@uberwaltz,
I’m glad to hear you are an EE, but you should know that is no protection from fooling yourself.
The whole insight of the scientific enterprise is how easy we are to fool, no matter how earnest. Remember the always relevant Richard Feynman quote: "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool."
This is why a good scientist employs the type of double-checking protocols like blind/double-blind testing, scrutiny by others trying to prove you wrong, replicatability /predictability of experiments, reduction of variables, etc. A scientist is just as easy to fool through bias and loose protocols as anyone else.
This is why simply being an EE is no firewall against your own susceptibility to bias effects.
@nonoise
Yes I have seen it. (Recently, in fact). And it is an example of exactly what I said to uberwaltz. McGowan’s experience making audio equipment in no way insulates him from the very same bias issues that affect any other human. Insofar as he "tests" for sonic differences with lax protocol, of the anecdotal kind he describe in "hearing" the sonic difference between fuses, he is a susceptible to flawed inferences like any other person. Thus his saying "I heard a difference" is no different than any other audiophile saying the same, given the same unreliable method was used to make this inference.
Fascinating. I did not see that in this very long thread. Would you have a link?
Note that this type of evidence is conspicuously missing for the vast majority of audiophile tweaks I’m talking about, including most AC cable claims.
So I would like to see the evidence you mention. And of course, even if there is a variation, the question remains open as to whether it amounted to an audible difference, and if the test for this was sighted...well...that just keeps it in the realm of problematic that I’m talking about.
And before you ask, yes I AM a working EE but do NOT believe that science has the answer for everything or can explain all.
I’m glad to hear you are an EE, but you should know that is no protection from fooling yourself.
The whole insight of the scientific enterprise is how easy we are to fool, no matter how earnest. Remember the always relevant Richard Feynman quote: "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool."
This is why a good scientist employs the type of double-checking protocols like blind/double-blind testing, scrutiny by others trying to prove you wrong, replicatability /predictability of experiments, reduction of variables, etc. A scientist is just as easy to fool through bias and loose protocols as anyone else.
This is why simply being an EE is no firewall against your own susceptibility to bias effects.
@nonoise
Have you seen the video or read the posting of PS Audio’s Paul McGowan stating that fuses do make a difference though he can’t explain why?
Yes I have seen it. (Recently, in fact). And it is an example of exactly what I said to uberwaltz. McGowan’s experience making audio equipment in no way insulates him from the very same bias issues that affect any other human. Insofar as he "tests" for sonic differences with lax protocol, of the anecdotal kind he describe in "hearing" the sonic difference between fuses, he is a susceptible to flawed inferences like any other person. Thus his saying "I heard a difference" is no different than any other audiophile saying the same, given the same unreliable method was used to make this inference.
All tweaks can’t be conflated. If you’ve been following this thread, someone made an audio waveform copy of the same system with two different power conditioners and there was more info on one than the other. That slight trace of sound was distinguishable enough to recognize the music being played and it added to it, for the better.
Fascinating. I did not see that in this very long thread. Would you have a link?
Note that this type of evidence is conspicuously missing for the vast majority of audiophile tweaks I’m talking about, including most AC cable claims.
So I would like to see the evidence you mention. And of course, even if there is a variation, the question remains open as to whether it amounted to an audible difference, and if the test for this was sighted...well...that just keeps it in the realm of problematic that I’m talking about.