Did Amir Change Your Mind About Anything?


It’s easy to make snide remarks like “yes- I do the opposite of what he says.”  And in some respects I agree, but if you do that, this is just going to be taken down. So I’m asking a serious question. Has ASR actually changed your opinion on anything?  For me, I would say 2 things. I am a conservatory-trained musician and I do trust my ears. But ASR has reminded me to double check my opinions on a piece of gear to make sure I’m not imagining improvements. Not to get into double blind testing, but just to keep in mind that the brain can be fooled and make doubly sure that I’m hearing what I think I’m hearing. The second is power conditioning. I went from an expensive box back to my wiremold and I really don’t think I can hear a difference. I think that now that I understand the engineering behind AC use in an audio component, I am not convinced that power conditioning affects the component output. I think. 
So please resist the urge to pile on. I think this could be a worthwhile discussion if that’s possible anymore. I hope it is. 

chayro

@ossicle2brain 

I heard that Amir had a chart that compared the relative value of measurements based on type of audio product.   So that things like cables and DACS could be 100% judged by measurements and with things like speakers that % was less.

This is selling us way too short.  No device is strictly evaluated based on measurements alone.  We always start with the underpinning science and engineering. 

There is a company that sells you a box filled with dirt and a wire that you connect to the chassis of your audio gear and claims it improves the sound (and has real testimonials from people claiming the same).  We know, a priori that what he claims is impossible.  What earth, the real one does, cannot be emulated using a small box with dirt in it.  The guy who built it was a farmer which kind of makes sense why his went where it did.  But simple engineering says he is dead wrong.

Now, classic objectivists will stop here.  Here is an example of the most well known engineering talent online, Dave Jones on matters of audiophiles and their ideas:

https://youtu.be/m7ERMu825m4

So we could just stop there and call it done.  But such engineering explanation is not going to make sense to audiophiles as they are not technical and so will dismiss it out of hand.  Indeed, this is why objectivists failed to make headway for literally decades.

What we at ASR do is go above and beyond.  We measure.  We measure the signal coming out of your gear and see if using a different cable changes this.  Usually we find not a hair has changed in the output of the audio device.  In some cases we actually find things have gotten worse with the fancier items such as a cable!  Or Power "regenerator" (which didn't really regenerate).  

When still doubted, we play music and capture that with generic and fancy cable.  We then show the difference electronically and even offer the files for people to listen to:

Now the case gets incredibly convincing.  Now the person will understand and accept the electronic explanation of why said cable couldn't have made the difference in the first place.  The measurements and null test then are the icing on the cake and proof points for the non-technical.

In that sense, you are providing an extreme disservice to your fellow audiophiles to keep talking about us just measuring.  Your fellow audiophiles are not dumb as that implies.  They are learning the story end to end.  I know because I watch them explain it to others.

Back to cables, they are the most innocent things in your audio system.  They have higher fidelity than any piece of electronics and by a mile.  That audiphiles based on lay intuition and incorrect listening tests have arrived at a different point of view is again, easily proven using electronics circuit theory.  

So yes, once we measure something like a cable, then the story is told.  We have theory, engineering knowledge and now concrete, objective data to prove the same.  And we even offer listening tests with real music.  But the latter is not really necessary.  I just provide it to get past the objection of "well, you didn't test wiht music."  OK, we did and the outcome was precisely as we said it would be.

So reduces us to just measuring at your own peril.  We are about knowledge and true understanding of what makes your audio devices tick, and what doesn't.  If that is scary and uncomfortable to know, I get it. You don't have to come to ASR.  But please don't keep repeating the same fallacious tag line as if I am not here to correct you.  That my friend, makes no logical sense.

Hey @amir_asr are you going to reply to soundfield? Pretty amazing how you switch your entire ethos. 

@mahgister 

You treat me as an "idiot audiophiles" as some around you called them you are pathetic...

You keep complaining but not answering my simple and brief question.  What is the impact of a photon of light not experiencing time has on performance of our audio system?  Does this have an answer or not?

@soundfield

That serves only as a misdirection. You are claiming/showing a purported successful test. By you.

Nope.  You lost the plot there.  Dear member @kevn made this comment I was responding to:

Fifth, he is unable to tell apart music files of low and high resolution, and based on this lack of ability, determines that measurements in performance testing is all that is needed to determine what is heard, and what is not.

He says I am unable to tell such files apart and by implication, he can.  Can he AJ?  Are his claims correct that he can hear such differences and if you can't, that will be a sign of resentment on your part?

You wanted in this conversation.  There you are.  What is the answer or must we ask it 10 times and only get non-answers?

Hey @amir_asr are you going to reply to soundfield? Pretty amazing how you switch your entire ethos. 

Seems like you want in this conversation as well.  Do you think it is possible for an audiophile to hear the difference between high-res and CD?