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The Audio Science Review (ASR) approach to reviewing wines.
Imagine doing a wine review as follows - samples of wines are assessed by a reviewer who measures multiple variables including light transmission, specific gravity, residual sugar, salinity, boiling point etc. These tests are repeated while playing test tones through the samples at different frequencies.
The results are compiled and the winner selected based on those measurements and the reviewer concludes that the other wines can't possibly be as good based on their measured results.
At no point does the reviewer assess the bouquet of the wine nor taste it. He relies on the science of measured results and not the decidedly unscientific subjective experience of smell and taste.
That is the ASR approach to audio - drinking Kool Aid, not wine.
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“Among a myriad of other complaints, I simply don’t have any confidence that ASR as a publication knows good sound.” ASR evaluates equipment based on objective criteria that has been found to predict certain aspects of sound quality. The speakers forces are rated based on the type of measurements that have been shown Through rigourous scientific testing studies To be correlated With the type of sound most listeners - That includes audiophiles and reviewers! - Will rate most highly.
This may not be perfect, But I’m guessing they are on much stronger ground Than you might be.
What Do you claim to be “Good sound “ And why should someone agree with you?
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@prof |
This post was inspired by answering a question about power conditioners. In reviewing the Puritan Audio PSM 156 on ASR, the author says "as always, we attempt to tease out the transfer function of the conditioner using normal audio level signals" and after many measurements with test signals concludes with "as you see, I have run a number of tests to give the PSM156 ample opportunity to show it can do something to improve audio but it can’t even move the dial one hair. There is no indication or logic that would tell us that it can make an audible improvement." It is important to note that at no point was it mentioned that music was played through a system with and without the PSM 156 in the circuit. I don’t spend my hours of relaxation listening to test signals - I listen to music. The ASR review failed to assess the impact on music reproduction. |
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