\u201cThere is yet one method to eliminate some of our [buying] options; there is one
\nway to -more often than not- end up with a decision which will ultimately satisfy our
\nneeds; and that solution is what I will henceforth name…<\/p>\n
Objective subjectivity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Provided you read last week’s entry, you will find the above opening paragraph quite
\nfamiliar. That’s how I decided to end the previous discussion concerning why audio
\ngear matters. So in this episode, objective subjectivity is the star of the show. Don’t
\ntry to look it up online or in a dictionary, most likely you will end up empty-handed.
\nLet me offer some insight here and explain what this term I have coined stands for.<\/p>\n
What I mean by objective subjectivity is that, objectively speaking, everyone has
\nsubjective preferences when it comes to sound. This is not only objective since we
\ncannot deny it, but also subjective as we are talking about what we like and prefer.
\nHence the notion of objective subjectivity.<\/p>\n
A logical question you might have is \u201cwhy don’t we all prefer the same sound?\u201d To
\nfind an appropriate answer, it’s safe to start by mentioning what science has already
\nproved: we all hear differently! Every pair of human ears has its own unique
\ninterpretation of auditory cues, which means we all hear sounds with differences in
\nthe perceived volume of certain frequencies, be it a few decibels up or down.
\nUltimately, this affects the way we hear things or, to be more specific in our case, it
\nchanges the way we perceive the low, the mid and the high frequencies. So the next
\ntime you find two contrasting reviews of an audio product (exclusively in terms of
\nsound quality), keep that hearing variation in mind.<\/p>\n
If we set the -objectively different- hearing perception each and every one of us has
\naside, we can safely move on to the next part of the answer: preferred sound
\nsignatures. There’s no doubt that if we conducted a sample survey as to what sound
\nprofile a small group of listeners prefers, the results would be totally different, to say
\nthe least. Some would choose a warm, easy-on-the-ears sound with elevated bass
\nand smooth treble, others would opt for an analytical, brighter presentation with
\nelevated treble but less bass, and so on. Apparently, what I may find bass-heavy or
\nhot treble, you might find bass-light or smooth treble for the sake of your own tastes.
\nIt all comes down to personal preference and what sound signature your ears feel
\nright at home with. But how can we know what is the sound signature of a product
\nbeforehand? Well, frequency response measurements as well as reviews are your
\nsafest bet. When done right, measurements can illustrate the frequency response of a
\nproduct and give you a sneak peak on what to expect in terms of overall signature,
\nhowever it isn’t the end-all be-all parameter by which one should judge audio
\nequipment.<\/p>\n
Given the fact that not every human being hears the same and that sound preferences
\nvary wildly among listeners, it comes as no surprise that sound quality can easily
\nbecome a hot debate, especially when reading product reviews. For example, a
\nreviewer may dislike a warm headphone because they actually prefer a brighter
\nsignature, or vice versa. It is for such reasons that we should take everything we see
\nor read with a huge grain of salt whenever stumbling upon audio reviews; just
\nbecause somebody is dissatisfied with an audio product, this doesn’t necessarily
\nmean we will relate to their experience.<\/p>\n
So how can we eliminate some of our bying options like I mentioned too many times
\nalready? The answer is simple: discover the sound signature you enjoy the most. If
\nfor example, you are a fan of warm sound, you know in advance that bright
\nsounding gear is out of the question for you. This way, it’s safe to say that based on
\nour listening preferences, some products will suit us more than others, and the means
\nto find this out is either by demoing or doing our research on finding different
\nreviews or opinions. Demoing is definitely a difficult path to take and is solely based
\non where you live, but researching can easily be done online. We can read reviews,
\ngear measurements and, in general, spending time to carry out a market research
\nhelps us purchase something which will meet our audio expectations in the end.
\nThink about it like this: would you rather buy something blindly and then regret
\nhaving spent your money because the product turned out to be far from your cup of
\ntea, or would you prefer to make your research carefully and then end up with a
\nsatisfactory purchase?<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the deciding factor is what you hear, so trust your own ears. After all, if I
\nwere to describe music listening as a hobby summarized in a phrase, that would be
\ndifferent strokes for different folks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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