Re: setting up ABX tests at home

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:33:19 -0800, Arny Krueger wrote
(in article <fp028f01mvd@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):

> "Sonnova" <sonnova@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:fotpkn02hkg@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
>> 
>> Well, ABX/Blind testing can really only tell two things:
>> Is there a difference in the sound between two components
>> (or interconnects or speaker cables)? And if there are
>> differences, what are they?  It cannot tell which is
>> better (assuming that there are differences) as that is a
>> totally subjective call.
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> However, if someone can't reliably detect a difference, how can there 
> reasonably be a preference based on sound quality?  Having a preference 
> presumes the existence of a difference.

Agreed. If someone is an unsophisticated enough of a listener to be unable
to 
discern ANY difference, then he/she likely has no preference, or at least
has 
no preference at THAT level of minutia. 
 
>> Where this type of testing REALLY falls down is where the
>> differences are subtle (which they often are) and the
>> listener doesn't have the trained listening acumen to
>> pick-up on those differences.
> 
> This problem exists for any listening test. The only reason why it is
more 
> apparent in DBTs is that DBTs clearly detect listeners who can't
reliably 
> detect differences for whatever reason.

Agreed. 
 
>> Since there is no way to
>> eliminate or even pre-screen for this particular
>> variable,
> 
> Actually, there are many means for screening out listeners who aren't 
> adequately trained. Describing them all goes beyond the scope of a RAHE 
> post.

Well, I meant that there is no practical way without extensive procedures 
that most people wouldn't be willing to go through - on either end of the 
test.