ACTUAL MUSICAL SOUND VS. MEASUREMENTS

@desktopguy 

+1 As a starting point... then to get right sound the designer swaps subcomponents and  listens to differences. Great designers know "the sound" of different brands of subcomponents (like resistors, capacitors... etc.) and can make choices while designing to craft sound they want. 

@ghdprentice

+1 back at you. Good designers know that measurements, no matter how high tech and well-performed, fall pretty far short of investigating the subjective experience of hear audio as music. The only way they can bridge the gap is with their own ears. And ears can be "trained" with experience, growing more productive as measurement tools over time (something test equipment doesn't do, though AI may change that to a degree).

There are some designers who won't deign to use listening as a design tool, who put all their faith in measurements and technology. If I know that about them, I don't go near whatever pproducts they design. Life is too short.

being few decades experienced analog circuit designer / sound engineer / and audiophile, I can add:

1) no design whatsoever is possible without obeying standards, user expectations, and measurements! most discrepancy btw measurements and advanced user are related to not sufficient measurements coverage, e.g. phase, low power transient response accuracy, dynamics, etc. measurements are needed for volume manufacturing process, which helps to ensure all units meet design target spec, all components vendors meet their spec, readability, etc! manufacturing quality tests (measurements) include accelerated aging test, component selection, stress test, shock and vibe, etc. 

2) listening, by experienced users, is needed to ensure design engineers included in design target spec all what is affecting SQ. unfortunately currently used audio gear specifications are under-specified, which is causing test-actual sound discrepancy., 

I’m not against measurements. It’s just that I’m ears over measurement all day. 

At the risk of sounding sexist, I wonder if one of these measurement guys could pick my wife out of crowd using her vital statistics of 36-27–38* alone.

*Those numbers there are a total guess on my part. I’ve no idea what her actual vital statistics are. They are not what defines her.