Popular Post NOMBEDES Posted July 10, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted July 10, 2017 On 6/6/2017 at 1:37 PM, semente said: As for reviewers dismissing or downplaying the importance of shortcomings, there's an interesting text by Arthur Salvatore named "AUDIO RELATIVISM"-THE NEW DISEASE AND EXCUSE": What is Audio Relativism? It is the belief system that virtually every component has strong merit and can produce "great sound", for someone's "tastes", if it is matched correctly with other components. What are (some of) the ultimate implications of this theory? 1. Every component has some validity in the audio marketplace. 2. No component is inherently superior to another. 3. All sound reproduction differences are just a simple matter of taste. 4. There is no objective standard to aim for. 5. (High) Fidelity to the source, or in general, is irrelevant. 6. Audio is an "Art Form", like poetry and sculpting, rather than a science. This "belief system" is very convenient for its creators; the audio magazines and their 'reviewers'. It provides them with the ability (and the excuse) to find some "good", or some "justification" to purchase, within every single component that is reviewed by them. How? Because, if their belief is true, each and every component, under the right conditions, can equally satisfy listeners as much as any other component, for either the money or in the absolute sense. It's just a matter of time, or luck, before you find the right "match". In effect: this theory means that all component performance is "relative" and with no "absolutes"; only "possibilities" exist. http://www.high-endaudio.com/philos.html#Rel I don't agree with much of the above but I thank @semente for the posting. Item 3 (All sound reproduction differences are just a simple matter of taste) may be more true than we want to admit. I do believe that given human hearing variations and the wide differences in musical/sonic taste and the sonic character of each listening room, there is not much value in "audio reviews" as a basis for spending your audiophile dollar. As is often stated in this forum and others you have to kiss a few frogs to find a prince. An expensive and time consuming hobby at best. Teresa and Paul R 2 In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law Link to comment
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