20.0 Network Protocol:
It is important to post to the right group. There are a few
reasons for that. First, you want to be read by people who
are knowledgable and/or interested in your topic. Second,
you want to avoid the ire of people who don't have your
perspective or won't tolerate your ignorance. The audio
newsgroups are frequented by a wide group of people, including
some outspoken experts who know their stuff and some serious
purists who won't consider lower levels as acceptable.
That said, here's the list of newsgroups and an explanation
of their content:
rec.audio:
The original newsgroup, which is being phased out.
rec.audio.car:
This newsgroup supports discussion on different
brands and models of car stereo, and also is an open
forum for talk about car stereo installation, speaker
selection, custom crossovers, and the special noise
problems which occur in cars.
rec.audio.high-end:
This newsgroup caters to audiophiles and
serious music lovers who are interested in discussing
the subtle differences between expensive equipment, the
nuances of selecting the best cables, the love and lore
of LPs, and other details of audio that are inaudible to
the untrained ear. Currently, rec.audio.high-end is
the only group which is available by e-mail. To get
this group sent to you, contact:
audio-request@lerc.nasa.gov
This is also the only group which is moderated.
rec.audio.marketplace:
Here's the place for selling and buying
equipment. This is also a good place to discuss
dealers, pricing, product sources, and models with
specific features.
rec.audio.misc:
If you don't think it fits well in any other
newsgroup, post it here.
rec.audio.opinion:
Everyone has opinions. Share yours here.
Not sure which is better? Ask here. Think you hear
a difference? Say it here.
rec.audio.pro:
This newsgroup is dedicated to professional
audio. It includes discussion on record production,
studios, studio equipment, DJ equipment, recording
concerts, sound reinforcement, mastering, mixing,
special effects, and other topics which might apply to
audio professionals. If you are a home audio buff but
like tape recording, you can find good advice here.
rec.audio.tech:
Discussion here is about audio theory, home
made audio equipment, specifications, and other
technicalities.
20.2 What network mailing lists are out there which aren't on usenet?
There is an informal group of people interested in using DAT
recorders to record "Grateful Dead" concerts. These people call
themselves "Dat-Heads" and have a daily E-Mailing List. This
is also a great resource for DAT information. They maintain an
excellent DAT FAQ with detailed information on DAT machines
and tapes. The FAQ is a bit obsolete, but still great. To
subscribe to this list, or get a copy of their faq, send a message to:
DAT-Heads-Request@fedney.near.net
Include one of the following as the body of the message
SUBSCRIBE
SEND FAQ
There is also a general turntable chat mailing list. To
subscribe to this list, send a message to:
analogue-addicts-request@maths.ex.ac.uk
asking to join the mailing list.
There is the bass mailing list, devoted primarily to low
frequency reproduction, although there is also much discussion
of general speaker building issues.
To subscribe, send a message to:
bass-request@lunch.engr.sgi.com
with the word ``subscribe'' as the body of the message.
There are two mailing lists devoted to mini-disc related issues.
To subscribe to the MD-L list, send mail to:
listserver@nstn.ca
with the following request in the body of the message:
subscribe MD-L Your Name
To subscribe to the minidisc-users list, send mail to:
minidisc-users-request@steffi.dircon.co.uk
with the word ``subscribe'' as the body of the message.
There is a general interest audio mailing list sponsered by
"Sound Practices" magazine. To subscribe, send mail to:
sound-request@tpoint.net
with the word ``subscribe'' as the body of the message.
20.3 Should I post a question about "XXXXXXX"?
If it isn't addressed in the FAQ and it isn't a question for
one individual, do it! However, try to post to the right
group (see above).
20.4 How can I suggest a change to the FAQ?
Send an E-Mail message to neidorff@uicc.com and explain your
suggestion or correction in detail.
20.5 Where is the FAQ for rec.audio.* archived?
This FAQ is available by ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in /pub/usenet/news.answers/AudioFAQ
To get the entire FAQ from this archive, you need to
get all four of the following files:
part1
part2
part3
part4
The FAQ is also available on the world-wide web at:
http://www.unik.no/~robert/hifi/faq/
20.6 What does FAQ stand for?
FAQ stands for "Frequently Asked Questions". It is assumed
that a FAQ also contains FGA or "Frequently Given Answers".
The rec.audio.* newsgroups have few FGAs due to the
personalities involved and the subjective nature of audio.
For that reason, this document is called a FAQ.
20.7 Why did I get a bitter reply when I posted a simple opinion?
Some feel that rec.audio.* is populated by people with
very strong opinions. The whole audio industry is
filled with opinionated people.
However, for the most part, these people like voicing their
opinions and reading others. What may have sounded like a
severe rebuttal may have instead been an outlet for the other
person's frustrations or a challenge to you to "play the
`rec.audio' game" and back up your words with some spirit.
Be sure to stay light when reading rec.audio. Otherwise, you
are likely to take yourself and everyone else too seriously.
20.8 Can I post a "FOR SALE" notice on rec.audio?
The newsgroup rec.audio.marketplace is specifically for these
postings. Do not post For Sale to any other rec.audio.* group,
except perhaps rec.audio.high-end. Only post to
rec.audio.high-end if the item is of interest to the high-end
crowd. rec.audio.high-end is moderated, so if the post is
deemed inappropriate by the moderator, it will not post.
All For Sale posts need to have a real name and a real phone
number. It is also very valuable to include your location,
so that people can determine if shipping will be cheap or
impractical.
Usenet is not for commercial purposes, so if you are associated
with a store or other retail operation, this is the wrong
place for your advertisement. If you have some used personal
gear or something you bought and don't need, feel free to post.
If you see an advertisement for a store that has a great deal,
AND people had been asking about where to buy that item cheap,
you might want to tell the readers on rec.audio.marketplace
about it. However, avoid commercializing. Something like:
Pete's Audio has JVC PS992 for $435, which is 40%
less than anywhere else; If interested 202-555-1212.
should be fine. Avoid posting their entire price list,
or using too many superlatives. If commercialism leaks
into Usenet, it could materially hurt us all.
When posting something for sale, have a concise but complete
subject line. Come to think of it, this is good advice for
any post. Some use abbreviations like WTB (the poster Wants
To Buy) or WTS (the poster Wants To Sell). Here are some
examples of good subject lines:
Subject: WTB 100W Receiver any condition
Subject: 4Sale Power Amp PS 352 $500 San Francisco area
Subject: 4Sale Stereophile Back Issues 4/88 to 6/92
Think about who you are willing to sell to before you post.
If it is fragile or heavy, you may not want to ship it, so you
may restrict to people who are close enough to pick it up.
Use the Distribution: header to restrict your posting area.
If you will only sell to people in Texas, don't distribute it
to Australia. Check with your system administrator if you
aren't familiar with the options you have for Distribution.
Different sites have different restriction codes available.
Distribution headers don't always restrict distribution, so
it is still a good idea to include the target area in the
Subject.
Anyone buying or selling needs to understand that Usenet
contains no mechanism to protect the buyer's money or the
seller's property.
There is a frequently posted message "A Guide to Buying and
Selling on Usenet" which talks of other issues on the subject.
This is posted to news.answers as well as other newsgroups.
It is also available by ftp from "rtfm.mit.edu" in
"/pub/usenet/news.answers/radio" as file "swap-guide".
20.9 Can I cross-post? Should I cross-post?
Cross posting means sending the message/posting to more than
one newsgroup. This is more efficient than posting the same
message twice, as it stores less space on disks, takes less
time to transmit, etc. If you need to address the message to
more than one newsgroup, put all newsgroups in the Newsgroup:
line.
However, there is rarely a reason to cross-post to many of
the rec.audio.x newsgroups. If you have a repair question,
it belongs in rec.audio.tech and no where else. If you are
selling a tuner, post to rec.audio.marketplace. Want opinions
on the right cable? Post to rec.audio.opinion. Not sure?
Post to rec.audio.misc.
20.10 Are there any sites containing audio files available for ftp?
Yes. Try ftp.uu.net directory "usenet/rec.audio.high-end".
| 20.11 Are there any audio-specific World-Wide Web sites?
| Zillions of them. Here are some places to start:
- Robert's page pointing to many Audio pages
- http://www.unik.no/~robert/hifi/hifi.html
- Dan and Steve's Audio-Related page
- http://www.qnx.com/~danh/info.html
- rec.audio.* FAQ with Search Engine
- http://www.unik.no/~robert/hifi/faq/
- Used Audio Buy/Sell Home Page
- http://www.pitt.edu/~cjp/usedgear.html
- BMG and Columbia CD Music Club Unofficial Lists and FAQ
- http://biogopher.wustl.edu:70/1/audio/bmg
- Ambisonic Surround Sound FAQ
- http://www.omg.unb.ca/~mleese/
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