Did Amir Change Your Mind About Anything?


It’s easy to make snide remarks like “yes- I do the opposite of what he says.”  And in some respects I agree, but if you do that, this is just going to be taken down. So I’m asking a serious question. Has ASR actually changed your opinion on anything?  For me, I would say 2 things. I am a conservatory-trained musician and I do trust my ears. But ASR has reminded me to double check my opinions on a piece of gear to make sure I’m not imagining improvements. Not to get into double blind testing, but just to keep in mind that the brain can be fooled and make doubly sure that I’m hearing what I think I’m hearing. The second is power conditioning. I went from an expensive box back to my wiremold and I really don’t think I can hear a difference. I think that now that I understand the engineering behind AC use in an audio component, I am not convinced that power conditioning affects the component output. I think. 
So please resist the urge to pile on. I think this could be a worthwhile discussion if that’s possible anymore. I hope it is. 

chayro

 

@audphile1 

measurements are important and that’s without a doubt. But alone, the measurements cant tell you how a component will sound or what sonic changes a cable can make.

Yes actually it can.  Measurements really can tell you what you won't hear in a cable.  Amir showed how the measured signal of the Nordost lined right up with that of a cheap cable.  That tells you they will be audibly indistinguishable (in any likely set up).

You apparently reject this because you believe whatever you think you hear.  That's the problem.

It's no doubt the same problem that lead you to claim:

Testing Nordost Tyr 2 on a Topping DAC driving a Topping amp using headphones won’t tell you much for few reasons - Topping components aren’t high end by any means

On what basis do you conclude the Topping is not "high end?"  What do you think that means?   Amir actually has measurements showing the excellent performance of the Topping, with noise below our hearing threshold.

It's not "high end" in being expensive...but you shouldn't judge gear based on price, but on performance!  And not on manufacturer's claims either.  Amir actually tests manufacturers claims.

And if you simply reject the objective evidence Amir provides because your "ears" tell you, after listening to the Topping, it's not "high end" then that just brings us back to my point:  it's the Golden Ear refrain. "I Know What I Hear...measurements be damned." 

It's not actually unfalsifiable, because you COULD put what you think you hear to blind test controlling for bias.  But most audiophiles won't do that, so in their world "what they perceive" is unfalsifiable.   Just like my claim to hear angels on the Miles Davis record.  And since I won't be blind tested, and I reject the primacy of measurements, well...nobody can prove me wrong.

 

 

 

@amir_asr also just FYI…I watched your review on YouTube…

Tyr 2 is the top of the Nordost Norse line. Cables in that line cary the names of gods in Old Norse (Germanic Mythology). Not an indicator of how the cables sound by any stretch of imagination. But a quick search prior to recording your review would have helped you learn something new that you can relay to your viewers and prevent you from appearing ignorant while poking fun at the names Nordost chose for their cables. It did make your attempt at sarcasm and humor fall flat on its face right out of the gate, at least to those familiar with the subject. 

@prof I am not here to prove you right or wrong. I’m expressing my point of view and my take on the review.
I also don’t know of any Miles Davis recording under the name of “Kinda Blue”. I’m very familiar with his “Kind of Blue” album as I have 2 vinyl albums of it, one by MoFi on a 45rpm and one by Analog Productions on their fantastic HQR Clear Vinyl. I also have the original CD as well as remastered one plus a DSD file. They all, just like different cables, sound very different. I can tell you what album version is playing blindfolded. Just like I can tell you when you switch from generic XLR cables to Nordost Tyr 2. In my system that I am very familiar with. There are no singing angels on “Kind of Blue”. Just awesome music performed by amazing musicians that were recorded by a very talented team of sound engineers. You can disagree with me all you want. But the Topping DAC and amp don’t cut it here and like I already mentioned, headphones aren’t capable of reproducing the fine layers and depth of soundstage you’d experience with a properly set up 2ch stereo system.
I guess Amir would agree with me here or else he’d be using the Topping amp in his reference system in place of his $23,000 amps. I stand my ground on his testing being flawed and the results of his review being inconsequential without conducting a proper listening test. You can continue sticking to your guns. You have an argument but it’s just not a valid one. That is my take on this matter. If it doesn’t make sense to you, I’m completely fine with that. 

@prof

Amir showed how the measured signal of the Nordost lined right up with that of a cheap cable. That tells you they will be audibly indistinguishable (in any likely set up).

You made a theory or a claim here. That’s all. Saying "they will be" is not good enough.

Why not prove it with a YT listening comparison of the two cables?

Since you/Amir made this claim, then the burden of proof is on you.

 

you COULD put what you think you hear to blind test controlling for bias. But most audiophiles won’t do that

First of all, you and Amir should follow your own advice.

You made a baseless claim here.

Audiophiles A/B all time when choosing components and cables, or when making tweaks. Because a listening comparison is the ONLY method used for judging sound quality.

There are many A/B tests on the YT and even blind tests.

Alphaaudio 12 speaker cables blind test

Why do you act like that, going around shouting about your measurement results without even listening to what you measured?

 

 

 

I can just see Amir going along to the Met with his Klippel, testing the voices of the sopranos and suggesting which one to give a contract  to for the next season of Madame Butterly or La Boheme. I am amazed the Met has not hired him yet. Oh wait a minute, Yannick Nezet Sequin listens to voices and does not measure them.