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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.

fleschler
jfuquay
107 posts
 

Djones51: almost, but not quite. First you have to believe that our measurement technology perfectly represents human hearing. Of course it doesn’t. A sound wave hits a microphone and is interpreted by a machine. The same sound wave hits an ear drum, produces electrical signals in the inner ear and is interpreted by — a brain. Chance the machine is more consistent compared to a person: 100%, I’d say. Chance the interpretations are identical. Zero.

prof: They do imagine it. Our senses are imaginary at a very basic level. That’s why a machine doesn’t replicate what we “hear.” 

You’re both right if the machine is the ultimate measure. But listeners are. 

djones51
4,947 posts
 

Our present technology can measure way beyond human hearing but at any rate All we’re concerned with in your scenario is can it be proved whether  you can differentiate  between two cables that measure the same and the answer is absolutely.

axo1989
105 posts
 

@holmz

Cable risers also make a statement, but I would personally avoid them in my system.

I’ve often thought ASR is missing out on awesome merch possibilities by not releasing a line of Pink Panther™ cable risers.

djones51
4,947 posts
 

We aren't trying to replicate what you hear with a machine. What we hear is subjective to each of us, listeners are the ultimate arbiter of preference. Whether your preferences are based on concrete objective changes of machines, active or passive,   or your inherent biases, we can determine if that person "cannot accept the truth of something because it is so far outside their personal experience or prejudices that it’s literally unbelievable." 

td_dayton
320 posts
 

re: "signaling" - a big rack of shiny new mcintosh with $10k+ speakers poorly placed might be an example on the 'i'm really rich' side of audio. but if there's anything i've learned online, one can 'signal' their smartness, their coolness, their pride, or whatever it is they're interested in conveying in any number of different ways. for example, one can signal their audio 'wisdom' by buying all of the best measuring gear, regardless of how it sounds. 

as for 'lording it over' people, there are certainly some snobs out there. but those guys are mostly irrelevant. i'm sure their systems sound great or whatever, but literally no one with a life of their own cares how much you spent on your hi fi - we're too busy listening to music (and maybe plotting out upgrades) on our own. same goes for 'i know everything about audio because i'm an engineer' types. like, ok man, good for you. sure, yeah, whatever, i'm very impressed with your credentials. but i'm on my own path. you don't need to worry about what i'm doing. we don't even like the same music, why should i care what you think? etc etc

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