My concerns are:
1) If Amir claims that his sighted listening can detect things the measurements cannot, that’s an epistemological claim that runs counter the the accepted wisdom on this site. It means that there are some things better determined by listening, even sighted listening, than by measurements. This surely opens up room for broader subjective claims, which can no longer be shut down with objective claims.
In case of transducers and acoustics why would this not be the case ? One would need a lot more different measurements and have a lot of practical experience linking measurements to what's heard to be able to state... measurements are enough.
For electronics, however, it is a whole different story. It is very easy to measure this and when one knows about thresholds etc. one can easily hold the claim that measurements is all that is needed. Enough, conclusive, defined and well performed measurements that is.
2) If Amir claims that his sighted listening, as opposed to others’, is valid only because he is a trained listener, then there needs to be some evidence to support that. We also need the type of training that’s acceptable clearly specified. Perhaps we also need hearing test results. But it cannot be that only Amir is able to make valid subjective claims based on sighted listening. Openness, fairness, and reproducibility matter.
I don't think trained listeners always get a certificate (they might ?) stating they completed coarse this or that including a rating how 'accurate' they were. On would have to trust they did I reckon.
Then one can also be a trained listener by being self taught.
Let's differentiate between sound quality evaluations and comparisons.
Let's also differentiate between electronics testing and transducer testing.
Let's also differentiate between transducers in a room. A dead room is not the same as a treated room, a treated room is not the same as another treated room and again not anything like a room at home. Speaker positioning, room aspects, listening position. Any of these aspects can change the sound of a speaker.
It won't change the sound of electronics. Bias and sighted and/or not properly done tests will.|
These are the tests where one can adhere to blind tests and even trained listeners (trained to look for specifics).
Amir can only tell with certainty how he operates and knows jack about other peoples claims. He just tells us how he sees it.
3) Amir has taken pride at ASR’s reviews impacting manufacturers, positively and negatively. He took credit for Schiit’s changes in measurements and introduction of new product lines. Given that, the “recommended” versus “not recommended” distinctions matter. So if he’s going to say that, between two very similarly measuring speakers, one is “recommended” and one is a “not recommended” — and further claim that this is more than just his personal preference and is of greater value than others’ — there needs to be some proven validity to those distinctions, which brings us back to 1 and 2.
Schiit does have a good measuring cheap line. Schiit did buy an AP555. ASR certainly is a hot topic with fanboys and questions has been asked to Jason and others. Some aspects have been put out in the open which didn't before, or at least not so openly.
It is more than likely actions of ASR did result in certain changes. Jason openly admitted that the Heresy etc. was created for the measurement guys to show they can pull it off. Which measurement adoring folks ?
Nah.... ASR did have some influence there for sure.
Doesn't Amir always state why a certain device is recommended or not recommended ?
Yes, people buy on 'recommeded' and don't buy 'not recommended' gear but this is their decision and their responsibility.
The (prospective) buyer of gear can freely take recommendations at heart, look for other reviews or info and decide on their own.
Those that ONLY look at Amirs recommendations do that of conviction. Those that look at other 'known/renowned' reviewers and take their word as gospel also do that from their own conviction. I would lay that responsibility with the one planning a purchase based on their own.
They can always return stuff if the don't like it. Consider this a learning curve.
There are Amir (ASR) critics and fans. The thread is more about that than the actual benefits or pitfalls of blind/sighted testing and when these are warranted/essential or not.