In article , Wally
wrote:
Powell wrote:

Allthough the sonic effects of spikes may vary from speaker to speaker
and from room to room, they do move the resonnance of the
speaker-floor combo up in frequency. Sometimes it improves overall
sound, sometimes it doesn't. But the effects have a very natural
explanation.

Care to explain the mechanism that causes the resonant frequency to move
up?

FWIW I decided not to comment on the bulk of the items asserted most
recently as I didn't want to widen the issues. But a number of questions
like the above did occur to me. The problem is that with no measurements,
details of experimental arrangements, etc, it is often hard to assess the
assertions people make.


Given that consumer audio is awash with 'technobabble' I tend to
place more reliance on that than on simply accepting assertions.

You enjoy intellectualizing but it would behoove you to get off your
penguin butt and do the work yourself.

What makes you think he doesn't/hasn't? It's you that's making certain
claims about the effects of spikes, and the onus is on you to support
those claims with evidence. The fact that he's asking for evidence
doesn't preclude him having done his own research already.

Nor is it a requirement that someone must already have done their own
personal measurements to ask for the measurements someone else claims to
already have to support their assertions.

The point of the scientific approach is that anyone who wishes can make
their own decisions *based on the presented evidence*. Not on the basis
that they must accept that the person making the assertions is an
'authority' who must not be questioned or doubted. Access to the
measurements and details of how they were done allows anyone who wishes to
come to their own conclusions.

So for me the key point is the middle one made above. That Powell is making
a series of assertions and claiming to have 'measurements' to back them up.
As is the norm in physical science and engineering, this means we judge the
assertions by examination of the evidence. Up to the person making the
assertions to provide this. I see no reason at present to doubt he does
have 'measurements', but none of us can judge their value without seeing
them and knowing the details of how they were obtained. Hence my questions
to him.

I have noticed over they years that it is quite common on usenet (and
perhaps in audio in particular) for some people to react to being asked for
mere evidence or an explanation that can be tested on the basis of
estabilished physical science as if being asked was a 'personal attack'.
Hence responses using debating or other tactics like 'go for the man' for
daring to question the asserted 'wisdom'. To me that seems at best an
irrelevance, and at worst a smokescreen preventing each person from being
able to form their own conclusions on the basis of the *evidence*. I have
no real interest in debating games or personal arguments. So if no
measurements are forthcoming I am content to leave the matter here and
allow each person reading this thread to come to their own conclusions.

Slainte,

Jim

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