I remember reading a similar test...
Then the reveal was made. The reason the switch box could perform so inaudibly, is that the second component's wires didn't go anywhere, the switch was connected to nothing, and the first component's wires just looped back out of the box. So the differences they were hearing were completely in their mind.
Lmao! Yeah, I've done that with clients/artist that were getting in the way of mixing/tracking/mastering with requests that were not needed/wanted.
Client/artist: "Hey man, can you give a little bit more (insert whatever term) on that?"
Me reaching and turning knob on something that does absolutely nothing (engineers sometimes call this the "better button"): "How's that?"
Client: "That's it, right there!"
Done and done, now I can get back to work. But in their mind, I did "something" that "improved" what they are hearing.
So I am sure, so called "experts" can be fooled sometimes. That includes even me probably...
But still, good gear is better than not good gear. That does not mean, however, that it has to be expensive, just of good/great quality.
Like Axiom speakers!
