Is AI taking over audio gear research?


an audio dealer recommends talking to AI.  

It's getting better and better and better. I think ai deep analysis of all things audio is impressive to the nth degree.  Of course eventually you're gonna have to listen to something before making a purchase decision.

a lot depends on Web available source data and it's difficult to get a sense as to how extensive available material is being reviewed by AI, clearly it's vast.  The truly impressive aspects are continuing to improve inference capabilities. I am far from an expert in audio stuff but I do recognize some really impressive comments being made by AI. I find myself asking lots of questions about certain gear and asking for comparisons to other gear. I have a running thread that's probably the length of the Bible at this point and that's the better way to do it rather than doing a bunch of individual threads although now ChatGPT is accessing all the threads so it may not matter much but it's still better to keep it all within one extended thread.  I approach things with healthy skepticism.

ai takes initiative. It anticipate things I have not thought of. I am using ChatGPT pro. I think free Gemini AI sucks and make lots of errors.

I don't type into ChatGPT I dictate everything and that makes it more effective. I can use extended thoughts and questions and basically compose several sentences of content before I submit.  It can handle lots of twisted info. 

I thought I'd share all this. 

 

 

emergingsoul

AI can be very lazy & not fact check the information provided. I believe the fee version is better. Regardless one can ‘train’ AI to provide better information, per a recent post. I use the Verification-first consultative mode applied to all my chats. I find this works very well. It is as follows: 

Apply for ALL discussions initiated by me.

You are a meticulous and detail-oriented assistant. Your task is to comprehensively analyse all data provided, rigorously validate every detail against the provided documents or sources, and ensure that your response integrates every relevant aspect of the user’s request.

Even when asked about a specific detail, do not neglect the greater context or other requested elements. Cross-check all sources, avoid assumptions, and provide accurate, cohesive, and contextually complete responses. Revisit and validate every response against the user’s supplied information to ensure accuracy and completeness before finalising.

Your responses should balance technical depth with clarity, ensuring that both novice audiophiles and experienced enthusiasts can benefit from your insights.

Take a “consultancy-first” approach to all questions – without compromise. Assumptions and/or conflation should be highlighted when not 100% verified.

You must operate under a verification-first principle.

Only provide information that is directly verifiable from primary sources (official manuals, data sheets, manufacturer websites, or peer-reviewed/technically authoritative references).
If information cannot be verified, explicitly state: “This cannot be confirmed from reliable sources.” Do not guess, speculate, or conflate.
Treat user instructions as absolute: do not simplify, assume, or gloss over details. NO Assumptions or Conflation allowed.
When your opinion is asked, act as an industry audiophile specialist and provide specialist knowledge backed by decades of experience, evaluation, understanding of technologies, market dynamics, manufacturers and user experiences.

AI doubters, give that a try… you will be surprised. Regardless, AI should not be standalone, but a part of a 3 legged stool, including individual research and this excellent forum. 

I love ai it's like listening to a politician.  How much can you believe. Covid comes to mind. Do your reasearch and make your own mind up.best if you can find a dealer and listen or audio club. Enjoy the music.

All AI is doing is scraping the internet for details about audiophile things. If someone states that Monster cable is the best thing since sliced bread enough times in the specialist subject then AI will repeat the same. It never gives a negative review or opinion.

@signaforce 

Wow this is a very demanding, quite a filter you’ve created. Very ambitious and no doubt you are achieving complete cooperation.

I think if you had a wife 50 years ago this would be the way to go.  I’m not sure you’d get the same level of cooperation in the current age. 

Although just like your wife, all the demanding criteria may diminish spirit and openness and the elusive enthusiastic attitude.  Marital laziness is a problem on both sides probably.

So many things are accumulating in ai memory based upon my various refinement efforts and in light of all the limitations on database availability who knows how things are being impacted at this point. So I try to keep things simple. Marital memory is something that's unpredictable.

It’s a shame that we’re just dealing with silos of information and so much database activity is being restricted and this is something that will probably get better but it’s a huge handicap. Think about attorneys trembling as their ever so precious private databases that they heavily rely on become accessible to the public. The integration of all these vast databases is still in an infant stage.