Indeed!

If you want practical experience as to how measurements can be useful, I have already posted frequency plots that I carried out with my system. It helped to identify bass room resonance modes and I took action to put resistive material into the speaker ports to reduce the bass resonance, with visible confirmation by measurement.  See here for more details.

Firstly , You can stuff ports and listen without a frequency plot and by your own admission the change in plot is not commensurate with the change in sound .


Secondly , that is an in room frequency measurement of your entire hifi  . Whilst I am skeptical as to what they can tell you over and above listening , there is no harm in it . However , buying a speaker on its anechoic  flat frequecny response would imo be disastrous .

I used to believe that threads like this were started with mischievous intent. I came to realise after reading a number of similar threads that the protagonists and many contributors really don’t understand the principles of measurement and their application.

A few points worth noting.

DQ writes that if he says he is six inches tall we will know that he’s lying. Is this true or even the most likely conclusion given the title of the thread? I would assume given DQ obviously has a few problems with this measurement business that he has got his units all muddles up and what he actually meant was he is in fact six feet tall. I wouldn’t automatically assume he’s a liar. I do realise however that some people do dismiss as lies what they don’t understand or are unable to adequately argue against.

Of course, any measurement taken in isolation may not seem particularly informative; take for example DQ’s 50 Watt amplifier example. I shall keep it simple because I know I must.
What the stated measurement of 50 Watts tells you is that it isn’t rated at 10 Watts, or 500 Watts. What should be becoming obvious one often needs more than one measurement, particularly when dealing with systems. In fact, the more measurements one makes the more likely the accurate prediction of a systems performance becomes.

I have it on good authority that some designers of audio equipment don’t even listen to their products; they know how it will perform from the measurements; a bit of a shocker this for those who believe audio designers spend weeks listening to their creations.
Ah, but they don’t know how it will sound though do they I hear some cry. Well actually they don’t need to for pretty much everything except loudspeakers because none of the other stuff makes a sound, (hopefully). I know this myself from extensive listening sessions of my amp/Dac/wires/etc, they’re all remarkably sound free until I plug them all together and listen through a speaker of some sort; weird that. Of course I could be deaf, or maybe my electronic equipment isn’t resolving enough.........

Of course one needs to have some knowledge of what measurements mean and in what circumstances they are applicable. However levels of ignorance displayed in threads like this are frankly the delight of the audio trade.

I loved this one “But all Watts are not equal?”
Perhaps some Watts are more equal than others? ....Hang on, I’m getting my pigs and Watts confused.

Measurements can tell you everything you might wish to know about a system or component if you can make enough of them EXCEPT how an individual will perceive that system, or component. Knowing what to measure and what those measurements tell you is all part of that wonderful journey of discovery which alas some have yet to make the first step on.

Daniel

Sorry to hear you are unable to find any meaning in my comment, thats subjectivism for you. I am not a bettng person or enjoy endless debates which achieve nothing. Enjoy your thread. I see meaning in the trace, thats all that matters to me.

So taking in to account what as been said to date -

I can accept that in room frequency response measurement made at the listening position can map the respective loudness of the frequencies you are hearing . This graph may help you tailor a sound to your preferences , but there is no absolute correlation between leveling the graph and preferred sound quality . Any adjustments may or may not be preferred .

See we are making progress .  


i was due to see Gabriel at the O2 in a box last October , but my avatar was born  i am trying to see him closer to home at the mo . 

Personally I don't give a damm about cable measurements (LCR) but it is apparently critical to know the measurements of cables when connecting to some amplifiers to avert possible oscillation into oblivion

A 'measurements obsessive’ I am most certainly not, but even I recognise the fundamental importance of correctly adjusting, via accurately measuring, VTA, VTF and azimuth, in relation to replaying vinyl to the highest sonic standard, on a quality turntable.

Surely you’d consider that as useful? And if so, you’ve just answered what you’ve written above! 

Marco.