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What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something that has happened countless times happened again last night. Ordinary people over for a party listening to some music easily hear things audiophiles argue endlessly don't even exist. Oh, its worse even than that- they not only easily hear but are stunned and amazed at what they hear. Its absolutely clearly obvious this is not anything they ever were expecting, not anything they can explain- and also is not anything they can deny. Because its so freaking obvious! Happens every time. Then I come on here and read one after another not only saying its impossible, but actually ridiculing people for the audacity of reporting on the existence of reality.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Okay, concrete examples. Easy demos done last night. Cable Elevators, little ceramic insulators, raise cables off the floor. There's four holding each speaker cable up off the floor. Removed them one by one while playing music. Then replaced them. Music playing the whole time. First one came out, instant the cable goes on the floor the guy in the sweet spot says, "OH! WTF!?!?!"

Yeah. Just one. One by one, sound stage just collapses. Put em back, image depth returns.

Another one? Okay.

Element CTS cables have Active Shielding, another easy demo. Unplug, plug back in. Only takes a few seconds. Tuning bullets. Same thing. These are all very easy to demo while the music is playing without interruption. This kills like I don' know how many birds with one stone. Auditory memory? Zero. Change happens real time. Double blind? What could be more double blind than you don't know? Because nobody, not me, not the listener, not one single person in the room, knows exactly when to expect to hear a change- or what change to expect, or even if there would be any change to hear at all. Heck, even I have never sat there while someone did this so even I did not know it was possible to hear just one, or that the change would happen not when the Cable Elevator was removed but when the cable went down on the floor.

We're talking real experience here people. No armchair theorizing. What real people really hear in real time playing real music in a real room.

I could go on. People who get the point will get the point. People who ridicule- ALWAYS without ever bothering to try and hear for themselves!- will continue to hate and argue.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something almost all audiophiles insist on, its like Dogma 101, you absolutely always must play the same "revealing" track over and over again. Well, I never do this. Used to. Realized pretty quickly though just how boring it is. Ask yourself, which is easier to concentrate on- something new and interesting? Or something repetitive and boring? You know the answer. Its silly even to argue. Every single person in my experience hears just fine without boring them to tears playing the same thing over and over again. Only audiophiles subject themselves to such counterproductive tedium.

What is wrong with audiophiles????
millercarbon

Showing 1 response by grannyring

grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,592 posts
 
This is not as hard as some folks are making it seem. Simple really. If one evaluates a tweak or upgrade over a period of time of no less than 12-15 days, then they will certainly be in a position to make an accurate decision on the sonic merits of that addition. Many of us know our system’s sound intimately and over time can confidently discern and interpret sonic changes. One pitfall I sometimes see is evaluating for too short a time period. While it may only take minutes to hear differences, it takes much longer to determine long term preferences.

If evaluated over time, then we can trust our decision and not fall victim to the countless notions that what we hear and feel in response to our music system is somehow flawed and untrustworthy. Talk about audiophile nervosa. Don’t go there.

So go ahead and listen and evaluate. You have the right tools already. Be confident in what you hear and know over time. Make the decision and just smile at others who decide to go at audio in a more complex and confused manner.

Yes, that paprika really does taste different. Yes, that chair does make you feel more comfortable. Yes, that fuse does make your music sound even more real and enjoyable. Yes, you have the ability to discern and decide for yourself. Simple stuff folks.
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