stereo system evaluation--objective or subjective


is there a valid objective approach for evaluating the sound quality of stereo systems, or is it purely a matter of taste ?
mrtennis
Plato,

Saying that I argue for sake of arguing is rude, therefore I don't care to discuss anything with you either.
i have a reason for asking this question.

it would be useful to have some set of measurements that could assist in discriminating potentially poor sounding, from potentially good sounding components, as it is impossible to audition many components.

there is always the possibility of missing out on a decent piece of equipment because it is inaccessible. as well, one may waste ones time auditioning a component that does not match well with the other components of a stereo system.

it would seem that there is no algorithm available to assist in the process of increasing the probability of eliminating "unwanted" components and ferreting out those which have promise.
evaluation is subjective
performance is objective

Measured performance if done correctly should be a factor in evaluation but that alone will not likely determine results of individual human evaluations which in the end is all that matters.
Taste? No, we all hear differently so in the end 'ears' rule. A while back someone did a study on identical twins and found even they had hearing differences which were more environmentally created. Add into the mix that different cultures and those speaking different native languages hear differently, e. g. 'the British sound'. Accent matter.
Isn't it interesting that some British recording artists lose their accent while singing and some Americans gain one :)
Or is it just my ears?