Why is Double Blind Testing Controversial?

I think that double blind testing is essential. I have actually fooled myself. Upon receiving something new in the mail, I immediately hook it up, and am "astounded" by how much better it sounds that what it replaced. After a prolonged listen, and especially if I have my wife switch the component in and out, which is not double blind, but single blind, I find myself hitting it about 50/50, which means that I can't tell the difference. When we purchase some expensive tweak we badly want not to have lost our money that we justify it by things like, "less listener fatigue" or once long term break in has taken place it will fall into place. I've seen cables described as "a night and day difference" Well, while you're at work have someone switch one of them with out telling you which one, or even if nothing has been done. If it's night and day you'll spot it immediately.

It's amazing that anyone would find a totally objective and neutral testing method controversial.

Isn't it ironic that an uncolored and totally neutral audio system is the primary goal of audiophiles? Why are these qualities good for audio systems, but not for the methods used to test them?

A): The audible differences between cables is usually smaller than audiophiles report (though I believe they are there); and B): Short-term memory is indeed just a few moments long and not sufficient for such tests even when the switching is immediate. (If you're using a continuous piece of music then you haven't heard the part after the switch with the first configuration so there is effectively no comparison. If you're switching back to the beginning of the test music at the switch, then there is a time lag of at least the duration of the snippet of music you heard). So given that human short-term memory is only moments long, blind and double-blind tests are inherently flawed and fairly useless -- unless the differences really are "night and day".

I largely agree with TWL that objectivists use double-blind testing as an excuse not to spend more money, while deluding themselves that they can't do any better.

Having started this thread, I will weigh in with a comment. First, I can't understand how Judit can flatly say that DBT "serves no useful purpose." I DBT'd cables using a Marantz 8300 DVD-A/SACD/CD player (this has two L/R outs so cables can be directly compared back to back, and also has coax and optical digital outs to compare those). The result was that by keeping everything else in the system constant, we were able to listen for differences between the IC's we compared (Audioquest Python vs. Tributaries SCA 150 and Nordost Red Dawns). We were also able to identify the sonic characteristics of each cable. Some of the differences between the Pythons and the Red Dawns were subtle, but readily identifiable. I found the ability to DBT invaluable. I then put both cables into my system for a while to get a "feel" for each over time and many different LP's and CD's. I certainly don't say that DBT is the be-all and end-all of decision-making, but it is difficult to say that it serves no useful purpose. I am waiting to DBT cables several steps up from the Pythons and see what a huge expense in $$ buys in identifiable differences! I think Redkiwi is also correct in saying that sonic differences do not necessarily translate to more musical enjoyment.