Look, you don't understand that I was supporting your extreme scientific testing of results. My "testing" for my system was beneficial because the results were so conclusive of fuse direction of the test. I wasn't testing the entire system, just those equipment pieces that I chose at the time. It's not right or wrong, it's what everyone who heard the difference preferred. 8 or 9 people, several with great sonic/acoustic attributes came up with the same results. Sighted testing or in the dark, it didn't matter as no one knew (and I didn't say) what direction the fuses were going. Luckily, my friends are mostly non-tweakers (especially my wife). There was no expectation bias because no one cared other than what they preferred to hear. It's good enough for me and not for you. That's fine. I don't dictate to others what they should like except when I remaster recordings, I imprint my sonic preferences.
I would not consider it "extreme", but fairly basic, and as I said most of that was done about 40 years ago. I rarely measure except when setting up a new system or component (last was when I added some speakers, couple or three years ago). There's always the jump to conclusions in these debates that
measures never listen and
listeners never measure when (IME/IMO) the vast majority of us spend the vast majority of time just listening and enjoying. Even when I was going through all the various listener training and testing exercises it was a tiny, tiny fraction of the time I spent just listening for enjoyment. The testing amounted to a weekend or two a few times a year, with additional runs when we got something new in the store and wanted to see (hear) how it performed. After I got more involved in setting up and running the tests it took more time, but still a week or two every quarter was about it. In between I was attending college, working to pay for college and such, attending and performing at various musical events, and doing the odd summer gigs (TV/stereo repair, sound/recording technician, rodeo, maintenance crew on a ranch, etc.)
I understand your point of view but yes, disagree, as groups can influence their members. One of the reasons tests were so few and far apart even back then (mostly 1980's) was the difficulty of setting up and running a proper test. I learned the most about test methodology using listeners (people) from my psychology courses and professors. Engineering did a lot more testing, but it was usually easier to control the variables, and measurement was by instruments. Which I learned could have their own "bias" (noise and distortion floor, bandwidth weighting, etc.) often much harder to discern than simple auditory or visual bias of listeners.
This whole thread is one of debate, what people hear vs. what people understand from an engineering/science point of view, and I find it very hard to question things without it being interpreted as an attack. It is a fine line, and what would be defused (ahem) with a smile over a drink, just gets magnified out of control through the keyboard. At least IME/IMO. Personally I think the Internet for all its ability to "spread the word" sucks as a medium of communication.
I spent my life as an engineer, recently retired, and as a musician, now playing far less than when I was in various bands or principal in the local orchestra. Listening to music at home was and is one of my greatest pleasures, and I tend to ignore the gear. Musicians tend to focus on the music itself, less on the gear playing it, and I had to learn when I was younger to turn off the analytical part after the rehearsals and focus on the music when performing (or listening). I do still hate listening to a recording in which I am a performer; I tend to focus on every missed note, intonation bauble, or timing glitch instead of the overall picture.
Please realize my curiosity and questioning is not personal and does in no way reflect negatively on your experience and beliefs, despite the difficulty I may have in wording things non-confrontationally. As an engineer, even in the USA, English should be considered a second language for me... - Don
Edit: Just saw your expanded post. I've already used more words than I should. Preference is always present and not under question, by me or anyone (objective or subjective) that I know. That said, and despite my wife listening to it, I have just never acquired a taste for opera save a few brief well-known excerpts, and despite having been in the pit on various occasions. Another area we'll just have to disagree on, though on this my wife is on your side!
