Hi,
This discussion does not seem to be new, does it ?
From what I can tell, people at Alpha Audio did measurements.
And those measurements show a difference between switches.
And if that is true (I will not pay for the results) then I think NO ONE on this site giving Amirm credit for his measurements can question those results.
After all if it is measured the evidence are the numbers and nothing else.
BUT that is not the discussion is it ?
The discussion is totally elsewhere : if there are MEASURED differences, can those MEASURED differences actually BE HEARD ?
And this is where discussion will never end.
Here's what a discussion might be :
"I hear a difference.
- That is not possible.
- Why ?
- Because we made measures and there are no differences.
- OK. But here are the numbers and they show a difference.
- Oh, really. Then that means those tests have not been made properly.
- Hum. Here are the conditions of the test. And numbers are numbers are they not.
- Yes. But those differences can not be heard.
- But I think I hear them.
- That is what you think.
- But I've done blind tests that tend to prove that there is an audible difference.
- Have you done a real blind test with A/B level matching ?
- Yes.
- That is not possible".
So my problem is quite simple : I can understand almost everything.
I can understand people who sincerely think they can hear a difference.
I can understand people that buy their stuff only on proven and measured data.
What I
can't admit though is bad faith.
And this is where the discussion leads :
- people convinced that they hear a difference just to claim there is one when indeed they hear none ;
- people saying they only believe in numbers and when numbers are given that hurt their beliefs, saying those are biased.
- people saying they only believe in numbers and who, if someone comes with a claim that numbers do not tell the whole story, reply that the test has not been made proprerly and ask for "subjective" test conditions that are simply impossible to achieve... which is of course super convenient for never having to change your own beliefs.
Before I came to this site, I was convinced that I was hearing huge differences between power supplies, cables, DAC's...
What I learned here is to try to listen in the best good faith.
Do I
really hear a difference ?
And I must say that asking myself that
only question made me save a lot of money...
Because most of the time I can't hear any difference.
Even if I would like to hear one to justify the buying of a device that looks good
Like : right now I am listening to music on a rig that costed me EXACTLY 349$.
I named a Raspberry Pi4 (249$) + AK4493 powered DAC that includes a small headphone jack (100$).
The thing plays music from a mini-PC running Linux Arch with an Emby server running on it.
The mini-PC costed 240€. The most money I spend was for... storage
AND of course for the headphone : a Dan Clark Aeon that I bought after reading the reviews on this site... And I DO NOT REGRET buying it.
Is there a difference between that rig and my seprarated streamer + my separated DAC + my separated headphone amp ? (do I have to tell that is costs A LOT MORE ?)
If I push volume to the max, yes... The combo can play a lot louder.
But sticking at the volumes that I listen to, I would be in serious difficulty to tell them apart...
What I also learned from this site is that people should not tell that a device is better than the other.
But that, what they HEAR (or think they hear, I do not care) they simply like that better.
And that is acceptable.
And the only thing that I think is acceptable is that no one tries to force his views on anyone else.
Tolerance may be what we need more in these days and age.
Let's start here.
And if people are convinced that they enjoy their music more when it's played over a 3k€ network switch (I personnaly have a Linksys that I bought for 28€ on Amazon) then let them believe it.
And if you have a chance to give their system a listen, then just go there and listen in all good faith and ask your self if you are hearing a difference. Maybe you'll be surprised...
And when that is all done, just sit back, listen to your music and enjoy it.
Over a system that measures superbly good.
Over a system that looks nice.
Over a system that costs a fortune.
As long as you really enjoy it and do not try to convince anyone that your system is better than his, that's OK and you will be the happiest man on earth.
The one who enjoys music whereever it comes from.
After all, that is all sound is about in the end, is it not ?
Regards.