Did you ever realize that you can easily discern sound quality differences on most of these numerous audiophile a/b device comparisons over @
Many of you are well aware about the endless discussions around audiophile listening skills (golden ears), double-blind-testing-with-nobody-would hear-a-difference results and of course our scientific
measurement friends who simply refuse to accept any sound difference if the (their) measurements won't show it. Measurements beyond any audible thresholds...
Golden Ears are usually pushed into defense caused by the lack of hard proof.
Now. Youtube is a place where I'd be very careful what stuff to trust. You'll find a lot of crap out there.
However. Over a Youtube you can also find numerous videos showing audio equipment, cable, fuse and whatever tweak comparisons that show clearly and obvious A/B sound differences.
Would or should you accept such a video as proof of anything!?!?
The interesting thing is. These videos don't even need to be produced with top-of-the-class video/audio recording equipment. These videos still show more than obvious A/B differences.
Even on rather mediocre recordings and with entry level earplugs on my side (I use a $15 headset) hooked up to your smartphone, you can easily tell cable A from cable B, fuse A from fuse B, device A from B whatever that comparison is all about, apart.
Here's an example (just one out of many)
You'd of course not be able to realize the absolute quality and sound performance of an audio system.
That'd be impossible. And that's not the point and intention.
The point is:
You can clearly and objectively identify "a change" on an audio system within these Youtube videos.
And that independent of what overall quality level that audio system under test exhibits. And - fun-fact - not just "a" change can be identified. IMO quite often you can easily say if the performance got better or worse. So what!?!? I do not know any audiophile, who doesn't want to improve the system. You can use all these videos simply as supporting material, a trigger to start your own investigations and projects or simply to shut up these ignorant folks out there. All that - to me - clearly underlines once more the fact that there's a huge (in audiophile terms) difference between test-tone measurements and related conclusions and real world music playback situations.
You basically need both, the measurement and the listening.
And you need serious listening. I do highly question many of these measurement-only prophets, if they are willing to run objective listening tests. What if they hear a difference they haven't measured?Something like that that would prove them wrong. Would prove their whole philosophy wrong.
There is a way out for them.
Simply consider these Youtube videos - peer reviews. Peer reviews of these partially misleading measurements and related conclusions. A real scientist would, would have to, start to try to explain what the obvious and proven difference (measurements vs. audition) is all about. Yep. Real scientists would feel challenged to get it all explained.
Bottom line.
I do consider these Youtube videos quite useful in proving an audiophile point.
They clearly show that measurements alone won't tell the whole truth.
The videos also animate to look into and evolve your own system. Sometimes with minor efforts.
And yes, these videos also show what a difference a simple fuse can make.
I think it's fair to conclude: Fellow Golden Ears - keep trusting your ears!
...and talk about it.
As engineer myself, I don't give up the hope that one day the measurements folks out there are able to tell us what the differences many people hear is all about.
Enjoy.
PS: This post (a slight variation) I posted initially over @ Audio Asylum btw. . I thought it's worth to put it on the blog
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