So, am I right in thinking that the forum wishes to be seen as being aligned with objective, measurement based, assessment, at the expense of subjective opinion (I notice that next to no comment has been made with regard to the subjective sound of this modified component)? I would understand if this were the case as there is no shortage of forums promoting themselves on exactly the opposite premise.
I'd replied earlier to Mark via PM as he posted this elsewhere but essentially:
No, not that extreme a position but I'm trying to position it to the left of centre so to speak. As you rightly say, most audio forums are predominantly subjectivist in outlook but that doesn't sufficiently define the difference IMO.
We are trying to introduce more testing and practical examples in which others can share, to explain what we hear. Hence the online cable test downloads, the valve comparisons, the CD lathing nul tests and the recent microphony threads, for example.
It seeks to be objective only in assessing and identifying differences - absolutely not in defining personal preference.
The latter is impossible IMO unless you adopt the view that only things that measure perfectly sound perfect - to some they do but to others they don't.
So the objectivity things is a direction steer for ZG and definitely not some attempt to trash subjectivism when it comes to preferences.
The forum direction is of course primarily dictated by the content of the posts so by 'steer' I'm saying that the post contents will ultimately define where the forum goes.
This forum's active poster base is sufficiently small that a few key posters can indicate a direction IMO. This isn't possible with a larger and established forum and on that I agree with Tony. You can be more assertive on direction and policy but that carries baggage and consequences - not to mention heavy handed control and that is certainly not what we want here. Look a Hydrogen Audio for a good example of this where posters have to justify subjective comments with objective testing - or they get moderated!
It works there, and that is a large 'objectivist' forum but the steer and policy were set down very early on. There is clearly some demand for it - go check the posting and membership stats.
The issue for ZG is that 18 months ago it was dead. Before anyone comments that a move to objectivism caused this, the very opposite ethos had existed previously, and I certainly wasn't around here at the time
The situation with forums at the moment is interesting IMO.
There are many smaller forums and they seem to spring-up with increasing regularity.
Most of these are strongly subjectivist on all levels and some even state that measurements are the work of the devil. That's fine - people can set up whatever they like and if it attracts visitors then great.
The only truly balanced forum at the moment is PFM IMO.
I think it has become more balanced over the past couple of years and it has the momentum to roll along with all opinions catered for. I certainly enjoy it more these days.
ZG has no real future unless is does something a little different, and I was asked to join the team here to attempt something different, though we opted for evolution instead of revolution. It does need more (positive) input from others, as quite frankly I and a few others will soon tire of putting in time and effort to what if effectively a project.
Bluntly, we'll do it somewhere else.
So it has a choice.
It isn't PFM and it isn't Hydrogen and it lacks the mass necessary to be just another general forum. It was previously and it got squeezed and died.
So we can move it on and set ourselves apart from other (small) forums or we can call the undertaker, again.
I gave it 12-18 months for some real signs of improvement. We have some but it isn't enough IMO. As the say, use it or lose it.
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