"Violinists blast holes in violin experiment"

Larry, based on your experience doing A/B/A blind tests and no surprises, do you think that your expectations might have influenced what you heard?

Larry,

Don't be so sure about blind tasting. I attended blind wine tastings every Tuesday night (+/- 30 per year) for about three years with industry professionals (excluding myself, just an enthusiast who was friendly with the owner of the restaurant that hosted these events).

Bottom line: skills vary. Two individuals were astonishingly accurate. The tastings were themed around similar wine types; for example high end Napa Cabernets on one night or modestly priced Chardonnay from the Macon on another. Wines were placed in numbered bags by the restaurant staff and poured by same. No way to cheat - as far I could figure, anyway.

Both of the above mentioned tasters could identify their own product from a batch of 20-25 similar wines with near 100% accuracy (when they had an eligible product of their own in the running). They were also highly accurate in identifying vintages, properties and producers - though rarely all three at once. Both could also consistently identify the one "ringer" that was always introduced. Both of them picked out which 2 wines were identical on both occasions that a single wine ended up being contributed twice. Incidentally, that is a hard trick. When one of them told me which 2 he thought were identical, I went back to re- taste. I objected to his conclusion on the grounds that one was more tannic. He responded that the more tannic bottle was colder.

Like most people who attended these events (experienced tasters, all), I would have great nights on which I was impressed with my own skill and embarrassing nights on which I provided fodder for years of abuse at the hands of other attendees. Skilled tasters can be consistently discerning when operating "in the dark". Less skilled tasters - like yours truly - maybe not so consistent.

Marty

Tomcy6,

"Larry, based on your experience doing A/B/A blind tests and no surprises, do you think that your expectations might have influenced what you heard?"

OK, I'm thick some times, so maybe I'm misunderstanding, if so forgive me.
By doing the test the way we did...A/B/A , and NOT knowing what A or B was...I can't imagine that I had ANY expectations.
I knew we had a control and a variable.
Let's say new preamp...A, might be an existing one in the store...B might be the new one, but I didn't have any idea which was which...so 'expectations' could not have been part of my thinking.

Emperically...how does A sound...importantly, after that evaluation, how does B compare? How is it better? Worse?

Larry

Larry,

My question asks if once you have zeroed in on what the differences between cable A and cable B are, can you identify those differences if you don't know whether you are listening to cable A or cable B?

I am not trying to attack you personaly. I have always been puzzled that audio reviewers can go on for pages about the "jaw dropping" differences between component X and component Y but if you ask them to listen blindly and determine whether they are listening to X or Y they give you all kinds of reasons why blind tests are flawed as they back out the door.

I am not an objectivist. I believe that many differences in components can't be measured yet. Jitter was not observed for years after cd was introduced for instance.

Also, I understand that long term listening in familiar surroundings is the way to determine which components one prefers. But I am puzzled as to why professional reviewers are so opposed to any form of blind testing and just wanted to get your experience with the process. I am not trying to start an argument about blind testing and I hope I don't.

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Whether the Strads are superior instruments or not, that the new instruments are sonically close enough to even have this argument. I think the new instruments have proven that, objectively, the Strads and Guaneris are worth millions more only because of their rarity, not because of their sound is millions better. The sonic gap in new vs old is much narrower than their prices indicate.
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