Hi fsonicsmith1,
Just so you don’t get an incorrect impression: While I definitely side with ASR that, strictly speaking, the most reliable method of evaluating gear would include measurements and if possible blind testing, in the real world that’s often not possible or practical so we all make our decisions on how to evaluate gear.
Yes many ASR members are very measurement oriented (which is perfectly fine in my book), but there’s also members who enjoy a range of equipment, lots of it not on the "ASR approved" list.
I’ve spent lots of time defending my use of tube amps, vinyl (to those who don’t see the point, some ASR members do understand the point) and even liking speakers that don’t measure great re the Harman curve And I’ve been a thorn in the side very often defending the worth of subjective reviews.
And, yes, there IS a certain strain of thinking on ASR that, if it were widely adopted would, in principle, rule out a huge variety of speakers that are currently available and the many speaker designs people have loved over the years, that don’t meet ASR-like standards. I’ve made threads on the topic there, and it is a type of philosophical difference I hold vs many on that forum. My personal preference is that there continue to be a wide variety of speaker designs that don’t have to meet a certain "best practices" dictum or house curve, so people who want those speakers can be catered to. I’ve often used my enjoyment of Devore speakers as an example. I’m glad as heck such designs exist, where they don’t get a second glance by many at ASR.
I’ve never tried to beat anyone up over the method they want to use for evaluating gear. But when we are trying to get at some truth of any matter - and audiophiles are making truth claims all the time - then we can have a discussion with varying viewpoints IMO.
As to cables: I always try to be careful not to make some broad claim based on my personal experience. So for instance I blind tested Shunyata cables against off the shelf cheap AC cables. Thought I heard a difference sighted listening. Couldn’t tell them apart under blinded conditions. Do I therefore say "my own blind test proves AC cables don’t make any sonic difference?" Of course not. No person familiar with the scientific method should make that mistake. Rather, it’s useful for my own purposes, and if someone else cares to use my report as a data point in their own
view, that’s up to them.
Likewise regarding any cables. I don’t propose that not hearing cable differences in my system, or anywhere else, means "no cables make sonic differences." I AM however, I think, rightly skeptical based on the nature of claims made about cables - many of which people knowledgeable in electronics theory point out as highly suspicious - and the nature of how those claims generally are made (audiophiles claiming to hear differences, when I know both from science, and from personal experience, how our perception can be fooled). So I wait for stronger evidence.
Note though, that if many here think that they are seeing an "objectivist" suggest from their blind test that cables don't make a sonic difference, they will leap on the objectivist for illegitimately drawing such general conclusions from their experience.
And yet all the time we see people here saying "Cables make a difference! I know that because I've done the tests in my own system!" But these generalizations are immediately glossed over because, well, that's the going bias in forums like this.
Finally, my anecdote about my recent cable swap is only one of many. I’ve had many audiophile friends, including many in the industry, and so over the years I’ve been able to play with lots of different cables. I’ve even heard speakers I own with over $50,000 worth of Nordost and Crystal cable (and others). So, even for my own purposes, I’m not just basing my lack of being impressed on a one-off with those recent interconnects.
If someone else feels expensive cables are worth their money...enjoy.
Cheers.
