Do a "Double Blind" listening test with a few people - DunninLosAngeles - Cable Asylum

Cable Asylum

Interconnects, speaker wire, power cords. Ask the Cable Guys.

Do a "Double Blind" listening test with a few people

DunninLosAngeles

In Reply to: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables posted by William E. Goat on January 29, 2002 at 21:03:54:

and record your results.
You not that you are trying to prove "that there is a difference". By this I assume you mean that people listening to different cables hear different sounds from each.
Seems like a simple experiment is in order with 2,3,4 or as many subjects as you can convince to participate. The critical issue is that it must be run "double blind", which means that neither the person running the experiment (you) or the people listening know which cables are being used at any given time.
Additionally you will need 2 pairs of at least one of the cables...this so that when you run the 2 identical cables one after the other, if people say there is a difference, then of course that is probably psychological and not real. It's the veracity test for each of your subjects. This of course requires that the two "identical cables" really do sound the same....same age, same amount of breakin, etc. which is another can of worms. There are some on this forum who will strenuously argue that it impossible to have two identical pairs of cable, since the very act of moving a cable into a new circuit require many hours of breakin all over again...you can end up tying yourself into logical knots!
If you cannot do it "double blind", my thinking is, don't even bother. It will no longer be a valid experiment. The longer I am alive, and I'm 45 now, the more I realize that the mind has an enormous capacity to shape our perceptions into what we *want* them to be, not how they really are in a scientific sense. This is a great tendency when you are stuck in an undesirable position, and you can convince yourself to enjoy it anyway. But it sure gets in the way of scientific discovery!
Just my thoughts.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Atma-Sphere Music Systems, Inc.

Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - William E. Goat 21:03:54 01/29/02 (11)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - Jon Risch 20:09:43 01/31/02 (0)

I'm dumbfounded... - ronyweissman@hotmail.com 04:15:46 01/31/02 (0)

Want an intellectual challenge or just a grade? - sam9 12:50:52 01/30/02 (0)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - yata 12:18:34 01/30/02 (0)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - MylesJ 12:08:05 01/30/02 (1)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - Pragman 16:03:10 01/30/02 (0)

Do a "Double Blind" listening test with a few people - DunninLosAngeles 01/30/0211:08:51 01/30/02 (0)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - audioengr 10:36:32 01/30/02 (0)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - Granddad 10:33:51 01/30/02 (1)

The reincarnation of Mtrycrafts.... - Joe S 11:23:19 01/30/02 (0)

Re: Proposal stating there is a difference in sound quality with regard to cables - NickR 06:48:26 01/30/02 (0)

Follow Ups

Do a "Double Blind" listening test with a few people - DunninLosAngeles 01/30/0211:08:51 01/30/02 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.