Originally Posted by
Maxvla 
I hear this phrase used to allow people to hide behind their previous statements when someone calls them out and they don't have the balls to stand their ground. The phrase is also used by people who don't agree with a poster and try to discredit their findings.
Audiophiles are people who, one would assume, have a trained ear, such that they can focus on sounds they want to hear, and ignore those they do not want to hear. If you do not have a trained ear and consider yourself an audiophile, how can you be sure of your own findings?
When I perform in an orchestra, I often am listening for cues from other instruments to know when to come in, or for tempo, among other things. I focus on just the sound of that instrument and hear little else so I don't miss my cue. This is exactly the step I take when listening to music. I focus on the music I hear and ignore anything else. I will assume anyone with a trained ear to be capable of this behavior. Those who saw me taking notes while listening at RMAF will tell you I was in my own zone.
Meet impressions from someone with these abilities (most of us, I would guess) should be just as valid as anyone who has owned the headphone for a brief time. Depending on how many systems each listened to, the meet listener may actually have a greater grasp on the performance than the owner who only has 1 system he listens to.
Stop this notion of meet conditions affecting your ability to separate yourself from the world to focus on the music you are hearing. Unless someone is talking in your ear, it is possible to avoid 'meet conditions'. The lone exception to this is the AKG K1000 (or anything that may be similarly designed later) because it literally is wide open in that you cannot help but hear
some outside speaking/noise.
Stop hiding behind the phrase when you falter in your beliefs. Say what you mean and stand behind it. So what if someone disagrees? We all have our own preferences, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Stop using this phrase to shame a poster into faltering on their beliefs. They heard what they heard. If they say they are not a great judge of sound (which I find many people state, and is totally fine), then don't push them into discounting what they've just said.
This is a forum for people to enjoy trading opinions for or against audio gear. People should be respected for posting what they believe without fear of being pushed into obscurity.
