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What if a high end speaker measures really badly?

You know, it's true that I feel listening is more important than measurements and that it's generally difficult to really tie together measurements with pleasure.  Below 0.05% THD do I care?  No I do not.  I really don't care. The number tells me nothing about whether I'd like the amp more or not anymore.

In this one memorable review for the Alta Audio Adam speaker, I really felt shivers go up my spine when I looked at the measurements, especially at ~$20kUSD.   This looks like an absolute hot mess.  Does it sound this bad though?  I certainly don't have the $20K to test that out myself. What do you all think? 

erik_squires
cdc
1,677 posts
 

Zu is a popular speaker that doesn’t measure that great. And they do not threaten to sue people about it either.

bache's avatar
bache
503 posts
 

This is very simple , The High -End speakers must to be got good sound (using you hearing ability and must got good measurements ( No big wide dips ets) . If The measurement is bad and you like the sound . Something wrong with you, but if   measurements is good  sound some time lifeless , becouse  Speakers company try to flattering responce using very complicate crossovers with a lot capacitors , unductors  , killing the sound, One time i check Canton High End , nice looking and big Ls, Responce was very flat , but sound was bad

larsman's avatar
larsman
1,753 posts
 

I don't have robots and machines in my place listening to music so I don't care what they have to say, so I use my ears and brain for measurements. If I like how it sounds, it measures great for me... 

helomech
1,519 posts
 

The audiophiles who denounce the merit of measurements tend to be those who cannot or do not understand them. Coincidence? 

prof
3,450 posts
 

Not a coincidence ;-)

 

 

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