Why AVS Forums Drive Me Nuts!

[BMXTRIX]

I do visit other forums frequently and there is no question that theirs is one of the largest I have seen. I go there quite often when I need to search for opinions and details on the secret workings of a specific product. But, I almost never just go in and read the posts because they always seem to get way off track from the original stuff going on.

One of my first topics that I started there asking for some info on possibility of outputting HD from Sat/Cable as a modulated signal for TVs to utilize. Getting all sorts of recommendations that I never asked for...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=648794

The responses are all appreciated, just not all related to answering the actual question that was asked, then including nitpicking of details that seem to have nothing to do with answering the question at hand. Nitpicking, instead of pointing out details and correcting for broader general knowledge. Sigh...

I love the Audioholics forums and several others for typically staying a bit more on subject and being useful. AVS has great stuff as well... just interspersed among a bit to much junk and perfectionisms.

 

[Audioholics]

I think its just what naturally happens when you have about 10x the membership we have. It's already hard to control our own forums in terms of reigning in off-topic posters and such...

 

[Johnd]

And throw into the mix that many are not audiophiles, or even know that much about audio equipment, even though they claim to...and worst of all, many do not read (or comprehend) the issue or question stated. If one remembers this, one will not go away frustrated or disheartened, he will just go away and save his energies for more intelligible discussions.

 

[wilkenboy]

Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

The AVS forum violates this rule in almost every thread - proof that too much user provided content quickly turns into noise. Its as if the forum were filled with about 10 people with great knowledge and advice, but they are drowned out / obscured by about 10,000 members with ADD and a drive to gets as many posts per day as possible.

The AVS forum has its place, though. Most of my initial research is done here and via other sites, then I go to AVS and do some very targeted searching to see if folks have had problems with the product or not.

~Josh

 

[JeffD2.]

I too am becoming very disenchanted with AVS.

As one well respected forum expert noted today-
"However, if you want to split hairs (a practice which to my dismay has increasingly preoccupied this forum in recent months)....."

Threads usually end up waaaaay off topic, reduced to a pissing contest over the most minute, unprovable detail with none of the same arguing posters ever agreeing on anything. Then the thread goes into lockdown. This has been repeated over and over ad nauseum. I really don't care to debate or endlessly read about whether 2dB makes a HUGE difference in a particular testing method, at a certain frequency, BLAH-BLAH-BLAH.

I would not blame the neophytes or semi-experts for any of this. They usuallly come in ASKING/offering advice. Myself, falling into the latter category, offer advice on what I know from personal experience or reading. This fills a void for intermediate advice whereas forum exerts don't have time to respond to every noob or intermediate question. It's my way of reciprocating for all I have learned. If I give wrong advice, someone will surely let me know, I'll admit I'm wrong, and at least two people will be the more well informed for it.

Now AVS has banished all avatars for general users.
Want an avatar? Pony up $35 a year and become a club member OR $200 gets you "gold club member" status for life along with other benefits.

Gimme a break... pay a premium at AVS with 31 (yes THRITY-ONE) ads at the top of the page. It's like paying for HBO and getting commercials.

Whoops, wait a minute, become a club member and now you're NOT subjected to the vertical ad on the right hand side of the page. I WAS WRONG, you'd only have 30 ads to click on!!

 

[Sheep]

Oh man! Did you guys see family guy last night?! It was awesome!

Wait, what were we talking about?

SheepStar

 

[Hi Ho]

I used to frequent the AVS forums. They have some good advice there but there is also some not so good advice. I too noticed the frequent off topic discussion.

The main problem I have with that forum is that 90% of my posts were never replied to, not even after several bumps. My questions were legitimate and certainly better thought out than many of the ones that were getting answers. I don't know what it was about me.

It was AVS that got me into DIY and they helped me with my DIY sub which I could not be more happy with but I have stopped posting there. I read once in a while.

The only other forum I frequent now is PCmech. They run an excellent forum there. They do not allow anything to get out of hand.

 

[~JC~]

Power Buys

I was on there today, and they have "power buys" for their members. One bundles some power conditioner with several $250 1 meter power cords I guess they aren't as sensitive to snake oil as most are here.