It's goodnight from me (and it's goodnight from him)...
Posted by: Top Cat on 11 December 2001
I just thought I'd let you know that I'm going to be easing back from this and the other forums for a while - I've got the system at a state which I am delighted with, and so I will be concentrating on enjoying what I have and buying new music.
It's been one heck of a journey and I've discovered a great many things about audio and music along the way. My system has evolved significantly over the last two years, although I never did end up on the Naim path that so many of you are on, but you've accepted me nonetheless, for all my faults 
So, thanks to everyone, I will fade from view for a while now and enjoy where I am with my system and music. Of course, you are all welcome to email me, but I'll be making only the occasional visit to this and other forums for the forseeable future.
Because such things can be blown out of all proportion by hearsay and speculation, I'd like to add that I am doing this the following reasons:
- I'm spending too much time surfing around on audio sites which is fuelling box lust - therefore, if I only make the occasional visit, I will gain that sense of perspective I think we sometimes all lack from time to time...
- I have reached a certain point in my hifi where I am satisfied with the performance of my system in every way, and realise that upgrades from this point on will be expensive and therefore will have to be saved for and planned over a much longer period...
- In the new year I will be having a lot of work done to my house and also will be spending a lot more time on a new photographic venture and developing my existing business, so won't have the free/idle time I have at present...
- I hate you all
Nah, just kidding
...and not for any other reason, as all those disagreements were fun, really, honest Guv...
It's been a roller-coaster ride, from the hey-days of the old forum (as a lurker) to my Mana Preacher Stage, my dithering about that 82/250 (I dithered in the other direction), the death of a loved one (LP12/Aro/etc.), its transparent replacement and latterly my radical move to a lunchbox-with-cooker-knobs as a preamp (it works, and is in some ways the biggest upgrade I've ever made to any system, although the Mana has to be up there too).
So, my friends, I can only thank you all for an entertaining, if somewhat up-and-down, ride.
I'll pop in from time to time just to observe and answer any directed questions, but for now it is goodnight from me and goodnight from him...
TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."
Leaving after I went to all that trouble last week to entertain you with mullet pictures?
Don't make me use my trump card... the dreaded octopus mullet.
Joe
It's always a nice day for it Have a good one! 
Steve.
It's good to get back to normal.
Watch this space, because he rightfully respects this space in particular.
The Naim people know a thing or two about respecting customers and potential customers, unlike elsewhere...
Like, you just want to buy stuff from them, cos they deserve it... and the added bonus with their CD players, is that nothing else will do...
Refering to the moderators here, I declare this place a loose-cannon-free zone, unlike somewhere else...
Live by the sword (not here) and...
It's always a nice day for it Have a good one!
Steve.
It's good to get back to normal.
[This message was edited by Steven Toy on WEDNESDAY 12 December 2001 at 03:36.]
Thanks for the support - I've had a lot of email from people, some of whom would appear to be on 'the other side' but have privately given support - I guess in some ways I am the sacrificial lamb but then in the grand scheme of things the views of people like John Watson of Mana really reflect far worse on him and his company than on me or the others who have crossed swords with him.
He strikes me as a sad and pathetic old man with a diminishing market share due to his abusive attitude toward people - something I had believed I was immune to - and I am now glad that I managed to flog most of my Mana before this happened. I can see more defections in the future, mark my words - whilst I still rate the product, it is just a shame that Mana has stood still whilst others (Naim, QS, Hutter, etc.) have at the very least caught up, and more than probably surpassed them.
Actually, I should explain a little more about a bit I left out. The full story is that I have indeed sold most of my Mana - for a number of reasons which shall be revealed in the fullness of time - and this got back to him, which is why his sad retort on his so-called forum was as venomous as it was. I suppose he simply can't handle the fact that one of his strongest supporters has defected from the 'fold' and as a bitter and twisted individual he lashed out in the only way he could - of course, dragging some of the lesser minions into it as well (stand up Stumo, you are the weakest link. Heck, you are the missing link, man )
Now I have been kind to Mana in the past, but quite simply it is clear to me that any company which treats its customers in such a way deserves to fail and go out of business.
So, without further ado, I shall sit back and enjoy whatever sad and pathetic vitriolic attack Mr Watson and some of his brainwashed* minions try next to 'discredit' me. It's comical, really, and a strong reason to actively dissuade anyone from having anything to do with the company.
* brainwashed is an interesting term which generally assumes the presence of a brain in the first place, which of course is something I doubt is true of many of the Mana minions...
TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."
I am sorry to see you go. You're one of the most open-minded and succinct geezers on the forum. Your postings in this very thread also reflect this.
Send me an email whenever you know you'll be in London - and bring some CDs .
Andrew
Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;