Everyone knows the limitations of YT and nobody is disputing.
Not arguing.
Just suggesting that dismissing as irrelevant ( or even as anything other than significantly relevant) is a mistake
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If someone has in-person experience having done A/B shootout themselves and then heard one of his YT shoutouts of same gear and says the YT comparison was worthless based on the live comparison (ie reach completely different conclusions) then I’d be interested to hear that take
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I’m pretty sure Jay isn’t recordings these shootouts using the mic on his mobile phone. Judging by all the Hi End gear he owns, he’s probably using top notch mics.
Also I’m pretty sure no one is going to make a buying decision based solely on these shootouts, anymore than they would based on a written review, or even listening to something at a Hi End Audio show. I find these shootouts fun, and they introduce me to new gear that I may want to demo in my own system.
One more thing, I haven’t been to Hi End Audio show since 2018, couldn’t make it to the last RMAF in 2019, so these video shootouts help fill the void, and a pseudo return to normously.
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Anyway I’ve no skin in game, just online friends with Jay (never met in person) but his channel gives users the types of head2head comparisons that are hard to come by.
6 different sets of Wilson Audio, a few Magico, Couple Magnepan, Tekton, Dynaudio, several top Focal, ….
Every Gryphon amp, almost all Dagostino, almost all ARC, all Luxman, Simaudio, Soulution, $200k Boulder pre/pwr, Constellation, Block Audio, every Pass Labs, …… just in last year.
Dcs Vivaldi and Rossini, msb reference, esoteric, chord Dave, ….
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The recording quality may be uncertain, the sound through YouTube is lossy. PC DACs and speakers are seldom high end. As a way of assessing the two units with any certainty the process is flawed, but within its limitations it still allowed us to hear a difference between them. Not necessarily a difference in quality, but a difference nonetheless.
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This is fair; there is a discernible difference. Why and what this means, if anything, is a crap shoot.
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Many of his users by now play his videos thru their main rig, not on desktop or phone speakers, though some do. Or use a good headphone system
No joke he has owned (not borrowed, owned) over 350 top amplifiers in the last 7 years. Everything from NAD, Parasound, Bryston and Bhk 300s to where he is now (Gryphon, Boulder, CH, Block, Soulution, D’Ag, etc)
And he comments on the comparisons, especially if you get to know him.
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I’ll probably never own any of the ultra hi end gear Jay has in his systems, but still enjoy and appreciate his yt videos.
He mentioned in one is his videos that he buys everything he demos in his room, nothing is loaned to him. I’m assuming he’s buying most of his gear used then resells at close to his purchase price. Must be a blast having access to and listening to some of the best gear available.
That is correct. And the corollary is that in theory this makes him infinitely less biased than typical magazine reviewers
True, but we also get Jay’s feedback on what he thought sounded best in his system, which helps validate things. In the end, one still needs to actually hear said piece of gear in their own system, to have any meaningful understanding of the sound.
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Literally LOL’ed on that one, thanks!
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Of course. Anyone who is serious about audio and about getting the best sound for their $$ will obviously do their own comparisons as well, which involves legwork and effort.
PSA should send Jay their best stuff. He’d be happy to put it on his channel. He put Tekton on when somebody sent him a freebie for use.
So I guess in rare cases like that he has borrowed but that was from a user not manufacturer. I guess a PSA user could loan him their gear
Will the real Jay please stand up! 
You can ask him. I don’t speak for him haha
It’s a completely different level of gear than discussed here so I get the snarkiness, and that’s fine
Another yt video Auido channel I enjoy watching is AV Showrooms. Peter is really good at describing what he’s hearing. I also trust his ears because I’ve heard and own some of the gear he’s enthusiastically reviewed.
I’m with Bad Beef one this one. Hey…send the equipment to each of our homes for proper evaluation in our “Reference Systems” and report back here…LOL !
Oh wait…that’s what a reviewer in a magazine or YouTube is supposed to do.
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Run—the snobs are out.
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I was introduced to my current loudspeakers listening to yt video channels. “The Next Best Thing” and “AV Showrooms”. Their enthusiasm for the product peaked my interest so I ordered a pair. I doubt I’ll ever sell them, and if they’re still when me in the end, my dying wish will be that they’re buried with me in my final resting place.