Better Sounding Systems, Objectivists or Subjectivists?


When these two camps retire to their listening rooms, which school of thought tends to get better sound? Those who ultimately place their faith in measurements above actually listening to their systems? Or those of us who look at measurements, but ultimately make our decisions based on what subjectively sounds best to us?

128x128ted_denney

The electricians are essential to our endeavors. Their input is incredibly valuable and important in the grand scheme. I just don't want them deciding what sound I like (or can't hear).

I won't even consider a component unless I can see some measurements on it. I guess that makes me a moron. 

self awareness is key to an enlightened existence 😂🤣

i agree it's not a serious question--"better sound" is in the ear of the beholder regardless of how they arrive at it, but i would think whichever of them is stoned gets the "better sound"

I once had the pleasure of listening to a sound system that this measurements guy had been hyping up like no tomorrow, a system with these new fancy electronics, a crossover system that had over 60 different drivers. Total cost 70,000 dollars...

He pressed play, and I had to do a quick turnaround to see if there were any cameras filming us, and if this was an episode of Punked, if Ashton Kutcher was going to come running out of the closet.

This system was the most distorted, garbled, piece of crap I have ever heard, I could hear every single one of these drivers, separately, distinctly, it had no coherence to speak of.

I walked away convinced that this guy was actually deaf.

He likes reviewing gear in his spare time, and has an online following......go figure.