Audio Science Review = "The better the measurement, the better the sound" philosophy

@djones51 I will add, regarding the subject of cables (and other "accessories") that constantly placing those in the "snake oil" and "ripoffs" section is also a huge disservice to newbies or to those who try to keep the costs manageable. Like I said earlier, I'm poor, and I try to buy the best components I can afford (based on SUBJECTIVE reviews and actual experience from owners, not based on measurements) then I try to extract the best from them. I have drawers full of cables, great value cables, and it's true I've got some kind of a fetish for those. 

I can easily describe the sound character of each one of them, and I could easily - if that's what I wanted - change the tonality / PRAT / global presentation of the system just by changing the cable loom. And it's still much cheaper than changing the components. 

I also love "fancy fuses" and isolation footers.

Let's take my last component purchase: Audiolab 6000CDT transport. A great component at very much entry level price. Adding a good power cord (the best you can afford), a 30$ fuse, trying various decoupling footers, and putting some weight on top (I use heavy stainless steel and rubber door stoppers, 8$ each) elevates this entry level transport into something that performs MUCH better. According to Amir and its followers, what I did with that transport is all BS and snake oil, and the sad part is, some guy who reads that might just take the easy way and believe everything he reads there, and on the long run will end up being disappointed (if he actually listens, that is) with his purchase... while it would be so easy and cost effective to take it to the next level (or three levels up!) 

Constantly reducing Audio to a specs sheet or measurement graphs is not only very limited, it is also depriving people of a lot of fun and personal experimentations that would let them enjoy their system a great deal more. 

@djones51 ASR doesn't offer anything of value to us audiophiles. I've been there, done that, I've bought a 250$ DAC with pristine measurements thinking it would be all I'll ever need. I'm poor, you see, so it's easy to fall for ASR 's claims. "Yaaay I got a great deal and you guys are all morons"

Unfortunately, those claims are utter BS in the real world for anyone who has EARS and actually LISTENS to their equipment. So, I'd rather see ASR as a disservice to the audiophile community, on top of being full with obnoxious (let's call a cat a cat) members.

@mikepowellaudio I couldn't have said it better.