scientific double blinded cable test

I think the reality is that many who maintain there are no differences between cables (or other things in audio) don't want to deal with the personal and/or financial implications of such differences being real. Denying differences are possible is their way of avoiding those implications.

Why would I deny or discount what I clearly hear, just because it doesn’t fit into someone else’s worldview? I don't need a blind test to prove to myself what I hear.

If I hear that one cable sounds better than another in my system, and post about it here, it is directed towards those who accept the possibility that there is a difference. I am not trying to prove anything to, convert, or convince those who don’t hear any differences and/or deny they are possible. Why argue with someone who has a firmly established contrary opinion? I am sharing my experience and saying that, if you are interested and open, you might want to look into it further, and maybe try it for yourself. Why can’t those who disagree respect that? Why must you rudely and repeatedly chime in and express your unsolicited opinion, which is likely already well known? If I see a post or thread of yours that I disagree with, but I don’t have anything relevant or useful to say, I move on.

I can see where double blind tests might be useful for an equipment designer/manufacturer, but, when it comes to choosing equipment for my own enjoyment, I personally don't have much use for them. I also wonder if those who demand them from others actually conduct, or rely on, them themselves.

gdhal,

I don’t know that one can “prove” that wire sounds different (better) in one direction over the other to anyone but themselves. Especially if the person(s) you are trying to prove it to is not open to the idea, or even hostile towards it. Either they hear it for themselves, or they don’t. The great thing is that if you hear a positive difference, you don’t have to prove it to anyone in order to enjoy the benefits of it.

For me, this hobby is not about proving anything. It is about enjoying, engaging with, and being moved by, music in my home.

I can understand wanting objective, unbiased information about the sound of cables, or other equipment, before trying them for yourself. Unfortunately, it is scarce. This hobby is fundamentally a subjective one. It is ultimately about what YOU hear, in YOUR system.

There are areas of general agreement, but no one can tell you for sure what a particular product will sound like to your ears, in your system, or even if you will hear a difference at all. This means that there is an inherent element of risk. You do your research, read reviews and forum posts, talk to any friends or acquaintances who have experience with it, arrange to audition it somewhere, if possible/practical. Then, once you are reasonably assured that it is likely to make a positive difference in your system, you take the plunge.

IMO, learning to navigate the often murky waters of reviews, subjective experiences & impressions, anecdotes etc., and find the bits & patterns relevant to your particular preferences, goals and situation, is an essential part of this hobby. Sometimes, whether you like it or not, they are all you have to work with.

Yes, that kind of research has been done. Sorry I can't point you to anything specific off the top of my head. Some of it has been done by cable manufacturers, who may choose to keep it proprietary.

“People and their ears are redundant here”

That’s a peculiar statement, considering “people and their ears” are the whole point of the exercise. Say you run tests & measurements on a pair of speaker cables, and tell me they are passing the signal perfectly. I then put them in my system and live with them for a while. If my ears tell me something is not right, or they are not as good as what I was using, I’m going with my ears.

I’m not against scientific studies, and gaining broader knowledge. For me, they just don't have much relevance or usefulness when pursuing greater musical enjoyment from my personal system. I'd rather have recommendations from one or more people with similar tastes and goals to mine, whose ears I trust.