the assumption that there is a fundamentally rational, measurable basis for emotional responses to an experience (like listening to music) is flawed. no one denies that there is ample research and data to back up assertions about engineering, and everyone is aware that there are results from controlled listening tests that indicate the preferences of the majority (of test participants anyway). my view is that figuring out "what sounds good" is something different. life is not a controlled listening experiment, and our individual experiences with music are shaped by circumstances which cannot be generalized, let alone replicated.
the act of measuring gear is not a threat or a problem for anybody. i agree with amir that more information about a product is always a good thing. where i disagree is when people insist that i shouldn't trust my senses when i am determining whether a piece of equipment is good for my system. reviewers with a subjective bent don't bother me at all, for the same reason - seems blandly obvious that what sounds good in john darko's room might sound like junk in mine. how do i figure it out? i buy the thing and return (or sell it) if it sucks!
i've done this with topping gear which measures great on ASR. some people love topping - i don't say they're wrong or have bad hearing or only care about specs. my $100 schiit dac simply sounded better and the topping gear was ultimately not worth the expense. why? i don't know! and at the end of the day, i don't care. will i spend another thousand or two bucks trying to better the schiit? probably. i like trying new things and seeing if i can hear the differences - it's fun