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Re: It took you over 100 blind tests to come to the conclusion that blind tests are a waste of time?

> It took you over 100 blind tests to come to the conclusion that
> blind tests are a waste of time?

It is vexing to have critics of my writing putting words in my mouth.
I have never said that blind tests are "a waste of time." What I have
repeatedly written that designing a blind test where the only
variable (or variables) is/are those that the test designer wishes to
examine where those viariables, though real, are small, is not
easy. I have repeatedly written that it is difficult and
time-consuming if you are not to poduce false negative results.

> Now what about all those null results you gloss over?
> Are you going to claim they are meaningless?

Again you put words in my mouth, Mr. Greene. If you had a better
understanding of statistics and experimental design than you appear
to have, you will know that a test producing a null result does not
"prove" there was no audible difference between the DUTs. All it means
is that if there was a difference, it could not be detected _under
the specific conditions of the test.

With the null results I mentioned, either the test design was flawed
or there was not a real audible difference. Without further work,
there is no way of distinguishing between those two hypotheses.

You are very quick to question me, Mr. Greene, but less eager to
answer the questions I put to you. So again, I ask you: how many
formal blind listening tests have you taken part in as either a
subject or an organizer to be so sure of their efficacy in an audio
context? To be so sure that any criticism I might make is
intrinsically illegitmate? (I note that you have signally failed to
offer any actual rebuttal of the points I have made.)

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile


> I know you or your reviewers will never risk demonstrating to
> witnesses the claimed ability to be able to hear differences among
> all audio components ...

But as I said in the post you refer to, I have done so. Just not to
your satisfaction, apparently.

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