Blind Testing is Dead - Long live My Wallet testing.

Right on Erik!

Tom

cd318"if these esteemed reviewers with all of their years and years of listening and critically evaluating equipment cannot reach a clear evaluation through blind testing then we are forced to conclude that either the differences are so subliminal as to hardly be worth the bother or there aren't any."

I am in no way forced, compelled, or inclined to reach this conclusion that you state because I am not subject to the two logical fallacies you have committed hear in one sentence!

" subliminal differences are of little use to most of us audiophiles, but blind evaluation must always reveal major ones"

This is an opinion stated as fact yet another logical fallacy!

" In cases where home auditioning is impossible perhaps we need to go back to evaluating and buying gear on specifications once more? If you know how to read them they can tell you at a glance a lot more than some lilly livered critic ever will"

You cannot judge a book by it's cover or a Music Reproduction System component or accessory based on measurements alone this has been repeatedly, reliably, and consistently shown, demonstrated, and revealed.

Truel. true. the wallet delivers the final verdict.

but, blind listening is not dead!

trust me on that one.

my recent visit to an audio Show offered a few ways to examine, listen, investigate, and or ‘value/appraise’ its various exhibitions.

I could ask right off what is being demonstrated front to back, top to bottom, then get quite attentive and decide how to judge each demo.
 
I chose only to find out the brand of the speakers and then, which amp (s) were driving them.

if the demo was one that reached out and grabbed me, then I would get more details.

entering every room was for me, a real blind audition.

of all the folks here esthetics should not be much of or at all, a biggie for me when deciding between pieces of audio gear.

but it is….

this is mostly with racks and speakers, not so much with the electronics per se.

but there is only one way to note the influence or input of any device within an audio system and that is to know the system itself prior to exchanging ANY facet within it.

otherwise, the only known value of any outfit which can be remarked upon sanely will be the system’s loud speakers.

all other anecdotal feedback, input, articles, press, blogs are incidentals, asides, humourous or otherwise are instances of time well or poorly wasted.

the only thing I extract from published notes on this or that device or accessory might be to see what ever commonalities are contained in the various judgements.

its plain testy and difficult to perfectly setup ‘blind’ testing of a particular device to begin with, though with some effort and within some reasonableness it can be done so at least the broadest strokes of change can be unearthed by the listeners.. .

Many here have made a choice based mostly on faith when procuring their next piece for their stereo system.

so then it is quite true that at times even ‘blind wallets’ will buy the next gizmo.

@blindjim, "but there is only one way to note the influence or input of any device within an audio system and that is to know the system itself prior to exchanging ANY facet within it.

otherwise, the only known value of any outfit which can be remarked upon sanely will be the system’s loud speakers."

Many already believe that loudspeakers are where virtually all sound quality differences can be easily found. Easy to hear differences 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by anyone with an interest in audio or not. No golden ears required whatsoever.

Hence there's little interest in blind testing for amplifiers, CD players, cables, DACs etc because they are practically undetectable by the acutest scientific measuring devices, let alone a human ear.

Other mechanical transducers such as turntables, arms, cartridges, and headphones on the other hand do still have easily demonstrable differences in sound quality whether tested blind or sighted.

In time these too will diminish no doubt. Already a good $300 headphone is awfully close to $3000 one. 

There should be no need to be afraid of blind testing unless of course it's true that high end audio all too often likes to dress up in the emperors new clothes.

Can any of my readers imagine a world where we double blind test a T-shirt, or a car?

That's also part of what's going wrong here. :)


At the same time, are some cables and accessories over priced for their technical merit? Sure, but let me show you my watches. My most accurate is a Seiko solar / quartz, but it is by no means the most expensive I own.

Best,
E