The Trouble With A/B Testing

Indeed, for me, I struggle to spend time at my dealer "auditioning" gear, because I find that I need to live with a piece of gear to first really hear how a piece is better. That said, I have developed a keener ability to hear differences because I have now lived with some pretty great gear long enough my own palette has become more developed and refined. (The same can be said for my appreciation of wine. And not having gotten married until I was in my early 40s, I might even be able to have said the same wrt women.:eyebrow:
 
A/B testing is something I take w a grain of salt. First, I don't pretend to have a golden ear and often struggle to hear differences between interconnects, power cords, etc. So, as an example, I might struggle to pick out the difference between a WW platinum and a WW gold XLR running from my 2300 to my 501s. I might also have a hard time telling the difference from WW gold to WW silver....and silver to eclipse, and eclipse to equinox....on down the line to their $70 Luna cable. Does this mean that Platinum equals Luna? Of course not. And, when multiplying the difference times every piece of gear in our system, the results speak for themselves.

I think of it in terms of bicycles. Many friends give me a hard time over spending lots of money and time on upgrading to parts that are lighter weight. Why would anyone spend $500 to save 40 grams on a seat post, or spend hundreds of dollars on carbon and titanium screws and bolts that are used to rebuild derailleurs, etc only to save a few grams? ...the list goes on and on. Could I tell the difference on a long climb by only swapping out the seat post....no. But, after it's all said and done my bike weighs 7-8 lbs less than it did before taking dozens of steps to save weight a few grams at a time...can I tell the difference here.... Without a doubt....
 
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