And even if we did manage to quantify those feelings, what would we conclude?

Here’s a good one for the measurement nerds in us all. How to quantify emotional engagement.

How is it that a technically inferior technology like vinyl can often better engage us emotionally than a technologically superior format like DSD? And to make matters worse, a vinyl reproduction of a DSD master like those we have produced at Octave Records.

How might we measure such a thing? I suppose we could hand out survey questionnaires after listening sessions, though that would seem to pull the pleasure out of the experience.

And even if we did manage to quantify those feelings, what would we conclude?

Part of the idea behind measuring things is to be able to duplicate/improve/understand in a way we can then maximize the end result. Figure out how the clock ticks and you can make more clocks.

I am going to suggest that we add to our lexicon the idea of emotional engagement. Like the nerdy PRaT some of us use, I prefer Emotional Engagement.

Joy and emotional engagement with the music. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO