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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
thespeakerdude
483 posts
 

@nyev ,

 

But, for you its not just the cables, there are tubes, vinyl and many other thing that you got issues with. Why is that, only you know. For people who follow your ’lead’, hope one day they will come in situation where they will have a chance to hear a good sounding system.

While I don't agree with some of the conclusion you have reached, you have been respectful, so I will respectfully point something out. You are doing exactly the same thing you have accused Amir of. Your statement, "one day they will come in situation where they will have a chance to hear a good sounding system" is biased and makes a conclusion you have no ability to make. You have no way of knowing they have not heard an exceptionally good system, to them. What they may find good sounding is completely different from what someone else may find good sounding.

 

there are tubes, vinyl and many other thing that you got issues with.

Here we can agree, and I think, but won't put words in his mouth, that @prof would agree too. I accept from a particular technical basis that Amir will rate anything with tubes in it poorly. I think it should also be accepted that not all audio systems have room correction, or acoustic treatments, or perfect speakers. On that basis alone, a tube amplifier could result in a combination that is technically more accurate when the totality of the system is considered. There could also be sonic characteristics that the end user just likes. Distortion, clipping, it really does not matter, just that they like it.  For vinyl, digital sources clearly provide a significant advantage in capability and accuracy. However, we don't just listen to minute details, we listen to the totality of the performance. If a particular vinyl pressing offers a superior performance, for any number of reasons, then that it is the superior format for that particular recording.

 

alexatpos
1,216 posts
 

@thespeakerdude

You have quoted the wrong guy, so let me answer you. Not that it will change anything, but just for the record.

Imho, a system without properly selected cables (power as well) is not going to show its maximum.Dead simple.

Now, we can continue to go back and forth, but it will not change our ’positions’.So, for me, the only obvious solution (for ’somebody’) is not to read discussions, but to listen different systems. Than, depending if he or she likes the things heard, may, or may not, discover that things are different than what somebody wrote about them (on audiogon, or asr, irrelevaant)

But,nobody in right mind should need me to tell him what to do, or Amir either.But, of course, there are people who do not have enough confidence to trust their own ears and those cant be helped. Why somebody choose to ’follow’ instead of to listen is beyond me.

Finally. as for your first sentence, I agree. Never I would try to impose my standards or  think that my choice is the only 'right' one. 

kota1
2,706 posts
 

@nyev 

there is an opportunity here. What about conducting a blind test by a panel,

There are many audio clubs around the country that do this informally. The problem you have with blind listening tests for sites like ASR, Audioholics or Golden Sound is it isn't profitable. These guys are basically peddling information based on their personal opinion. They would need to buy a device like an ABX Comparator, get a panel of trained listeners (not untrained listeners), and follow testing protocols that are accepted by documented standards. The second they get a result that refutes their position they would be out of work.  See section 2.2 in this paper:

 

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