MOTL and TOTL - Is what it is depend on when?

terra1 said:
I'm sure there may be some fine tuning of the definition and exceptions, but let's not let form make us lose sight too much of the function.

Why: If you say it was TOTL in the lineup, it is understood it was the top dog or company's intended best offering, flagship for its period/year whatever.

The importance of consistency in definition and context allows shorthand communication.

Scores: This helps when people ask if their component is any good to know its place in the lineup. So their eyes can light up when they hear it was TOTL and they can gush over their score.

Debates: To be able to know it is TOTL for its time, also helps in relevant comparison to other TOTL in other time periods as a matter of debate. It provides a crucial point of reference. Was one year better than another? Which means TOTLs are not demoted but debated and evaluated only. Heck some can't even agree on which is the best TOTL. So what's the criteria? Worthiness or currentness? Who makes the official call?

Now, a TOTL at one moment in time may have slid because another more powerful or upgraded component was added to the lineup later, but that's what this forum is for. To bring out those little gems of history.

But to change the status of a TOTL SX-1010 to MOTL status in 2009 hindsight --- because of later offerings (do we include AV or HT?) --- is historical revisionism (negationism). When you start demoting TOTL components across Stargate timelines, then you create chaos in communication and global understanding, deflated enthusiasm, and long threads sorting it out. Again, who makes the official call?
Click to expand...

I nominate you as the official caller, based solely upon your introduction of the word negationism.
 
I found out after the fact that my denon integrated was the TOTL in 1984, they had 4 units avail. and mine was the totl in that year, then they made some that smoked mine in style and output power, but I hafta say I liked the look of this one with the gold face and metal knobs, rosewood, etc. Maybe mine is best of the best TOTL? most didn't have the gold face and end caps... I dunno, but I love telling people it was the best denon had to offer in that year.
 
but, it doesn't mean ****, cause I and others on AK have had experiences where sometimes MOTL and BOTL sound better because of design and parts used. This amp of mine carries a lot of placebo effect, just because the knobs are metal and it looks kinda Old and Mean.... I treat it with a lot more respect...lol kinda funny huh? but I'm really careful with it, but never was with other gear... I don't even want to puch buttons sometimes just to not USE it... lmao
 
To me MOTL and MOTL describes just that in a given model line of a given manufacturer. For instance, my Technics SA-800 receiver is an upper MOTL unit with the Technics SA-1000 TOTL unit above it. Back in the 70's I bought a Technics SA-500 which was right in the middle, and was a MOTL unit in that specific series. The Technics SA-200 was their BOTL unit in that lineup. All were manufactured in 1978-1979 according to the Vintage Technics site. In my mind I don't put any other manufacturer or that manufacturer's other lines in the mix. A Technics SA-5770 is a TOTL unit but has nothing to do with the Technics SA-xx00 series lineup. Flagships are flagships for specific series of manufacturers lines.
 
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