The item at hand that I take issue with is the one wherein a person says adamantly, “… it’s the numbers only which matter’ in determining good from less than good, or bad… or better for that matter.
My own background says nearly the same thing mind you. Some eight years ago I would likely have sided with Musicnoise completely. I’ve since found out otherwise for myself… and much to my shigrin in some cases. I’d not wish to restrain another from some greater experience either.
I doubt too many of us are looking at possibly suspect specifications at point of sale.
All of us need to find these things out for ourselves and in accordance with what ever level of gear or satisfaction we wish to attain.
I thought much of my notions to be not so much assumptions, but as commonly accepted pre-requisites…. Resolving system, and good hearing need be had right up front.
For instance with either of my two receivers, only one shows greater sensitivity to power cable exchanges, the Sony es. My Onkyo TX SR 805, on the other hand, has less responsiveness to power cable swap outs, though it does afford changes in the sound … just to a lesser degree. With it only my most expensive cords seem to show improvements. Therefore I don’t have to spend much on it as I’m unable to justify the expense there.
On the bench side of this issue let’s take Stereophile reviews to task for a second here… JA does the testing usually. A review of the Audio Physics Virgo III shows it’s numbers were well, far less than good on the bench, but translated very well during listening sessions, defying the numbers JA revealed.
Most recently, JA said the Bel Canto DAC 3 was the most accurate DAC or was it component, he had ever tested. Yet, he holds onto the Benchmark DAC instead… and I feel if JA wanted the BC D3 he’d be able to get one, don’t you?
One last point… I’ve spoken with at least one cable maker for some years now, off and on, and given his experiences with cable cobbling, he says he can see a cable on the oscilloscope and determine what it will sound like before hearing it, but in the final analysis he withholds his judgment for the listening sessions. I suspect he is not alone in those exercises.
For the greatest percentage of us audio hobbyists, enthusiasts, and flat out nuts… the listening session (s) are in fact our ‘final analysis’. Our own personal measuring tool. Consequently I hold fast to some precepts which have served me pretty well these last 8 years now, one’s I have learned from the good people here at A’gone, and proven to myself here at my home and at dealerships where applicable.
Basically, I’ve found everything can and usually does make a difference. Isolation, cabling, power conditioning, tubes and sure, the components too, all add up and are integral to the end result. Replace one thing in it, or if one thing is not acting as before, and I’ll surely know somethings up immediately. Somethings less, somethings more so.
And just for the record here, ALL my own listening – testing sessions are done in the ‘blind’. It ain’t all fun either. No pun intended.
System resolution of and by itself will aid in determining these ‘differences’, knowledge and experiences, will assist in deciding upon, ‘what’s really better’.
On my PC system, and a lesser degree my BR HT SYSTEM, all of my CD’s can be played there with great results. My main system is a mite more picky. Well, it’s lots more picky truth be told. Poor recordings are shown up there for what they really are, poor, very easily.
One gets in where they fit in… there’s little sense in my own mind to place for good and all, a $1,000 power cord onto a $100 source. Or spend thousands on cabling for a $500 receiver or integrated amp with bookshelf speakers. That being said, there’s someone somewhere that has done just that.
So my own designs on system building aside, the hearing is the true decider. The final analysis. Why you will pay more or less for anything in audio.
To not try however, or be contemptuous before the fact only limits your own exercise. Keeping an open mind and acting with some degree of prudence opens many doors. Prejudice closes them all.
I really do enjoy very much so, all of the rigs I have, just on differing levels of performance. Just like I used to really dig my first 125 cc dirt bike, but it didn’t compare to my drag bike.
