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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.

nyev
prof
3,534 posts
 

So, you admit this, but, at the same time, you questioned someone’s findings without posting proof of blind test? I call this hypocrisy. Please correct me if I misunderstood 

You aren't trying to understand.  You glossed right over the fact I already gave the answer.

But for anyone else reading:  As I said, the difference is:  the proposition that different speaker designs will be quite audible is not only uncontroversial: it is well established in practice, theory and also via classic scientific methods (e.g. blind testing of speakers).

That is NOT the case for many of the more controversial claims in audio, such as that expensive USB cables will sound "better" than properly functioning cheap USB cables, or similar claims.

Therefore it makes sense to treat the more controversial claims more skeptically.

Of course such obvious differences will be hard to spot if someone is wearing black-and-white blinders and can only see in an "either/or" manner.

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@prof : I thought you bid me farewell’s many posts ago? No? It hurts?

P.s. I don’t read your posts. I know exactly what you would say. I am not a hypocrite.

Kindest regards 

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@prof :

No I ended up choosing Joseph Audio Perspective speakers. 

Vs, Devore speakers? That thread you had 78,000+ views on? 
 

Based on ABX blind test between the two I presume?

If so, please do what you asked another member here:

 

BTW, you say you’ve distinguished all sorts of things in blind tests…? Can you describe your test protocol?

 

prof
3,534 posts
 

P.s. I don’t read your posts.

You CLEARLY read each of my posts in this thread and follow up asking me questions directed at what I’d written. But then tell me "you don’t read my posts."

Do you imagine you are fooling anyone at all?

 

I am not a hypocrite.

Given you were lecturing Amir on decorum, I think you fit that definition quite well. One could add "liar" (for claiming not to read my posts when you clearly do - in fact you are still even QUOTING my posts!). And of course: Troll. Collect ’em all....

 

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@prof : I would appreciate it if you answered my few questions. If you forgot them , just ask me. I understand 

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