Art Dudley Interviews May Belt April 2012 Stereophile

 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 15638
Registered: Feb-05
Anyone read it? Any thoughts?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 17186
Registered: May-04
.

May sent this to me in a post. Dudley's comments are broken up into two parts; first article this month and a review of Belt's products next month. The first part is mostly a simple historical review of how the Belts began in audio, Peter's background in audio engineering and design along with the "discovery" which set them on a new course in audio design. There's a brief discussion of those naysayers who attack the Belts as charlatans along with a bit of advice from Dudley about issues of hearing vs perception. The first portion of the article concludes with a brief interview with May who has become the face of Belt's retail store and a true supporter of Peter's efforts on the various audio forums. This first portion of the two part article will run in the April issue of Stereophile. The article reprint concludes, "Coming next issue: Art Dudley creams his cartridge."


The first portion of the article has little to comment upon other than for those totally unfamiliar with the Belt products. The Belt story has been told for several decades now. Most audio magazines won't allow a discussion of the Belt products after Jimmy Hughes in the late 1970's fell hard for the Belt effect and detailed his experiences with the Belt devices and a middle of the line Yamaha integrated amplifier in HiFi Answers magazine. HiFi Answers was a bit more "out there" for tweaks than were the rest of the British press and Hughes' claims that his Yamaha A400 had been transformed into a Naim beater by the addition of various well placed Belt devices (not all of them directly to the amplifier or the system itself) was more than the advertisers of the magazine could stomach. It's not good for business when someone - particularly a rather well respected audio journalist - claims a handful of tweaks amounting to less than $100 can turn a middle of the road component into a world class component. Ken Kessler had a bit of experience with the Belt devices but the topic was quickly dropped in HiFi News.

That this has surfaced again in Stereophie is interesting. J.G. Holt evicerated the Belt devices many years ago and his remarks are a constant thorn in the Belt's side. However, judging by his comments on the Stereophile forums, Atkinson has an opinion that his perception of a change or an improvement - as long as it is consistent - is the deal breaker for his experience and opinions. He has stated on more than one occasion his problem with "tweaks" and devices which are not easily explained by the standard rules of physics, electronics or biology. "I hate when that happens", is how he has described his experiences with items such as the ShunMook devices; http://www.stereophile.com/features/69, the Acoustic Revive Schumann Resonance generator, the ART room correction system and others. The "underground" audio press is more keyed into such devices and they have performed multiple reviews of such products. Positive Feedback magazine on line has published several articles written by May and Clark Johnson there is a strong proponent of her theories and Peter's devices. http://www.positive-feedback.com/


Think whatever you care to about the Belts and their products - they are out of the ordinary (or rather they are all too ordinary for many to accept as real) - the Belts provide numerous articles of free advise to anyone willing to try their suggestions along with their offer to send out free of charge a sample of their Rainbow Foil and Electret Cream. For the cost of an email the Rainbow Foil is definitely worth trying. The effect it has on sound quality just might change your mind about audio. http://www.belt.demon.co.uk/ Anyone interested in more "uncommon" treatments can also check out "The Advanced Audiophile" site if Michigan is still up and running. Finally, the MachinaDynamica site is another designer who began to appreciate the Belt's influences and has now established himself as yet another true scientist looking at audio from another perspective; http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina41.htm


I'm sure Dudley's articles wil set off rounds of idiots attacking May (and Geoff from MachinaDynamica) again on the Stereophile forums. Buddha is determined to call May and Geoff every name possible during his drunken rants and has chased her around various forums for more than a decade with the same sad complaints about what he cannot hear. For all the intelligent conversation that at one time did ocur on the Stereohile forums, they have been and are now overrun with those people for whom even the issue of cables or footers affecting sound quality is too much to handle. And there are a good number of forum trolls residing at the Stereophile forums who are there simply for the freedom provided and the pleasure they receive from being complete a**holes.




.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 15642
Registered: Feb-05
I am a member at the Stereophile forums but rarely look in. In fact I'm not sure if I've ever posted there.

I remember some discussion here about Peter and May Belt and thought I might bring this interesting interview to this forum. I found it an interesting read. I just renewed my subscription to Stereophile (print form, had the online version for a couple of years, yuck). Looking forward to the next installment.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 17253
Registered: May-04
.

May sent an email yesterday to let those on their mailing list know Part Two is available on line; http://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-113-contacts
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 15759
Registered: Feb-05
Thanks for the update.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 17289
Registered: May-04
.

New review in "Enjoy the Music"; http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/0712/aa_chapter_152.htm
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