@geoffkait Nice post. I am struck by the angry responses from those who disagree with something YOU are hearing. Only I truly know what my ears are perceiving as I listen. In the same way, I can't disprove what you or anyone else is hearing. Whether it can be measured or not is immaterial to me. I'm not listening through a set of scientific measurements but rather the elegantly designed human ear. All of our chemistry is different. There are so many different human variables at play.
I can and have heard sonic differences as cables burn-in. Period. If someone else hasn't it doesn't invalidate my experience.
On a personal note, I have always had highly sensitive ears. Example...as a kid, there was a department store in a nearby town that I didn't enter because the florescent lights gave off a high pitched whine that I found very annoying. Because of my awareness of the sensitivity of my hearing I have endeavored to protect it. Any activity I engage in that involves a loud persistent noise, ie. vacuuming, mowing weed whacking etc. I wear ear plugs.
On the flip side of that I have a suppressed sense of smell and unfortunately, taste. I would never critique someone's cooking or wine selection because I know that those two senses for me are compromised. It's just who I am.
If there are audiophiles who truly cannot hear cables burn-in or other difficult to perceive sonic events, that may just be them. And that's fine. It doesn't mean they can't be discerning listeners and comment intelligently on the hobby.
In closing, perhaps we all have to be a bit more cognizant of our personal uniqueness and accept that, rather than get angry that we're not all alike.
I can and have heard sonic differences as cables burn-in. Period. If someone else hasn't it doesn't invalidate my experience.
On a personal note, I have always had highly sensitive ears. Example...as a kid, there was a department store in a nearby town that I didn't enter because the florescent lights gave off a high pitched whine that I found very annoying. Because of my awareness of the sensitivity of my hearing I have endeavored to protect it. Any activity I engage in that involves a loud persistent noise, ie. vacuuming, mowing weed whacking etc. I wear ear plugs.
On the flip side of that I have a suppressed sense of smell and unfortunately, taste. I would never critique someone's cooking or wine selection because I know that those two senses for me are compromised. It's just who I am.
If there are audiophiles who truly cannot hear cables burn-in or other difficult to perceive sonic events, that may just be them. And that's fine. It doesn't mean they can't be discerning listeners and comment intelligently on the hobby.
In closing, perhaps we all have to be a bit more cognizant of our personal uniqueness and accept that, rather than get angry that we're not all alike.
