Do equipment stands have an impact on electronics?

Borrowed from bluewolf on another thread:

"Ethan: Master, I would like you to teach me Zen.
Zen Master: I cannot do that.
Ethan: Why not? I will give you gold.
Zen Master: Tea?
Ethan: Sure.

The Zen Master placed a tea cup in front of the Ethan and began pouring until the cup was full, and continued pouring with the tea pouring onto the table.

Ethan: What are you doing? Stop! Are you mad?
Zen Master: This is why I cannot teach you. Your head is full.

Have you ever done tests like this? I have, many times. I wish more people would! Here’s one that plays a very nasty harsh noise under gentle classical music, and then under a synthesizer based pop tune:

http://ethanwiner.com/audibility.html

I first looked at that link 2-3 years ago.

IMO/IME, this is a good example of testing for the wrong thing!!

Done as this test is, it does not reveal the problem. I agree (obviously) that you don't hear the artifacts (**as I stated in my post above**); what you **do** hear is that the sound is brighter and harder than the source, because the ear/brain system converts the "inaudible" artifacts into tonality.

Because the tonality is caused by the ear's perception and not an actual FR error, it does not show up on the bench. Hence the objectivist/subjectivist debate and the need to understand how the ear works.

I'm not sure if you understand this, but its the tonality and the accompanying hardness to which audiophiles object.

atmasphere = Zen Master

No Ralph, my test is exactly right on the money. I'm sorry you can't see that. If you were here I'd play the various clips for you blind, and I am absolutely certain you would not be able to identify which clips are "clean" and which have the buried noise. Since you're far away, maybe someone reading this discussion who lives near me is brave enough to visit and let me test them blind. But I doubt that will happen either, because I've been offering such visits for many years. Even when they live only a few towns away they refuse, making up endless BS excuses. So this nonsense that an obvious A/B comparison is somehow invalid continues year after year.

Hey wait, I have an idea! Tell me if you agree before I spend the hour or so this will take: I'll prepare clips of the same two examples in my Audibility article, but they'll be longer and I won't tell you there the nasty noise starts and stops. I'll put them on my site and post the links, then you'll play the clips and tell me where you think the noise is present. Then I'll tell you if you're correct or not. If you fear I'd lie about the locations, I'll be glad to email the answers in advance to a disinterested third party. Deal?

Also, Ralph, I’ll be glad to entertain any test you care to describe that will prove you can hear what you claim. Please, let’s do this and settle it for once and for all. You owe it to your fans here to truly prove your case.