As I said, that's because they expect you to be basing your statements on "the standard assumptions"....
I suspect, however, that if you specifically told one of them them that you HAD seen a pig fly - whether on an airplane, or under its own power on a hang glider....
They would have qualified their statement as I suggested - rather than simply insist that you must be mistaken.
(See what answer you get from a NASA scientist involved in "flight testing with animal test subjects".)
Likewise, if I were to walk into a good restaurant, and ask for "eggs", they would probably ask how I preferred them cooked.
Because, as you say, we would both assume that, by using the term "eggs", I was referring to chicken eggs...
And we would both assume that, if I'd wanted caviar (fish eggs), or perhaps turtle eggs, both of which they may in fact serve, I would have said so.)
However, if you were working an a lab doing research on embryology, and someone were to ask "how you would like those eggs you'd requested prepared".....
They probably would NOT assume that you meant "poached" or "scrambled".
The problem in this forum is that people specifically confuse the contexts of "pure science" and "practical consumer advice"....
There is a specific difference between saying: "Most people don't notice much difference between most R2R and D-S DACs."....
And saying: "There is no difference between them that is audible to any human under any circumstances."....
My personal belief on "whether there is a measurable difference between R2R and D-S DACs that is audible" is this....
- Most high quality DACs both measure and sound very similar.
(Note that I said "most" but didn't generalize that to "all".)
- However there are in fact obviously measurable differences between them.
- And sometimes specific types of errors and distortions may be audible, under certain conditions, and to certain people.
(Note that I DID NOT say "all" or "most" or "usually".)
- R2R and D-S DACs are measurably prone to different types of flaws, errors, and distortions.
- Therefore, it makes sense that, WHEN THERE ARE AUDIBLE FLAWS, those audible flaws may be distinctive of one type or the other.
(If an R2R DAC and a D-S DAC both have audible distortion, they will often have different types of audible distortion, which will allow you to recognize which type they are.)
And, yes, I would be a lot more pedantic when discussing this on an AUDIO SCIENCE forum...
Than I would when discussing it on a consumer advice forum...
Or with a buddy who was trying to decide which $500 stereo system to buy...
To me, from the title, this is NOT "a consumer advice forum"....
It is a SOUND SCIENCE DISCUSSION forum....
(But clearly some people don't agree.... )
And, yes, when there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that seems to contradict the experimental evidence, there is most certainly "cause for discussion"....
(Whether the answer turns out to be in the realm of physical science, psychoacoustics, psychology, or marketing.....)
And, from both the title of this thread, and its content, it is quite clear that many people DO NOT start from the same base assumptions.
Perhaps, if you asked for "eggs" on some tropical island, and didn't specify which sort, you'd end up with poached turtle eggs instead of chicken eggs.
(And many people on this forum quite apparently do not take it for their base assumption that "all DACs sound the same" - whether you do or not.)
I work with a number of PHD level scientists, a few who are recognized in their field as thought leaders.
I asked a few this morning if pigs can fly. All responded "No" with no further qualification. Apparently not all scientists (even good ones) are as pedantic as you believe them to be.