I mentioned in my last post how great it is to cross paths with other interesting people in this audio hobby, and had to share one that came up recently.
David Hildebrand is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Denver and he has done some very interesting exploration of themes of philosophy as related to several common discussions among audiophiles: objective measurement versus subjective listening, objects (gear) versus environment, and realism versus constructivism regarding the goal (or not) of transparency in audio reproduction.
For some time I've had an interest in exploring and understanding a variety of dimensions that come up throughout the audio hobby: the process of music reproduction. the equipment we use, the room and environment we are in, the experience of listening, the creative source itself, the physical things going on and the mental ones. My products and processes are not just about engineering a thing that plays music. I'm involved in an "Analog Ethos" that reflects the interactions of mind and body and engagement in the world we are in. There's a lot there to try and understand!
We all come across people who believe something. It could be about a type of equipment, setup choices, the implications to a listening experience, and ways to describe, compare, or pursue some type of goal or find what may be "best." Approaches range from dogmatic to freewheeling. While I browse some audio forums or social media groups, I'm not a common contributor presently. But I hope to bring some thinking and writing to the subject over time.
Take a look at Dr. Hildebrand's video and see what you think!