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I Just Don't Hear It - I wish I did

I am frustrated because I am an audiophile who cannot discern details from so many of the methods praised by other audiophiles. I joke about not having golden ears. That said, I can easily discern and appreciate good soundstage, image, balance, tone, timbre, transparency and even the synergy of a system. I am however unable to hear the improvements that result from, say a piece of Teflon tape or a $5.00 item from the plumbing aisle at Home Depot. Furthermore, I think it is grossly unfair that I must pay in multiples of one hundred, or even one thousand just to gain relatively slight improvements in transparency, detail, timbre soundstage, etc., when other audiophiles can gain the same level of details from a ten dollar tweak. In an effort to sooth my frustration, I tell myself that my fellow audiophiles are experiencing a placebo effect of some sort. Does anyone else struggle to hear….no wait; does anyone else struggle to comprehend how someone else can hear the perceived benefits gained by the inclusion of any number of highly touted tweaks/gimmicks (brass screws, copper couplers, Teflon tape, maple hardwood, racquet balls, etc.) I mean, the claims are that these methods actually result in improved soundstage, image, detail (“blacker backgrounds”), clarity, bass definition, etc.
Am I alone in my frustration here?
2chnlben
Post removed 
2chnlben OP
595 posts
 
Tvad - I appreciate your hopefulness, but as they say..."don't hold your breath!"

The worst part here, for me, is that I still buy/try the stuff (with limits - no footers costing $266/ea). At least, if I was experiencing the placebo effect, I wouldn't feel frustrated about the purchase.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
2chnlben, I am sorry that you are experiencing another placebo effect-not hearing real differences because of your perceptual bias.
sounds_real_audio
961 posts
 

I am kind of with "two channel ben" on this one. I hate stuff that makes small differences. I much prefer to hear big differences, much better cd player, big differences in cable etc. When I do make small additions or change things out I just let it play and listen for a couple of days and see if I like it. If it doesn't sound worse I leave it and usually after a time I can decide if it is better then it was. Typically those small incremental changes are slow death. In other words inching your way to a good sound. I rarely A & B those kind of changes with the exceptions for toe in and speaker placement.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,948 posts
 
Actually, I am like Sounds_real also on this.

I do not sweat changes that make small differences.

I have found some "tweaks" can make a big difference though, often similar in magnitude to a change from one good source or amp to another.

I don't know if I'd say I've ever heard a tweak make as much difference as can be had by changing speakers though.

Tweaks also have smaller downsides when they don't work out for the better than the other bigger changes.
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