Why is Double Blind Testing Controversial?

Tobias and Redkiwi hit it on the head. It takes prolonged exposure (post burn-in, which a lot of A/B's may not do) to really absorb the differences. "Night and day differences" aside, most A/B's are a matter of trade-offs -- e.g., a little more bass punch vs. a little less definition. What seems very nice in the short term may not be preferred longer term. What seems like a strength listening to one recording may not seem so while listening to another. In reality, all of our choices are A/B. We are replacing what we have with something else we believe is "better" after prolonged listening. That's why companies offer 30 day trials rather than 30 minute trials. From my understanding, most A/B tests tend to be 3 minute trials. Sorry, I'm just not that good.

By the way, none of this is to say that I don't harbor a secret fear that I'd pick Bose ;-) But, I have heard too many say that, with prolonged exposure, they can pick out component signatures from a distance without seeing the actual unit/cable being used.

Hats off and a low bow Unsound.

Onhwy61 -- it is specifically the motivations that yield the controversy. A DBT could, with great effort, be designed to yield reasonably valid results. The posts above suggest that such effort is seldom made because the test sponsors don't understand or believe that effort is required. Without going through all that work, the test becomes a "double deaf test" as Unsound suggests.