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.

toronto416

@analog_aficionado   Thank you for your post.  You have laid out a very logical and concise  reasoning that I have suspected for a long time but never had the technological chops to explain. 

I hope you become a more frequent contributor to this site.

ASR Review:
Over the years, I've read a small handful of ASR speaker reviews.  I've noted the following characteristics:

1. The primary focus of all the reviews were the measurement results
2. In spite of that, the essential imperfection of speakers means that the interpretation of these results is subjective.
3. Any listening impressions were brief and at the end of the review.  
4. All were based on hooking up 1 speaker only. I believe he only listens on-axis.
5. He may (perhaps always) apply EQ to the input signal and A/B the results.
6. The room (and likely, the equipment) used in testing is at his convenience.  For example, large speakers are tested in a sub-optimal room, rather than his listening room.
7. In the few reviews I've read, the listening tests were used to confirm the measurement results.
8.  I've not made an effort to see how non "domes & cones" speakers fare in his testing.

Conclusions:
It does appear that Amir is aware of and somewhat sensitive to the concerns regarding his review methodology.  If you value stereo imaging, his listening tests will probably be singularly unpersuasive.  I haven't (and probably won't) read enough of his speaker reviews to know if his measurement & listening results ever differ.

The testing methodology ASR utilizes is efficient, which enables them to review equipment much more quickly.  However, the knowledge gained is also limited by the process.  The results are thus most useful for the least discriminating.

I cannot understand subjectivist audiophiles or objectivists either...

 

 Acoustics measures by ears and tools matter first and last even over the pieces of gear design because any piece of well done designed gear is replaceable, The room and ears are not.

The folks on this site seems to give too much importance to ASR. Time to move on.