In article , Paul B
wrote:


Surely any test has to be trusted by both the proctor & subjects? I, for
one have grown to harbour reservations regarding DB testing's efficacy
on anything other than drug therapy effectiveness. My suspicions are
that the results will never show any significant scores because the
differences are possibly just too subtle to be picked out by memory
alone which is of course a great pity.

That may be so. However it contradicts any assertion that the 'differences'
are 'large' or 'obvious' or any similar term. It also implies the
'differences' are so small as to be of little significance or interest.


How would you propose calibrating the test to gain some idea of
thresholds where subjects can hear calibrated & repeatable differences
in sound apart from suggesting these tests are for those subjects who
declare the differences between cables to be huge (unless I've got the
wrong end of the stick?)

Where the form or cause of the 'difference' is defined, such tests may be
done. For example, there have been tests to determine the levels of
distortion of various kinds that people can easily hear, or find on the
borderline of being undetectable.

The problem with many of the claims re 'cable sound' is that not only they
claimed differences seem to become elusive when tested. It is also that
there is no testable physical cause or mechanism which anyone has been able
to substantiate.

If I had a preference for Coke over Pepsi & failed a DB taste test,
would that invalidate my preference?

No. But it would indicate that your preference may not be based on the
actual taste...

As for coming up with something better, I'm sorry to say that I can't.
I'm not even certain that this little nut is indeed crackable. I would
dearly love it to be. This page gives some idea why:
http://www.ilikejam.dsl.pipex.com/audiophile.htm

I'll have a look. :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html