How many times have you read posts on forums that demand measurements to back-up claims. How many times have you seen manufacturer’s claims rubbished due to the lack of scientific evidence (measurements).
But here’s the problem. Most of what we ‘hear’ in audio is based on our psychoacoustic abilities to ‘differentiate’ the audio pressure waves reaching each ear based on differential time, phase and amplitude. Our ability to judge musical correctness is, amongst other things based on our evaluation of very specific frequency spectra and content. Does a cello sound real? Musically speaking we’re asking if we can hear the strings vibrate, with the right frequencies and harmonics, the wooden instrument body vibrate with its typical frequencies and harmonics etc. What we’re evaluating is the spectrum and decay of a host of frequencies, whilst simultaneously evaluating their time, phase and amplitude differentials.
So let’s say that we make some change to our hi-fi that increases sound stage focus and depth, adds sparkle to the treble and extra body to the bass, such that a cello now sounds more ‘lifelike’ and more focused. So the question is , what would you measure that correlates with the above and what electronic test gear would you use to do the measurement?
But here’s the problem. Most of what we ‘hear’ in audio is based on our psychoacoustic abilities to ‘differentiate’ the audio pressure waves reaching each ear based on differential time, phase and amplitude. Our ability to judge musical correctness is, amongst other things based on our evaluation of very specific frequency spectra and content. Does a cello sound real? Musically speaking we’re asking if we can hear the strings vibrate, with the right frequencies and harmonics, the wooden instrument body vibrate with its typical frequencies and harmonics etc. What we’re evaluating is the spectrum and decay of a host of frequencies, whilst simultaneously evaluating their time, phase and amplitude differentials.
So let’s say that we make some change to our hi-fi that increases sound stage focus and depth, adds sparkle to the treble and extra body to the bass, such that a cello now sounds more ‘lifelike’ and more focused. So the question is , what would you measure that correlates with the above and what electronic test gear would you use to do the measurement?