The Half Life of Expectation Bias

[JackD201]

It always helps when you are a whole lot less critical of your spouse than you are of your system. LOL.

That is not to say "settling" is a good thing. I want a partner not a drone.

 

[microstrip]

(...) YMMV, but I hope you find lasting love this time, regardless.

Tim

IMHO the only lasting love of an audiophile is the optimization of sound reproduction for his personnel enjoyment of music.

Equipment, rooms and recordings should be considered tools in this collective hobby.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

My one true love in this hobby is the music.

The system I have today is better than what I had 3 years ago, but I can't say I enjoy my music more because of it. I appreciate the detail and precision that the changes I have made bring to the table, but make no mistake....my former vintage system was as enjoyable to me. Perhaps that's because I focus on the music first and let it guide me into a state of pleasure. The better gear is a bonus and I'm thankful I have it.

 

[edorr]

My one true love in this hobby is the music.

The system I have today is better than what I had 3 years ago, but I can't say I enjoy my music more because of it. I appreciate the detail and precision that the changes I have made bring to the table, but make no mistake....my former vintage system was as enjoyable to me. Perhaps that's because I focus on the music first and let it guide me into a state of pleasure. The better gear is a bonus and I'm thankful I have it.

Same here. Music is my passion, and "audio" is my hobby. I enjoy trying new stuff and fiddling with my system, but I honestly cannot say that I enjoy listening to the Koln Concert 94/24 flac on my 6 figure system more than I did than spinning the album on my very modest system as a student 25 years ago. A true highlight for me is always finding a new piece of music that I can internalize and become part of the (small) library of music that truly means something to me (happens less than once a year these days). Buying a new piece of gear that elevates SQ does not "enrich" me personally, music does.

 

[microstrip]

(...) I enjoy trying new stuff and fiddling with my system, but I honestly cannot say that I enjoy listening to the Koln Concert 94/24 flac on my 6 figure system more than I did than spinning the album on my very modest system as a student 25 years ago. (...)

The vinyl lobby is now smiling ...

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

IMHO the only lasting love of an audiophile is the optimization of sound reproduction for his personnel enjoyment of music.

Equipment, rooms and recordings should be considered tools in this collective hobby.

I have understood for a long time now, that you and I are in different hobbies.

Tim

 

[MylesBAstor]

It always helps when you are a whole lot less critical of your spouse than you are of your system. LOL.

That is not to say "settling" is a good thing. I want a partner not a drone.

Just don't come near us when something doesn't sound right and we can't figure out why!

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

My one true love in this hobby is the music.

The system I have today is better than what I had 3 years ago, but I can't say I enjoy my music more because of it. I appreciate the detail and precision that the changes I have made bring to the table, but make no mistake....my former vintage system was as enjoyable to me. Perhaps that's because I focus on the music first and let it guide me into a state of pleasure. The better gear is a bonus and I'm thankful I have it.

Johnny vinyl and I appear to be in the same hobby.

Tim

 

[edorr]

The vinyl lobby is now smiling ...

No - that is not the point. The 96/24 flac on my six figure system sounds a LOT better than the vinyl back in the days (I had a Technics SL1100 TT). I am just not enjoying it more because of the better SQ.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

No - that is not the point. The 96/24 flac on my six figure system sounds a LOT better than the vinyl back in the days (I had a Technics SL1100 TT). I am just not enjoying it more because of the better SQ.

I understood very well what you were conveying. Enjoyment doesn't come from gear...it comes from the artist on the media of your choice.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I understood very well what you were conveying. Enjoyment doesn't come from gear...it comes from the artist on the media of your choice.

Not sure I agree. Plenty of people seem to get a lot of pleasure from buying, selling, tweaking, matching gear. Plenty of others seem to enjoy collecting recordings, many of which go unopened. That doesn't mean they don't also enjoy the music just as much as those if us who get a system we like, and the music we will listen to, then sit back and just listen to it. It just means they have a different hobby, or multiple hobbies. I really think, or at least hope, that the folks who can't enjoy music unless it's being played on a high-end system are few and far between. Those poor folks have totally lost the plot, and I understand because my most important hobby, playing music, gets in the way of listening enjoyment sometimes. I go through long periods when I only listen to the kinds of music I'm performing, when I can hardly listen to a piece without arranging it, in my head, for whatever ensembles I'm currently involved with. This is not dedication, it's obsession. It's not
a good thing.

Tim

 

[microstrip]

I have understood for a long time now, that you and I are in different hobbies.

Tim

Yes, I can consider that I have two hobbies - audiophile and music lover. They interact through several paths and I consider that both benefit form each other. I enjoy both, I have made good friends thanks to them, and try to learn and increase my knowledge about them.

 

[microstrip]

I understood very well what you were conveying. Enjoyment doesn't come from gear...it comes from the artist on the media of your choice.

Yes John, but using the words of F. Toole "Not all reproduced sound is very refined, and it is clear that much of the time we are willing to suspend criticism of the sound itself to just enjoy the music, movie, or whatever program instigated the sound. All of us at one time or another have felt that chill running down our spine—that tingling sensation that tells us we are experiencing something special and emotionally moving. Was it “real”? Was it “reproduction”? Good sound or bad? Does it matter? The fact that these feelings happen confirms that the system works.
But—and this is the motivation for this book—if any sound is rewarding, better and more spatially complex sound may be more pleasurable. This is part of the ever-evolving entertainment industry. "

 

[mep]

I think someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and has been in a snit ever since...

 

[JackD201]

Just don't come near us when something doesn't sound right and we can't figure out why!

Hahahahahahaha! You bet!

 

[mep]

Just don't come near us when something doesn't sound right and we can't figure out why!

But aren't you supposed to have already forgotten what your system sounded like 15 seconds ago? And since we can't remember crap about what our systems did sound like because of our untrustworthy memory and ears, if your stereo doesn't sound as good as you remember it sounding, what does that really mean?

 

[j_j]

Please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_LN7qUiTpo

Expectation lasts until you shift what details you listen for. Whenever that is.

 

[treitz3]

We often hear about the phenomenon of ‘Expectation Bias’ as it relates to audio purchases. The prevailing wisdom of those who like to beat people over the head with the concept is that you are inclined to believe that your new, shiny, expensive purchase sounds way better than what it replaced and you will keep on believing it for as long as you own the gear you just purchased.

Before I tackle expectation bias as it relates to audio, I think we should all understand the concept is not limited to audio. It’s true for anything we buy from common household appliances to new vehicles. Unless we purposely bought something that was cheaper and inferior to the item it’s replacing, we expect the new item to be better. For instance, if you went from owning a modern Mercedes S class car and had to sell it and you purchased a Toyota Corolla, you wouldn’t have an expectation bias that you just stepped up in the world of automotive performance and luxury.

Where I take a turn off the ramp of the expectation bias highway is where reality meets the purchase after you have had time to use it and understand it. I believe that a person can fool themselves temporarily into thinking the new item they just bought is superior to the item it replaced because we sincerely do hope for that and want to believe it’s true. Once you have had a new piece of gear long enough to understand how it affects the sound (and all gear affects the sound to one degree or another), I don’t think you can or will keep telling yourself the new piece of gear is better if your brain via your ears is telling you that you made a mistake.

In summary, expectation bias has a half life. At some point in time, expectation bias turns into ‘reality’ bias. If in fact the new piece of gear proves itself to you over the long haul to be superior to what it replaced, your expectation bias was well-founded. If the new purchase turns out to be a major disappointment, that becomes your new reality. Expectation bias doesn’t have infinite time to remain as an expectation. The expectation will turn into some sort of reality for you.

Some of us. Nice post.

I really think, or at least hope, that the folks who can't enjoy music unless it's being played on a high-end system are few and far between.

I haven't met many an audiophile (even hardcore) that can't listen to a tune just for the music. Sure, there are some that will pick out the distortion, the compression and the static if listening on the radio but unless this is severe in nature, the audiophiles I have encountered can still enjoy the music for what it is, regardless of the playback medium.

At least in my corner of the world, your hopes are reality.

Tom

 

[mep]

My expectation bias with car audio is not to expect much and I don't. I listen to the jazz channel on my satellite radio and although it is the best sounding music channel I have found on satellite, it's still pretty bad. Satellite radio is compressed to death. However, I still enjoy listening to the music and I can tell when something would really sound good played back over the home rig.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Yes John, but using the words of F. Toole "Not all reproduced sound is very refined, and it is clear that much of the time we are willing to suspend criticism of the sound itself to just enjoy the music, movie, or whatever program instigated the sound. All of us at one time or another have felt that chill running down our spine—that tingling sensation that tells us we are experiencing something special and emotionally moving. Was it “real”? Was it “reproduction”? Good sound or bad? Does it matter? The fact that these feelings happen confirms that the system works.
But—and this is the motivation for this book—if any sound is rewarding, better and more spatially complex sound may be more pleasurable. This is part of the ever-evolving entertainment industry. "

I don't disagree, however ...I'm not sure if more pleasurable is the same as more enjoyable. The aural experience of better quality is certainly very much welcomed by me and all of us, but that doesn't mean it is more enjoyable. It's a fine line I guess and maybe someone can shed light on this.