We buy hifi for several reasons, what it sounds like, what it looks like, what it feels like and for some how it measures. Most use a combination with one factor often taking precedence. Discounting hifi based on measurements can be problematic. If you rate components on measurement alone that may be due to an obvious failing. However today most hifi, above a given price, tends not to have obvious sonic flaws. Measurement orientated sites are obviously ranking products, does a product ranked 1 sound different to a product ranked 500? Can measurements tell you that. When we have metrics measured that are 1000's of times lower than can be heard what is the measurements relevance?
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.
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@laoman @holmz Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. As a commercial real estate appraiser, I was chosen to appraise high value homes in 1986-7 in Malibu, Rolling Hills Estates, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, etc. I noted in another forum long ago about some totally ridiculous high end audio equipment poorly placed for the purpose of playing music but looking good. An example is a 30"' high entry foyer which could be a living room in Malibu with a pair of Martin Logan electrostats (Monolith model) stuck half-way up the walls facing each other, flush mounted in carved out balconies. I've thrown the photos away decades ago but that represents something wrong in a then $8 million home. My cable manufacturing friend has lost many potential customers because when they find out the price of his cables, they say they could not be high end because they are too inexpensive. Yes, some people equate price and/or brand name with quality. Some use their systems as to make a deliberate or pretentious display of their accomplishments and wealth. I've seen it (and several times suffered in hearing those systems). |
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