Just Stop! - Posting Audio Clips on YouTube

@larsman in my view, that is the most powerful thing about comparing audio recordings, it is a more precise and reliable method than the use of fleeting aural memory.

@carlos269  fair enough. But the whole topic seems akin to complaining about the color of a house in a neighborhood across town. Just don’t drive by that street.  So yes, I find that odd. And to be sure had I known what this post was about I would have driven down a different street .  I promise I won’t be back on this one!

That’s an interesting question. My initial reaction was the same—I thought using YouTube to demonstrate or compare high-end audio was pretty ridiculous, and I still don’t think it’s a reliable way to seriously evaluate components.

That said, I’ve softened on it. Many of my customers watch these videos and genuinely find them helpful, and some say they do hear differences. Because of that, I’ve started sending short recordings privately to customers. Just yesterday, I sent a clip of a system with a sub and then without it, and the difference was very easy to hear—something the customer immediately confirmed. I’ve also had cases where a customer could recognize differences between two amplifiers. I could clearly hear it in person, but he could hear it in the video as well. I didn’t give any hints or clues—I simply sent the clips and he was able to articulate what I could here in my room. 

Is it ideal? No. Is it a replacement for in-room listening? Absolutely not. But I do think these recordings can convey certain things like spatial cues, imaging changes, and especially bass presence. Used with the right expectations, they can still have some value.

Wait until he discovers the "Rate my system" or "how’d i do" threads in the audio subforums on reddit. 

Meh, I find it fun and even informative and entertaining. On my desktop system, differences are often easily heard when they use top notch mics, setups etc.. You don't hear the differences at all? Bummer.