I don't want to beat a dead horse but I'm bugged.

The greatest issue I have with pure measurement crowd is their failure to acknowledge we haven't yet developed a measurement protocol or equipment to replicate the human experience of listening to the reproduction of music through an audio system. ASR posters actually admit to as much when they do post their listening impressions.

Still, I'd say the thing that most bugs me is how often I observe people trying to OBJECTIFY sensory perception. The one thing I observe audiophiles arguing about more than any other on audio forums is the dismissal or discounting of other's perceptions of what they hear when listening to a particular piece of equipment. One person enjoys this certain piece of equipment, other's find the sound quality of that piece less enjoyable or dismiss it entirely. Perhaps they did hear that piece in some other system and didn't enjoy what they heard, but that doesn't take negate the other person's enjoyable experience. First of all, it is nearly inevitable the two systems were entirely different, second, it fails to acknowledge differences in sensory perception. Sensory perception is just that, it is our perception or interpretation of our senses, this is entirely unique and/or subjective.

While I don't take issue with others posting differing perceptions of a particular component, I do have a problem when others dismiss or degrade the other's sensory experience. You often hear this dismissal is the form of calling another a tin ear. The other attack takes the form of stating objective faults with human senses, things like confirmation bias or failing to do double blind tests. Some can't accept others perceive and/or interpret things differently than they do. I see far more tyranny from objectivists posing as subjectivists, they've elected themselves king golden ears.

Measurements tell me how many pages the story is. Listening tells me the plot, and all the little details that keep me interested in finding out the ending.

Great comments!

**** I think that in the not too distant future we are going to learn that there are many dimensions of our perception that don’t align with current systems of measured performance. ****

Bingo! I would take it a step further. I don’t think we will ever be able to “fully align our perceptions with measured performance”. And, you know what? I like it that way. Notice how there is always one very important word missing from these discussions, particularly on the part of the objectivists: MUSIC.

How does one quantify the reason that one drummer can lay down a fantastic groove; while another sounds accurate, but like a machine? Or, the sense that he and the bass player are in total musical sync, as opposed to in their own musical universes? Or, the subtle, but crucial feeling of tension, like a coiled spring, that an orchestra’s string section brings to the performance of a musical passage when they make a beautiful and seamless crescendo from ppp to fff ? What measurements exist that explain the perception of these very real things? And, aren’t these things what ultimately make the listening experience enjoyable? As in music, those are the things of the ART of audio electronic design; some designers have it and way too many don’t.

Didn’t you get the memo?

@rodman99999

Today, if you dare to believe what your eyes, ears, mind and bank account tell you; there MUST be something wrong with YOU!

Those, "authorities" are there to protect you from your faulty senses, broken/misguided mind and the dangers of things like facts, truth and whatever else they might find discomfiting, at the moment (their b_tch de jour).

Just get in line, do and believe what you’re told, like good little sheeple.

An excellent summation as to where we currently in many instances. Many other  terrific and on the bullseye comments here. There's hope after all. 

Charles

What the OP is stating is that the website known as ASR and Amir himself, are both severely out of balance. Dangerously out of balance. This was announced via the stated point of Amir ’not actually listening to the given DUT’. (device under test)

There is a chance he did it purposely as a dig, as a poorly veiled spitting upon, as it were. Monkey talk. Purposeful escalation.

Importantly, one who does not use measurements at all, is also ’potentially’ out of balance.

’Potentially’ as they must understand that measurements DO count for something, even if that given gauge (ie, tool) or measurement system is not fully connected to the ear/brain aspects, as it is all currently understood. Ie, that we argue it, meaning it is not at all clear - as question and answer sets may go.

Discussion of realities begets solutions, which, to possibly bother some, via saying it... is why Musk is trying to buy Twitter. To prevent further slide into fascist psychological gaming ideology - being practiced upon us, via the window of Twitter. To enable actual discussion, not the current psychological manipulative directive where social media is being sculpted into being a hammer - by forces not recognized by the masses.

We’ve already seen the response, it is swift and outsized, which denotes panic. Which is inherently dangerous. Those who feel threat will commit to wild dangerous swings.