External DAC with Connect

But I do have a suggestion, why not have a Audiophile section of the forum? Then those that want to post about what they hear etc can do so and those that think it's all BS can stay out and not be bothered. Heck I'll even volunteer to be the moderater..

There is not much to moderate. As moderators we don't censor the comments, we keep things tidy and deal with bad behavior. Each of us made very plain that we were not signing up to be censors.

Are you suggesting that there should be some sort of litmus test required for admission to the audiophile section?

Other than attract more pundits, I'm not sure that a specialized section would serve to keep the two sides apart. I think that it is likely to attract trolls. For a while users needed to pass a quiz before they were given access to the Digital Experts section. Probably, this was designed to promote high level discussions between professionals. Overall, this did not work out so well because participation was limited and the experts tended to hang together rather than helping main stream users.

In my opinion, the problem is that neither side wants to acknowledge the existence of other side of the coin. Replies from the other side of the coin are unwelcome because ... er ... things are so "obvious" ... we are just wasting time.

Some of us can play both sides of this coin. I am docile here, but I can be quite disruptive in showdowns -- exposing the follies of both sides. The whole situation reminds me of an early teen dance where the boys line one side of the gym, the girls line the other side, and there is not much dancing.

Are you suggesting that there should be some sort of litmus test required for admission to the audiophile section?

.

No I wasn't..

LOL, if audio does one thing well, it's the ability to start rifts. I can certainly see both sides of the coin, to some none of this matters and for whatever reason they can't hear differences. Like I keep saying, that's all well and good for you but your own personal experiences won't echo everyones. Is there anything wrong with 2 different people having 2 different opinions ? Obviously not and that's the whole point of discussions on forums, to share opinions and experiences...no ?

LOL, if audio does one thing well, it's the ability to start rifts. I can certainly see both sides of the coin, to some none of this matters and for whatever reason they can't hear differences. Like I keep saying, that's all well and good for you but your own personal experiences won't echo everyones. Is there anything wrong with 2 different people having 2 different opinions ? Obviously not and that's the whole point of discussions on forums, to share opinions and experiences...no ?

As long as you admit that your opinion defies all logic and science, and therefore is based on faith and faith alone, we have no problem. When you start referring to your opinion as anything else, that is when you get challenged for proof.

And stop with the veiled insults, suggesting you can hear something our inferior ears cannot, unless you are willing to subject your golden cochlea to an ABX test to prove it.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. The listening experience is based on inputs from more than just the ears, and to that extent even a well constructed DBT has limitations.
However, the weightage that is accorded to these other inputs changes significantly from person to person and even with the same person over time. As a result this very much becomes a YMMV thing - or rather YMWV - mileage will vary. For instance, I like my speaker enclosures to look good in addition to how the speakers measure, but amber backlit VU meters don't float my listening experience boat anymore - at one time they did, as did the glow of tubes in a tube amp.
One thing that has always worked is a glass or two of the best tipple and the lights down low. Music has always sounded better from my set up then, an audiophile tweak I can always count on.

As long as you admit that your opinion defies all logic and science, and therefore is based on faith and faith alone, we have no problem. When you start referring to your opinion as anything else, that is when you get challenged for proof.

And stop with the veiled insults, suggesting you can hear something our inferior ears cannot, unless you are willing to subject your golden cochlea to an ABX test to prove it.

That's kind of what I've been talking about, the rudeness, where does he insult you directly?? Try reading your post objectively, it's so confrontational no wonder folks get turned off. You may not mean to come off that way but you do, relax its not life or death here.

Construction guy's point was that people hear differently... Or in the case of many folks, like my wife as an example, they simply don't care how stuff sounds..

Consider the two statements:
1. Two amplifiers that have the same measured flat frequency/distortion response of the kind that most modern amplifiers exhibit, that are working within designed limits - i.e, without clipping/distorting - cannot be distinguished from each other in a level matched DBT when operating with tone controls or the like not engaged.
2. All amplifiers sound the same.
People, of whom I am one, that support the first statement are often said to be saying the second, which they are not. The second statement is not a short version of the first, and isn't believed to be a true statement by them.
I am curious to know if there is anybody on this forum that disagrees with statement 1.

... Or in the case of many folks, like my wife as an example, they simply don't care how stuff sounds..

Loved it, ErikM. Your comment sounds just like my wife too. I am convinced she would watch her c*** TV movies as a flickering image on a black & white telly, with audio coming from a tin can on the end of a piece of string... and still be quite content! Ah well, each to their own!

Your comment sounds just like my wife too.
I know some women that are auto or camera enthusiasts, though in a minority - but I haven't come across a single audiophile woman. It isn't that they don't appreciate good sounding music, but they seem to be able to remain focused on the music once a certain SQ is achieved. They are happy to leave the kit to be the passive thing it is.

Speaking of people who don't care how stuff sounds, how does one explain hires aficionados who, even after being given scientific proof that hires formats can damage the sound through distortion; they still continue to tout the format as audio nirvana? Certainly they also "simply don't care how stuff sounds" if they prefer a distorted format over a clean one?