[patentatt]

High end equipment makers have a vested interest in promoting pseudo science because it duped people into spending $5k for a DAC (e.g., PS Audio). Audio frequency range electrical engineering is very well understood and rigorously defined. The only extent to which there is an ‘x’ factor not covered by the legit engineering is that human perception does play a role in, well, human perception. So if you tell someone that this piece of equipment cost more than a car, people will genuinely believe it does sound better. Not too dissimilar from the very real placebo effect in medicine.

[avip]

Anecdotally, I was recently listening to music in some audiophile house, streaming from ~15K$ eq. It wasn't even close to anything I've heard before, other than live music (in something like a jazz club, not a rock concert). Profound quality. I'm sure it's overpriced but man - if I had the money I would replicate his setup without a thought.

[wallflower]

> Profound quality.

I've listened to a friend's $10k setup. It was more like a live concert than listening to a regular stereo. Yes, it had a tube amplifier. If you remember anything about the audiophile's setup, what was the setup?