Well this link will start many arguments!

Those who can do, those who can't write bitchy articles or call it snake oil. OP which are you? 

Some responses have sorted a few. 

I have to agree with this article. The science and real data support it.

@ghdprentice You have nailed it. 
 

Your system(s) don’t suck!
 

l fancy a horse driven sucker like the one you have. I am ordering my basement straight away.

On a serious note, it is a never ending quest to keep all the stuff hi-fi wise clear of dust. It acts like a dust magnet. There have been many humorous debates about this already on Audiogon.

@mylogic 

I have a three tiered approach. 

I  use four Roomba to automatically cleaning three times a week. They do a pretty good job of poking in between the cable lifters and under the beds. I have a cordless Dyson... great design absolutely crap construction of the cheapest thermoplastic in existence... but sucks. I have a central vacuum (with a multiple horsepower vacuum in the basement storage area, plumbed through the house) with connections in each room. This I use about once every month or two... it pulls out all the Roomba miss. 

I'm always amused that people that are unable to do something feel they have to criticize people that can. 

@willyht  “better bass” The hobby of forever swimming up that river seeking better bass.

Are you talking about largemouth bass, or smallmouth bass?

Not at all. 

New speakers--better bass. New amps--better bass. New preamp--better bass. New turntable--better bass. New cartridge--better bass. New speaker cables--better bass. New power cords--better bass. New power distributor--better bass. Better recording--better bass. New subwoofer? I'm hoping for better bass.

@willyht vacuum cleaning on a 1 to 10

l have discovered the efficiency of vacuum cleaners have severely diminished since all those cordless (no problem with what cable there) models have replaced the hard wired 1000W ones. More power in those olden days rewarded by better quality suckers.

Can anyone recommend a good cordless vacuum cleaner that does not loose suction after a few years? I am a self confessed fetishised fan for those long hose extensions. To get right in there with the spaghetti jungle of cables and hi-fi regalia appendages. 

Oh by the way, returning on track to the debate. I agree with the head/brain burn in syndrome. Sometimes, some people are just fooling themselves after an expensive upgrade, to justify the money that has been sucked out of their vaults.

I DO swear by cable lifters------they make vacuuming so much easier!

The so called ‘search for truth’ is exhausting, confounding, fraught with human frailties and will eventually rob you of valuable time and too much capital.  
Unless… unless you make it fun, casting off expectations of others and simply play the game by your own rules.  Your system, your way.  All that really matters.

@roadcykler "...Seems rather like a religion..."

Not at all. The issue is that characterizing reproduced sound is so incredibly complex with so many variables, that folks in this pursuit that think they are being science based by measuring a few variables are grossly oversimplifying the problem then drawing conclusions. In very complex environments, observation (as in listening and hearing) is the correct scientific mode until all the variables are understood and a complete and verified model is created (there is not, and this is super computer terrain. Not identifying a few variables and using them to explain or predict the entire system. Musical reproduction and sonic characterization is just way too complex with too many variables for that to be a pragmatic value. Listening and training your ears, calibrating your ears to natural sound and using those as your instruments is what is useful and appropriate. 

Just a note, this is not creating a simple tone at a certain frequency. It is nearly infinite variation in tones and beats where different frequencies interact through harmonics. It is very nearly infinitely complex. 

The article is correct about everything, IMHO. Placebo effect, habituation, and Concorde fallacy all apply. Nothing wrong with spending money on what makes you happy, but in the case of audio, couch time with a shrink may be cheaper for once.

Just to be clear, I have tried cables, never heard a difference. I prefer vinyl, but mainly for the artwork and nostalgia. I have a class A amp, but for the particular implementation (Pass) rather than for being class A. I have a $5K ladder DAC, but it is not clearly "better" than a $250 Δ𝚺. 

MQA, cable lifters, burn in, outlets: LOL!

It's pretty obvious by the responses which people are the "I know what I hear" sect. Little Mikey Fremer once called objective, rational people, "science based know-nothings". Seems rather like a religion...

Love the old Python sketch. 

Well if nothing else following those recommendations will likely save one a lot of money and great results still very possible if done wisely.  So there is that. Not trivial by any stretch! Some vendors here among us will surely object however. Surely some hardcore non vendor types as well. 

@celtic66 @larsman Never seen that Monty Python sketch. Thanks for sharing. 😂

@larsman Really enjoyed seeing that again. Thanks

@larsman Thank you, I love everything Python. Enjoy the music

The most interesting thing is how we could all predict what the responses would look like and be very accurate.  he he...there are plenty of great philosophical comments and so I won't add one.  I agree with everyone!  Because how they see it is what makes it what it is to them.  Sorry...maybe a little philo.

@larsman - now I have to wait 4 weeks...they do a week of burn in, like this company.

@katzenjammer27 - I just got my LTA microZOTL last week - enjoy yer Aero! 

just ripped the bandaid off, ordered the LTA Aero with the stock tubes. Now what was this thing about arguing? I'm numb...

If I had the budget for a reference level system, I would probably buy a lot of the items listed as BS in the article. Since I can’t afford a system at that level, I content myself with slightly elevated cable quality. I doubt I would hear the difference between my $40 demo Audioquest RCA’s and their four figure interconnects on my humble system.

i dont like the bitchy, dishonest clickbait of headphonesty. 

The only argument I see here is whether or not this article will start any arguments. You say yes, I say no.

ghdprentice +1

@larsman is on it!  Yes, the 5 minute argument.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLlv_aZjHXc

A lot of baloney in one clickbait article. Not much to discuss.

Make love not war. 

Who cares, as long as you are enjoying the hobby.

Is this the five minute argument? 

@ghdprentice - I agree most of these listed call out the placebo effect.  The gear does change our perception does.  We are the break in.  I’m guilty of it .

Nothing to argue about unadulterated BS. 

Loved it. Thank you for sharing.

After reading it, I don't see a whole lot to argue about. There aren't any hard black or white issues presented. I do agree that most issues when people are comparing different components boil down to level matching.

There is so much hype in the audio industry that a lot of components appear because someone invents a new "problem" and that presents a mega dollar fix for it. As long as audio is a hobby to you, spend your money as you see fit and enjoy the music. OTOH, obsession can lead to a host of woe's.

headphonesty=clickbait. It’s so-ooooo obvious.