Why is science just a starting point and not an end point?

I don't reject all claims without scientific proof, only ridiculous claims where not even a bare minimum of effort was extended to see if it made sense.

 Observation does not need proof, nor is there any obligation on the observer to expend effort to provide you with an explanation, sensible or otherwise. 

Measurements and testing are vital to building good audio gear but so is listening they go hand in hand

If you are trying to allude that tests like THD is useful, the 1970’s called and they want their approach to building amps back.

Testing is useful to prevent smoke and fire, as well as to do things like match components and checking whether they are within spec. Nothing more. 

Observation does not need proof, nor is there any obligation on the observer to expend effort to provide you with an explanation, sensible or otherwise.

That's true noone owes me anything. 

Testing is useful to prevent smoke and fire, as well as to do things like match components and checking whether they are within spec.

Among other things.

Because you cannot ascertain by looking at a spreadsheet which of two amplifiers you will prefer. The only way to know what anything sounds like is to listen to it. With your ears. Measurements exist to determine what may work within a system, and what may not. Think power characteristics for an amplifier and the power demands for a set of speakers. If you own speakers that require a lot of power, that require a high dampening factor, a low powered amplifier, with a low dampening factor, will likely not drive your speakers to their full potential. But once you find two amplifiers that will drive your speakers according to the numbers, you still need to listen to those two amplifiers, in your system driving your speakers, if you want to know which amplifier sounds best, to you. Measurements are a tool, they are not an end.

Ted Denney
Lead Designer, Synergistic Research Inc.

Interestingly enough, when someone insists on measurement as the be-all I often times find myself thinking, "Measurement. What a tool."

@ted_denney  “Because you cannot ascertain by looking at a spreadsheet which of two amplifiers you will prefer. The only way to know what anything sounds like is to listen to it....”


Very nicely put!