Favorite comment from Amir. Said without emphasis and somewhat brushed off, but so poignant: -your ears go to your brain, and your brain lies to you. Doesn't that just sum up human experience though? Love it

@hionhifi2

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, Amir said it best. :^)

I love Amir for his role in the audio arena! He makes a REAL difference in peoples lives, and purchasing decisions. He saves people from being ripped off, uninformed! TY AMIR!

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

And for some reason Audiophiles try their best to discredit his work. Without much valid proof of course.

@RennieAsh

Жыл бұрын

I did end up buying a pair of speakers based more on other things, including KZread comparisons of all things. That being said it seems they do measure quite well which was a consideration. A combination of everything lol

@killbasa2000

8 ай бұрын

@@hionhifi they ain't audiophiles, its either audiofools or charlatans...plenty of them on YT

@marcb.935

7 ай бұрын

@@hionhifipart of the "hobby" is the upgrade game and the vodoo and beliefs... if amir takes this from them saying "you system is perfect enough, no updates needed", the hobby is killed and people who want to sell overpriced needless stuff will also make less money, so a lots of people get angry.

@ramencurry6672

5 ай бұрын

True but I like snake oil and voodoo magic. There is an entertainment factor to quack reviewers

Hi Thomas, lots to unpack here. Maybe add some time stamp notations for specific questions in the future? Nice job bringing out the big guns for your second video debut!

I have met Amir a couple of times at the Seattle audio club. I found him to be a straight up honest guy. Who is trying to help audiophiles make a sound decision. Not like reading manufacturers b.s. snake oil ads or reviews in magazines that are b.s. Thanks Amir for your great work

@nicktan4530

9 ай бұрын

i thought most US audiophile are subjectivist

Amir is a rare man of integrity and expertise in the internet age. Of his 45 DACs on hand, what does he listen to? RME ADI-2. Did it measure best? No. Did it sound best? Yup. Best thing I've added to my system in years. He's the best thing that's happened to this hobby in a long time.

@rodpinfold8824

2 жыл бұрын

He didn’t have a vid testing it that I have seen but knowing he had one I went out to hear and twinkle it for myself. I now have an ADI 2 since Xmas

Nice to see Amir out spreading the word. Good luck with the channel! Off to a good start.

Thank you for providing this interview, 40 years into the audio game, and I’m still learning like a newbie

@bunsw2070

2 ай бұрын

Audio Science Reviews thinks a Topping A90 sounds better than an Audio Note Ongaku. Enough said.

Such an enjoyable conversation...2 hours flew like minutes. Thank you both!

Great to see Amir in such a long discussion. the interviewer should let him finish his sentences and IMO, not tell things about himself but let the guest speak.

“I listen to music not graphs…I use my ears!” reminds me of a cartoon in a UK magazine decades ago featuring a system with no speakers - just a pair of 'scopes.. The guy says " Why do I need speakers - this way I can SEE it's perfect"

@JetEarlewood

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!! Measure this!

@ArjunCaprihan

3 жыл бұрын

I suspect you've got things a little mixed up : We are talking sound quality, which is measurable, as distinct from "music" quality, which is subjective.

@normanbott

3 жыл бұрын

@@ArjunCaprihan What does your reply have to do with my mentioning a a non-serious CARTOON in an old magazine in response to the leading statement in quotes?? You've clearly missed the point of my post. Personally I have always taken measurements very seriously since I have an engineering background and aware of what they can tell me. And what they can't

@tweedpenguin712

2 жыл бұрын

@@ArjunCaprihan JTR speakers measure well but he says they don’t even though he showed they do.

@simonzinc-trumpetharris852

28 күн бұрын

Don't even what?

Thanks to both of you!

Great interview! All the best for your channel!

ASR is my favorite forum. I been donating a little every month for a year and sending in gear to be tested. Love it, keep it up Amir and team.

@dungysphincter7974

2 жыл бұрын

I know you have...I remember when you sent him the Behringer A800 class D pro amplifier!

Such a treat. This is something I have been waiting AGES for. It's a gift to hear talks from folks like Amir. Thank you so much for putting this together.

@Deathrape2001

2 жыл бұрын

WHAT gear talks? What is his favorite speaker?? Favorite headphones? Etc. = something USEFUL would be nice! =) BTW: If U want a nice 'dac' get an old Dell 'junk' PC with an AD1984 chip! =D The AD1981B also sound nice, but depends on the analog section in different models (HP, IBM, etc.). U can spend $10,000 on an 'Elite DAC' but it's not going 2 beat a Dell OptiPlex 755 MT LOL Try it. = BTW this is the kind of talk that got me 'BANNED!' there = because I give good, helpful, factual advices... even though it may 'offend' some fools who WA$TED a ton of $$$ on something 'fancy'. So $ELL it then = problem solved, & pocket the difference! =) I've worked in 'ahdiophile' & other stuff in the 'audio world' & know by directly comparing, like a cheap 'junk' amp like a Behringer EP2500 sounds better than all that 'vintage' $hit people R grabbing crazy $ 4 receiver-wise. It's just nuts LOL Yes, A/B comparing them. Really like half the 'sound quality' of any amp is having lots of 'headroom' so cleans up nice, with depth = solid & smooth. Worst I ever tried was Threshold, almost as bad as a cheesy little PC speaker amp from Altec Lansing LOL

Great interview and nice to get to know Amir better after enjoying the content at ASR. Thanks for doing this interview!

Just listened to the full two hours. Great job, it’s nice to put a face and voice to ASR! Looking forward to your upcoming interviews.

Love this! Awesome that you had Amir and fantastic discussion 🔥🔥🔥

If I won the lottery, I would spend a fortune on an audio system. Probably never happen, so I choose to take the time to learn audio electronics and I hope to be able to do some testing and repair of reasonably-priced vintage audio. I am only just starting out, and am actually looking into online courses and my local Community College. I am older, retired and disabled so it is something I now have the time and inclination to do. Thanks for the excellent video and interview, Amir is quite knowledgeable and well spoken. Great Job!

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

great review, i learned a lot. i read amir reviews before buying my dac but did not know the guy, he is an impressive human being ( humble, knowledgeable, dedicated, honest ) , thanks

There's a gentle lesson here, Thomas: when you have a guest of the stature of Amir, don't interview yourself. A gentle but firmly backed lesson. .... Elsewise, good job. Amir is a refreshing force toward fact in an industry that seems bent upon too much deception. Amir seems to be a real engineer, armed with the science and mathematics, and with the unusual quality of trained hearing. Overlaying that is Amir's actually caring about the reproduction of music. Better, his ability to explain his findings, that they can be understood. Amir reminds me of the very best of professors I studied under as an undergrad engineer.

@hionhifi2

2 жыл бұрын

Jim sir, thank your for watching the video. These things are subjective. Interview styles are a matter of opinion. I like to hear myself talk as much as I like to the other guy. It makes me feel smart. ;)

@EddyTeetree

Жыл бұрын

@@hionhifi2 🤡

Great discussion. Thank you both!

I heard somewhere that the reason why tubes sound warm is because they are high-voltage devices, and operate at more than 100 volts, hence they have a higher region of linearity than transistors which operate at low voltages and use feedback to try and increase the region of linearity. Linearity usually equates to warm natural sound. I can't support or dispute the claim since I am not an electronics engineer.

well done... look forward to your future videos... Best

Bought a pair of speakers & headphones based on Amir's work. The headphones were the best $13 I've ever spent on audio gear! I really, really appreciate what Amir has started.

@thegroove2000

3 жыл бұрын

Which headphones?.

@Tinez87

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah how about those headphones chief? Which ones?

@tjkadar

3 жыл бұрын

@@Tinez87, looks like my reply got deleted because I posted a link to them. I bought a pair of the Sony MDRZX110. They're cheap, so they're going to have cheaper fit and finish to them. But they sound pretty damned good. And if they get lost, broken, stolen, I'm not going to worry about it too much.

Nice to see the face behind the name. Interesting chat on so many topics. It feels like there was enough material to separate out at least three video's of 20-30 mins each on a specific topic. Small remark: if someone is filmed from the 'front quarter', I would place the video so that it looks like they're looking at you instead of away from you. In this case it would've made sense if Amir was on the right.

Great interview 👍🏻

Great interview.

Brilliant interview

Great to see Amir live and put a face to the man I feel is the best that has happened to the audio industry. A little disappointed it was "only" 2 hours :D I understand the need for a program and getting through a lot of questions, but I did not enjoy many of the interruptions in the middle of a sentence. Anyway, good job :)

@durhamtiger

3 жыл бұрын

Amir is a breath of fresh air, like Peter Aczel of "The Audio Critic" from years ago - grounded in solid engineering and science instead of the mysticism and mythology that has too much influence in high end audio / audiophiles.

@Deathrape2001

2 жыл бұрын

Best what? Bunch of random babbling, but no RANKING by SOUND QUALITY!? HOLY WTF BATMAN! =)) Talk about a USELESS site! =)) "Woo it 'measures better'... he never even says what HE likes, after $pending all that $$$ on gear, & comparing all those things = how would HE rank them? U need a REFERENCE!! Like U can go hear a sampling of things from some guy & if their reviews align with yours U can bet their 'top class' pick is worth checking out, but he won't even do that = USELESS! =)) The site is about WA$TING people's time 'arguing numbers' rather than $hopping-oriented 2 SOLVE the 'challenge' of 'best audio performance. Fux sake ~ Oh HAHA 'whats best audio forum' is similar = when U tell them what's best, they BAN you LOL!! like 2 say 'sorry, that is not expensive enough nor do we get advertising money from them, so U R BANNED!!! =))

@hionhifi2

2 жыл бұрын

@@durhamtiger Peter Aczel is a hero of mine in the audiophile space. He was 1 of 1. Through his publications I learned how to be a thinking audiophile.

Thanks for your efforts!! Amir is such a great nerd, never have heard about so much about his background. I was also someone criticicing some of his measurements. BUT it changes a lot, because he provides some transparency no one else is doing! Yes, still it is engineering subjective and we all know audio/sound can dramatically change how you combine it and your room, still it is always a good foundation to look at this measurement tables! Thanks a lot😊

Great interview. Amir does amazing work!

Great discussion, thank you.

This was Awesome, Thanks guys.

What a entertaining and intelligent conversation.....

A great interview with great information. Thanks guys.

An excellent interview and discussion.

Amir is Great person! This is the spirit of people who really love audio and helps the community!His forum is also great!Big respect to both of you and thanks for the great episode!Cheers!

Wonderful job.

Great questions Thomas, I learned quite a bit about topics that I don't normally focus on. Amir thank you for using your superpowers for good.

I learned who is Amir when I saw his Allo Boss 2 review. I did buy the Allo Boss 2 and love it. Thanks for all the dedication and work to help folk like me appreciate hi fi better.

I have the utmost respect for Amir and the work he is doing. The forum is a great source of information and help. Thanks for this interview.

Outstanding!

I love two see two different generations getting along so well and so respectfully and supoortive around a common passion 💙

@hionhifi

Жыл бұрын

Thanks.

I've bought several products in the past couple years based on Amir's reviews, including a VTV Purifi amp, Revel F208's, Schitt Freya+ along with a couple Topping DACs. He's an invaluable resourse.

@herrtrigger7220

3 жыл бұрын

Glad I'm not the only one.

@davidhinson5467

3 жыл бұрын

@Not Sure thanks- for me it's a dream system. Love it!

@juanmillaruelo7647

2 жыл бұрын

Most systems that measure well sound better, even if they are less expensive. Bad measuring gear usually sounds worse. When in doubt try the less expensive, better measuring item. They will be usually be both better and less expensive in the long run.

@juanmillaruelo7647

2 жыл бұрын

He's a game changing pioneer that helped cut through the BS and improved the sound of our systems. There is "before asr" and "after asr" audio. Many manufacturers addressed issues and problems and started building better gear.

Smart man :) as an audiophile this is the most important video i have watch regarding equipment swapping and placebo effect.

Amir is a good speaker. I was just checking out but i watched it all.

You guys are my new audio heroes!

Amir is great, I’ve seen the light and buy based on measurements and not magic dust!

Apart of the extra attention there is also when buying (expensive) equipment. Your brain is making you feel the choice you made is awesome, just because you decided it

Amir is amazing. Great questions!

Audiophiles might enjoy some distortion without realizing they're hearing distortion. It could sound "warmer" or "airier" but it is distorted.

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed about the distortion thing. Essentially enjoying music is a game of choosing which distortion profiles you like.

Excelent interview, thanks!

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

gem interview

I will say that the benefit of the magazines I read back in the day - and the online venues - reviews of products ,etc, is that they did influence me to listen more intently. I agree with Amir that blind tests offer the best opportunity for revelation.

@ruger6049

3 ай бұрын

And when blind listeners can pick out a particular cable 9/10 times, what is that called?

Perfect debate between those two gentlemen..

1:07:15 - Essentially described the loudness war of the CD :)

Love this discussion, I just bought a Gustard x16, perfect DAC! But that does not mean I don't love a good tube amp! 🎸🎷🎶

Nice to put a face to a name. Good stuff here. 😀

@dihydrotestosterone

2 жыл бұрын

I like your channel too.... with all your measurements.

One of the most reliable tests I do is to record the same audio track before and after the changed variable. Using solo-in-place in the DAW, aligning to the sample and seamlessly switching between A-B can easily reveal audible differences. Whether you prefer one or the other, is best done with an A-B-X tester and longer term listening.

what is the model of Amir's headphones in this video?

Brilliant! !

Well that's a very strong start to a channel in this niche. Have a thumbs up, sub, and comment. Thank you

Thank you very much for this great interview! I enjoyed every minute. Amir provides such important information for consumers👍

@hionhifi

Жыл бұрын

I’m happy you enjoyed it. I enjoyed my time with Amir.

Hi Great job, hope to see some more quality content from you ! Just a little constructive criticism for future interviews... Don't talk over your guest all the time :), let him first say what he wants to say then chime in :)

Great interview. Lots of interesting and useful information Amir may not be the last word in the audio enthusiast world but he offers a valuable service. Thanks guys.

@hurkamur1

Жыл бұрын

Who is the last word? Until we see the jewelry dealers do real blind tests, we shouldn't be buying.

Audio science getting real :)

I bought the JBL Stage 130 on Amir's recommendation.

Thanks fro the great podcast. Amir has done a tremendous service to audiohphiles by helping us separate alot of the bull from what matters in audio. I have to also credit Earl Geddes from DIYAUDIO I learned alot from him about what really matters in audio. Both he and AMir are engineers

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, Amir, Earl, Dunlavy, The Audio Critic are all my inspirations. They had it right and paved the way to objective audio which is a nice change from the pseudo-science we’ve been putting up with for decades.

I believe that the numbers are critical as you guys say. I used to subscribe to X that used only 'golden ear' style reviews. Used to. I still do Home Theatre and Stereophile, primarily because I can get underlying facets of the results of design choices. I also read the Manufacturers Comments which is usually amusing for the ones who have been panned and the resultant waving of hands about the product or the gloating when they do well. BenchMark's replies were straight forward, informative and benefitted me with insight to them. That's rare. They give a damn about what you think their stuff should sound like. Their stuff is designed to sound like what you put in. If I were strictly a stereo dude, I would start and stop with their products. With their construction standards, it would most likely be 'good enough' for my lifetime.

Thanks for this. Amir is the man 😎😎

@hionhifi

Жыл бұрын

I agree.

This would be a great "podcast", if the two of you were to do this on a semi regular basis. Mr. HionHifi is a good interviewer who is knowledgeable about hifi, and of course Amir has a lot to say on the topic.

Yhis is a GREAT interesting video and thank you, Amir, for what you do! Regarding the maximum dynamic range that us human can hear, ok 115 dB, but perhaps wearing a headphone iside an anechoic chamber! In reality, in a normal domestic encironment, the background noise can be like 20dB, so evrn the 96 dB of 16 bit quantization is likely more than enough to fill the entire dnamic range of our hearing apparatus!

Nice Channel!! Subscribed

Great start for your channel m8. Enjoyed the interview look forward to your future content. Nice to see Amirm talking , now I can visualize him while reading his reviews.

Hi Fi Choice magazine conducted unsighted group listening tests for years.They also comprehensively measured the products .Significant differences were heard between components and they were rated accordingly.This included comments on things like imaging and musical communication.Things which cannot be measured.There seemed to be quite weak correlation between listening preferences made by experienced listening panels and how they measured.Only a naive objectivist would assume that which measures well will also correlate with their listening preference.A nice theory but it does not correspond to the real world listening.To further cloud the issue people who think that because something measures well it will sound good will also experience expectation bias.

Next to the CE Europen Quality badge, there is also a Chinese Export badge that is almost identical.

Thoroughly enjoyed the interview. Can't remember the last time I listened to a 2h conversation, well worth it. Would love Amir to get in contact with The HEADPHONE Show and Andrew over there. Seeing how he entered the headphone measurement "business" stuff recentely. Good luck with the channel, this exclusive should net you nice viewing numbers. :)

@noself1028

3 жыл бұрын

I totally agree. Andrew is one of the best headphone reviewers in the business and, like Amir, understands the importance of technical measurements in evaluating audio equipment.

World's First GRANITE Open Baffle Speakers from MACO Acoustic are Revelatory ! Only $8K a pair too ! This changes everything....😇😊

Amir has made gear guys to Audiophiles loving their music.

Learnt alot listening to Amir. Shame that the host didn't just let Amir talk without so much interruption.

What I got from this is that Amir likes absolutely transparent sound. He is an engineer and he is passionate about engineering perfection. Understood. A couple of things, not all people are the same. Not everyone has the same objective, or tastes. Secondly, each component in a system can affect the sound. From source to speaker, even if the entire signal path is perfectly flat, the speaker is not. The synergy of the whole system dictates the sound. That said, nothing will be perfectly linear, as there is no speaker that will produce a perfectly linear response. Thus, putting all the perfectly linear components together, given the load they put on each other, the performance of the speaker, and the room, results into a specific sound. At the end of the day, if we are going to ignore the listeners opinion on what that sound is, then the conversation is moot. If that floats your boat, then cool. I just don't understand why everything outside of their opinion is garbage. Some people like realistic photos, some like surrealistic paintings. The analogy is a bit exaggerated, but it makes the point.

Interesting. I don't agree with a lot of this, but some few things are correct to a small degree like with the cable change.

Interesting.

3:54 The direction arrow may in fact have a measurable purpose, if one end of the shielding is connected to the ground, but the other end is not, can it mean the difference between noise and less noise. You find the same done on cables to oscilloscopes, precision DC measurements on 6-8 digits DMMs and a lot of other places.

Amir about to be famous!!!!!!!

I am not really surprised by what Amir says about tube amps and "warm sound". I believe what he says-that the distortion is high and there is some fascination with the glowing tubes. He knows his stuff-I wish he taught classes here in Medford, Oregon, I would be first in line to register.

@hionhifi

2 жыл бұрын

I’d consider the interview as a beginners class to buying high-end audio gear. 😎

Late Peter Aczel from The Audio Critic started in the 70's, an for some open the rabbit hole and we get free:-)

@gregworrel2623

3 жыл бұрын

My favorite audio magazine.

@Rob9mm

3 жыл бұрын

@@gregworrel2623 Yes, loved the Critic!

Holy Heck, its JJ walker!!! :)

Question- Did you use the microphone we see in your frame? Because it doesn't sound like it.

46:00 The golden age of consumption of big speakers may be over.... But the Genelec 8260, The Ones, Dutch & Dutch 8C, and Kii Three make me think we are pushing forward the state of the art.

Great interview, gained a sub! I still think measurements aren't the king when it comes to musical enjoyment. I have a THX 789 amp here which measures great but I prefer my Wells Milo and Dragon Inspire tube amp many times over. That said, he's 100% right about looking at a graph before purchasing something. Other than a subjective reviewer you trust, it's the next best thing.

@lextr3110

3 жыл бұрын

it's because amir is missing important measurements... volountarely.. dont trust

I've read CD can reproduce up to 120db with dithering. I still haven't really been sold on 24bit audio....

Amir is pretty much my source of truth

@hionhifi

5 ай бұрын

And mine too. It’s rare to have an unbiased voice in high-end.

Glad I bought the Denon X3700h instead of the Marantz SR6015. Time for Marantz to fix up the Snake Oil. It's overall good news because they should improve their HDAM units because of people like Amir who show the real shit with real science.

Hey, please help me answer this question. First, your conversation is really helpful! Thank you! Its interesting for me to hear! My question is that I'm trying to decide between the AKG k371 and Meze 99 Nior. I don't have an option to try both. I need a do it all kind of headphone. More so a pair to use with a digital piano and Rhodes. I'd much prefer to go with the Meze's for their build quality and look.. I understand these two pairs are completely different but for a good sounding closed back I think they can both work.. idk

There's been a pent up market for objective audio reviews that are measurement-based and didn't involve funding conflicts of interest like the audiophile press and on-line review sites. It used to exist, back when the original Sound & Vision Canadian publication was headed by Alan Lofft and Ian G. Masters, whom used Ottawa's NRC facilities for audio reviews and measurements. And boy, they were tough to please, and had the measurements to back up what they were hearing in the 80's and 90's. I find Amir's site to be valuable, albeit a little too technical for the average consumer. But it's winning strategy is its legion of speaker measurements, much more so than Soundstage. While I'm no longer in the market for audio electronics, I continue to follow it to remind myself that marketing and price can be independent of actual performance.

I switched from solid state to tube equipment approx. 12 years ago. I will not go back to solid state equipment. That is my personal preference. For him to say it is the glow of the tubes that psychologically alluring to tube owners is bs. Tube equipment doesn’t measure well. I am aware of that. I sat and listened with my ears as my guide and that is what told me I prefer tubes. I didn’t look at the tubes glowing and all of a sudden become attracted to tubes. He dictates what we should hear and what we should prefer. Listening to music is an emotional experience not a technical experience. Read the Stereophile review of the Croft phono integrated. It sounds wonderful and measures terrible. If it sounds good and measures bad you are measuring the wrong thing. Rely on your own ears and your own preference to make purchase decisions.

@pauln6803

Жыл бұрын

He doesn't dictate what you should prefer, he measures and analyses electronic equipment. If the test is conducted correctly, the data should not lie. What appeals to your ears is what's right for you. You give my family an EQ and we'll all set things differently. Ironically some of the ASR disciples take the human bias element of their interpretation too far by telling other people that their ears are wrong simply because the data doesn't lie. The human brain is a complicated and mysterious device that can distort a person's interpretation of reality in so many different ways.

Nice interview. But where were the panthers, pretty selfish of Amir to hog all the limelight himself!?

you should buy XRCD24 , I have some recorded XRCD24 , it has incredible quality in my NAIM DAC.

@edwardbalboa5528

2 жыл бұрын

Define incredible

Great interview. Asked really good questions. Hope to see more of these from the channel. Maybe interview Steve Gutenberg next to hear the other side.