rols, his definition of snake oil is an audio product that makes no improvement in either measurement or sound quality. The manufacturer's intent is another issue. I am sure there are manufacturers who evaluate thier product in the standard(defective) manner and truly believe their product does make a difference.
Measurement is easy but as we all know there are aspects of sound quality that are hard to measure.
You can't just plop a bunch of guys down and ask them if this device improves sound. Human's are just too complicated for that. They may have motive obvious or subconscious that drive their opinion one way or the other. You can't tell or show them what they are listening to and you have to be able to switch back and forth quickly. You have to "blind" them.
As for a double blind is concerned that depends on the honesty of the principle. Just saying something like, "don't you think this sound's better?'" ruins the test entirely. You have to stay perfectly neutral. This sort of thing is hardly ever done. Somebody thinks they hear an obvious difference and does not think it is necessary and away we go.
If there is a change in sound quality there is always a reason and it is not a mysterious witchcraft reason. If you can not find a reasonable reason your caution flag should go up and you may want to spend your money on something more significant. In many instances the change in sound quality is not better or worse, just different. In which case it is a matter of preference such as in choosing a cartridge and that preference may depend on a host of other variables involving an individual system. One person's gold is another's poison. It is dangerous to generalize under these circumstances.
On the other hand human's are dangerous creatures. Just look at your email box in the morning. 1/2 of it is someone trying to scam you. 75% of the non prescription pills at your local pharmacy are a scam. There are people who will rip off your grandmother's life savings leaving her destitute. This is nature at work. It is all about survival. It is kill or be killed in modern terms. Maybe some day we will evolve out of this but that is a long way off.
Measurement is easy but as we all know there are aspects of sound quality that are hard to measure.
You can't just plop a bunch of guys down and ask them if this device improves sound. Human's are just too complicated for that. They may have motive obvious or subconscious that drive their opinion one way or the other. You can't tell or show them what they are listening to and you have to be able to switch back and forth quickly. You have to "blind" them.
As for a double blind is concerned that depends on the honesty of the principle. Just saying something like, "don't you think this sound's better?'" ruins the test entirely. You have to stay perfectly neutral. This sort of thing is hardly ever done. Somebody thinks they hear an obvious difference and does not think it is necessary and away we go.
If there is a change in sound quality there is always a reason and it is not a mysterious witchcraft reason. If you can not find a reasonable reason your caution flag should go up and you may want to spend your money on something more significant. In many instances the change in sound quality is not better or worse, just different. In which case it is a matter of preference such as in choosing a cartridge and that preference may depend on a host of other variables involving an individual system. One person's gold is another's poison. It is dangerous to generalize under these circumstances.
On the other hand human's are dangerous creatures. Just look at your email box in the morning. 1/2 of it is someone trying to scam you. 75% of the non prescription pills at your local pharmacy are a scam. There are people who will rip off your grandmother's life savings leaving her destitute. This is nature at work. It is all about survival. It is kill or be killed in modern terms. Maybe some day we will evolve out of this but that is a long way off.