I don't often enter audio forums anymore, but 83 pages arguing about fuses spurred me to comment.
I observe a consistent and repeated process here where the thread begins with someone reporting on the efficacy of some product.
The process goes something like this:
Evidence presented: Listening test provides positive qualitative listening experience. Someone denies this could be true and provides theories as to why this it couldn't be so. Those that hear positive difference provide theories as to why it can be so. Result is conflict.
In order to resolve conflict we need proof, therefore, we need to seek truth.
The immediate problem at this point in discussion, prior to determining truth, is that evidence and theories combined are perceived as truth. In reality they are only beliefs, humans commonly conflate belief with truth.
And so now you mostly hear believers arguing about truth ad nauseum, 83 pages and counting on this thread! Beliefs harden, being right takes the place of truth seeking.
So, the question is, can we get past the belief arguments, can we accept that we don't yet know the truth? Or are we forever stuck in opposing beliefs because we conflate belief and truth?
Now, getting to truth in audio and the listening experience. Wow, that takes many mountain ranges to climb! The truth of qualitative judgements is about so much more than just equipment and component parts. The unique qualities of individual humans enter into the picture. The complexity of all these associations boggles the mind.
Ultimately, I've come to greatly doubt that my experience and/or qualitative judgements can transcend my subjectivity. My audio system and my own human qualities make me totally unique. I don't know that I can give any assurances that what I hear is what you will hear.
Finally, I admit to being a believer, I don't know the truth about how or why equipment and all it's component parts sound different. I would just say I am a believer with an open mind.
I hear the differences in almost everything I've ever placed into my many audio systems over the years. I've changed out component parts so many times over the years, parts like Duelund capacitors, Texas Components TX2575 resistors, Dexa discrete op amps and regulators deserve special mention. And yes, I do hear differences in power cords, IC's, speaker wire, AC power cleansers, room treatments, etcetera, and yes, I even hear differences in fuses!
And so this fuse thing seems very deja vu to me. I'm old enough to remember Stereo Review, which promoted an objectivist worldview, they assumed one could know all important measure parameters, and these measurements were responsible for the small qualitative differences in sound quality. Solid state measured relatively well and was assumed to be superior to tube equipment. This was a common belief at that time, nearly everyone had SS equipment, tube equipment manufacturers were nearly nonexistent, its amazing to think that Stereo Review very nearly killed off tubes (group think anyone). Well, I was young, I bought into it, and then I heard my first tube amplifier in a nice setup, first time I heard an illusion of real performers from an audio system. The measurables didn't correlate with Stereo Review dogma, this experience instantly killed that worldview for me. And about that time I started reading Stereophile, wow, I remember the letters and all the arguments from the objectivists, very contentious times. And I also remember these same objectivist arguments about interconnects, power cords, AC cleansers. And now these products are commonly accepted as proven things and/or truths. Are the principles they operate under fully understood, or are they now only commonly accepted beliefs? I suspect fuses are on the same path as all of the above.
Ultimately, I don't think we can ever get past belief in the audio realm. We could try by knowing every single measurable and how it pertains to sound, and we could have some sort of listening artificial intelligence device that could replicate human hearing. But we would still lack the objectivity to replicate any one individual's mind processes. Listening to music through an audio system is certainly a psychological, sociological and perhaps metaphysical experience. It seems we are all relegated to being believers, and furthermore, lack the empathetic capacity to judge other's listening experience. Fuses make positive change for some, nothing for others. I know nothing of these people's unique experience with this product.
