@nlitworld you're making a good case against modding
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Exhibit A for: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Object Lesson: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Say It's Broke and Damage the Good Reputation of A Well Regarded Company So You Can Make Money on Gullible Viewers
This is a critical review by Audio Science Review regarding a speaker crossover upgrade kit sold by GR Research for the Ascend Sierra-2EX V2 speakers. The video features a neutral A/B comparison and argues, with evidence, that the measurement methodology was flawed, that the performance was made worse, that false concerns about impedance are asserted, and overall there is no objective evidence of improvement and that the Ascend Sierra-2EX V2 is already a well-engineered speaker that does not require aftermarket modifications.
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@devinplombier Actually I view quite the opposite, mod everything. It's my equipment and I knowingly take any risks associated in pursuit of higher fidelity and increased emotional response. For me, I can't throw down for $10,000 speakers or $5,000 amp. So I tend to buy the best I can and upgrade what's feasible, or build DIY from the start to maximize budget. And along the way, if something works as an upgrade, I keep it in. If it doesn't work, I cut my losses and revert or double down and find what would be better. My point is that I'm a grownup and I can make my own choices whether an item is worth upgrading or not, with or without OEM approval. |
@nlitworld — The car analogies are entertaining but they slip past the key distinction. If you put a lift kit on your truck, you're accepting known tradeoffs for your own purposes. Nobody is selling you that kit by claiming the Subaru engineers got the suspension wrong and that this is objectively better for all drivers. That's what Danny does — he makes public claims of deficiency and improvement, backed by measurements the evidence suggests weren't adequate to support them. That's a meaningfully different kind of intervention. The salt analogy fails for the same reason — seasoning your own food affects nobody else. Danny has a platform and a commercial operation. His public claims about the Sierra 2EX have real consequences for Ascend's reputation. As for stopping while I'm ahead — I'd push back on that framing. The engineering respect point isn't a retreat from the original argument, it's the same argument. The reason Danny's inadequate measurements matter is precisely because the speaker was carefully engineered by someone using far better tools. Those two points aren't separate — one explains why the other is worth taking seriously. |
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