Empirical Evidence?...the gap between subjective and objective


As a curious music guy without science background, I stand in awe and gratitude for audio's accomplishments in the last half-century.  From Julian Hirsch's "Stereo Review" to the here and now, Julian's measurements calling the shots vs "trust your ears."  I solidly embrace both camps.  Hard science gets us close, then the loosening of emotions in guiding us home.

Some years ago, I stood on a lower Manhattan Street corner, absorbing the cacophony.  Surrounded by moving objects, sirens, vendors, helicopters, humanity...how can 2 channel replicate this?  A distant friend with the pockets to chase high-end surround, smiles.   More importantly, how could that experience be measured and compared with any degree of accuracy?  "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."  Thoughts? 

More Peace, Pin

pinthrift

He told me that he did, in fact, hear clear differences in power amplifiers, but that he did not value the differences as significant in the context of an audio system.

Interesting ... It is my opinion also but i am way less knowledgeable than Julian Hirsch for sure in audio system evaluation...

For me the difference between piece of gear for sure exist but the acoustic and psycho-acoustic environment are at least on the same footing and most of the times exceed them...

 

This is a point that I and others have brought up before in similar threads. I truly believe that a lot of objectivists who argue here can hear the differences that others do and simply dismiss them as insignificant.

The underlying reasons are not important. What is, is that they are dealing in bad faith.

i think you judge too hastily...

Ignorance and/or different perspectives by different people are not most of the times expression of "bad faith"...

Accusing people dont help here...Understanding is better because acoustic experience is not anyway simplistic matter at all...

In a word  "subjective gear fetichism " or "objective tool/gear fetichism"  are fetichism and ignorance of the nature of acoustic experience, not "bad faith" they express legitimate perspectives disconnected from the other complementary perspective...

It is not  so much political oppositions here, but instead different perspectives excluding the other...Then ignorance more than "bad faith"...

 

Giving an image instead of an answer will do only for children...

It is very popular now to think by associating "bubbles" in the head instead of articulating ideas and reasons...

Do you think it is in your favor?

An emotional reaction is not enough in discussion...

I can send you also a sarcastic "image" and my remark about your judgement will then disintegrate in a mere child play...

Are you able to discuss? or just to class people in two groups: bad faith one and good one ?

The fact that you think my remark is an "attack" instead of an instance or an occasion of a possible dialogue speak more about your attitude here than about me...

 

By the way who is the psychopathic "joker" here which is unable to discuss and who answer by desesperate gesture ?

You see sometimes sarcasm is a mirror....

 

 

To resume the point under discussion, most people here in audiogon are not of " bad faith" but take position that does not make sense in the long run to understand  audio experience ...

It is only so because they focus their attention mainly  on the gear, subjectively with their ears, or objectively with analysing tools, but the necessity to CORRELATE subjective perception and objective measures and dispostion in the room  dont appear to them like it is : the foundation of acoustic and psycho-acoustic experience and experiments...

 

 

 

 

 

There's my way (short and succinct), and then there's your way,

All the best,
Nonoise