Objectivity without measurements

[PYP]

On 2/22/2020 at 5:47 PM, hopkins said:

A very simple way to have an "objective" point of view about the effect of component changes in a system is to simply test those changes with someone who has no interest in audio systems.

 

That would be my wife.  Has no interest in equipment and certainly doesn't want to encourage further purchases.  But I can always tell her opinion of the sound:  "Did you change something?" = very bad (component inevitably gets returned); "Could you lower the volume, please?" = bad change; "That is a lovely song, could you turn that up?" = very good (component stays in place).  

 

I once asked her to do a blind test with speaker cables.  She absolutely hated it, but quickly chose the one that I preferred too.  Last time we did the blind test.  I just wait for her casual comments now.  I'm not claiming scientific certainty here, just a happy wife (and you know the saying about that).  Luckily, our preferences are very close and the mutual aim is to forget the gear and enjoy the music, together and alone (my listening sessions are at a higher volume  ).  

 

When I installed a diffuser, she liked the look of it so that was a good first step.  Later, she really enjoyed the music.  When I told here I was going to paint the diffuser to match the room, she said:  "Will that change the sound?  If so, don't do it."  She is a keeper.  

[PYP]

28 minutes ago, mfsoa said:

Really guys, you've never had experiences like this? Like you had to place a long cheap cable in your system that you forgot about and then for some unknown reason your system sounds off, only to be restored when the correct cable is reinserted?

 

LOL, I have.  Many years ago I just had to have a power cord that was the flavor of the month.  Immediately after plugging in the new cord, my wife asked if I changed anything.  Days later, she asked if I liked the change (and I noticed she wasn't listening to our system as she had been).  I had to admit that I didn't and returned the pc.  Once the old pc was in place, she started to listen to music again.  That is just one of numerous examples.  Luckily, our listening preferences are the same:  natural/organic and like live music.  The recorded human voice can tell you about whether a given change is positive in less than one minute.  

[PYP]

I must admit that hearing this broken record many times caused me some angst in the past (being someone who feels compelled to reconcile differences).  But with all the uncertainty these days, I'm finding this "discussion" comforting today.  At least you know what is going to be said and that the two perspectives won't agree in the end.  At some point, the curve gets flattened and the thread dissipates.  May it be so with COVID-19!  

 

Where does this discussion leave pragmatists?  Just couldn't leave it alone today....