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

@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.

When I was in my teens to early 30s, I relied upon audio dealers in purchasing equipment. There were virtually no boutique cabling companies Some major brands started by the end of 1970s. I was not content with the sound of my system and kept changing speakers and amps. By 1998, I was financially capable to invest in higher end equipment and cabling.  I did spend money on a modded SME IV/VPI 19 in 1989 and in the 90s on Audio Research SP 14 & Classic 60 amp. 

I had read audio magazines since the early 70s. I found so many reviews just wrong in the mainstream mags. Tons of feedback on the "new" solid state gear sounded bad compared to the 50’s and 60’s tube gear. High school friends wanted to show off their 125 watt or 200 watt Pioneer receivers with JBL and Cerwin Vega speakers and I wanted to run from the sound. I purchased Yamaha lower powered gear which I thought was more musical sounding. I didn’t get into tube gear until law school and never looked back.

@russ69 , please do list them. I am curious. The Scintilla seems unique.

Reading far more knowledgeable people on this topic, my 99.99% is much closer to the truth than 85% - 90%.

You travel in different circles than I did/do. Yes, they sell more cheap bookshelf speakers than large difficult to drive loudspeakers but that doesn't mean the hard to drive loudspeakers are an anomaly. Back in the late 60s there were not many high-power amps for home audio. Let's start with the Bose 901s series I. They sucked the few 200 wpc amps dry. So much so that Bose built the 1801 amp to solve the issue. After the Infinity Servo Static system and the SS1A was being developed (a difficult electrostatic load), Infinity developed the Quantum line reference line of loudspeakers. They were amp killers and started the development of many new high-power amps as did the Magnepan Tympani Loudspeaker. Amps like the Ampzilla, BGW, Phase Linear 700/400, and others. Later the Infinity Reference Standard 2.5s/4.5s, RS1Bs, Monitor IIAs, stacked Advents. You might say the Magnepans are not hard to drive but a pair of 3.7s driven at volume can stress most amps. Probably not as many hard to drive speakers by pure numbers today due to the requirements of multi-channel and low power AVRs but there are still many out there in the high-end world.