Interesting result of blind testing

Great share Sid!

Blind testing is a real eye opener for many things besides audio.
However, they are extremely hard to do and interpret in some cases.

p.s. Also thanks for the intro the New Scientist website!


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I am all for objectivity, but then subjective considerations also do play a role, don’t they? Would a Taj Mahal feel as pretty without the story behind it? If hearing the name Stradivarius generates some emotions and state of mind that makes you enjoy the music more, then I’d think there’s a value in it. Because end of the day, musical appreciation is subjective.

So while blind tests may prove absolute merit, they would not be able to predict the real-life experience which is influenced by subjective considerations.
 
My take away from this was that there is no good or bad. At the end of the day preference of tone is purely subjective. The fact that the professional violinists picked the newer instruments as better sounding over the Stradivarius in objective testing is simply that their preference was for the tone of the newer instruments. And I suppose that would - by implication apply to reproduced sounds of the same instruments through electronics and loudspeakers, provided these devices don't color the tone further.

Cheers,
Sid
 
Sid
You know what would be interesting !!

Put all the audio reviewers in a room
( Specially the cable guys)

Now blind test them all

And see the fun !

Post the results
How many so called reviewers would have any credibility left

The tragedy is
That that will never happen

No published reviewer will ever get into such a room
 
Sid
You know what would be interesting !!

Put all the audio reviewers in a room
( Specially the cable guys)

Now blind test them all

And see the fun !

Post the results
How many so called reviewers would have any credibility left

The tragedy is
That that will never happen

No published reviewer will ever get into such a room
Hence my oft repeated caution to anyone who is going by published reviews, listen before you buy. Reviews are only a subjective impression of the equipment under test, maybe sometimes correlated by measurements (stereophile), but the end of the day your own ears are the guide to what you will like.
Cheers,
Sid
 
@sidvee this is a wonderful and thought provoking thread!
I think a simple test would be to listen to the music and ask oneself which cable or violin was the more enjoyable, what got your foot tapping or your body swaying, or what affected your feelings. But often, our needs deep inside are not just about enjoying music, they are also about ownership pride, recognition by peers, looks of the equipment (e.g. see how many of us want to own an amp with VU meters!), reviews we have read, etc. Even otherwise, when we are listening to music, it is not just our ears, but other senses too that are at work. The McGurk effect (
) reveals the effect of just one sense on what we hear. In reality, there can be multiple factors affecting what and how we hear, including preconceived notions about what is good sound.
Cheers!
 
I have heard a Strad and a Guarneri violins played live by reputed soloists. I am no violinist and I honestly couldn't make out if they were special in any way. May be I am partially deaf too:p
 
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