Goldensound and his golden ears...

[NTK]

Is for example a 70€ Behringer DAC getting the same attention to detail benefit of the doubt as a 1000€ topping?
In this special lowering the output volume at the analog volume Potentiometer would have Dramatically improved SINAD?

If you look just a little further down, information regarding SINAD behavior with digital attenuation is given. It is an interesting root cause analysis question to ask whether the clipping happened in the DAC stage or in the amplification stage after it, but how would a canned auto test help you to figure it out?

 

[Lambda]

If you look just a little further down, information regarding SINAD behavior with digital attenuation is given. It is an interesting root cause analysis question to ask whether the clipping happened in the DAC stage or in the amplification stage after it, but how would a canned auto test help you to figure it out?

Well this Would not show an analyze whether the clipping happened in the DAC stage or in the amplification stage in an automated test but this is an Example of how a little bit of tweaking can change results dramatically.

In fact this is a good case to show how importend manual testing is

Without saying Amir is having malicious intentions in any way its might to be influenced by estimation bias.
And even if it is not its harder to proof this without standard methods and automated setups.

In this case "would think to myself well its Berhiger and cheap. did not expect more"

But if my favorite manufacture has new flagship DAC taht’s 0,5dB behind the competition i would maybe spend a little bit more time tweaking gains and filters to to geht this las 0.5dB SINAD...

 

[krabapple]

Until you're on the wrong "side"... then he'll try to ruin your reputation, question your knowledge and experience, make unfounded accusations about your business, publish old emails from your previous employer on other forums and then make out people are trying to doxx him, whilst he "apologises" for doing so.



JSmith

 

[joseG86]

The fact that this forum is completely free and so good keeps astonishing me, I am enjoying every single post

Thanks

 

[pozz]

This fence-sitting, "somewhere in the middle" business I have found is often times its own type of bias, or at the very least blatant intellectual laziness or dishonesty.

Very much this.

 

[pozz]

That's certainly possible, i cannot judge that from my position. Goldensound appears sincere to me in his 'dualistic' approach, so i personally don't feel comfortable saying it's a deliberate or political decision like others have suggested.

Sincerity is not in question. What is in question is judgment, maturity, knowledge, work ethic and motivation.

 

[pozz]

Well this Would not show an analyze whether the clipping happened in the DAC stage or in the amplification stage in an automated test but this is an Example of how a little bit of tweaking can change results dramatically.

In fact this is a good case to show how importend manual testing is

Without saying Amir is having malicious intentions in any way its might to be influenced by estimation bias.
And even if it is not its harder to proof this without standard methods and automated setups.

In this case "would think to myself well its Berhiger and cheap. did not expect more"

But if my favorite manufacture has new flagship DAC taht’s 0,5dB behind the competition i would maybe spend a little bit more time tweaking gains and filters to to geht this las 0.5dB SINAD...

Seems like it would have to be customized for every device type, if not further.

@GoldenOne made a comment on SBAF that everyone should publicize their settings or come up with some standard to prevent accusations of impropriety on behalf of reviewers publishing measurements... but my impression is that this was a cheap point in an argument rather than a serious invitation. This was regarding divergent measurements of the Soncoz DACs if anyone wants to look it up.

Regardless, it's a good idea. Just complicated as hell and perhaps not worth the effort.

 

[SIY]

@GoldenOne made a comment on SBAF that everyone should publicize their settings or come up with some standard to prevent accusations of impropriety on behalf of reviewers publishing measurements... but my impression is that this was a cheap point in an argument rather than a serious invitation.

Well, the AP settings are shown on the dashboards...

 

[pozz]

Well, the AP settings are shown on the dashboards...

View attachment 162804

In that context it was about averaging, FFT size. The linearity test and filtering was brought up at some point.

 

[BlackTalon]

Is it possible Goldensound uses the automated testing because he is still learning how to use the analyzer?

 

[AdamG]

This conversation needs to remain primarily about the Reviews, processes, results and conclusions. All of this is fair game to question, dissect and challenge. What we must avoid is turning this thread and subsequent conversation into a Character assassination. The object of this thread, is no longer a member and therefore unable to defend himself. Let’s remember that he is human, like the rest of us. We all made mistakes in our lives. Let’s treat the person with respect and dignity. His reviews are fair game and open season. Further personal insults and slights will be deleted. Take the high road, always.

Please and thank you!

 

[gvl]

Is it possible Goldensound uses the automated testing because he is still learning how to use the analyzer?

Some of the comments he made on his reviews make me think he really doesn’t understand the basics such as Fourier transformation and what harmonic distortion is all about. I suppose it suggests that AP software is friendly enough so even a layman can push the buttons.

 

[joseG86]

I respect the man, he wants to learn how things work beyond subjectivism and seems to put passion and effort over it.

End of the way is certainly clear: Realize what Amir has been showing over and over without feelings, just facts. Because facts doesn't care about your feelings and audiophilia has lots.

I appreciate Goldensound for being a non-conformist

 

[litemotiv]

Some of the comments he made on his reviews make me think he really doesn’t understand the basics such as Fourier transformation and what harmonic distortion is all about.

Can you point to specific comments he made that suggest this? Without examples this would fall under the 'Character assassination' umbrella as mentioned by @AdamG247.

 

[KSTR]

I suppose it suggests that AP software is friendly enough so even a layman can push the buttons

Well, the latest generation APs are quite user-friendly and you get a comprehensive set of measurement "presets" so you can start right away.
But to maintain a learning curve, also wrt how to interpret the results, that needs a thorough theoretical and engineering understanding of the fundamentals. In the long end, no way around it, IMHO and IME. Life-long learning curve, I might add.
You may still become a well-versed AP operator for "standard measurements", QC, etc without it but mind you, the main analyzer core is your mind, not the AP software and hardware.
Nobody is born as King of the AP (or the underlying science) therefore I appreciate anybody, including influencers, who really try hard to get into all this and of course you will and must make errors to learn and gain insights. The burdon of influencers is that they do this publicly real-time and therefore extra care is required to stay calm, real and down to earth. Credibility is under constant scrutiny...

 

[gvl]

Can you point to specific comments he made that suggest this? Without examples this would fall under the 'Character assassination' umbrella as mentioned by @AdamG247.

Here you go, this is from his Yggrdasil More Is Less review. Could be a typo, but he refers to junk below the fundamental as "distortions" in several other places, so I tend to think it points to gaps in the basic knowledge.

 

[SIY]

They're harmonics of something, just not the 17.5k signal. 500 Hz spacing. Is this a jitter test signal?

 

[gvl]

They're harmonics of something, just not the 17.5k signal. 500 Hz spacing. Is this a jitter test signal?

It is bonus material from Mike and Jason of Schiit. Who knows, I think these are artifacts of the deglitcher in the TI chip they use in their latest Yggdrasil iteration. But no, it is not a jitter test I think, this is how it looks on 18kHz.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Does he really have conductive gold on ears? must be a cosmetic implant.

 

[GaryH]

So he listens to dacs generating 99,9995% equal signal and yet he perceives differences in soundstage, bass, "tembah", instrument separation and so on.

A reviewer who claims to be able to hear miniscule differences in sound quality? Let's quantify that. @GoldenOne AKA @MiddleMan what level can you get up to on this?