Knowledge is defined as a consensus of collective observations. That said, there will be apparent anomalies within said observations. While there are laws of physics that are considered to be absolute, they themselves have been turned upside down upon occasion. One example as discussed (loosely) here relates to system synergies. While there are certain generally agreed upon "laws" of music reproduction, thinking they are found in every audio system everywhere in the same fashion is ludicrous.
One "proof" of this would be that certain speakers give different results in different systems - or even two (or more) owners of the exact same systems may hear said speakers differently from the other. In another, some hold that tube based gear reacts differently with other components than solid state gear does and that within the tube based gear universe, certain tubes give different audible results than others. Yet no one credible shouts snake oil at these observations.
In conclusion, we all hear music differently, due to age, experiences, quality of equipment, etc etc. For someone to make a blanket statement that someone cannot possibly hear what they hear in their system without hearing the system themselves before and after, and certainly not having the exact same ears, aural experiences etc, is laughable. A comparison would be someone claiming I couldn’t possibly have the flavor profile I experience drinking a particular wine essentially because their interpretation of it differs. Someone with more experience than myself would necessarily have different viewpoints of high end systems or expensive wines than I. Consensus might hold that their observations are more or less valid than mine. Because no two humans have exactly the same sensory apparatus, combined with differing experiences, declaring absolute right and wrong is impossible - everything is relative.
One "proof" of this would be that certain speakers give different results in different systems - or even two (or more) owners of the exact same systems may hear said speakers differently from the other. In another, some hold that tube based gear reacts differently with other components than solid state gear does and that within the tube based gear universe, certain tubes give different audible results than others. Yet no one credible shouts snake oil at these observations.
In conclusion, we all hear music differently, due to age, experiences, quality of equipment, etc etc. For someone to make a blanket statement that someone cannot possibly hear what they hear in their system without hearing the system themselves before and after, and certainly not having the exact same ears, aural experiences etc, is laughable. A comparison would be someone claiming I couldn’t possibly have the flavor profile I experience drinking a particular wine essentially because their interpretation of it differs. Someone with more experience than myself would necessarily have different viewpoints of high end systems or expensive wines than I. Consensus might hold that their observations are more or less valid than mine. Because no two humans have exactly the same sensory apparatus, combined with differing experiences, declaring absolute right and wrong is impossible - everything is relative.
