Can anyone recall some blind or double-blind audio or speaker tests?

[Beave]

Moab Utah? That's a place I've always wanted to visit. But not in the heat of summer. So when you send the flight tickets, make it for October, ok?

Before you look up the NPR article, do the blinded tests. It appears you think your hearing is somehow special (analogous to certain people seeing the color). A blinded test might humble you. I've heard lots of audiophiles claim that while others might not be able to hear a difference, they certainly can. I've even felt that way myself sometimes. Blind testing brought me back to reality really quickly. I thought for sure one of my CD players sounded better than another. Blind testing I did showed I couldn't tell them apart.

 

[PENG]

Moab Utah? That's a place I've always wanted to visit. But not in the heat of summer. So when you send the flight tickets, make it for October, ok?

Before you look up the NPR article, do the blinded tests. It appears you think your hearing is somehow special (analogous to certain people seeing the color). A blinded test might humble you. I've heard lots of audiophiles claim that while others might not be able to hear a difference, they certainly can. I've even felt that way myself sometimes. Blind testing brought me back to reality really quickly. I thought for sure one of my CD players sounded better than another. Blind testing I did showed I couldn't tell them apart.

Blind tests or not, you will never convince the camp that firmly believe in the "going by ears is the best way" (because there are other factors that cannot be measure etc..) instead of science, lab measurements etc., and they have the ability that not everyone has. You can say you can't tell them apart but you can't say others cannot, unless you are in the same room doing the same test with him/her, both agree to the test methodology and can see the results.

 

[TheWarrior]

Perform blind tests in mono - only a single speaker. You will be able to extract every meaningful sound from the speaker that way to better judge its performance, without the masking of stereo.

 

[Dennis Murphy]

Perform blind tests in mono - only a single speaker. You will be able to extract every meaningful sound from the speaker that way to better judge its performance, without the masking of stereo.

But we listen in stereo, so that seems like the better test. And speakers do differ in imaging properties, so that has to be tested as well.

 

[TheWarrior]

But we listen in stereo, so that seems like the better test. And speakers do differ in imaging properties, so that has to be tested as well.

Do we? Don't those front speakers often have to contribute to a multi channel soundtrack that is divided into individual monophonic channels?

 

[Pogre]

1) Sure, I understand biases. No, I haven't done blinded test.

2) They went from throwaway cables to Monoprice (where I first heard differences) to soundsilver, kabeldirekt, Burson, Morrow MA1.1's, Straightwire to Grover Huffman.

3) Ha! You're trying to disprove me so YOU have to pay for your own trip! Anyway, I've got to change that, I live in Moab Utah now, Arches National Park area. Crazy busy most of the year now.

I just replaced some cheap 14g speaker wire I bought from Home Depot with 12g ofc cable from monoprice. I don't notice any difference whatsoever. Using cables to improve sound is just silly talk.

 

[jinjuku]

I think the basic FUNDAMENTAL problem with a number of double blind tests is that they are done in unfamiliar environments, with unfamiliar equipment - often with unfamiliar speakers.

You mean like trade shows where people show up and hear all sorts of differences in cables where "done in unfamiliar environments, with unfamiliar equipment - often with unfamiliar speakers."

 

[jinjuku]

Well, the first time was in 2013 so I can't remember exactly what or how it sounded better. I simply wasn't expecting it at all but it was clearly there.

I can hear differences today between others but I'd rather just leave it there but because I don't want to hear from people who don't know me who say that I can't hear what I hear. Anyone is welcome to come to my place, change them while I'm out of the room and I'll be right. Otherwise, I don't really want to have to defend myself.

I'm due out for a trip to Phoenix. May be that I can do the 2 hour each way. Let me know.

What type of interconnects should I pack?

 

[Pogre]

I suspect @charmerci won't be replying any more...

Which disappointing. I really want to see this play out. To be fair, maybe he could tell (I doubt it). This would be the perfect opportunity to find out.

 

[Mikado463]

I just replaced some cheap 14g speaker wire I bought from Home Depot with 12g ofc cable from monoprice. I don't notice any difference whatsoever. Using cables to improve sound is just silly talk.

that's because you 'cheaped out' and didn't buy the 70k pair of MIT cables ! ...LOL !

 

[Hetfield]

that's because you 'cheaped out' and didn't buy the 70k pair of MIT cables ! ...LOL !

70K for cables! That one I never heard of before. Wow that's insane.

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[Pogre]

70K for cables! That one I never heard of before. Wow that's insane.

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Dude, it's easy to spend 70k on cables. Have you ever seen 5 million dollar speakers before?

Clicky

 

[Hetfield]

Dude, it's easy to spend 70k on cables. Have you ever seen 5 million dollar speakers before?

View attachment 21569

Clicky

Wholly cow I thought that was the molding if someone's ear! Ugly! And 5 million bucks! People are insane. No, never saw that before.

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[Mikado463]

Dude, it's easy to spend 70k on cables. Have you ever seen 5 million dollar speakers before?

View attachment 21569

Clicky

well if it was 'easy' to do why didn't you ? LOL !!

as for the 5 million dollar pair of speakers ?? by whom ?

 

[Pogre]

Wholly cow I thought that was the molding if someone's ear! Ugly! And 5 million bucks! People are insane. No, never saw that before.

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70K for cables is a drop in the bucket if you can afford those speakers.

Now this is interesting. There's a million bucks on the table if anyone can prove they can hear a difference between esoteric cables and regular run of the mill cables. It's offered up by James Randi, who is known for busting hocus pocus claims on many different subjects.

@charmerci, get a hold of James Randi and he'll give you a million bucks if you can detect a difference. Easy money for you because amazingly, nobody has collected on it yet. Your special hearing ability can make you rich.

*Edit: I'm almost positive that reward is up for grabs for those who can detect a difference in amplification too...

 

[Pogre]

well if it was 'easy' to do why didn't you ? LOL !!

as for the 5 million dollar pair of speakers ?? by whom ?

Ha ha! Easy to spend. Not so easy to part with. I linked an article about those speakers right below the pic. "Aural Pleasure"... lol

 

[Hetfield]

What is the brand or manufacturer of those speakers? Is it 5 for the pair or per? I bet my Def Techs sound just as good!

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[Dennis Murphy]

Do we? Don't those front speakers often have to contribute to a multi channel soundtrack that is divided into individual monophonic channels?

I was referring to real music.

 

[Pogre]

What is the brand or manufacturer of those speakers? Is it 5 for the pair or per? I bet my Def Techs sound just as good!

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Ha ha! Easy to spend. Not so easy to part with. I linked an article about those speakers right below the pic. "Aural Pleasure"... lol

 

[Bucknekked]

Dude, it's easy to spend 70k on cables. Have you ever seen 5 million dollar speakers before?

View attachment 21569

Clicky

All you have to do to spend $70,000 on cables is to call one of the fancy shmancy cable companies and tell them you have $70,000 to spend and they will hook you up with no questions asked.

I was at a high end audio shop in Scottsdale and the fine fellow there told me the rule of thumb they use for cables is it should be "no more" than 10% of the overall system cost. If a guy blows $500,000 on a system, they're going to make sure the cables are about $50,000 just for good measure.

Cables...........don't get me started..........

This stuff is prevalent though. I just wrote a nice email to a friend of mine who is considering both a power conditioner and high end cables. He just dropped $25K on an amp so he's susceptible to this kind of stuff.