My reference isn’t technical. It’s emotional.
Over the years, I’ve measured countless systems and pored over mountains of data—frequency response graphs, distortion plots, impulse responses. They tell part of the story, but not the part that matters most. When I evaluate a system, I ask one simple question: does it move me?
If a system nails the measurements but leaves me cold, it fails. If it stirs emotion—makes me lean forward, brings goosebumps, forces a smile—then it succeeds. It’s why I’ve always balanced engineering discipline with listening in every PS Audio product, from the BHK and PMG amplifiers to the Aspen loudspeakers.
Specs guide us, but music is the ultimate test.
The FR30, for instance, measures superbly. Its planar magnetic drivers, low distortion woofers, and carefully tuned crossover yield exceptional performance on paper. But the reason I love it isn’t the waterfall plot—it’s the way it makes a cello feel human, the way it renders a singer’s breath so real you forget about hi-fi and just feel.
This approach applies to every decision in system building. Choose components not for their spec sheets, but for how they connect you to the music. Trust your ears, your gut, and your emotional response. That’s the reference that never lies.
At the end of the day, we’re not chasing perfection. We’re chasing connection. And when the connection is real, the measurements take care of themselves.
