ARE AUDIOPHILES OVERLY SENSITIVE BY NATURE?FEELINGS AND OPINIONS?

@calvinj 

There are often a few layers that drive dissension. Most would agree that we each have unique :

• Hearing abilities 
• audio chains
• power quality
• ambient noise floors
• room conditions

Therefore our perceptions are different

However a few live by:

1. A emotional resentment to the perceived  unaffordability of high-end audio components. This emotional resentment closes minds, resists opposing views, stubbornness to consider other viewpoints. 
2. It’s wrong until proven right.  This is often from a fear of being wrong, and therefore resist from even trying - overly cautious.  They want to understand or more precisely get a “guarantee” that it works before trying.  High-end audio is usually best when one simply tries difficult combos to see what resonates with their subjective tastes/preferences.
3. Measurement audiophiles - likely/mostly related to #1 resentment.  Items that cannot be easily defined by measurements (cables, fuses, audiophile network switches) is their hot button. They cannot accept the higher price over regular components without some concrete justification, but manufacturers won’t reveal their R@D results and conclusions for business reasons.
4. My reasoning is universal truth
5. My perceptions are universal truth. This is false 

My belief about high-end audio:

1. if many say this is true, chances are if I try it in my own system I’ll “probably” get the same result. But nothing is guaranteed
2. Sonics are more important than measurements. Measurements alone do not tell if one subjectively likes the sonics vs other choices. Best to listen for yourself 
3. Different sonic presentations are valid- it’s a matter of preferences rather than superiority/inferiority. Some may like a 300b midrange magic, others want end-to-end linearity. Some like nearfield listening, others room filling.  

@kennyc you have the best answer yet.  I agree 100% you hit on everything! 

@kennyc  #calvin@calvinj 

1. "Sonics are more important than measurements. Measurements alone do not tell if one subjectively likes the sonics vs other choices. Best to listen for yourself "                                                                      I agree with this. In another recent thread, I had a disagreement with member @stager who happens to make and sell silver interconnects. I asked what the RCA's were made of and he said brass. I said that it would sound better if they were copper, and he tried to support his position with numbers showing the small difference between the two metals. Those numbers are true I'm sure, but I still know from experience as a listener that they sound different.

@roxy54 man I try to tell people all the time. Let your ears be the judge. Some things measure great and sound like crap.  I was the ear for our Infigo cable line. Made changes. Did most stuff by ear. 

@calvinj 

Yrs sir, numbers are numbers, and ears are ears.