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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
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jallan
253 posts
 

I don’t understand Amir’s argument. I have huge experience listening, and I have a good idea about the perceptive ability to hear things, as I was an audio salesman for awhile.

 I hear differences in my system immediately after putting a new piece of equipment in. More or less details, differing tonal balance or emphasis in certain frequencies. Where the differences are small and thus difficult to ascertain (as when I auditioned the original Audience AU24 interconnect against the Audioquest King Cobra, each providing similar slightly warm tonal balance with similar detail), I don’t fret about it.

 

 I thought Amir went off the rails when he reviewed Schiit equipment, claiming that their products were dangerous. I don’t read him.

reven6e
44 posts
 

Dear Noske, Alexander Dumas once said something very wise: all generalisations are dangerous, including this one. If I am uncomfortable about something, it’s some guru telling people there is no spoon and capitalism is rotten. That is Amir. 

He believes that he has nailed what over fifty years of audio science have failed to grasp: that numbers tell the whole story. He believes, no he knows, that if he can’t measure a claim, it’s a lie. He knows there is no difference because his software and pro audio equipment (anybody uses that at home, by the way?) tells him so. Therefore there can be no difference. And although he concedes he can hear a difference, he tries to validate his thesis with a ridiculous mumbo jumbo of Matrix references, neuroscience and psychology.
 

If this is where you belong, enjoy the comfort of half truths. 

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/do-audiophile-network-switches-make-a-difference-video.20316/
 

 

ticat's avatar
ticat
322 posts
 

Maybe the ASR guy can explain to me why my all tube, all analog, electrostatic speaker, 2 channel system sounds  better than my SS, digital based, conventional box/driver HT system. The specs and measurements are BETTER on the SS system...?

Not one person who has ever heard both would say the HT sounds better (to them).

Should invite him over for some vinyl time???

Yeah...Nah...

emailists
922 posts
 

It appears that the fake science site are such complete amateurs that they measured the wrong AC output port on their recent power conditioner “review” according to Paul McGowen, who said they should issue a retraction for their shoddy work.

I call it the “idiot with an analyzer” phenomenon, but psychologists have a term for this kind of limited intelligence masquerading as knowledge.

“Dunning-Kruger effect, in psychology, a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general.”

 

reven6e
44 posts
 

Currently it is an LLC (Audio Science Review LLC, registered in Washington State). It is not setup as a non-profit with respect to IRS so unfortunately your donations are not tax deductible. Worse yet, I have to pay taxes on them.

Edit: I am highlighting this as there still seems to be some confusion about this.

I stand corrected. There are no ads on their forum or YouTube channel. However please see above. In other words the website does generate revenue (profit). 

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