Amir and Blind Testing

I remember reading somewhere (and now I forget where) that A/B testing relies on our short term memory, which isn't the best method.

Relying on short term memory could prove problematic for certain individuals in some demographics.

Would you mind repeating your question?  I had to think about it.

He also knew that a new piece of equipment might sound spectacular at the onset, only to become fatiguing after a few hours or even days, no matter how "good" the measured data were.

This fatigue aspect is an issue with audio.. Not just with audio, but I digress.

This is where describing measurements as good, bad, or anything else is incorrect. It is data.

What can be read into the data matters.

The characteristics of amplification which contribute to fatigue may be measured and therefore predicted.

You mention THD amongst other things - yes, and some aspects are pleasing, and others are grating to the brain. (And some serve to mask certain issues in the recording process, but that’s another topic).

This is perhaps one reason why measurements are preferred over blind testing..

As for blind testing, however messy it is even at the best of times, I would lower the threshold to exclude the enjoyment or pleasing factor. Does it sound different? is a more realistic objective.

Measurements provided by Amir indicate to me which bits of gears I may or may not enjoy owning. Others have different preferences. The data in itself is neither good or bad - it is information.

Amir is the high priest of the ASR cult.

Years ago, they were militantly claiming that changes to the power supply of dvd/blu-ray players could not possibly have any effect on the video output, because bits are bits and the power supply does not effect the bits.

It was a theoretical argument, which was easily disproven by doing any changes from SMPS to LPS, which on the meter would measure visible changes in brightness levels, let alone color measurement differences and detail improvements.

Amir and co were also proclaiming Bybee devices would have no effect whatsoever on audio. Then one of them actually measured them, and the Bybee devices were reducing distortion. So did they admit they were wrong? Of course not, Amir just immediately moved the goalposts to saying the measured reduction could not possibly be audible, and then demanded double blind tests as proof the Bybee did anything. Then they got embarrassed and quickly locked the thread on their forums so it would move off the 1st page.

That’s who Amir and ASR are, they are measurement cultists, but with an utter arrogance regarding things they know nothing about but pretend to understand.

If I want my TV ISF calibrated, sure Amir or someone like him is the first person I would ask, but for everything else in this hobby be very wary about their proclaimed expertise.

Amir is the high priest 

He is also a French-Israeli singer and songwriter.  A man of many talents.

The psychology of hearing is a huge subject, upon which many books have been written.

It may help audiophiles to deploy passive listening techniques when auditioning new gear. With the new component in my system, I play a recording at the normal volume for my taste, then go into the next door room and read a book about a completely different topic to audio or music. If my attention is diverted from the reading, to the music, by something that my brain has not identified before, then the new component may be contributing something interesting.

I deployed this technique when I purchased my last DAC five years ago. I auditioned 6 DAC's and only one lifted my head from the book I was reading. I still have that DAC in my system today.

Happy auditioning!