Is anyone willing to entertain the idea

No, but I'd be willing to entertain the idea that 50% of all 'audiophiles' really don't know how to listen for differences and identify them. And I'd also be willing to entertain the idea that many audiophile hear stuff because of the power of suggestion. But, frankly, just because you can't hear it, or it doesn't make sense to you doesn't mean its not real.

For example, our newest CLC devise which has been broadly discussed. Don't know/don't care, but FWIW I have a CD transport that when connected to the system thru a DAC and placed in standby (as well as 'on') creates a brightness which is intollerable in a 2nd CDP/DAC which is playing. All are filtered. Brightness only goes away when I disconnect the transport. Some how this transport is dumping something back into the electrical system. I really can't explain it - doesn't make much sense. Is that real? To me it is. Wanna buy a transport? :-)

So, IMHO, to balance those folks who can hear things that make no sense to others because of the power of suggestion, there are just as many who can't hear things because of a pre-disposition that they can't exist lacking a scientific explaination.

I think we do hear differences....... at least I know I do. The real issue to me is whether these differences that are claimed by the manufacturer/reviewer/dealer/etc. as advancements, that we the consumer should invest in, truly that or just differences...........

Example: is cable a)that costs 2k better than cable b)that costs $300? or, just different? Is this years speaker better than last, or just different enough to get a new big review in the latest magazine that say's to run out and buy it.

At least with last years model car you can see that the new one has more HP/better MPG, etc.

I guess, to me, it's just consumerism at it's best(worst, depending on your view).

Chris

the human power to differentiate between tiny gradations is enormous, but doing the comparison is where it gets tricky. take color, for example: people can see differences between incredibly close shades/tints if they are side by side, but not if seen in separate contexts. I would maintain that it's the same with audio: you need to be able to A/B so you're not relying on your memory of what your system/component sounded like before the change. why is this so contentious? if you have a system where you can go back and forth between two variables and you don't hear an 'improvement' (let's not even get into defining that), why waste your money? if you can hear a desired change, who cares if someone else tells you you're 'wrong'. it's your money and your system!

I know all the things that I could/should listen for and how to identify them, but the one test that never fails me is: do I hear things in well-known source material that I never heard before?