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

Tastes are individual, fair enough, but their midrange suckout would surely show up on any frequency measurement chart as a huge problem if you were seeking accuracy.

It did leave me wondering a little just how such speakers get so many respectable reviews.

Is this not the same condition with photographs, or movies, or food, or wine.  One can emphasize a particular quality, and by emphasizing that quality, or flavor, the person experiencing it will have a heightened experience which will be perceived as superior. A complex and well balanced oak taste to a wine can hide the fact that it is lacking complexity of other flavors. If you like oak, which many do, you may be enamored and not catch what is missing.  Obviously good tasters will catch that, there are far more tasters and reviewers than there are good tasters and reviewers.

@russ69 Maybe 85%-90% sounds right.  There are many lower efficiency, low impedance, high phase angle speakers but so many more are easy to drive (horn loaded, Tannoy's, etc.) with only one set of difficult parameters (e.g. Harbeth's-low efficiency, nominal easy impedances, my Legacys with high efficiency, lower impedances).  The Apogees and MBL speakers are anomalies whereas common Maggies just need power).

Reading far more knowledgeable people on this topic, my 99.99% is much closer to the truth than 85% - 90%. I don't think it is a good idea to attempt to speak knowledgeably on a topic one is significantly deficient in. One of the forums topics I read commented that there are almost no speakers that dip below 2 ohms impedance. The Scintilla and one other as noticeable exceptions. That is only 2 out of 10's of thousands of speakers. They did not seem overly concerned with phase angle either, noting only that it would come with a loss of potential volume. I understand the math presented, though I may miss a nuance here and there.

@fair 

Obviously, Amir sees that. He knows what's going on. Why doesn't he put an end to that? My best guess is that because Amir is an experienced Microsoft executive, who knows how to use others to take down those who could damage his standing.

Amir needs these loud regulars, so that they could take down those inconvenient members who are asking "wrong" questions and are bringing in "wrong" information.

Amir employs other stratagems of corporate politics as well: badmouthing other prominent audio gear reviewers behind their backs is one of those. I guess it must have worked well for him during his previous career.

I have similar impressions also. As I've worked in bureaucracy, I'm somewhat familiar the stratagems of the managerialist (now they are my clients rather than my superiors or colleagues, which is an easier relationship).

ASR is clearly Amir's retirement hobby. Much is made of expertise and non-commercial status, but he is a self-taught user of his measuring tools and receives material consideration from a number of manufacturers of devices he reviews, so neither claim is entirely solid.

@crymeanaudioriver 

Yes a lot of current is needed and a lot of power for higher SPL's, as the scintilla is only 85db at 1ohm, it's a little less sensitive at the 4ohm setting at 79db. They made two versions one that could be set to 4ohm or 1ohm and a version that was only 1ohm, the 1ohm version is more preferred. There are a few people on the diy forum that are direct driving them with multiple amplifiers and active crossover, I don't know if any production amps can direct drive the midrange ribbons as they are .14ohm, but a few guys over there have built amps that can direct drive them without using a resistor or a transformer, supposed to sound better direct driven.

@cd318

 

We don’t need any more folks becoming disgruntled with the endless review fuelled ladder climbing shenanigans that eventually don’t lead to anywhere, do we?

I’m sure that sites like ASR can certainly help when it comes to audiophile post traumatic stress disorders. 🙂

ASR as audioholics anonymous? It probably is (with all that likeness implies).

Although I do wish damaged abstainers like our crying friend would stop at 12 steps instead of going for 256.