Do you trust your ears more than measurements?

When I read the subject line my initial response was I trust my ears.  Then I read @hilde45 comment and I reconsidered.  I trust my ears and not  strictly measurements.  However, listening and then taking measurements in my room allowed me to make changes so things sound even better.  I agree measurements cannot possibly tell the entire story or even most of it, but in room measurements can be revelatory.  They have allowed me to make changes to something that, initially, was pleasing and make it better.

Sad this has to be asked. Those trading measurements for clicks are misleading many.

False dichotomy.

I use my ears, 100%...
I have no idea how it measures. Sure sounds good, though.

If you’re happy, you’re happy. That doesn’t mean it can’t sound better. But if you’re happy not knowing that, good for you. Wallow in contentment! Enjoy!

Ones ears are a far more sensitive instrument than all of the commonly used measurements / charts taken together by an enormous amount. Trained ears / mind is an order of magnitude more sensitive.
So 100% ears.
I use my ears always. I’m in it to enjoy my music.

People who measure their rooms are in it to enjoy the music, too.

Ears are sensitive. But room acoustics are complex -- too complex for ears to contend with. No one surveys a field accurately by just "eyeballing it." Better measurements can lead to results -- results that our very sensitive ears can hear.

Is it too much of a bother to measure? Then just say that. But the supposition that "ears are enough" is just false.

You can listen without measuring but when time comes to figure out what’s wrong or could be made better you can only guess and the devil is always in the details....If you haven’t measured your room, you are working with a huge handicap. I suspect many would be off the hifi merry go round a lot faster once they come to the realization that it’s largely room acoustics they hear so it’s important to know what those are in order to be able to cut to the chase. Throwing more money at the problem alone is not a very effective way to fix what’s broken in most cases.

Exactly right. Of course, many on this thread sound content. If things sound good enough, then leave it alone. But I suspect the urge to bash measurement -- in conjuction with hearing -- is borne of a desire not to want to go there.

Audio is subjective.

But that statement is subjective, too, right? ;-)

Apples and Oranges discussion. Measurements and listening are too often mixed up and made into some silly arguments that I've seen. Listening is really all that matters, to most consumers, not all. Measurements however can indicate if a piece of gear is capable of doing what it is said to be capable of. Both can be good tools for evaluation, but one does not replace the other. People get all wound up about the sites that perform measurements, for no good reason usually. Measurements show the undeniable capabilities of devices without bias. If a device in testing cannot properly reproduce tones, waves, signals, etc, that device may still sound great to the humans. Listening matters, because the goal is good sound. Measurements and listening do not replace each other. They should both be used to evaluate. 

I’m not dissing measurements.  They are not that important to me as what my ears hear.  The joy the music brings.  My ears tell depth width detail soundstage and musicality. They are what I depend on the most. 

Time to have a real conversation.  I see a lot of comments about placebo. I hear a lot of comments that cables can’t make differences and components that are a certain price are a waste of money.  I try to comment on what I have heard. I can’t tell the next man that what he is or is not hearing.  I think there is a lot of I know more than you in our hobby.  I wouldn’t not comment on people systems that I haven’t heard. I think it’s arrogant to think that those that don’t agree with you about how THEIR SYSTEM SOUNDS THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD!