Amir and Blind Testing


Let me start by saying I like watching Amir from ASR, so please let’s not get harsh or the thread will be deleted. Many times, Amir has noted that when we’re inserting a new component in our system, our brains go into (to paraphrase) “analytical mode” and we start hearing imaginary improvements. He has reiterated this many times, saying that when he switched to an expensive cable he heard improvements, but when he switched back to the cheap one, he also heard improvements because the brain switches from “music enjoyment mode” to “analytical mode.” Following this logic, which I agree with, wouldn’t blind testing, or any A/B testing be compromised because our brains are always in analytical mode and therefore feeding us inaccurate data? Seems to me you need to relax for a few hours at least and listen to a variety of music before your brain can accurately assess whether something is an actual improvement.  Perhaps A/B testing is a strawman argument, because the human brain is not a spectrum analyzer.  We are too affected by our biases to come up with any valid data.  Maybe. 

chayro

Showing 1 response by artemus_5

@chayro 

Great topic. You have accurately described the problems which arise when trying to assess a new component. IMO the next step is to find ways to overcome the biases and desires of our mindset. Lets face it, when we spend $1, 2, 5, 8K on an upgrade we want a return on our investment. And if one isn't there, we can easily fool ourselves into believing it IS there. I've done it. And I suspect many others have done so as well.

But you and others have given the answer to the problem. @spenav  has described my (and others) method saying,

It takes me months to assess a new piece of hardware and I usually won’t know until I remove it and see if I missed it.

This seems to be the method of you and most every poster so far. I  don't take months to assess an item as others have said, but weeks for me. And like spenav,

I usually won’t know until I remove it and see if I missed it.

That, for me, is the key. I believe it is easier to see or hear what we've missed than to hear what was gained, though that is in a mental database for comparison