Harry Pearson?
SundayNiagara -- Mon, 10/05/2009 - 18:37
HP did a seminar at the RMAF, which was publicized and written up by Stereophile, with no mention whatsoever by AV Guide. What's up with that?
PS: Calling the online coverage, (not just here) pitiful, would be paying a compliment!
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Sunday,
We're trying to catch up. See my blog on Speakers over $20k. As for Harry...I literally couldn't report on his speech. On Friday I had a previous commitment at precisely the time he was speaking, and on Saturday (due to RMAF's crack scheduling) the entire TAS staff was addressing Golden Ear Club members at exactly the same hour that HP was giving his second address! How's that for timing?
JV
We tried to get the timing changed, but RMAF (understandably) has a lot of moving parts and couldn't make it happen. We've asked Harry for a summary (which is now posted here).
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
Both of the seminars I was involved with were video taped.
Hopefully Harry's talk was also video taped so that it can be posted on RMAF's site just as they did with last year's seminars.
I, too, would like to have seen it...
Steven Stone
Contributor to The Absolute Sound, EnjoytheMusic.com, Vintage Guitar Magazine, and other fine publications
Sundayniagra: I understand that you don't like the coverage we did (I assume of RMAF). If you just mean Harry's talk, fine. If you have other complaints, some additional detail would help.
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
Jon Valin's blog took care of a lot of my complaint. However, your other reporters could have been a lot more in-depth. I understand your business is to sell magazines, but news is not news when you wait months to read it.
Maybe so (I wasn't at the show). But this has nothing to do with "selling magazines". I think our team, in an effort to get to most of the exhibits and also post relatively quickly, shortens up some of the coverage (mainly by leaving out products that aren't new). That and at shows we tend to focus on news not on the show per se. RMAF simply doesn't have as much new product as CES or CEDIA (RMAF is also shorter and we have fewer people there).
In any event, in case the blog format makes our RMAF reporting seem less in-depth or harder to find than users would like, here is a complete list of the show reports filed so far:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/alan-sircoms-rmaf-2009-best-show
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rocky-mountain-highs
http://www.avguide.com/blog/steven-stones-best-rmaf-2009
http://www.avguide.com/blog/robert-harleys-best-rocky-mountain
http://www.avguide.com/blog/the-best-sound-rmaf
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-report-the-new-integrated-amp-audio-res...
http://www.avguide.com/blog/odds-n-ends-rocky-mountain
http://www.avguide.com/blog/upper-end-preamps-and-amps-rocky-mountain
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-report-speakers-over-20k
http://www.avguide.com/blog/most-unusual-product-rocky-mountain-audio-fest
http://www.avguide.com/blog/the-greatest-bargain-the-rocky-mountain-audi...
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-day-2-saying-yes-nola
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-day-two-speakers-under-20k
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-day-one-speakers-under-20k
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-day-one-first-looks-and-first-watts
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-day-one-good-beginning
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
The bright light here, is Jon Valin's blog.
We are trying to clean up and post an MP3 of HP's speech (It sounds pretty distant, but we'll try to boost it). We anticipate that HP will also provide some commentary on his two speeches, including his own reaction and further thoughts.
Stay tuned!. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.
Unfortunately, I missed the first 10 minutes of HP's presentation and I literally sat to sit on the floor because the room was so packed. As you might expect, the discussion was spirited and entertaining.
HP talked about the opportunity (and necessity) to bring in at least a small percentage of the millions of iPod users into the hobby. He suggested that dealers need to understand these users' needs and be willing to demonstrate what higher quality systems can do for them. (Some in the audience mentioned that iPod users are shocked when they hear their iPods on a proper, high-quality iPod dock). HP worries that many young iPod listeners may be ruining their hearing because they listen at levels that are too loud. "Once your hearing in that critical 1kHz to 4kHz is damaged, you don't get it back."
HP also was asked about some of the products that were the most historically significant, which included:
- The Audio Research preamps, including the SP-6 (and presumably the SP-3 series?)
- The early Koetsu cartridges (moving coil cartridges that didn't sound too bright/brittle on top)
- The early conrad-johnson electronics which pointed the way (and their full-potential is being realized today)
- The Infinity IRS loudspeaker system ("They taught me a lot about soundstaging"). HP mentioned how important full-range loudspeakers are to replicating the concert-hall experience.
HP reminded all audiophiles to go to concerts so they are reminded of what the "real thing" sounds like.
More later,
Jim
actually Mr. Hannon,
it was me that spoke about the Hi-fi industry's need to take advantage of the millions of people now talking about, sharing, and listening to music at an un-precedented pase (and numbers). Harry asked me to speak at his event, and I find it interesting that my old home (TAS) would put my words in Harry's mouth!!
He KILLED it, and I was so proud - but whats the big deal about my delivering the message about the future, with regard to those ideas??? He asked me to speak because of my article about the Future of the High End in Positive Feedback. He was going to read from it (which would have been a huge honor as well) but asked me to speak instead, on the spot.
Why is only Positive Feedback reporting that - because I write for them? Where they the only ones who heard it, or saw it????
it just bothers me, sorry. It was a huge moment for me, to get asked to get up and address the crowd by my mentor, becuase he loved something I wrote. I expected at least TAS to acknowledge that. Stereophile and the others did the same thing, write like I was never there.
fear, wtf???
peace,
michael mercer
Here is our publication of HP's summary of his remarks for those who may have missed it:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/hps-rocky-mountain-seminar-speeches
HP acknowledges Mike's help there. It reads as if both Mike and HP may have talked about the "iPod millions" issue, and that might be the source of confusion re: Jim's preview of HP's summary. In any event, on behalf of AVGuide, our apologies for any slight to Mr. Mercer.
AVGuide webmaster and general drudge
Michael,
There was no slight intended. I went to the seminar to hear HP talk, rather than to cover it for TAS. I didn't remember your name, didn't know you wrote for Positive Feedback, hadn't read your article on the future of high-end audio, and was somewhat disappointed HP had given you the microphone because I wanted to hear HIS thoughts on the future of audio.
Consequently, in my summary I said, "Some in the audience mentioned that iPod users are shocked when they hear their iPods on a proper, high-quality iPod dock." I believe that comment came from you, but it was also reiterated by someone else in the audience. Yes, you did suggest that dealers should have computer systems and/or docking stations set-up in their showrooms, and for that you should be commended. It's a great approach to getting new converts to the high-end.
To be fair, HP has been talking about the great opportunity this iPod generation of millions of music lovers represents to the high-end since Dec. 2007 when he accepted the Founder's Award for the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society. He also said it more than once at his RMAF seminar and that's what I summarized.
Peace,
Jim
I know there was no slight intended. Sorry my post seemed agitated. This was NOT directed at you - more the other mags un-informed reporting of the event.
I know Harry has been talking about the evolution of the ipod, and it's potential to reach millions - actually before 07! We've been discussing it for a long time now, and I was honored and privileged to have Harry ask me to speak at RMAF! I had just been on the ipod panel, and wasn't prepared to address the audience at Harry's speech.
He told me he was going to read from my Future of the High End essay I wrote for Positive Feedback Online, and that would have been a great honor, just that alone! My mentor thinking highly enough of something I wrote, to add it to his speech, was truly special, and so I've been a bit emotional about the other reporting of the event - since I was asked to speak instead.
A big moment for me - and so again, my utmost apologies if I seemed like an A-hole.
Sincerely,
michael
now a verified member!
whippeee!
glad to join the community here - -
Michael Mercer
The Daily Swarm
Positive Feedback