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

@prof Yes, we do have a lot in common. However, if you read all my posts, I am a 20+ year beta tester for a boutique cable manufacturer who is devote about not ripping off customers (under $1000 for his best cables and about $350 for his lesser ones). He loses sales because they don’t sell for more/audiofool anticipation that more expensive equals better.  (He is not a good businessman, but a genius just the same-it takes him two hours to manufacture a pair of ICs or power cables).

In that vein, I have auditioned and/or tried many high end manufacturer cables and found most of them color the sound, alter the sound or just sound bad (e.g. very expensive, giant magnet in line High Fidelity cables-defunct finally although there are still many adherents that they are great). Some just sound better than others. But at what price?

The Pangea power cables my friend used on his high end system are both cheap and sound bad on three systems. He (and his music friends) are elated that his system sounds like the $1/2 million he said he spent on it. He kept changing amps because he thought there was something wrong with his sound but couldn’t point to it. He tried $60,000 D’Agostino amps and lost $22K reselling that. Once he heard just one power cable on his PS Audio BHK250 and his redesigned Dynaco 70 (radical) he was convinced that power cables make a difference, contrary to his prior stubborn belief that they don’t.

That is not proof but coming from me, a guy whose tried and heard so many power cables, should have some credence. I also have a great deal of recording and mastering experience as I’ve noted. My friend’s system had a radically, out of balance sounding frequency response and weird ambiance/soundstaging. He gladly enjoys company (72) and you are welcome to hear his (and my) system.

@fleschler , many thanks for staring this thread. You have a nice way of communicating in a transparent fashion whether or not you agree or disagree with something, it never feels like you are "disagreeable. I liked your post in particular about how if you get the room right even more entry level gear will be very satisfying.

Just really surprised this thread is still going.  Have fun storming the castle and stuff. 😂

@prof

It was closed because Amir prefers his site to be about audio gear discussions rather than skirmishes over different web sites. He’d prefer that the emphasis NOT be on attacking other web sites, including audiogon. Funny you are trying to spin that as close minded or dogmatic, while people here continue to attack ASR.

I hope you don’t take offence, but I’m a bit less sanguine about that. ASR’s founder closed their corresponding thread a short time after my last reply to him, and more specifically after @laoman posted Darko’s letters page including his exchange with Amir. My experience is that he often closes threads when he realises his views won’t be the primary focus or won’t prevail.

In the thread on that exchange at ASR, I suggested to Amir that going for the jugular against Darko’s previous guest (Cameron aka GoldenSound, with whom Amir has previously engaged, demonised and banned on ASR) was tactless and made him look like a bit of a nutter (I think Darko likely concluded that an hour or so conversing with Amir would be less than edifying and demurred). Amir said he considered a more tactful offer too much of a compromise. Darko asked if being right was really worth the aggro. And so on. I doubt Amir wanted to re-visit that episode here.

He’s not shutting down discussions between "subjectivists" and "objectivists" on ASR: there are tons of threads on the subject, even stickied threads that are endless debates.

The sticky thread on measurements at ASR (for example) is a declared catch-all/resting place for posts (moved by moderators) that originally appear in reviews and an attempt to contain criticism/discussion of ASR methodology. Sensible to do that I think, but I wouldn’t interpret it as encouraging said discussion. It’s more the case that objectivist vs subjectivist debate would take constant vigilance to suppress, and that thread is an easier option.

But keep these comments in context, there's a fair bit of good info and discussion at ASR. It's a rough with the smooth thing for me.

@kota1 Thank you Kota1.  I appreciate your reading my elaborate responses.

Here's a Darko sponsored video that I have problems with (the video, not Darko)   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW3QHfH9Nho&t=1833s  

I posted these questions after viewing it: 

I don't know if Darko can answer some questions that I ponder as I watched this video. I note that the elaborate construction of the cable is evident.

However, it isn't manufactured in a clean room, the cable is exposed to the elements and everyone is touching the cable with their bare hands. I don't know if contaminants will affect the sound (probably not) but could effect its' longevity.

Are the copper elements really of lower quality (OFC only) or are they 6N (for the price it would appear higher quality wire would be used, unless the design eliminates the necessity of high end wire).

The other question is more personal, why does the engineer have maroon(?) colored finger nail polish. I know it's personal, but does he have a reason or is it a personal fashion statement? I am not casting aspersions, just curious as I don't see that often (especially the strong color).    

This is some strange company based on this video in my opinion.  Talk about no measurements!

I own Cardas ultra-silver phono cable in my modded SME IV arm since 1989.  The thinnest internal phono cable I've ever seen (and requires magnification and tiny forceps to solder the pins to).  Sounds great though.