Interesting analog experience

I mean, really, can anyone say they honestly like DDD CDs? Especially compared to AAD CDs.

Isn't this a double blind test debate, without the double blind (i.e., Tmsorosk knew what format was being presented)?

The results of this experience do not surprise me at all. What does surprise me is that none of the audio club members commented on the absence of pops and clicks.

Unless you treated the CDs, at least to a certain extent, and I hate to say this, but there's a excellent chance your audio buddies are stone deaf.

Big deal. Did you then play the same music on the turntable after that? If so, what did they say then?

Elinor, I was saying just the opposite (and I believe you misunderstand the nature of 4'33").

As Stringreen noted, an actual performance (or recorded performance) of 4'33" does NOT sound like "nothing". There will typically be audience coughs and sniffles, grunts or hums from the HVAC system, traffic sounds, birdcalls... almost anything. During many performances, the pianist closes the keyboard cover briefly, twice, to signify breaks betweeen movements - which might also be audible. In short, complete silence will not happen unless the performance is by a non-breathing pianist in an anechoic chamber.

That said, any such sounds will almost certainly be lower than the sound of a piano actually being played. For distinguishing between vinyl and CD, such a low signal level would allow us to hear groove rush and tape hiss quite clearly. If one didn't hear these things, one might (should) realize that we're not listening to vinyl.