I did a blind test as follows: I had two identical CD players playing the same disc and started them at the same time so they were exactly in sync. With two sets of interconnect running into the amp inputs I could use the remote to switch inputs. If I did this switch rapidly at the start of each test I had no idea which input was playing when the test started. I then tested between the two at a touch of the button. As long as I didn’t peep at the amp display I had no idea which was playing.
Initially I ran two sets of identical £14 Maplin interconnect cable (UK electrical retailer) to ensure the two CD players sounded the same. They did. In this test I could not perceive a difference between the two CD players. Next I simply compared different interconnects.
I had four interconnects to trial (Maplin at £14, 3 others ranging from £800 to £1500). I was testing Maplin (cable A) vs another (cable B/C/D) in each case. With two of the Interconnects (B and C) the differences were subtle: results showed I chose the expensive cable more than 50% of the time, but the differences were minor and for me not worth the money. With cable D the difference was massive, and it was immediately obvious which one I was listening to, so much so I choose cable D over A 100% of the time (each test was done around 20 times). I was intending to go on to test B vs C/D etc but as D was so far and away better I didn’t bother. I bought cable D (which incidentally was the cheapest of B,C and D).
This is is such an easy test to do and so easy to set up I'm surprised Hifi reviewers don’t do it. The only downside was that the only way to get two identical CD players for me was to use two 1990s cheapish Denon CD players, rather than the high end CD player usually in my system. I did double check the results by doing non-blind testing between the interconnects with my regular CD player and found the same results. In this instance by the time I had changed the cables I actually could not detect a difference between A and B/C but the difference between A and D was even more apparent.
Initially I ran two sets of identical £14 Maplin interconnect cable (UK electrical retailer) to ensure the two CD players sounded the same. They did. In this test I could not perceive a difference between the two CD players. Next I simply compared different interconnects.
I had four interconnects to trial (Maplin at £14, 3 others ranging from £800 to £1500). I was testing Maplin (cable A) vs another (cable B/C/D) in each case. With two of the Interconnects (B and C) the differences were subtle: results showed I chose the expensive cable more than 50% of the time, but the differences were minor and for me not worth the money. With cable D the difference was massive, and it was immediately obvious which one I was listening to, so much so I choose cable D over A 100% of the time (each test was done around 20 times). I was intending to go on to test B vs C/D etc but as D was so far and away better I didn’t bother. I bought cable D (which incidentally was the cheapest of B,C and D).
This is is such an easy test to do and so easy to set up I'm surprised Hifi reviewers don’t do it. The only downside was that the only way to get two identical CD players for me was to use two 1990s cheapish Denon CD players, rather than the high end CD player usually in my system. I did double check the results by doing non-blind testing between the interconnects with my regular CD player and found the same results. In this instance by the time I had changed the cables I actually could not detect a difference between A and B/C but the difference between A and D was even more apparent.