I see the issue with ABX blind testing

soix

8,553 posts

04-12-2024 at 08:46pm 

“Professing those perceptions to be “consistent, clear, and repeatable” for others is, however, either in honest error or purposefully misleading.”

@benanders So, you’re saying I’m not hearing what I’m hearing despite hearing it consistently after multiple back-and-forth comparisons?  

That’s definitely not what I “said,” @soix  . Demonstrable difference and perceived difference are not necessarily the same thing. If cables aren’t being demonstrated to have difference (whether through properly arranged listener pref studies or measurements or some option I’m unaware of), then there’s no evidence to support a perception of difference. That doesn’t mean something perceived as being different is not real. It simply means there’s insufficient reason to assume it would apply in any other situation, since so many other variables will change at the same time.

It’s really sad some people need studies to tell them what they can and can’t hear.  

Well, I tend to think it keeps some things more predictable and interesting. Emotions like sorrow tend to get in the way of objectivity. 😉

I’d submit it’s misleading (and arrogant) for you to maintain that using your ears is an error and misleading based on some study somewhere.  

Again, no one here has suggested that. What works for you works for you. But professing what you perceive should apply to others’ perceptions and/or use cases? Better off having some evidence.

Pretty sure most people here have been able to discern differences between two products,

Absolutely. As aforementioned, can be demonstrable or can be perceived (or can be both), so can be real or can be imagined (cannot be both); this gets muddled when some folks who don’t consider the discrepancies discuss everything they perceive as though it were demonstrable (= evidentially supported).

So like I said, whether or not it’s intentional, that style of presentation can be misleading.

but I guess you need to be told what you can hear rather than being able to objectively judge something for yourself.  Sad.  Deaf ears indeed.

But professing what you perceive should apply to others’ perceptions and/or use cases? Better off having some evidence.

I don't find that people do that. For the most part I've found that those who think cables make a difference will detail their experience and explain which cables they have liked and why. I don't find that they tell me that my experience will be the same. Those who feel cables are snake oil often do so without trying the cables being discussed and do think that their perception should apply to everyone.

@dwcda so what are you hearing with the transparent cables in your system? Any conclusions?

I designed and built my own A/B/X box with volume matching for testing speakers, but there is no reason that it couldn't be used for testing cables if both sets were connected to the same pair of speakers.

Hey, someone’s got to put the cable manufacturer’s kids through college.  Might as well enjoy doing that.