On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 01:40:12 +0100, Stevie Boy wrote:


[1] how I compare speaker wi
Get someone else to wire the same speakers to A/B outpus of your amp,
without telling you which is which. Switch between the two while
listening.

--
Jim H

I personally Jim think this is wrong or at the very least flawed as it
provides nothing but confusement.
The mere idea of letting someone else fiddle with your Hi-fi knowingly
without knowing what they have done is enough to make the brain go
bonkers!
Rather than attempting to listen to the music, your attempting to think
about cable changes and mentally trying to figure out which cable is in
use.
It's rather like messing around with your computer rather than using it
for
it's intended purpose.
Your worrying if it's running properly and optimally rather than just
getting down and doing whatever you need/wanting to be doing and
therefore
get distracted and ultimately not putting your all in.

I prefer to install a cable for days on end if not weeks by which time
you
should be thoroughly aware of how your system sounds and more importantly
what your hearing on those tracks you are playing. Then change the cables
and listen to the same tracks/music for a similiar period. this way you
should be accustomed to any differences in the system.
I would perform this type of test during daytime and evening time to
allow
differences in temperature and Mains interference levels (plus ambient
noise).
I would also try to conform to uniform weather patterns. Meaning steer
clear
of hot humid days or cold chilly nights which could easily affect the
equipment sound unless your lucky enough to own a air-conditioned room.

If after all this you still have doubts. It will be due to 2 things.
Either
the equipment you are auditioning is not sufficiently different to
warrent
worrying about or what you have listened to has not sufficiently logged
in
your brain and the test will require repeating until your satisfied.

I think A/B comparisons in the manner you speak of or any equipment
comparison that requires short term switch over is doomed. I used to go
to a
dealer that insisted on this type of dem. In the end I could not offer my
hard earned cash to them as I felt their method was flawed as I struggled
to
define differences clearly enough to make a real conscious decison.

Steve




Ok, but how about an A/B test over a few weeks or even months. The point is
that knowing which cable is used could change the results, with a £150
piece of wire you may subconsciously convince yourself of new details in
order to justify the purchase.

This is why a double blind test is the standard measure for scientific
proof. If one cable is noticeably better than the other you should
ultimately be able to say which is which. In this case you are both subject
and result taker, so it is reasonable to call the test double blind if only
you are unaware which is A/B.

An interesting one would be to wire twice, but with identical wire, and
tell the cable lover channel A cost 50p/m and B is some solid silver affair
at £10/m. Then leave him to listen for a few days and see which he
preferred. I'd bet more than 80% say A. Of course, you'd have to cover up
the amplifier terminals and check for peeking!


--
Jim H