Some observations from a former skeptic - and a question

Wow, so much anti-science hostility. It’s one thing to argue about the efficacy of cables, but let’s not get off the rails! Science created audio reproduction. Science improves it. Science probably saved your life once. Science has a say in this matter.

I didn’t see anything in ahuvia’s post that was rude or should have drawn such hostility. If the mere idea of skepticism is so threatening, the "cables matter" side needs to do the work to feel more emotionally secure. Come up with some tests and prove it.

I do agree that you can only go so far referencing published studies and that personal experience does matter. I also agree that it doesn’t really matter what other people think about a tweak you make that you like in your system.

However, that goes both ways. You say you don’t care what people think but you only really don’t care what people think if they disagree with you. I would say that’s not the optimal attitude to learn things or to convince others. Clearly when someone posts about a positive cable improvement they do care what people think when people agree with the post.

Forums are not echo chambers. People need to learn to deal with dissent. There is a Truth here, and maybe finding that starts with showing some mutual respect?

(I’m skeptical that power cables matter outside of quality construction and gauge but as I have never done a test and wouldn’t have the budget anyway I am more interested in reading data, facts and experiences and find the flaming counterproductive.)

EDIT: to the OP, the above doesn't refer to you as I think your posts are pretty balanced and respectful. But a few of the above set me off. 

Precisely, therefore this:

I am more interested in reading data

…. And raging in the Internet audio forums is my guess.
 

How old are you?

@thyname - if you really wanted to have an adult conversation, you might want to avoid quoting out of context when what I said was:

I am more interested in reading data, facts and experiences and find the flaming counterproductive

Misquoting just to make me look unreasonable doesn't shine a very good light on you.  My request is for respect and an open minded discussion.  That's apparently not what you want.  I guess I'd rather run into you in a forum than on a highway...

Remember the "Pepsi Challenge" and "New Coke"? That was the product of blind testing.

Just as a side comment, I am not as much of a proponent of blind testing as many of the science-side guys.  I believe that one might be able to detect and prove a difference with blind testing, but I don't believe it always or even usually works to determine which is "better."

The sample size is necessarily small for blind testing so that A-B works.  But that small sample size thus doesn't take into account the fatigue that over-bright sound, for example, can create, or many other audio gremlins that only become apparent with longer term listening.  

Long-term listening is a better gauge of what sounds good.  But of course that let's out A-B or any blind testing.  

Thus, the slippery nature of this debate.  I don't mind the ardent opinions, but the lack of respect and civility is just depressing.  I guess we need to be invaded by audio aliens before we come together. 

science fanatics

Sheesh. Just listen to yourselves. Without science, you’d be in a cave or a tree, not trying power cables.

You may be right that science hasn’t yet discovered why power cables matter. But this anti-science BS is right up there with sacrificing virgins to volcanoes. No, the latter actually makes more sense.

As an aside, some of the ASR folks are no more reasonable than some of the posters here and I’ve had similar debates with some of them. But don’t blame science. There are extremists on both sides.