Originally Posted by WildCowboys  Interesting thread for sure. I have understanding for both "sides" because even though those who do not have any first hand experience with BLA modded gear, still can have a valid point from knowledge and experience. I for example did many converter and some clocking blind tests and have gotten to the point where I know that there are no severe night and day, good and evil, crap and goodness differences. On the other hand I can not say anything about the BLA stuff because I have not used and tested it - so maybe this is the exception we are all looking for. So when users shout out that something that was considered crappy sounding is now superior to almost any superhighend converter, my alarm bells are going on as well. Simply because 99,8% of exactly those posts on GS and other forums are simply gut feelings from guys who never put themselves into a proper calibrated, bias free, multiple times blind test situation.
There is only ONE thing that can bring such a discussion further: a simple, level matched, high resolution comparison-file between stock and modded. This is SO easy to do and still there is none here. Mike, thanks a lot for your contribution, but please understand that there will be lots of people who ask themselves "He said he did A-B tests and BLA blew everything else away. Other guys in the room heard it too...why didn´t anyone press "record" or export a file?" I really cannot understand this part. Of course those guys will also look at the fact that you wrote a review of the BLA FM192 for MixMagazine and that you are a BLA customer. Their conclusions will be along the lines of "ok, magazine review, greeeeat, they never write something bad as it would kill their business. He writes for the magazine, getting paid by the magazine, he is just as dependent as the magazine. He is a customer, does he pay full price for the mods? Before and/or after the fantastic reviews?...." This could go on and on and on. The only thing that can stop all those doubts and questions are simple files. It would be so friggin´fantastic to just upload some of the comparisons that BLA users did.
It was awesome reading the MixMagazine review and the part about the BLA drum recording, converters measuring flat +/- 0.25dB between 20Hz and 19kHz while still sounding as if someone cleared out the mud in the 200Hz area compared to the stock 192 interface. But those are "just" words, and words are so often wrong. Two simple files would make those words reality.
Why can´t someone just do it? The fact that despite so much talking has been done and noone has put up such files is another valid indicator for the "doubters" that there is a reason why noone has done it, it is avioded on purpose because the words do not meet reality, but business, egos and investment affirmation desparately want to make believe.
So please guys do not think I am a "basher" - I am open minded and would LOVE to find something that puts digital sound to the next level. It has simply been said and hyped a thousand times and it never really meets reality. So if the BLA users are on to something exceptional, please, please, make a valid(!) comparison and upload it somewhere so everyone can HEAR what it is all about!
Rock on!
Pat
ps - valid comparison means for example level matched conversions of the exact same signal into two systems at the same time (AD test). Or recording to a good analog multitrack and then converting the tracks through both systems (AD test). Or stemming out a mix into an OTB analog mixer once with stock and once with modded converters (DA test). Valid comparison does not mean recording something at one time and something else after and then thinking to be able to judge the sonic differences between two converters. |