You are so right.No matter what your skills or experience - if you are determined strongly enough to hear a difference... you will hear one... our brains are fun and frustrating at the same time.
Sadly it's not limited to audio - the planet would be in a much better place if it was.
Even Brendon Heinst, the extremely gifted sound engineer who has developed cutting-edge recording techniques, is victim to it. But then again, perhaps he gets paid for it.