Mastering legend Bernie Grundman explains why the measurement crowd has it all wrong!


There's a great new interview with Bernie Grundman about the AJA UHQR where he relates that a component that a measures perfectly, but uses a lot of electronics in the signal path to get that result, sounds inferior to electronics that don't even measure flat, but have less in the pathway.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGLFTm6jMrY

I recently read one of these "reviews'' where they admit they mostly don't even listen, but just rely on measurements.  It was one of the most amateur reviews I had ever read, and now the we have one of the top trusted golden ears (one who actually creates the content) state that measurements don't indicate what something is going to sound like.

I'll take Bernie's perspective over an idiot with an analyzer touting cheap gear that measures well, just to make people feel superior about their (sometimes) midfi gear.

emailists

The measurements only crowds is on par with the high-end price tag gear bragging crowd...

The two  crowds ignore all embeddings controls and ignore especially acoustics which they reduce not even to room acoustic but to the purchase of few acoustic panels at best ...

😁

 This is not True, a lot of people with very expensive gear have professionally set up rooms.

In every crowd there is exception... I should have write most people in these two crowds instead of suggesting "all" ...

 

But this does not change the basic fact i pointed to : they focus on the gear branded name price or measurements ...

This is so true that if you read audio thread all is about this measurement crowd obsession and audiophile branded name upgrading price tag obsession ...

They dont focus on the fundamental rightfull 3 embedding controls especially the acoustical one as the main core of the resulting experience ...

A system not well embedded at any price will not deliver his potential nevermind his measurements specs...

The fact that people as Mike Lavigne and others own pro designed acoustic room prove my point about the importance of the acoustic embeddings ... Now think about tha«t , there is also the electrical and mechanical embeddings too which are very powerful impediment or improvement  ...

A great system is not great because of his  measured specs or because of his  price tag , but is great if it is well embedded to begin with if there is also synergy for sure ... If not, forget it, price tag or specs will not make it great and will not tell the tale  ...

This is not True, a lot of people with very expensive gear have professionally set up rooms.

 

@mahgister : Hello. I am interested to hear more about what you are describing. In terms of using a room that is shared between “living”, and “listening”, what are your suggestions, or methods to get closer to the music with what you call “embedding”? Actually, maybe this should be another thread. My apologies to the OP. I love Bernie Grundman’s work, and this thread caught my attention, but I have read what Maghister has written in the past and felt compelled to comment. @emailists : Thank you for the link, and thank you for this thread. It is my belief also that measurements tell us relatively little about the value of a component, and its ability to reproduce music naturally. 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/what-means-embeddings-control

I already make a thread about my own experience ...

It is better to go there if you want to discuss it ...

 

Thanks ...

 

@mahgister : Hello. I am interested to hear more about what you are describing. In terms of using a room that is shared between “living”, and “listening”, what are your suggestions, or methods to get closer to the music with what you call “embedding”? Actually, maybe this should be another thread.

Excellent points as above. The question:   how well is Bernie's hearing?

 

Happy Listening!