Kraster said:
"It is curious to think that someone as undoubtedly talented as Roger Nichols would blow it by not researching his points more thoroughly. Not to mention the slack technical editorial line of the editors of SOS."
Undertow said:
"First, Mr. Nichols doesn't seem to bother doing much research as has been demonstrated by the article in question but also by other things he has written."
I say:
I would make those statements 1000000 stronger!
Phrases such as “did not research” or “did not bother to do research” almost sound like what the article lacked was taking a few days to find some information on the Internet, or scan through a book or two.
I am of the opinion that a magazine inviting someone to write a technical article should invite a technical authority on the subject(s). One does not get there by doing a little research. Being an authority is a serious life time commitment. In electronics, it usually takes years of formal schooling, then years of hand on practice followed by much continued practice and learning. Being an authority takes much more an "average dedication" to the schooling and practice. It takes a relentless on going intense interest and focus, far beyond “getting by”.
Again the word “do research” can be interpreted to mean “study a little”. I do not think it meets the appropriate standard.
A "guru of technical information" invited to write abut thir area in a magazine should know the fundumentals "like the back of his/her hand". That notion of "having to research" the fundumentals is really out of place.
I designed electronics gear for medical equipment and the gear was to be used by neurologists. Does it qualify me to write an article about neurology or any medical issues? The answer is clearly “no”. Not even if I agree to research the subject. The magazine should find a world class doctor of that specialty for such article. You can be sure that a worth while medical magazine would do just that. Many audio magazines technical feature writing is done by the "highly un qualified"!
My statements are not specific to one magazine or another. Non of them were helpful in the argument against 192KHz. One would hope that the introduction of a new sample rate at X4 would call for a lot of interesting discussion, including the technical reasons for doing so, or not doing so. Most magazines did not want me to come near them within 1000 miles. I was told they did not want to piss off their advertisers at the time when 192KHz pushers were actively trying to paddle their stuff
(advertisement money). Who loss? The readership. That is until they wise up.
Regards
Dan Lavry
www.lavryengineering.com