Measurements with test tones vs. real music - what's the difference?

[Satyadhara]

I recently watched a review of the SMSL SH-9, in which the reviewer claims that devices which measure very well might still not sound very good, because measurements are taken using test tones instead of real music. This is the video.

I'm not a tech guy, so I'm interested in what others think of this argument.
Any opinions?

 

[BDWoody]

I recently watched a review of the SMSL SH-9, in which the reviewer claims that devices which measure very well might still not sound very good, because measurements are taken using test tones instead of real music. This is the video.

I'm not a tech guy, so I'm interested in what others think of this argument.
Any opinions?

When I see someone back up those claims with controlled listening tests, I'll start paying attention.

So far, that hasn't happened.

Making claims is easy, and very popular in hi-fi land. Supporting evidence? Not so much.

 

[Doodski]

I recently watched a review of the SMSL SH-9, in which the reviewer claims that devices which measure very well might still not sound very good, because measurements are taken using test tones instead of real music. This is the video.

I'm not a tech guy, so I'm interested in what others think of this argument.
Any opinions?

I watched the video and his argument that the size of headphone amp that he points to cannot provide the power required for a headphone amp is 100% bogus. I've seen his videos before and he's not accurate.

 

[Jinjuku]

Claims made without evidence are just as easily dismissed without evidence.

 

[KSTR]

To measure means to quantify things with controlled procedures and settings. For audio, this does not exclude using real music to measure something.

 

[Jimbob54]

These claims are often made by folks who like big expensive boxes made by people who talk a good game.

In quite a lot of cases , their big expensive boxes don't measure very well (Currawrong is fond of his Audio GD stuff as seen in the vid- a prime example of the type). As has been said above, some controlled listening tests may well prove to said reviewer that he either does not truly prefer the Audio GD when he is blind to whats playing, or quite possibly cannot differentiate.

If they can both tell and prefer the same stuff blind as when sighted, then there is something worthy of further study

But its easier for them to say the measurements dont tell the whole story as it allows them to continue saying stuff like this.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Real music can be used for measurement. It's just that it's less easy to reproduce by someone else and not standardized. You can use null from AP to see the residues. But it has less RMS level hence it's more likely to drawn in the noise floor.

Multitone is the similar thing to music but better suited for measurements. You can see the distortion and noise much easier. With multitone you can use FFT to see down to -140dB or lower instead of the giant wall of signal from music.

 

[cursive]

I recently watched a review of the SMSL SH-9, in which the reviewer claims that devices which measure very well might still not sound very good, because measurements are taken using test tones instead of real music. This is the video.

I'm not a tech guy, so I'm interested in what others think of this argument.
Any opinions?

"Larger amps such as these have much bigger power supplies, it is just simply you can't beat more comprehensively designed technology."

That line right there from the video is pretty frustrating, and seems to be his whole way of summing up it's performance.
It's somehow not as comprehensively designed because it's smaller? That's a pretty crazy assertion to make, and in my opinion hurts his credibility.

These are headphone amps, can't believe he would say size of the enclosure is critical to performance when headphones need so little power in general.

 

[Shazb0t]

Currawong is a subjective reviewer/moderator from head-fi. There's no reason to take anything he has to say seriously. He believes in audio voodoo.

 

[Lero]

I recently watched a review of the SMSL SH-9, in which the reviewer claims that devices which measure very well might still not sound very good, because measurements are taken using test tones instead of real music.

This is something BS audio would say...my brain in crying blood...

 

[HereYaGo]

think for yourself.

 

[wwenze]

Try listening to a faulty woofer/tweeter or capacitor with music vs sine