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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Re: Directionality of wire posted by Bruce from DC on November 10, 2004 at 10:59:47:
Every attempt to prove audible differences with the wire identity hidden and volumes matched if necessary over a 25 year period has failed.No audiophile has ever proven to witnesses his ability to hear wires differences among 3-foot interconnects and 10-foot speaker wires intended for audio use.
Many have tried.
I have first-hand experience with double-and single-blind auditions and have watched over a dozen audiophiles fail to hear wire differences. And not just comparing two expensive wires -- but between 14AWG Rat Shack zip cord and a $995 Tara Labs speaker cable ... even after some claimed to hear a difference during a sighted warm-up audition (SPL's matched of course, as the thick Tara Labs cable would play a little louder otherwise).
In fact, audio equipment is just like many consumer products that rely on advertising (to convince consumers there is an audible difference so that consumers will think they hear a difference
when they audition the product)Since most auditions are in audio stores of course there's a difference vs. your home stereo system.
But even if you borrow a component and listen at home, the difference during a single-blind audition will tend to be inaudible or less than it appeared to be during a sighted audition.
I have first-hand experience with over one-dozen sigle-blind comparisons at home (great way to audition audio equipment by the way)
In an AES paper, one audio engineer reported data showing that audiophiles will claim to prefer either "component A" or "component B" approximately 75% of the time ... when in fact there was only one component playing and no sound quality difference was possible !
Therefore it's certainly possible the claim that wires intended for audio use sound different is nothing more than an unproven assertion ... no matter how SURE audiophiles are they just heard a difference during a sighted audition.
In addition, audiophiles have difficulty hearing differences among non-clipping amplifiers and CD players when their identities are hidden.
I also have first-hand experience with double-blind tests of both!
Once again claims of differences in sighted warm-up auditions ... then ears "go bad" when component identities are hidden.
While these tests do not represent what you can hear in your own listening room, they point out how often typical audiophiles claim to hear differences when they know what brand/model component is is use ... compared to when they don't know ... just minutes later.
This happens with many products such as beers and colas and wines --
you're not a bad person if you are swayed by advertising and positive reviews in audio magazine (are there ever negative reviews?) and imagine sound quality differences because you expected to hear them!Anyone still reading: These experiences certainly do not apply to you, so please continue to believe in and enjoy the high-end audio "religion" wher all components sound different ... and you can hear the difference. That belief is good for the ego!
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Follow Ups
- It's worse than that -- no audiophile has ever proven the ability to hear wire differences at all - Richard BassNut Greene 17:07:03 11/10/04 (0)
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