Why HiFi Gear Measurements Are Misleading (yes ASR talking to you…)
About 25 years ago I was inside a large room with an A-frame ceiling and large skylights, during the Perseid Meteor Shower that happens every August. This one time was like no other, for two reasons: 1) There were large, red, fragmenting streaks multiple times a minute with illuminated smoke trails, and 2) I could hear them.
Yes, each meteor produced a sizzling sound, like the sound of a frying pan.
Amazed, I Googled this phenomena and found that many people reported hearing this same sizzling sound associated with meteors streaking across the sky. In response, scientists and astrophysicists said it was all in our heads. That, it was totally impossible. Why? Because of the distance between the meteor and the observer. Physics does not allow sound to travel fast enough to hear the sound at the same time that the meteor streaks across the sky. Case closed.
ASR would have agreed with this sound reasoning based in elementary science.
Fast forward a few decades. The scientists were wrong. Turns out, the sound was caused by radiation emitted by the meteors, traveling at the speed of light, and interacting with metallic objects near the observer, even if the observer is indoors. Producing a sizzling sound. This was actually recorded audibly by researchers along with the recording of the radiation. You can look this up easily and listen to the recordings.
Takeaway - trust your senses! Science doesn’t always measure the right things, in the right ways, to fully explain what we are sensing. Therefore your sensory input comes first. You can try to figure out the science later.
I’m not trying to start an argument or make people upset. Just sharing an experience that reinforces my personal way of thinking. Others of course are free to trust the science over their senses. I know this bothers some but I really couldn’t be bothered by that. The folks at ASR are smart people too.
+1 @nyev such an excellent post. @mastering92 the ASR community repeatedly states that they are "right" because of science. You’re simply encouraging replication by other parties to verify Amir’s measurements and results. I’m sure logistics and extra work between Amir and other parties will be the excuse, but then honestly, unsure if the "S" belongs between the "A" and the "R." |
@mastering92 can you name any other review site that provides measurements that does this "auditing"? Manufacturers always have the ability to respond and provide high quality measurements to refute the results including testing methodology. In the scientific world, publishing is normally the audit process. You publish and encourage others to replicate your results. Contrary to your assumptions I don't participate on ASR though I do read, mainly speaker reviews. As I wrote above ASR publishes reviews from other people. I also see others publishing their results measuring the same products ASR does though obviously a limited subset. ASR is obviously not perfect, but all the arguments I am seeing are sour grapes. |
Here is something so obvious, true, and valid that I am astounded and amazed that anyone would dispute it but of course those who have an ego to protect or snake oil to sell will rise to their feet immediately to protest usually with illogical personal attacks: If you want to review a car, you must drive it. If you want to review a movie, you must watch it. If you want to review an audio component, you must listen to it. If you do not listen to it, you can not be sure how it sounds even if you have measured it. That is because you have not listened to it and how any one can dispute, argue, or oppose that truth only reveals, displays and demonstrates a fundamental, basic, essential ignorance of the premise of science, or has been blinded by greed and/or conceit |
You say that publishing is normally the audit process in the scientific world. Scientific papers are subject to peer review. Publishing the results instantly is not a great idea. There is always someone more qualified to do a job. And that person ends up auditing and making sure the work is suitable for release. Audibly transparent is a catch-phrase I hear all too often. More descriptive language is required...such as using: Sounds Like? An Audio Glossary J. Gordon Holt | Furthermore, large discrepancies between mass customer reviews and measurements still exist with plenty of gear reviewed on ASR. You can find an audio product that has plenty of positive reviews, mentions particular sonic traits, etc. from numerous online stores (not just amazon). and even impressions from audiophiles in person whose experience lined up with yours almost exactly. Then you go to ASR, only to find that product does not score well there. And yet, we find a mountain of information from others that suggests otherwise...actually the total opposite. I think it would be great to hear from @amir_asr about 3rd party testing his measurements/results...let the man speak. @clearthink I agree 100%. The experience is all-important vs measurements alone.
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