Quote:
Originally Posted by High Fidelity  Many parameters can biased one way or another a listening test:
- Having visual cues of materials being played, equipment usde, etc.
- Not using A/B/X listening procedure ... double blind setup
- Listening with already an answer in mind about the listening 'dilemma'
- Untrained listeners or lack of listening experience
- Lack of objective vocabulary for subjective listening qualification
- Levels
- Low resolution or biased audio equipment in especially poor room acoustics and setup
- Who has the highest authority*
Unfortunately a lot can go wrong during audio tests... |
If you get a chance to read the actual Journal article, you'll see they conducted double-blind (A/B/X) tests with 60+ audiophiles and recording professionals using a variety of high-end equipment in different facilities. All they tested for was whether or not listeners could identify a sound difference when a 16/44.1 A/D/A unit was switched into the signal path from high-resolution sources (SACD/DVD-A) playing high-resolution recordings. They got 276 correct answers out of 554 trials. Statistically that's the same as if participants had flipped a coin. They tried to parse out the data to see if they could find any statistical correlations with age, sex, listening experience or upper frequency hearing limit. None were found.
The only clear difference they found was when they raised the gain +20dB above the nominal level with no music signal present. Then the participants could consistently identify the higher noise floor associated with the 16/44.1 A/D/A unit. However, listening to actual music at those levels was uncomfortably loud.
I wouldn't say this is a definitive experiment. But it certainly puts a heavy burden of proof on anyone who claims that higher resolution playback is significantly different from 16/44.1.
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Originally Posted by Quantumphysics If you have time check out "What the Bleep do we Know" it's a cool movie - something different. |
Saw it. That was a great comedy! I laughed the whole way through!
Seriously, the connections that movie tried to make between science and spirituality were silly at best.
Thomas