Has anyone bought a product because of a recommendation on ASR?

[FluidDruid]

I've got a Topping D30 Pro, has been in use for a few years - no issues and works like it should - sound is ideal for my set up (spendor SP100r2) - can't fault it. I just got a pre90 and its ideal for balanced from the D30pro and my phono preamp - fuss free, wire with gain kind of good for not a lot of money - the pre 90 silver was going for £400 on amazon a few weeks ago.

 

[Big Tabs]

never heard of ASR, therefore ‘no.’

 

[Del monaco]

Then you’re in a good place!

 

[Darren]

One thing I have learned over the last 25 years is that buying expensive "current state of the art" digital kit is probably a mistake since it doesn't seem to stay "state of the art" for very long and is often superseded just a few years later by equipment at a tenth of the price (as was the case with my DVD32R/Chord DAC64 replaced by PC/Benchmark DAC1).

Agree with this, but the process seems to have accelerated over the last five years. Perhaps its the strong Chinese presence in that market sector now.

 

[John Phillips]

I think it is a useful site for the digital side of things where measurements are probably pretty key. Speakers less so as they are room dependent.

Yes. I am happy enough about the DAC tests but less happy about the loudspeaker tests. The latter for more complex reasons than I can really explain in a few lines (but some are in my previous post).

I would almost buy a DAC just on ASR tests. Except, mainly, for verifying that it could produce full output into a 600-ohm balanced circuit.

The reason is that, for me, a perfect DAC merely executes long-established (1915) mathematics. I get it that others seem to like tuning their audio systems via the DAC but I prefer the simplicity of the formal mathematics, and DACs that are interchangeable. Other parts of an audio system are there to be tuned to get an overall result according to my taste.

The issue with DACs that are meant to execute the formal mathematics as perfectly as possible (as per Chord) is how close does the engineering get. Is the difference below a threshold that matters or, better, below human audibility. The ASR tests are, broadly, very good at getting the answer. The audio test set makers are not stupid. They have been making test sets for a long time. They have learned how to do it. There are just a few small quirks with the details of how they are used on ASR tests that become apparent if you research the details. The quirks, such as lack of testing into a specified load, can be taken into account. But I do still prefer to verify by listening. Maybe that's just my paranoia.

 

[Woodface]

Yes. I am happy enough about the DAC tests but less happy about the loudspeaker tests. The latter for more complex reasons than I can really explain in a few lines (but some are in my previous post).

I would almost buy a DAC just on ASR tests. Except, mainly, for verifying that it could produce full output into a 600-ohm balanced circuit.

The reason is that, for me, a perfect DAC merely executes long-established (1915) mathematics. I get it that others seem to like tuning their audio systems via the DAC but I prefer the simplicity of the formal mathematics, and DACs that are interchangeable. Other parts of an audio system are there to be tuned to get an overall result according to my taste.

The issue with DACs that are meant to execute the formal mathematics as perfectly as possible (as per Chord) is how close does the engineering get. Is the difference below a threshold that matters or, better, below human audibility. The ASR tests are, broadly, very good at getting the answer. The audio test set makers are not stupid. They have been making test sets for a long time. They have learned how to do it. There are just a few small quirks with the details of how they are used on ASR tests that become apparent if you research the details. The quirks, such as lack of testing into a specified load, can be taken into account. But I do still prefer to verify by listening. Maybe that's just my paranoia.

A really bad set of measurements would put me off, particularly with regard to, say, a power amplifier. This is why I’ve gone down the active route. One less thing to fret about. DACs are just so good now.

 

[matt j]

never heard of ASR, therefore ‘no.’

Heard of it but never bothered.

 

[martin_b]

Just got a Topping V70 velvet to replace my old Beresford DAC based on Youtube and ASR recommendations.

Im happy with it, but then IMHO life is to short to worry about about the minutiae,and the end of the day its the song that matters.

 

[adamdea]

SINAD ranking could place it top of the pack, but you wouldn't want to listen to it!

@Robert you are a bright chap, so you really shouldn’t have made such a silly post. You know ASR test RIAA equalisation on phono stages: they do not suggest that one should only look at SINAID. I can’t really let this go because this sort of nonsense gets repeated.

 

[IWC Doppel]

ASR is great for looking at measured performance, which if it's very poor, then perhaps worth looking more closely in to. But assuming there is a clear correlation between SNR and good sound is just dumb

After spending a day listening to 4 Ethernet switches added to a streaming chain at a fellow audiophiles house with 3 others in a fun A-B of no additional switches in the chain up to 4 and stock swichmode power supplies then linear, made me realise we have a lot to understand and measure. I have no vested interest, don't stream and was dying to say it would could make no difference but....

Blimey 4 switches and linear power supplies was better by some margin than none.... how would ASR measure that ?

 

[Space is the Place]

I've got some monoblocks they recommend, i've had them years before ASR, the amps are competent enough and fine into some types of speaker, but are hard sounding with speaker like LS50s etc.

I think it's important the the reviewer listens to the amps in different contexts not just measured, before making a recommendation. I also read a review on the 1MORE over ear Bluetooth headphones, that they recommended, i think they are great headphones for listening to speech and noise cancellation and are comfortable and i'm really happy with them, but they are a bit meh compared to even cheap wired headphones for musical involvement for some reason, i've never listened to any other Bluetooth headphones so i don't really know if this the norm.

Just reading the ASR site a moment ago and it mentions that Erin, from Erin's Audio Corner, who going by his Youtube videos seems like a lovely and considered person and does some fantastic reviews, is being threatened with legal action by a speaker company, because of his objective measurements and review. I noticed that Amir the owner of ASR and put up $10,000 to help if Erin if the company in question try to sue Erin for his review. So props to Amir for helping another reviewer.

 

[calorgas]

I have a couple of Topping dacs and a class d amp that had reasonable reviews on ASR, but I didn't buy them on the strength of those reviews. Tbh I probably haven't ever bought anything after reading a strong review on one single site as I like to absorb feedback from as many sources as possible, not least from folk on here who have tastes that seem to align with mine.

 

[Robert]

@Robert you are a bright chap, so you really shouldn’t have made such a silly post. You know ASR test RIAA equalisation on phono stages: they do not suggest that one should only look at SINAID. I can’t really let this go because this sort of nonsense gets repeated.

I know exactly what I'm saying.
ASR places great emphasis on SINAD - it's the very first test result you hit. Mention SINAD and people automatically think ASR....
My point, in case a bright chap like you missed it, is that you cannot judge the worth of a product based on some SINAD figure.

The site actually ranks products using this number and produces a league table, so people can judge for themselves.

 

[Somafunk]

Exactly, a speaker that really does rely on careful set up and room interaction to work and deliver a great subjective result.
I don't think the Klippel is really suited to measuring that type of speaker.

Similarly, you could build a high end phono stage with super low noise and distortion, packed with high tech op amps and fets but screwy RIAA curves giving very obvious tonal problems. Perhaps a few dB hump in the mids and poor warp filter rolling the bass away at 100Hz.
SINAD ranking could place it top of the pack, but you wouldn't want to listen to it!

If that's the case then the "screwy RIAA curves" would show up in the testing and be expressed in measurements, as an ex electronics engineer I'm baffled as to why you would not want rigorous testing of all equipment to ensure it met with specification and thus enable it fit for purpose

 

[Somafunk]

ASR is great for looking at measured performance, which if it's very poor, then perhaps worth looking more closely in to. But assuming there is a clear correlation between SNR and good sound is just dumb

After spending a day listening to 4 Ethernet switches added to a streaming chain at a fellow audiophiles house with 3 others in a fun A-B of no additional switches in the chain up to 4 and stock swichmode power supplies then linear, made me realise we have a lot to understand and measure. I have no vested interest, don't stream and was dying to say it would could make no difference but....

Blimey 4 switches and linear power supplies was better by some margin than none.... how would ASR measure that ?

No one assumes that a high SNR has a correlation to good sound, a high SNR is an excellent way to express good engineering and implementation of electronic design.

Ethernet switches/power supplies? _- yeah ok................

 

[Peg legg]

I've never bought anything because of an ASR recomendation, but I have bought things based on the measured performance in the reviews, that wasn't available elsewhere. Gustard A18 and Topping pre90. I still use the Gustard, the pre I sold after a couple of years because it sounded identical to my BPBP ( ie sounded like nothing) and I didn't use the remote as much as I thought I would, so it was just cash sat on a shelf.

Detailed measurements just tell you how it performs, not what a bit of gear sounds like. ( if it has audible chatacteristics).

BPBP ?

 

[stony]

No any reviews of gear which I was after so I had no chance to buy anything this way but I enjoy reading it.

 

[Puggie]

I’m all for rigorous testing of equipment, ASR is not rigorous or scientific though. Most A-level science students should be able to pick holes in his test methodologies.

 

[Fitnessed]

Strongly agree with you regarding investment in steaming kit. It's a quickly advancing area and the few that I've had all sound the same into the same dac.

Interesting that you find that,there are improvements by bridging,but i have no understanding of that yet.

The separate dac and wiim as transport route for little money is a no brainer,may even try a linear supply.

Interestingly a friend has a very expensive Naim streamer and is impressed how good the wiim is,and says its not far off.

I see streamers like laptops and phones,so do not heavily invest in them,it grinds my gears having old ipads and other tech that is not supported....

If the dac breaks or the wiim, it isnt the end oF the world,the wiim also gets lots of support and updates...

 

[Somafunk]

I’m all for rigorous testing of equipment, ASR is not rigorous or scientific though. Most A-level science students should be able to pick holes in his test methodologies.

I’m sitting down for this one…….