Audio Science Review = Rebuttal and Further Thoughts
@crymeanaudioriver @amir_asr You are sitting there worrying if this or that other useless tweak like a cable makes a sonic difference.
I don’t worry about my equipment unless it fails. I never worry about tweaks or cables. The last time I had to choose a cable was after I purchased my first DAC and transport in 2019. I auditioned six and chose one, the Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Euphoria. Why would someone with as fulfilling a life as me worry about cables or tweaks and it is in YOUR mind that they are USELESS.
@prof "would it be safe to say you are not an electrical designer or electrical engineer? If so, under what authority do you make the following comment" - concerning creating a high end DAC out of a mediocre DAC.
Well, I have such a DAC, built by a manufacturer of equipment and cables for his and my use. It beat out a $9,000 COS Engineering D1v and $5,000 D2v by a longshot. It is comparable to an $23,000 Meridian Ultradac. Because I tried all the latter three in comparison I say this with some authority, the authority of a recording engineer (me), a manufacturer (friend) and many audiophiles who have heard the same and came to the same conclusion.
Another DAC with excellent design engineer and inferior execution is the Emotiva XDA-2. No new audio board but 7! audiophile quality regulators instead of the computer grade junk inside, similar high end power and filter caps, resistors, etc. to make this into a high end DAC on the very cheap ($400 new plus about the same in added parts).
@russ69 We must be neighbors. I frequented Woodland Hills Audio Center back in the 70s and 80s. I heard several of Arnie’s speakers including a the large Infinity speakers in a home.
I found Amir’s many considered comments very informative and valuable. And now they are all forever gone at the whim of AG. This has happened many times before on this forum. To my knowledge Amir has ever only deleted one thread. He may close the occasional one, but is not so rude to just delete. |
@noske we are all willing to help here, start a new thread, post your concerns, we are there for you bro, no worries :) |
Yes I’m "MattHooper" on the ASR forum ! If anyone delved in to my posts they will see that I voice agreement with many on the ASR forum regarding the more snake-oil area of audio tweaks, and also the liabilities of a purely subjective approach, while also pushing back VERY often against the more rigid form of "objective" thinking that "if X measures this way it is a poor design" or " vinyl or tube amps are silly" and especially against "subjective impressions without measurements or controls are worthless." I’m constantly defending the idea that we shouldn’t throw un-controlled subjective reports out with the bathwater, and I argue they can be practical, informative and useful. I'm viewed by some there with suspicion for even having reviewed speakers in the past. It’s crazy how many pixels I’ve spilled over there arguing for the worth of subjective reviews. Many people think in tribal ways and refuse to recognize an attempt at a nuanced or balanced viewpoint, which isn’t dismissive of "both sides." Even when we largely agree on many things they are "triggered" by any disagreement and therefore "You aren’t with me, you are against me! You are in the other tribe!" I get that at ASR and I get that here too. And so it goes...
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@djones51 My mistake, you are correct. It is Martin who owns and extols the virtues of Von Schweikert speakers. While searching for the answer at ASR, I came upon numerous Mr. Hooper postings concerning his preference for listening to vinyl and a statement that he doesn't require a huge dynamic range for listening to music. Assuming that music does not generally require 100+ db swings in dynamics, vinyl playback can be adequate for most music. (I've heard room shaking deep bass through a trio of Avant Garde Basshorns supplemented with a pair of Rel subs from a Donald Fagen LP under 100 db loudness-it was just deep and tactile sounding). Bass under 50 Hz is generally limited to mono on most LPs for cutting reasons, so digital can provide stereo deep bass better. |
@prof if this is a rant, we are used to your rants by now. If this is a discussion please post your system photos, components, and measurements in your profile. If you are at your end game great, we have a thread here to discuss. If you are stuck on your journey post a concern in a new thread.
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