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Amir and Blind Testing

Let me start by saying I like watching Amir from ASR, so please let’s not get harsh or the thread will be deleted. Many times, Amir has noted that when we’re inserting a new component in our system, our brains go into (to paraphrase) “analytical mode” and we start hearing imaginary improvements. He has reiterated this many times, saying that when he switched to an expensive cable he heard improvements, but when he switched back to the cheap one, he also heard improvements because the brain switches from “music enjoyment mode” to “analytical mode.” Following this logic, which I agree with, wouldn’t blind testing, or any A/B testing be compromised because our brains are always in analytical mode and therefore feeding us inaccurate data? Seems to me you need to relax for a few hours at least and listen to a variety of music before your brain can accurately assess whether something is an actual improvement.  Perhaps A/B testing is a strawman argument, because the human brain is not a spectrum analyzer.  We are too affected by our biases to come up with any valid data.  Maybe. 

chayro

Showing 3 responses by frogman

frogman
7,516 posts
 

djones, I don’t understand why you find it necessary to personalize matters; and in a contentious way. Apparently, my opinion on the subject strikes a chord that causes defensiveness and the use of sarcasm in you. Why does it bother you so that my opinion differs from yours? Defensiveness is usually a sign that on some level a person knows that there is truth in the “objectionable” comment.

Now, please explain where in what I wrote did I say anything about using ONLY one’s ears? Let’s try it again, shall we?

 

+++. **** We use the tools at our disposal to assess and make decisions. Some do it better than others …… **** - mapman

…. and this includes the best tool of all, our ears. +++

Notice that I wrote “includes”. Inclusion is not exclusionary. However, I do believe that of ALL the tools available our ears are the best guide. Why shouldn’t they be? Ultimately, we LISTEN to the sounds that our gear reproduce, no?  And, yes, some do it better than others.

So, why don’t you take a chill pill and let others have their opinions; and, if you must, debate without sarcasm. Or, is all this a bit of cross-thread grudge?

**** I am always amazed of the hilltop pontificating about use your ears yet nobody seems willing to do so. ****

If you only knew.

 

frogman
7,516 posts
 

****  It (ears) contributes nothing to gaining knowledge about a product.  ****

Wow!  

frogman
7,516 posts
 

 

 

**** We use the tools at our disposal to assess and make decisions. Some do it better than others …… **** - mapman

…. and this includes the best tool of all, our ears. IOW, some use their ears better than others. Some, because of experience, training, open-mindedness, or simply physiological advantage hear better than others. Hard pill to swallow for some, but true.

It gets so tiresome, the continual attempt on the part of some to tell others that they can’t possibly be hearing what they hear. Whether it is an “improvement” or not depends on what one’s goal is. If the goal is a subjectively pleasant sound without consideration of any reference other than personal taste, then all bets are off and there is no point in debating the issue. If the goal is to get as close as possible to the true sound of music, then the more exposure to live acoustic music the listener pursues, the better the chances of recognizing real improvement and reaching the goal; yes, all those variables and all. Those who claim that all those pesky variables are a “deal breaker” are simply using too broad a brush when listening and not willing, or able to do their homework (live acoustic music exposure).

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