Does measurements really matter?


This video by Thomas interview Harley is one the best way to understanding the topic of measurement  

 

 

128x128lordrootman

In a word - NO - measurements do not matter (so long as they're not terrible).  

The only thing that matters is how the components sound, which typically / often is not consistent with the measurements.  

The most important consideration is how well the components match / synergize with one another - are the electrical requirements of the speakers provided by the various components, and do the sound qualities of the speakers harmonize well with the components and do they fulfill your preferences in sound quality.  

Which is why... sticking with the components offered by a particular manufacturer and the components the manufacturer suggests - typically produce the best sound quality (e.g.  ARC preamp with ARC amp, McIntosh preamp with McIntosh amp, Magnepan speakers with Bryston electronics, Harbeth speakers with Hegel electronics, etc., etc.).  If you do so - you'll be far more pleased with the sound you hear... and far less frustrated in assembling your system.    

Yes they matter unless they are voiced. If you like that great! I do, I like a strong mid bass and full sound but fast. Hard to find. 
 

Had some Cerwin Vega DX9s that sounded like Cerwin Vegas. I like a Cerwin Vegas. I had a Lyngdorf 2170 with room correction and hooked them up. The correction amount was huge. Swear they sounded like 10k speakers. I think because they are so dynamic.
 

I’m looking at active now.  

Measurements are not always electrical information with a tool about a single piece of gear...

Measurements can be precise information about location of device in a room, lenght and diameter of an Helmholtz resonator or a diffuser for example ... It can be the Schroeder frequency which is so important to master in any room etc...It can be the precise ratio between timing of the first wavefronts and reflections relatively to our head position and perimeter......

We all listened to some unconscious or/and conscious "measurements" process , but some are way less informative about sound quality than others...Acoustic measurements are anyway more ESSENTIAL than partial electrical measures of the ASV group ....

This fact escape " gear subjective fetichists" and "tool measuring fetichists" alike...But not to acousticians and psycho acousticians...Here they measure AND listen in a process which is continuous for optimization results...

Then you listen to measurements yourself but you dont know it... 😁😊

I can’t remember the I ever listened to measurements....