In article ,
Keith G wrote:
My experience of life is that there is usually a gap between what people
think they can do and what they actually can do - especially when it
comes to anything to do with the senses, which I believe are easily
fooled.

Right. Back to your milkman again.

I've had a lot of fun in the recent past with stuff like turning
speakers back to front while the listener was listening blindfolded,
fading sources playing the same thing, fading speaker/amplifier pairs
on a shared source &c. - I didn't keep records or compile stats, but
I'd say as a rule of thumb more than 90% of people have no idea after
even only a short while when making direct AB comparisons and that such
comparisons are a waste of time for anything other than night and day
differences.

You've already said that listening to your music in another room from your
speakers sounds just fine to you.

If/when I have to choose between two bits of kit I just use them both,
swap them in and out over a period of time and see which wins. As to
*untrained* people being able to spot the difference in the musical
instruments you mention in the manner you describe, my money would be
on very few (if any) people outside the music or recording professions
being able to do it.....

Being able to identify instruments (or whatever) in a mix is one of the
most basic requirements of sound mixing. You have to know which fader
requires a waggle.

--
*Honk if you love peace and quiet*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.