Playback Designs MPS-5 - Measerments v. Sound

For all who are curios to read Michael Fremer`s comment
on one of the most controversial reviews in Stereophile (Feb 2010) concerning PD MPS-5 cd player, in which the ultimate question rises again - Can we actually measure perceived sound ?

"Thanks for writing. I would appreciate it if you'd post my response on Audiogon.

It's interesting that you say "it's time to rethink measurement methods" because John Atkinson just took the player back with him to perform some new ones on that player.

It's important to understand that the designer of that player has been at the forefront of DSD technology almost from its inception. Read the bio notes on the Playback website and/or in my review (which was written of course before I had any idea how the player would measure).

Andreas Koch knows what he is doing! That player's measurements are not the result of a botched effort or because he is unable to design a player that will measure as "perfectly" as is expected in conventional terms. Just as it's fairly easy these days to design a speaker that measures "flat" on-axis. But that is hardly the end all and be all of good speaker design!

Atkinson recently met up with Mr. Koch at an event and they had a long discussion about the measurements and that is why JA is revisiting them. The players measures as it does purposely according to Mr. Koch.

Believe me about one thing: you will not hear "noise" as such from that player!

You also understand that there are anti-SACD advocates out there who claim that SACD is not a high fidelity medium! Those include Dr. Stanley Lipschitz, in who I distrust all the time, but he's got the measurements to "prove" his case.

I can "prove" to you that LP playback measures way worse than CD playback but the listening is what counts to me. We don't measure everything. Our brains are far more sensitive than any measurement yet devised. Yes, we also can be fooled but we are also excellent receptors.

JA admitted to me that he's not quite sure what Mr. Koch was getting at in their discussion but that he's open to learning and understanding. JA understands that Mr. Koch is well aware of what he's doing in that design and perhaps one day we'll all understand what he's doing and why what he's done makes that player sound so good.

I suggest you listen to it. Or measure it. If you measure it you may reject it, but if you listen, you might find it's the player you want to own....

-Michael "