Audio Science Review Review

Eh, I disagree. I also don't think every little thing should be cross posted here, at some point you're just giving them more viewership.

 

Technically speaking men have less holes...

 

Yes, that’s the whole irony.

But that’s also solid evidence, that that whole objective thing they have, has the same noobs as the 100% subjective shills.

 

Ha, I wish I had that kind of influence on people!
You could argue that this whole thread is giving them more viewership. Keep in mind, they read these forums as well. Ultimately, I’m interested in dispelling the myth of “Amir’s measurements are the only thing that matters”. I think the most effective way of doing this is pointing out the obvious BS that he does. I have done it here and at ASR. It would be awesome if more people had the balls to do that there. It is happening more and more because there are a lot of intelligent people there.

In any case, I stand by my point that it is odd that a self-proclaimed measurement king uses subjective descriptors like “manly holes” to extol the virtues of a product that he is reviewing. The fact that his posts are riddled with errors just seems to confirm that he is more about quantity rather than quality. Both of these should be huge warning signs for people who take his reviews at face value.

 

I am a member here and head-fi and read over at audio science reviews. I don't really post much I kind of just read all the forums. I think my biggest problem with ASR is that they seem to completely not care about Sound. They want equipment to measure perfect and if it does then it must be good. I have heard several of the amps on their list and I don't always think the higher Sinad ones sound the best to me. But I mean to each their own.

 

This is clearly a shot at ASR and the hardcore objectivists. Curious to see the next one:

 

That is good, and I look forward to his future cable series. Best listened to at X1.5 as his Texas drawl is better appreciated in person

 

I love his analogy about flat earthers using specific measurements to reinforce their set of beliefs. Absolutely spot on.

 

That is exactly what passes for "science" in Amir's circles, the dogma "what measures the same sounds the same" comes first. He makes a lot of good points.
But, let's face it , the case about differences in cables presented by a cable shop is the least compelling way to go against even hardcore objectivists. By the way what is "hardcore objectivist"?. But I am still interested because he is promising slightly different angle.

 

He did a video a while back showing one of the differences between his speaker cables and more "standard" ones. He plugged both into a receiver as an antenna to see which one picked up radio. His cable didn't (the other did). Now, is that a realistic concern (picking up radio waves)? I don't know. I've never heard the radio through my speakers or cans.

 

I have definitely hat this issue with phono cables picking up such interferences but no other kind of cable.

 

Yeah with low level signal cables I can see that. But speaker wires? I suppose it's possible but you're likely having some serious overall issues at that point.

 

Measurements are all that matter. Listening is irrelevant. If it measures well, it will sound good, period.

 

These kinda folks are also great fun to be around

 

This seems appropriate here:

 

They would be even more anal and say it sounds “transparent” because the word “good” is too subjective .

 

Any unshielded wire can act as an antenna for any frequency. Run zip cord parallel and close to typical AC house wiring and you will see 60 Hz on a scope. Can you hear it is another question. Can RF cause a problem in the audible range. Yes. Even if you can't hear whatever your speaker cables might pick up, do you want it there?

The real question for each of us is to what extent we are willing to go to reach an acceptable listening experience. Expensive speaker cables are not on my list. Does not mean others are wrong to go that route or that all more costly cables are snake oil.

 

Noise pickup and shielding is one of those things that makes me do a facepalm in the hifi world. Buying fancy expensive cables with extravagant shielding is often a band-aid. If your cables are picking up noise, chances are you need to move it over a couple inches away from the source of noise. Avoid parallel runs, maintain a reasonable distance from power mains and big transformers, don't have big loops of wire, don't hover near a transmitter or receiver, etc. Prevention is easier and cheaper.

 

The battle has been joined between Danny Richie and Amir over speaker cables. Both have videos on Youtube. Neither will change many minds.

Amir started a thread on ASR using his video. I watched and listened carefully. Should be titled "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS". Typical approach, measure only to the level required to support the already established belief. Finally dawned on me how to characterize Amir - a technician performing defined measurements and collecting data. Over a 40+ year engineering career I trained several technicians to do that same job. No offense to technicians, but none of them knew how to apply the data to circuit design or evaluate performance. Amir is no different. He is really good at parroting technical jargon lifted from claimed audio authorities

In the ultimate irony, Amir chastises contributors to the thread to "dial down your dogmatic approach". What a soap opera!