2. misc-audio
  3. 175682-1635

Amir and Blind Testing

Let me start by saying I like watching Amir from ASR, so please let’s not get harsh or the thread will be deleted. Many times, Amir has noted that when we’re inserting a new component in our system, our brains go into (to paraphrase) “analytical mode” and we start hearing imaginary improvements. He has reiterated this many times, saying that when he switched to an expensive cable he heard improvements, but when he switched back to the cheap one, he also heard improvements because the brain switches from “music enjoyment mode” to “analytical mode.” Following this logic, which I agree with, wouldn’t blind testing, or any A/B testing be compromised because our brains are always in analytical mode and therefore feeding us inaccurate data? Seems to me you need to relax for a few hours at least and listen to a variety of music before your brain can accurately assess whether something is an actual improvement.  Perhaps A/B testing is a strawman argument, because the human brain is not a spectrum analyzer.  We are too affected by our biases to come up with any valid data.  Maybe. 

chayro
invalid
1,200 posts
 

How could anyone be a member at audio science review for over 20 years when they were established in 2016

prof
3,474 posts
 

invalid, my subsequent post mentioned it was a typo.  See the correction.

invalid
1,200 posts
 

Okay sorry

prof
3,474 posts
 

What people like @Prof are ignoring is that according to PS Audio, the fake science site (my term) measured the wrong AC output. Has anyone seen them publish a revision or retraction?

 

I’m not ignoring anything: it seems you who is leaping to uninformed conclusions.

Did you not see that Amirm did a follow up review taking on all the issues that cropped up after the first one?

The problem wasn’t Amirm; it was that PS Audio’s own user manual made no mention of a difference between the ports, that one was limited in any way, and Amirm did what any user would be likely to do: use the port labelled ’High Current" for their amps. Nobody could fault Amirm for not knowing information PS Audio themselves didn’t think to put in the user manual! In fact it was due to Amirm’s review in the first place that PS Audio customers are now alerted to the fact plugging their amp in the High Current outlet can reduce amplifier power!  That's not info PS Audio was telling their customers for that model!

Then Paul came out saying Amirm should apologize for the mistake...while Paul himself was stating misinformation about he product (as shown by Amirm’s measurements) and Paul later admitted screwing up.

In any case Amirm DID take all the brew-haha to heart and did a follow up review addressing the criticisms. Spoiler alert - still no sign the PS Audio device would do what it claims for the *sound* of most amps:

 

prof
3,474 posts
 

No problem, invalid.  It's just that I couldn't go back and fix the typo in the original.

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