Audio Science Review = "The better the measurement, the better the sound" philosophy

Firstly, I think Darko is right, there are a lot of synods in the audiophile hobby. However, take any hobby and you will find snobbery somewhere, it’s just humanity I guess.

As for ASR, the things I can’t stand are:

1. Even when Amir is wrong, he’s not wrong. Arguing with him and many others on the site is like arguing with a wall, so it’s best to not do it. You will never win.

2. The sycophantic relationship of a lot of his posters. Every time he posts anything, there are several “oh my god, you are the best and brightest in all the land…” type posts. Especially when he is bashing another reviewer or forum. It’s comical how they fawn over him like he’s the king of some kingdom.

3. I think he (and many on the forum) think they have “golden ears” when they listen to speakers and headphones. At his age and as loud as he evidently listens, there is no way he doesn’t have hearing loss. (In my head I think of him as Tin Ear Amir, but never on ASR, I’m sure that would awaken the ban hammer and ire of his sycophants)

4. the incredible arrogance displayed on there when it comes to reviews. I really think they believe that their reviews, and only their reviews, are worth anything. On one thread they implied that whatever was recommended by Amir is all that is needed. I said he hasn’t tested that much, so maybe they should allow for things Amir hasn’t tested. Of course it went over like a lead balloon.

It it his site, so he can pretty much do what he wants though. I still check it out for cheap recommends.

Any website that tries to tell me what they insist I cannot be hearing given my 51 years of being a musician and audiophile has no credibility to me. Measurements, as said earlier in this discussion, are useful in determining why you hear what you hear, but never a reason to tell someone they cannot possibly be hearing what they know they hear...

@thyname Similar situation with me and people with TDS and an intelligent conversation about social and political issues.  My father in law is an 88 year old conservative and never talks politics with his 89 year old girlfriend who only watches CNN for news.  During Covid/2020, they broke up half a dozen times.  He avoids the subject.  So do I.  Funny, half my audiophile friends are conservative and the other half are "liberal" Democrats (but not leftists).  

@orgillian197 Same here as I noted.  Between the ASR posters preferred music choices, state of their hearing and immutable belief in cheap, good measuring equipment, our hearing is quite different.  

I'm glad I began this forum topic.  I feel so much better knowing that Audiogon posters are typically sensible and articulate.   We can generally disagree about audio (except for a few who also believe that tweaks are snake oil) in a more respective manner.   Nearly everyone has a different audio system and different listening rooms.  

The battle lines are drawn on the inherent battle between human senses and measuring bots, who do you trust more?  I'm a human and I choose to please myself vs bot, I don't care if some so called 'authority' deems my system inadequate.

On the other hand, I don't believe a measuring regime is totally without merit. I'd hope and expect those doing the design and engineering of audio components use measurements in this endeavor.

Innovations and improvements in measurement protocols will hopefully produce better sound quality over time. How measurements correlate with various aspects of sound quality has a long ways to go before any measurement regime can be considered Biblical in nature, IMO.

"A man's gotta know his limitations", assume subjectivists understand this, objectivists, not. Don't understand how so many worship gods invented by human's filled with excessive certitude, I guess some don't like greys and/or anything less than win lose outcomes. Seems to me, we now live in a society that inculcates a version of game theory that insists winning is everything and losing is the worst thing that could happen. The farmers and the ranchers should get along, so should S & O.

Leaves one question, if O gives up win/lose, they no longer O?