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Audiophiles, people who have a strong interest in high-quality sound reproduction, often claim to be able to discern subtle differences in sound quality between different audio systems, components, or recordings. However, the scientific evidence regarding whether audiophiles can consistently and reliably identify these differences is mixed.

Some studies, such as those conducted by the Audio Engineering Society (AES), suggest that audiophiles’ perceptions of sound quality may be subjective and not always in line with objective measurements of audio performance. For instance, a double-blind A/B testing study published in the AES Journal in 2015 found that highly experienced audio engineers and self-proclaimed audiophiles weren’t able to tell the difference between high-resolution audio (HRA) and CD-quality audio in a controlled listening test.

However, there are other studies, typically those commissioned by the audio industry, that claim to