Help, Part 8

Science, Magic, and Gambling

Now, I think, this is where some of my thinking, anyway, begins to join the dark side.

Science speaks not in terms of absolute truths, but probabilities.

Now, this might not help you much when the probabilities are six nines against you.

It depends on the downside, whether I'd consider taking another roll.

Some of the things we know about how well we can extract the information from a musical event or audio are pretty certain, others not so much.

The detectability of out-of-band information may be in the lesser assurred category.

For example, our ability to detect ITD is conservatively estimated at 20 microseconds, equivalent to 50kHz frequency response.  Some are claiming detectability of ITD at the 1 microsecond level.  The actual importance of this to imaging may be easy to overestimate, since ITD is only one thing we use, and we use it mostly at low frequencies.

Anyway, audio does present a smorgasbord of scientific questions you may or may not consider partly open, along with many other kinds of questions, including those in the domains of engineering and psychology.

If you want to believe that this or that is audibly better, when it contracts what I consider well established science or engineering, who am I to stop you?

I suppose, if I were on a consumer crusade against unnecessary audio technology, I might.  But, I'm not.  I don't see excess audio technology as not a major threat to human society or the environment.  And to some degree, the flaming of certain cults, such as those involved in preserving older equipment, might be beneficial.  Audio generally is low impact as compared to many human activities, even many of those related to "appreciating nature."  Mind you, if you are concerned about such things, I recommend such bandaids as I apply myself: recycling (through legitimate electronics recycler) the least resellable equipment, or donating, rather than trashing it, and using green electricity--otherwise I might feel guilty about my endless pursuit of Class A amplification.

Now, I think it's best to have a realistic assessment of the posssibility your tweak might help.  But there's no great need for that.

Audio itself is disbelief in the apparent reality, that you are listening to a music event, and not a contrivance of electronic engineering.

So this is another way of saying, that audio is at least party a "magical" event, in which we fool ourselves, or allow ourselves to be fooled, much as with stage magic.

So, if fooling oneself is essential to the greatest appreciation, why not fool yourself a bit more?

Why not believe that the latest trick "is" going to do something, despite serious evidence that it would not?

If it helps keep you going, who am I to say that's wrong.

And in fact, I'll egg you on a bit.  I'll say that low probabilities are not zero probabilities.

You could be right, though I would not bet on it.

I'm busy covering a few of my own bets.