Is there actually a difference?


Speakers sound different - that is very obvious. But I’ve never experienced a drastic change between amps. Disclaimer that I’ve never personally ABX tested any extremely high end gear.

With all these articles claiming every other budget amp is a "giant killer", I’ve been wondering if there has ever been blind tests done with amplifiers to see if human ears can consistently tell the difference. You can swear to yourself that they do sound different, but the mind is a powerful thing, and you can never be sure unless it’s a truly blind test.

One step further - even IF we actually can tell the difference and we can distinguish a certain amp 7/10 times under extreme scrutiny, is it really worth the thousands you are shelling out to get that nearly-imperceivable .01% increase in performance?

Not looking to stir up any heated debate. I’ve been in audio for several years now and have always thought about this.
asianatorizzle
Roxy54 is correct.  Most equipment, assuming it’s not complete crap, takes some time to settle in before you can assess its performance.  Only over time can you get a handle on its sound.
Dave_b, taking time to get a handle on a system's sound isn't the same as being able to hear differences. Before you take a hearing test, you are supposed to have had 8 hours of only low level noise, that can impact an A/B test. OTOH, if someone can't tell the difference between my amp and preamp, given a very good source, and articulate speakers, something is wrong with their hearing. To know what my system does well and does poorly would require more extensive listening, IMHO. I could be wrong, but my experience says otherwise.
Ious, not quite sure of your point...sounds like you agree with me.  Of course one can tell differences between gear, but whether or not they are preferable is another matter and system dependent.
Dave_b, only that when doing an A/B particularly with consumer vs transparent articulate equipment, listeners ought to be able to identify each, though which they prefer would be a matter of taste. As for us, when we do something to our system it's often a small tweak, and it can take us an extended period in order to fully grasp its total effect. Often we can immediately hear a difference, but some components need to burn in, and even if not, it's often not immediately obvious the extent of the changes. So in one context I agree completely, but if you were referring to an A/B with consumer quality gear, and truly high end gear, then I disagree.