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What's your process for comparing new gear, cables, etc.?

It's a staple of many if not most posts to compare auditory experiences and attribute them to different factors — larger components (room, speaker, amp, dac, etc.) and the rest (speaker wire, cables, power) etc. This is how we choose new gear or compare what we already have.

Given the number of components and how short auditory sensory memory is, any comparison should change the fewest variables possible, as quickly as possible. (And auditory memory is short, even for simpler sounds. We compare using complex sounds and want to judge complex dynamic effect — soundstage, tonality at various frequencies, overall character or musicality, etc.) Doing things quickly is a challenge with tube amps, which must be shut down properly in order to swap things out. Then, they must be turned on and warmed up a bit.

I'm curious how people conduct their comparisons given whatever factors they contend with. Do you take notes? Have a standard vocabulary (e.g. the one in Harley's book)? Use a checklist? Have certain test tracks that you have virtually memorized? And so on. I'd like to know what works for you.

Most of the time, I'm just listening to music and enjoying it. But when I do want to add gear or make a change, it's natural for a critical comparison to call for some kind of procedure. I'm still trying to figure out what procedure can provide reliable, practical information. When my procedure seems too random or complicated, I feel a bit absurd — like I'm just doing kabuki-science! 


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tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 
What a wonderful experiment with the three sets of cables :-) Will be interesting to hear of the results.

the science of people preferring louder is quite well understood. All the ego in the world doesn’t erase that. The vocabulary word for that is louder, not better. Lots of speaker manufacturers still build in the “ smile “ because WE like it at 85 or 110 db.
Ditto for orders of distortion, the ear brain is a fascinating thing :-) people like distortion not in the original signal - ponder that.

One interesting single variable evaluation we are currently undertaking is  choosing a USB cable between mastering console and DAC - 4 meter cable - got to get it right !
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 
? For the OP: do you have ability to download and play files ?  IF you do, A way to sharpen comparison and critical listening skills is the 2L Recordings downloads workbench - lots of files in different formats but w identical microphone/ signal chain. Grammy winners for a reason:-) try comparison between DSD and a high Rez PCM if your DAC can do it. Fun and some fantastic recordings by world class talent in rich reverberant spaces.

hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@tomic601 Those are good suggestions. I'm trying to standardize a manageable listening selection — with particularly good recordings (and with some older ones, to see if when my system is too revealing), with certain characteristic instruments (as Harley suggests, and especially unaccompanied). Ideally, I'd have it down to, say, 4-5 cuts. Otherwise, I will have trouble because there'll be too much in mind before I change setup.

I have a streamer and a subscription to both Spotify and Amazon HD tracks. I have listened to "The Nordic Sound" by 2L Audiophile recordings. Spotify has a few playlists I've also listened to: Paul McGowan's picks and some other playlists — "Loudspeaker Test Songs by Telegrapher Loudspeakers" and "Bowers and Wilkins High End Audiophile Tracks."

I will try to download a few of these and put them on a thumb drive for my streamer. Again, the challenge I'm overcoming is to (a) switch quickly enough and also (b) keep a record, with sufficiently precise vocabulary, so that when I compare I feel confident about how much change there is, and the character of that change. Any changes, I feel, need to be indexed to speaker placement, too.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 
At the end of the day, or night it’s gotta be fun and having you enjoying the music and the journey- my hope is for that !!!
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@tomic601 I completely agree. What these listening tests are doing for me -- besides evaluating gear character and quality -- is teaching me different things to listen for and different *modes* of listening.

Let me give an example. Last night, I was playing different tracks to test out my new system, and I decided to bring up some old school stuff I really love — "Rain" by the Beatles, and "Steppin’ Out" by Joe Jackson. I was amazed at how bad they sounded in comparison to, stay, "Babylon Sisters" on the remastered Gaucho album by Steely Dan. But those two tunes — Beatles, Joe Jackson — are classics, and I suspect that they were mastered to sound good on the average stereo at the time — main vocals and tune are *forward* and everything else just supports.

The question -- "How do I makes these sound better? -- How do I get back to the music (other than my forcing my mind to disregard what I'm paying aural attention to)?" then divides for me: Do I want a remastered version of those tunes (there is for Joe Jackson, and it sounds much better) OR do I want a way to set my stereo so that it plays in a more "down market" way. This is where a DSP or equalizer might be an interesting addition.
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