I would also like to add that I have had conversations with many engineers and sound technicians, and even my brother is one of them. So I am familiar even with the subjects and curricula usually taught. And the reality is that there are important, and interesting things not being taught, so it is at the mercy of each individual, and his impetus of continuous learning to acquire it. And I am referring to basic but very fundamental concepts that are discussed in books, such as Toole's and the most interesting threads of this forum. But I don't mean that they don't know anything, I mean that they most likely know most of the concepts but not in a way that they can bring it down to earth. Sound engineers are trained to be able to perform their functions inside studios, manage musicians, track instruments with microphonic techniques, mix, master, etc. The vast majority of examples I have seen show little interest in loudspeakers, and most of their time is spent in brain spew regarding their mixing desks and tweaking of the thousands of analogue equipment such as effects, preamps, delays, etc.
That's why the sound engineer card doesn't work for me. I know I will sound sceptical saying this and I hope I am not being too overbearing, but I really think so. It is for this very reason that disastrous electronic equipment exists. Amir takes a DAC or AMP of any recognized brand and it measures horrendous. Was it designed by a bear? NO, an electronic engineer was in charge of making that equipment a reality, and it sucks. And this is probably because he failed by automatically following the very general specification of the chip manufacturer and that's it, he didn't want to spend the time to use his brain on getting a good result. On the other hand, another X equipment measured well, because the engineer in charge was someone competent and experienced, who decided to take the trouble to verify a better solution. Both studied at university, both have a diploma, but the results speak for themselves. The one who obtained a SOTA result is because he has been concerned about specializing beyond the minimum taught in class. Therefore, in any discipline, I consider the degree as merely a minimum, and the worth of the individual the result of his subsequent experience and personal effort to specialize.
I cannot be so foolish as not to consider that at Abbey Road or Skywalker Ranch the best specialists were most likely hired. But that still doesn't do it for me. When the fanbase of the 800 series wants to defend their belief they always appeal to the same "But if Steve uses them it will be for something", "but if in X place they use them it will be for something", and if that is not enough their last resort would be to relate the personal subjective experience, and that's the end of it. In ASR we will give low blows sometimes or other, but they are always accompanied with some measurement, or some reference to some research, paper, or study. And this is the dynamic I've seen over the years with the 800 series, apologists defend themselves with subjectivity, detractors with objectivity. Yes, I know, I've made an unnecessarily long post. But possibly it could have been avoided if B&W were less pretentious in their way of wanting to proclaim themselves the bearers of the most revealing reproduction in the world.
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