Alright, I think I saw this thread on ASR being mentioned in the one on Audiogon as an example of why ASR is a toxic pit full of snakes.
So, here's a little letter from me to anyone dropping by:
We do not hate you. We do not think we are better people than you in any way. We do not have a secret financial agenda. We do not follow the words of Amir as gospel.
We do not try to make one single opinion the only acceptable one, but we do acknowledge that opinions can be based on claims that are falsifiable and therefore has little to no value to others. Having a large amount of people who hold the same opinion does not substitute the need for evidence either.
You could ask yourself the famous question (this is not an invitation to a religious debate, just so you know): What would it take to change your mind?
If the answer is "Sound (no pun intended) logic and solid evidence" then you'll feel right at home at ASR.
If deep down the answer is "Nothing!" then you'll have a hard time on this forum. And if you take it personally, the ban hammer will most likely come down on you.
It's really nothing personal when that happens. Anybody who goes off the rails will get the same treatment. The "crusading" new members just fill more in the statistics. It has nothing to do with censorship or indoctrination. You are seriously all welcome as long as you stay civil and don't take the inevitable controversy as a personal insult.
Yes, the users here probably seem like a stubborn bunch of single-minded cynics who simply cling on to a different flavor of "Nothing!", but bring some irrefutable data to the table, and you'll see that wall crumble. If you don't, be prepared to face a lot of scepticism, maybe even some ridicule. Again, it's nothing personal.
We are
all in some degree or another in this hobby because of the way it speaks to our emotions, and we
all have a deep appreciation of music and the way it affects us.
Only difference being that the usual ASR clientele has reached a point, where they try their best to not let those emotions cloud their judgement. ASR is a safe haven for those who wish to get to the core of things. We do not in any way aim at ridding emotions from our (or your) lives, but there is a time and a place for them to take the stage. When trying to investigate the pure functionality of things, emotions doesn't exactly give a helping hand. Quite the contrary.
And no, ASR does not hold the key to any truths or absolutes, but it's not really needed. It's all about probability.
If all evidence points to the odds of your claim having any relevance as being equivalent of winning the lottery twenty times in a row, is it really necessary to keep postulating those claims on an internet forum? And are the ASR users really being intolerant if they seem to not give a s¤¤t about it?
If that makes sense to you, come join the fun!
IMO, 2 cent, etc. etc. Killingbeans.
/RANT