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

@amir_asr, welcome to the forum, will you reciprocate and allow members here to post on your forum without instant bans because we have a wide range of opinions that may not be popular on asr as long as we are respectful?

You know, your members simply lose it if anyone likes a component that they have 0 personal experience with, but is simply popular to bash. Is this a dialogue that goes two ways or did you just come here to tell us that you are right and we are all wrong?

@fleschler

ASR "militia" cannot differentiate the difference between biographical summary of one’s music expertise versus self-aggrandizement I am no more important than any other audiophile;

Please forgive me for being blunt but what is this "militia" nonsense? There is no single group in ASR. In every review I post (which is about one every day or so), it doesn’t take but a handful of posts before someone complains about my testing or conclusions. The membership is highly critical and does not at all behave like the caricature you are describing.

To be sure, you better expect to get push back when you make outlandish claims without proper evidence. It is no different than going to a Jazz club and insist that the band play country music. And keep getting more and more upset when they don’t and eventually throw you out of the club. This doesn’t make them a "militia" or a cult.

We, at ASR, have chosen to have a compass. That compass says we believe what we can prove. That any statement needs to have back up that is reliable. If you don’t believe in that and want to think ever random audiophile observation is as valid as another, then ASR is not a place for you. Don’t go there, get push back and banning only to complain here. It simply is not logical to do.

And please consider that my reviews are kept professional. I don’t use terms like snake oil, fraud, etc. I create data and let that speaker powerfully to the conclusions I draw. I don’t see why anyone would want less data about an audio product. Even people who send me gear that doesn’t perform well, like to see the facts. They can still choose to keep the product, or not. None remotely get upset. So how come some of you get that way?

Okay Amir, obviously you are trying to compare the finite with the infinite.  Plumbing equipment can be tested for their intended purchase, absolutely, just as aviation equipment must be tested and retested and hopefully not modified due to in flight failures.  So your plumbing analogy is wrong and made to sound stupid as a comparison.

Sound and music are infinite.  Hence, even the most exacting computer modeling of the most expensive concert halls results in failures.   The Elbphilharmonie in Germany is that $850 million hall.  The truth is that shoebox configured halls that seat under 2,000 people sound best and used zero computer modeling from the 19th and 20th centuries.  

I want audiophiles to use common sense and logic by learning to listen to sound and music, not just use measurements as their guide.   

I have friends with $500k to $1M audio systems.   I wouldn't own their systems.  They are pleased with them (one I now enjoy listening to).  However, the $1M audio system owner is constantly changing equipment because he is unsatisfied with it.  There are parts of their high end systems that I like.  The $1M system owner dumped $68,000 in High Fidelity cables and purchased GroverHuffman cabling for about $4,000.   After hearing the difference of course.

The $500K system owner chose to change the 6H30 tubes on his Audio Research SP 28 to 6N6 (6H6) tubes.  The result was fantastic.  He was also an electrical engineer and thought power cables were all the same despite his higher end ICs , digital and speaker cables.  He replaced all six of his Pangea power cables with GroverHuffman power cables after just lending him one power cable for his amp.  Since we live a few doors apart and enjoy a wide range of music, we visit each other and can now enjoy music together (but not prior to his major 2 changes in 2022).  

This is not an advertisement for GroverHuffman cables.  Just, one must listen to alternative equipment in one's own home to make a qualified decision, like an A/B test at a Harman Kardan factory (which is about 5 miles from me).    

@amir_asr the militia is not nonsense, ASR is not what I call a forum, non conformrity is flamed, shamed, and banned, it is a firing squad. I think you allow it because if the people paying your bills get good information from other sources it won’t be profitable for you, what do you have to say?

@amir_asr No, you don't use terms like snake oil and fraud, your minions do.  Just read today's new forum against Audiogon, audiophiles and expensive equipment Audiogon thread critical of ASR.   There's the proof in 100+ posts.  

Sure you're professional to a point.  Your testing isn't up to par for many products including speakers and DACs you have reviewed.   If you read all this forum's posts you would know of other review sites with much more extensive testing and testing parameters.  I want more data, not less.  

Your $20,000 DAC measured poorly.   Yet, there are many DACs that are expensive that measure quite well.   The sound differences are very significant.  Not all DACs are made or measure alike.  You got a bad one (design-wise).   Now one knows which one it is.   I guess we would find out by listening to it, huh?