For me the acoustic measurement thing is something designers and creators use (and it's essential) to create speakers etc that will perform well.
If it's amp design etc then there will be electrical/acoustic measuring going on.

Measurements are therefore not that necessary for most hifi'ers as they buy in what's already been designed and tested.

I also use simulators to assist in the design. Measuring to validate and refine the design with bracing / damping / backbox volume etc.

So the guy who had the 4 things of measurement (what were they again? Distortion, noise, Freq Resp & timing errors), was right in my book on all counts for the creation process.
Some of those can also be applied in room but not too exclusion of listening.
What's the point otherwise. You might as well play your room found to a Chat AI and ask, does my system sound good? Here are the measurements😂

I've had some interesting results where what I'd call tweaks and accessories have produced an audible difference for me and I've been able to measure that in changes to the frequency / amplitude measurements.
Other lesser audible tweaks / changes I can hear have not been measurable (not with my regular audio level equipment anyway) - and to what effect I would ask?

I can see say a dB here or there gain bump at a certain frequency from an accessory or treatment - but that doesn't tell me if I'll like it when I'm listening to full range complex music.

The process of evolving my system from perfectly time aligned at the listening point, to phase alignment over the X/O areas (wandering me away from perfect time alignment to achieve), is a point in case!
Both setups are correct and valid from a measurement pov.
My ears however tell me which I prefer.

Same with room acoustics.
I can measure what room treatment panels do for frequency absorbtion at certain frequencies.
My ears tell me if it gels in the room, working harmoniously with me and my kit.

I would not for example try to measure the difference between two cartridges or phonocables to choose between them.
I assume the designers and creators have done that leg work.
The difference will usually not be so great in room as to give me conclusive measurement plot evidence. Unless one is massively dull and the other massively bright 🌞

That's just the measurements thing🙂

Yes, totally agree with initial measurements to test designs.

Where I think the large grey area lies is in the lack of correlation between some areas of measurement and the resulting sound quality changes. Such as:

- cable sound
- grounding
- vibration control and microphones
- digital noise, clocks and moats (although I think we're getting much better at this)
- power supplies

I was once thrown out of a Facebook audio group for challenging back with a simple question: state the measurable mechanism responsible for soundstage depth perception. I asked it because I know we don't have a good answer for it. Their response was to eject me. Case made!

To stick to the subject... I am not sure if i am "allowed" to call myself an audiophile yet but I came to think about the fact when you actually start to develop those specific goals in your journey?
In my case I am so far from knowing what I want or what i can expect, i feel. At this point i just want it to be better :-).

Maybe that is even a sign that you have become an audiophile, when you know exactly what it is you are hunting after? (sorry if he actually already said this in the video and i missed it)

I assume that i will come to a point where i am more aware of what exactly it is i want (which sounds expensive...).

Ultimately I feel that i want to enjoy my music (of course) but I really have no idea what the finished setup will or should sound like, yet.