Why are digital streaming equipment manufacturers refusing to answer me?


I have performed double blind tests with the most highly regarded brands of streamers and some hifi switches. None have made any difference to my system on files saved locally. I have asked the following question to the makers of such systems and almost all have responded with marketing nonsense. 
My system uses fiber optic cables. These go all the way to the dac (MSB). Thus no emi or rfi is arriving at the dac. On top of this, MSB allows me to check if I receive bit perfection files or not. I do. 
So I claim that: if your dac receives a bit perfect signal and it is connected via fiber optic, anything prior to the conversion to fiber optic (streamers, switches, their power supplies, cables etc) make absolutely no difference. Your signal can’t be improved by any of these expensive pieces of equipment. 
If anyone can help explain why this is incorrect I would greatly appreciate it. Dac makers mostly agree, makers of streamers have told me scientific things such as “our other customers can hear the difference” (after extensive double blind testing has resulted to no difference being perceived) and my favorite “bit perfect doesn’t exist, when you hear our equipment tou forget about electronics and love the music”!
mihalis

Showing 3 responses by millercarbon

Why is the troll refusing to answer us? Crawled back into his cave I suspect.
Congratulations Douglas_schroeder on having the courage to go on record with the facts to back up what we all (who can hear) have known for years. 

Consequently, after conducting my own exploration, I am content to spend less time thinking about ABX, and more time building better audio systems through very active, hands on methods. 

Beautiful. Lotta work to get to where we all knew you should be. But you did it, and you got there. All that counts. May others learn from your experience. Don't hold your breath. But would sure be nice.
Its incorrect because its wrong. Your whole premise is false. Its not anyone's responsibility to explain to you why they hear something. Maybe its nothing more than they have learned to hear something you have not. Did you ever think of that? 

Not that it matters. Again, no one owes you any explanation. Not only wires, I can tell the difference between lots of things- wire on the floor vs elevated, wire going one way vs another, warmed up vs cold, on springs vs cones, on and on. And on.

But anyway, I can tell you why nobody replies. It was clear to me in the first 6 words: "I have performed double-blind tests". Because here's the thing. And I know this is hard to believe but think about it a minute you just might get it. When the difference between two things is so readily apparent you hear it immediately, why would you then put yourself through all the incredible time and effort to perform even one double-blind test? To prove to yourself what you yourself already know you heard? Why? 

You know the answer: you only do the test when you can't hear any difference in the first place. 

That is why double-blind testing is so illogical. They ones who can hear will never do it. And the ones who can't never will hear a difference anyway. All double-blind testing can do is activate another audio canard, the expectation bias.

I really do hope that one day you somehow develop listening skills and are able to hear differences between things like this. Seriously. I do. But until then, and for as long as you stay on this unproductive course: You go, girl!