THE ARSE SCORE
The only audio review system brave enough to ask the important questions.
Most reviewers score technical performance.
Some score value.
Some score build quality.
The Reluctant Audiophile scores something far more useful:
Whether you'll still be happy with your purchase once the excitement, marketing and YouTube hype wear off.
That's where ARSE comes in.
What Does ARSE Stand For?
Audio
How good does it actually sound? Not on a graph. Not in a measurement database. Not according to somebody on a forum. In your ears.
Regret
The morning-after score. How likely are you to wonder whether that money could have been spent on literally anything else.
Spend
Value for money. Not cheap. Not expensive. Just honest. Does the performance justify the asking price?
Enjoyment
The most important metric. Did you stop analysing and start listening? Did it make you smile? Did you lose track of time? That's enjoyment.
How The Scoring Works
Each category receives a score out of 10.
The four scores are then combined to create the final ARSE Score.
No weighting. No algorithms. No nonsense.
Just four honest numbers that tell you whether this piece of gear deserves a place in your life — or your returns queue.
What ARSE Is Not
- ✕A measurement score
- ✕A technical engineering score
- ✕A popularity contest
- ✕A ranking based on price
- ✕An attempt to impress people on Reddit
It is simply an attempt to answer one question:
"Would I buy this again?"
The Reluctant Audiophile Rules
I believe frequency response graphs are maps, not destinations.
I believe spending more money does not automatically buy more happiness.
I believe a £50 IEM can beat a £500 IEM if it suits your ears.
I believe enjoyment matters more than measurements.
I believe anyone spending £400 on a USB cable should at least be interviewed.