Our memory for sounds is significantly worse than our memory for visual or tactile

[PHC1]

This is why the debates about audio and what one hears or doesn't hear will rage on forever.

"As it turns out, there is merit to the Chinese proverb 'I hear, and I forget; I see, and I remember," says lead author of the study and UI graduate student, James Bigelow.


https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...d%20to%20words.

[PHC1]

In an experiment testing short term-memory, participants were asked to listen to pure tones they heard through headphones, look at various shades of red squares, and feel low-intensity vibrations by gripping an aluminum bar. Each set of tones, squares and vibrations was separated by time delays ranging from one to 32 seconds.

Although students' memory declined across the board when time delays grew longer, the decline was much greater for sounds, and began as early as four to eight seconds after being exposed to them.

While this seems like a short time span, it's akin to forgetting a phone number that wasn't written down, notes Poremba. "If someone gives you a number, and you dial it right away, you are usually fine. But do anything in between, and the odds are you will have forgotten it," she says.

[PHC1]

Hence my attitude and philosophy of simply enjoying the good sound from your system without having to worry about what you think you heard vs what you are hearing with the new XYZ cable or component.

If it brings you joy to listen to, to look at, to feel it, to dust in admiration, having dreamt of it, so be it. If that new component or a fat power cord will bring you more joy, go for it and enjoy it. It's all part of the experience.

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Hence my attitude and philosophy of simply enjoying the good sound from your system without having to worry about what you think you heard vs what you are hearing with the new XYZ cable or component.

If it brings you joy to listen to, to look at, to feel it, to dust in admiration, having dreamt of it, so be it. If that new component or a fat power cord will bring you more joy, go for it and enjoy it. It's all part of the experience.

That’s a great post Serge....it reminds me of the Stereophile article years ago about sharpeners and levelers and how each group strives for their version of audio perfection. I know not everyone will agree, but I think our “short term” audio memory is a big contributor to the constant drive for the upgrade. Just because it’s new doesn’t necessarily make it better but I think sometimes we tend to forget over time how good a particular characteristic of our system is since we get used to it.

- Buck

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

That’s a great post Serge....it reminds me of the Stereophile article years ago about sharpeners and levelers and how each group strives for their version of audio perfection. I know not everyone will agree, but I think our “short term” audio memory is a big contributor to the constant drive for the upgrade. Just because it’s new doesn’t necessarily make it better but I think sometimes we tend to forget over time how good a particular characteristic of our system is since we get used to it.

- Buck

Buck, I do recall that article.

The problem with a memory is that it is abstract at best. We all do recall hearing a good sound vividly. Liking or disliking the tonal balance/overall presentation of the system or a component we heard.

Based on everything I have been reading about it and backed by the scientific studies, I have to agree that that type of a memory is more than biased/skewed. There is no way to compare what was then and now although we think we can recall with precision. Studies say NO...

Pure tones are much easier to listen to and we should we able to differentiate easily, even the non-audiophile. Our ears are sensitive enough.

See study above... that's not the case and evidently the part about recalling certain details about the sounds we hear with such detail that would be necessary in audio is simply not a part of our evolution. But our brain does compensate well with many tools at its disposal.

There is much more to sound than just recognizing an old friend or a loved on over the phone with distinct vocal cues... A multi-instrumental recording is not the slightly hoarse voice of a friend that you would not mistake for anyone else.

But if we can't even place/recall the pure tones accurately after 5-8 seconds.. Good luck with swapping the cables and everything else that requires even longer and listening to a very complex sound. The brain is free to conjure up a million differences whether they really exist or not.

Hence I don't bother with such trivia. I ether like the presentation and it moves me or I don't. I am happy to say that I enjoy both my main system and my headphone rigs and have nothing to complain about.

There are studies that say that a Brain of a musician is even wired differently but I have not read any specific studies on the sound memory recollection of a musician. It would make sense if they are better at this task.

[PHC1]

Eye Opener for sure...

How Bad Is Your Auditory (Echoic) Memory? - AcousticsInsider.com

https://youtu.be/BlWRO04rQTg

[Cohibaman]

It’s nothing like olfaction. A simple smell that you haven’t smelled in 40 years can transport you like a time machine to the must of your childhood basement or your grandma’s kitchen when she was baking oatmeal raisin cookies.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

It’s nothing like olfaction. A simple smell that you haven’t smelled in 40 years can transport you like a time machine to the must of your childhood basement or your grandma’s kitchen when she was baking oatmeal raisin cookies.

Well... Again, it is mostly a combination of senses and a complex relationship.

Also easily fooled. What You See Is What You Taste, Says Scientist

https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/...ays-scientist/

[PHC1]

Sensory Memory. iconic vs echoic


https://youtu.be/4kohQVvfUC0