I'm coming 'off the fence'

[Jwg1749]

To those blaming the placebo effect or some cognitive bias, when I was a "beginner" in this hobby I couldn't hear/detect differences between cables (or certain other things like power treatment devices) while others often could. I have always been honest about that.

Nowadays, and many years later, I can often detect differences, even subtle ones between cables. Often these differences aren't clear instantaneous, it could take days before I am sure of the differences and can also use words to describe these or the impact they have on emotional impact from the music. One of the reasons DBT/ABX tests won't work for me, unless the differences are "night and day" of course.

I'd like to think that I not only have improved my system and listening room but also have trained and improved my listening skills and perhaps even my hearing (the processing part happening in the brain). Perhaps a bit like someone who becomes blind will improve his listening skills/hearing (be it though enhanced focus or whatever mechanism at play there) I can't think of any valid reasons why I would have suddenly "trained" my susceptibility to the placebo effect, not even unconscious reasons.

The reason why quick switching tests are preferred is that the duration of echoic memory is around 3-4 seconds (or possibly up to a maximum of 20 seconds if there are no distractions). Quick switching tests are therefore much more accurate than listening tests over longer durations.

You're not alone in finding longer listening sessions more congenial: I do too, and I find quick switching quite tiring. But even so it is much more accurate.