"Peter Wieck" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Sep 11, 9:12 am, "Arny Krueger" wrote:
"Eeyore" wrote in message

...



Peter Wieck wrote:

As to the capacitor story, I had two identical amplifiers (AR - USA),
one with new-and-tested electrolytic replacements on the driver board
as equivalents to the OEM caps, one with 250V film caps also tested in
place of the OEM electrolytics (also replaced on the tone board, but
at 'flat' settings they are not relevant). From the OEM-like unit, the
bass was tubbier... softer if you will, and the treble a little fuzzy
as compared to the film-cap unit. The film-cap unit sounded much
closer to my Citation 16 amp. My wife could also tell the difference,
although her description of it would perhaps use different words. She
preferred the film unit.

Two words: sighted evaluation.

Sighted evaluations are the largest single stimulus to the fabrication
and
justification of audio mythologies that have ever existed.

Inclusion of a "even my wife heard the difference" anecdote always gives
me
a chuckle.

What utter crap.

Actually, there's plenty of science to back me up, going back to "Clever
Hans" the horse, in the early 19th century.

My wife would have no clue which was which,
furthermore her actual interest in audio other than as a moderate user
is about the functional equivalent of my interest in knitting. So she
would have no brief either way.

With all due respect for your wife, neither did "Clever Hans"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clever_Hans

Test was at the bench, units side-by-side, using the test-bench
speakers (AR4x) and a chunky DP/DT switch between them, same volume,
same signal (Pre-Amp dual tape-out from a CD player). Sure I
overloaded the output transistors briefly and made a little heat. No
harm done. But I wanted to see if I could really detect a
difference... and whether it was then equally obvious to an unschooled
set of ears.

How many holes can I shoot in this crude procedure? I won't even try!

So, make of it what you will, and denegrate what you will. It is your
wont and you are fully entitled.

No Peter, it is all about science, no matter how much you harumph and
posture.