I think this discussion is a good illustration of something a relative of mine once said when we were discussing audio matters, and how one evaluates the quality of various gear.
I made some comment about blind listening tests, and he stopped me short, and asserted that blind listening tests simply do not apply to the audio listening experience. I commented that, if one sees what equipment is being used, one's mind might bring prior personal biases to bear on the experience.
He responded that that was precisely the point, and that since in the real world one has information about the equipment, one cannot properly evaluate any listening experience absent knowledge of the gear, and that all listening requires the inclusion of an individual's biases. He said no blind testing is applicable to the audio world.
We just had to agree that we had different epistemological convictions, and could never come to a mutually agreeable conclusion. So, we just (kindly and quietly) avoid any such future discussions.
DG