If a product is superior, ANY person will readily hear it.
All the excuses of why A-B testing can't work, is a "cop-out"
when you drive 2 cars you can tell which is faster, and handles better.
Especially, on a "track".
Audio, is "Subjective", but bring the ladies in and the b.s. all comes to a stop.
For the most part. Besides, it is a well known fact that most women hear better than men do.
Ask your Hearing Doctor.
You might get your feelings hurt, but they will tell it like it is.
A $10k amplifier, should be better than a $500 dollar one,
if not, it is a "rip-off".
A quad core computer, will run more programs faster, than a single core computer.
Audio, is the single biggest "hype" IMHO in this world.
When people come over my house, that are not "Audio" lovers at ALL, they without ANY hesitation, say, "they have NEVER heard music sound so real", women, the U.P.S., Fed-Ex, drivers,just regular folks, etc...
When they ask if they can come in, and sit and listen for a minute, and 45 minutes later, they are saying, "I gotta get going, or I'm going to get fired..." because they are in "Awe", listening to music like they say they "have NEVER heard Music sound like before".
So, for me, I know that I have finally "arrived", because I don't have to pump people, saying "do you hear it?", "doesn't it sound good?", as soon as anyone comes to my door, and they hear the music, from outside, they say, "how real, and dynamic the music sounds".
But, so many times, in the past I have been invited to a "Audiophiles" listening room, and all they do, is "pump" me,
over, and over, saying..."have you ever heard anything sound so good?"
Like they are trying to convince themselves?
When my wife is with me, she mixes no words, no matter how fancy the set-up is, ALL she cares about is the SOUND, PERIOD!
She has brought so many grown men, to the brink of tears, due to her brutally honest comments.
That's why most of the time, the guy's house I am visiting, his wife is always out "shopping".
She won't blow "smoke", if the sound is crap, she will say so.
Needless to say, rarely am I invited back. (I am crushed)
NOT!
So many people are in to the "Looks", and not the "sound",
we hear with our ears, not with our eyes.
But, so many people decide how stuff sounds, even before they hear a single note.
If they see "Goldmund" right away, no matter what else, is
with it, they figure it's going to be "Gold", but that is not always true.
It is the "sum of the parts", not 1 piece of equipment "makes great music", rather the "Synergy" of the components.
Probably why Audio stores are no longer around, and most Audio, is sold out of someones home instead.
For years Audio has gotten by because of 2 Magazines, what they wrote, either "makes, or breaks" the product.
People used to just buy stuff, because one of these magazines gave it a "rave review", often the person would go into the store, without even listening to it, they would buy it because of the review.
So many times, I have witnessed purchases made this way.
Later, it is for sale here on Audiogon.
But today, with gas so expensive, most people, are not as easily swayed, as they used to be.
When you go listen to a $100k system, you are not supposed to come home, and say, "wow! my setup sounds better!"
Or your wife tells you, the same thing.
When people that are not into Audio, take real notice, at what you have, the sound I mean, then, you know you have something special.
When they say, "my stereo sounds terrible compared to this!"
Everyone, has sold something that they wish they held on to, after buying something else to replace it.
If we are honest with ourselves that is.
I Love Music!
