I think you are way off base. The DIY audiophiles I know build and then listen. It is 100% about how things sound and nobody really cares that much how it measures. Measurements may come later and are used to analyze when things go wrong, but if it sounds good the measurements dont matter.
Audiophiles vs DIY-o-philes
Hi folks, I've been visiting the DIYaudio forum during the last weeks or so and it appears to me that the people who are discussing matters are often very well informed about the technical issues and often have a technical background as well. but sometimes I have the impression that these wonderful people are emphasizing the technical rather than the non-technical issues, like: how a unit really sounds. The term "musicality" is not for the techies but more for the non-technical audiophiles and musicians. But what does the audio-music-o-phile wants? Isn't that to get a "musical" and emotional sound that will bring him closer to "live"? This is a prelude to a very controversial issue that I want to discuss: are the audio-techno-philes who are measuring and DIY'ing things more concerned with measurement data and circuit topologies rather than with how a unit really sounds?
Chris
Chris