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Misleading Measurements


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1 hour ago, manisandher said:

 

McGilchrist is cited as one of the debunkers.

 

 

"When people object that each hemisphere is involved in everything we do, they are right. When they assume that means there are no differences, they are wrong. It is not what each hemisphere does, but how it does it that matters." - McGilchrist.

 

In any event, I'm finding 'The Master and HIs Emissary' a fascinating read.

 

Mani.

A Brilliant book (2 books in 1 in fact) - I consider this one of the most important books I've read (twice) with much food for thought both scientific snd philosophical. He is one of the people who have dismissed the popular and superficial notions about the 2 hemispheres with longer term research.

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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1 hour ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

 

It is one of those books I have been meaning to read !

 

Lateralization of brain function still clearly exists in many areas but proper functioning generally requires multiple bilateral connections allowing  integration and communication between many parts of the brain. Language comprehension and expression is largely left brain determined in right handed people. Any speech pathologist will also tell you that right hemisphere lesions can and do cause some speech problems. Things like perceptual inattention/ sensory and visual field neglect tend to occur with right hemisphere lesions.

 

I came across the works of Sperry in post graduate neuropsychology studies and in neurology. He was the guy that won the Nobel prize in "split brain" research. This occurs when the pathway joining the two hemispheres is partially or completely cut (corpus callosotomy) when treating intractable epilepsy. Basically each hemisphere can function as an independent entity, sometimes with striking and unusual outcomes

Fascinating research. In relation to this discussion (and beyond) about how we percieve and make decisions I think this quote is relevant:

 

“If the detached, highly focused attention of the left hemisphere is brought to bear on living things, and not later resolved into the whole picture by right-hemisphere attention, which yields depth and context, it is destructive…

Our talent for division, for seeing the parts, is of staggering importance – second only to our capacity to transcend it, in order to see the whole. These gifts of the left hemisphere have helped us achieve nothing less than civilisation itself, with all that that means.

Even if we could abandon them, which of course we can't, we would be fools to do so, and would come off infinitely the poorer. There are siren voices that call us to do exactly that, certainly to abandon clarity and precision (which, in any case, importantly depend on both hemispheres), and I want to emphasise that I am passionately opposed to them.

We need the ability to make fine discriminations, and to use reason appropriately. 
But these contributions need to be made in the service of something else, that only the right hemisphere can bring. Alone they are destructive. 

And right now they may be bringing us close to forfeiting the civilisation they helped to create.”

 

Iain McGilchrist, 

The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

 

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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51 minutes ago, Clockmeister said:

Well the BM dac's may measure well but sonically they are very dry and matter of fact.

As a possible member of an 'amorphous' group and as someone only mildly interested in measurements, if this statement is true (i.e. putting me off a BM DAC) can anyone explain why I should be more interested in measurements? Honest question.

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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21 hours ago, Clockmeister said:

From your own point of view and others my suggestion would be do not dismiss any products until you have auditioned them in your own listening environment and lived with it for a good week or so, then only you can make the decision on whether you wish to purchase said device. My other suggestion would be take your time, do audition a few other devices never make knee jerk reactions and always consider yourself the prime mover in the decision to buy, not five chaps  from a forum who swear its great, only you can  do this within your own time and your own listening space, have faith in your own convictions. But most of all enjoy your music

Thanks for your reply @Clockmeister.  In an ideal world we could audition what we are interested in but this is not always possible, so I consider listening recommendations from multiple vantage points most valuable.

 

In regards to measurements, I presume any commercial component will have been measured by the manufacturer to satisfy the basics - isn't there a common industry bench mark by now? So I'm puzzled by often coming across references to 'it measures well but sounds bad' and vice versa, and wonder what this means in the scheme of things for the average consumer. And why others are so dogmatic about measurements, even seeming to claim a moral high ground.

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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