I like rlw, and can understand the bar he uses for tweaks. He very understandably wants people to keep in mind things like "placebo effect" or "power of suggestion" when discussing audio tweaks. Asking us about whether or not we are fooling ourselves is an important mission.
He gets criticized for being eternally skeptical, but then those he criticizes claim infallability - who wouldn't be a bit skeptical?
He's also probably been around long enough to put two and two together when certain "experts" or "marketeers" pop in with self-serving scams.
I hope he keeps up the skeptical point of view as part of the discussion.
However, I really dig your posts and the way you discuss your experiences, too. Your posts show more thought and lack of personal defensiveness than any other 'guru' or 'salesman' on this forum.
I am even progressing through some cream trials this week because of you.
I admit to not being sure if you are for real, to tell the truth. If someone were to partake of this debate as a piece of performance art, I could see you as being capable of that. I know that won't sound right to you, I don't really have precise enough language to describe that feeling I get from your posts. I like your way of posting, but it seems so implaccable that it makes me wonder. Is that fair? Again, I mean no disparagement.
Since many of the main proponents of some of these tweaks have fiscal or social incentives to obfuscate on the impact of certain tweaks, it has probably made me overly suspicious of others, even when they don't seem to have obvious motives. I apologize if my cynicism about certain others kept me from being as open to some of your points as I might have been.
All in all, I think it's great getting to read your posts and I hope you keep at it.
Final note: regarding the creams. I want to have some audio buddies listen, can I have them audition blind?
