In Reply to: Measurements/Subjective Reviews posted by Jim Austin on May 24, 2004 at 07:49:08:
Yes, I pretty well look for the measurements first.With electronics, the measurements very often do not indicate an audible difference (which I regard as a significant issue) and so I don't worry about the subjective reactions of the reviewers. Sighted listening is subject to bias, whether done by someone else or me. I do take note of ergonomics and any difficulties or reliability issues with the equipment.
With speakers, the measurements will indicate some audible differences and also are useful for compatibility issues. It is interesting to see if there is much correlation between the measured results and the reviewers subjective responses. For example, Art Dudley's taste seems to be very different from mine, though he does like the Quad electrostats. I find John Atkinson makes very useful remarks, and this is true of some others, notably Andrew Marshall of AIG.
I would not use measurements to choose speakers, but I do use them as a screening tool. That is, I wouldn't put a speaker that measures badly on my audition list and I wouldn't seek it out. However, if I came across one, I might very well listen to it for the interest if reviewers thought it was good. Mostly, the speakers I audition turn out to be very good ones.
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- Re: Measurements/Subjective Reviews - Pat D 11:32:10 06/02/04 (0)