quite possible for a cable to have ends with different impedance. None of this is probably relevant to audio cables but there are at least some reasons why a cable could legitimately be directional.

A cable with different impedance a at the ends is technically a balun, or a transformer, not simply a cable.  As for termination differences, fine.  But the specific reason they cited was directionality due to grain from drawing the wire, which is complete crap.

Also, the directional cables they were referring to were DIGITAL (HDMI and Ethernet, to be specific)

[birdman]

It's the same concept behind tube guitar amplifiers.

Perfect reproduction, and a very abrupt distortion versus a gradual curve that solid state circuitry provides, is not very musical.

The imperfection enhances the music.

Another example is the difference between quality "listening" speakers and reference monitors. The goal is to use something super accurate to mix/master the material, so that it sounds good in an accurate reproduction, whereas stereo speakers designed for listening are purpose built to enhance the source.

You mean analog.  I think.  Tube amps aren't solid state, and both analog and digital transistor amps are.

[Hawkmoon]

First off, there's a difference between audiophiles and morons. Any real audiophile is going to buy normal, inexpensive cables and spend more money on processing and speakers.

Are you telling me that I didn't have to buy Monster (tm) cables with 24-karat gold terminals?

Secondly... WRT wine. I remember a while back some big wine rag did a blind taste test of a bunch of reds. Forget which ones involved, but many were expensive.

My late wife was from Chile, which happens to be a source of excellent (and affordable) wines. Even the small, local grog shop always stocks between a half dozen and a dozen different Chilean wines. Prices run from $9.99 all the way to to about $15, and they've all been good.

[lee n. field]

A cable with different impedance a at the ends is technically a balun, or a transformer, not simply a cable.  As for termination differences, fine.  But the specific reason they cited was directionality due to grain from drawing the wire, which is complete crap.

Also, the directional cables they were referring to were DIGITAL (HDMI and Ethernet, to be specific)

 ???Ethernet is directional?

[Fitz]

You mean analog.  I think.  Tube amps aren't solid state, and both analog and digital transistor amps are.

I forgot a set of parenthesis. I was trying to say "as opposed to gradual"
Edited my post

[Fitz]

???Ethernet is directional?

No they arent, that's his point

[birdman]

I forgot a set of parenthesis. I was trying to say "as opposed to gradual"
Edited my post

Well, you can actually do a linear (I.e. Not class D) amp in solid state that is effectively identical to a tube amp, and many high end amps do so, at the expense of really crappy efficiency (like a tube amp), and size, as switching amps can be made much much smaller.  But i see your point, as it was the de-nerded version of what I was saying w.r.t. Fourier bandwidth.

[Hawkmoon]

I'm wating for wunna you air-yu-dite snobs to start dissing the miracle of all foods, Spam.

Well, what year?

[charby]

I'd have to cry a little bit though, if I saw somebody doing something like using Lagavulin 16 as a mixer. That's a scotch that's worth every penny, and must be enjoyed straight up.

Cry, I'd beat them senseless.

[Fitz]

Well, you can actually do a linear (I.e. Not class D) amp in solid state that is effectively identical to a tube amp, and many high end amps do so, at the expense of really crappy efficiency (like a tube amp), and size, as switching amps can be made much much smaller.  But i see your point, as it was the de-nerded version of what I was saying w.r.t. Fourier bandwidth.

Some companies have done fantastic things with tube emulation circuitry. Line 6 is the first that comes to mind. Although in their higher end stuff, they use tubes for gain and emulation for other aspects of the tone.

[French G.]

I'm wating for wunna you air-yu-dite snobs to start dissing the miracle of all foods, Spam.

Brad

I have limited edition Spam, so there.

People want to be experts at something. Almost everybody thinks they are a great driver, cook, shooter or whatever. In reality once you actually put in some work there comes an understanding of how far from good you are. Or if you're less thoughtful you just BS along and spout nonsense about audio wire and the latest microbrew. BS is way easier than learning something.

I can be a 70% IPSC shooter within a month of getting back in the game. Probably 85% in 6 months and 90 within a year. That last 10%? Probably effin' never, and I've pulled a lotta pistol trigger. Or I can just go down to the gunstore and regurgitate what I read in an advertorial gunrag. Wow! That was easy!

Been to lots of wine tastings. Best I can manage is whether I like it or not. My current quest is Port, that mess is kinda like buying good pocketknives, there's a reason the good stuff is spendy.

[grampster]

Snicker.  From wine to cables to whiskey to beer to guns to tubes.  The most comprehensive thread veer of all time.