A procedure for ABX and objective listening

feel free to send me links to oppose the links I'll add. I think everyone will benefits to have a quick access to both aides of the medal
I offer no ability for ABX testing. I merely answered your questions as to why I don't use Windows based software to play music and provided an example of content for evaluation of overall sound quality.

The English translation to that particular idiom is: " Both sides of the coin."
 
You do understand this is a guy in his basement, right? His "reference" system uses Emotiva gear (not terribly different from what I use in my HT).

Yep he's a normal guy like you and me, experiencing, sharing and using things that a lot of people could use. In other words : this is a real field experience like most of us can experience on a daily basis.

Let's follow the rule of : trust your ears.

If someone has reasons to find why he or she shouldn't he or she can go deeper if desired. There's a lot informations available.

I don't think it's a good thing to attack or try discredit someone you don't know or even contacted and ask a question.
 
@E-Stat

To remain constructives can you give me an exemple or point me to specific songs that I can have and share here to practice our ears un subtle or night and day changes.

Do you mean he should supply 2 or more files, lets say a wav, a flac and a 128 MP3 and a 265 MP3?
Is this question directed to me?

Yes, sorry for not quoting. You can simply send a digital stream from your computer to that?
 
You can simply send a digital stream from your computer to that?
Yes. Cute little bugger, isn't it?

rendu_internal.jpg
 
Yep he's a normal guy like you and me, experiencing, sharing and using things that a lot of people could use. In other words : this is a real field experience like most of us can experience on a daily basis.
He is most certainly welcome to his opinion.

To the extent that measurements correlate with that which we hear, however, amateur level test gear ain't gonna find it.
 
He is most certainly welcome to his opinion.

To the extent that measurements correlate with that which we hear, however, amateur level test gear ain't gonna find it.

Please try to find a way to do the tests with your non amateur gear and share :)

I'll also add Ian Sheperd' video links (as well as other professionals), he's a pro and he's using pro gear.

Enjoy :)
 
Last edited:
Why are you using a Raspberry pi, as far as I know it's a computer?
As for me, I went to the Raspberry Pi to get away from my noisy PC. Spinning fans, hard drives, wireless signals all contribute, but I suspect it is also the design of my particular PC too that put all sorts of crap onto the USB that caused my DAC to experience problems. Since going to the RPi3 all that has gone, and it is now just clean sounding music with no background noise, and none of the other issues. I have not taken my RPi as far as E-Stat has, mine is completely stock, but it works well whereas when the same DAC was plugged into my Win 10 its sound varied a lot from OK to intolerable which always required a reboot. If you are getting good results and are happy, go with it. You are fortunate.

As for ABX, I am not going to go through all that. Too much work and audio isn't about work for me. I'm sure it would produce some sort of result that may cause me to want to spend more money, but it could well be a fools errand too. I actually don't think our auditory faculties respond to instant change with very subtle differences like our eyes do at the optamologist office. I believe I need much more time with any change than an ABX test would provide. But will be interested in what people who go through this work find out!
 
Please try to find a way to do the tests with your non amateur gear and share
The only tests I conduct are measuring low frequency sine wave SPLs for optimizing speaker placement. I don't engage in parlor games where the inherent noise exceeds that which you are attempting to measure.

Come over, bring your favorite music and listen!
 
Post #5 updated with links to music files and youtube video.

I also edited post #1 : Since people are experiencing a lot of difference with gear change (sometime night and day). It would be interesting to see how it modify your results in DBT. Since most upgrade bring more details and clarity results should be different.

Share your results here and more useful links would help
 
It would be interesting to see how it modify your results in DBT.
Do you really understand what that means?

99% of audio DBTs are flawed with unsupported assumptions using common ground switch boxes that merely compare A+B to A+B along with using additional and extraneous cables "assumed" to not affect the results.

By all means, detail the test methodology.
 
Last edited:
Just use one file you can't hear a difference let say MP3 320kbps vs FLAC and run the test in the above procedure. Since there's an upgrade maybe it will affects the results.

Note that the first goal of this thread is to train your ears, not to bust myths (that's the bonus for those who want)

Even if it's flawed in the end most people accept that what they hear is flawed (and won't even participate), so It won't hurt to add something more. I think it's healthy to have both sides of the coin. This procedure, at least, gives you the opportinity to try at home, alone, relaxed, with your favorite music, etc. If AK wants more young people maybe it's time to try something different!

Don't feel that you still need to debate here, your position is clear and welcome, but it leads nowhere to keep adding. Again give me links that I can add in post #5 and I'll add them with pleasure.
 
Here's my results for the noise hearing tests. I did my tests in my dedicated room with speakers.**EDIT** at my usual late night listening level ~ 65db, max 70db. Will plug the microphone next time.

It was easy to get almost perfect with noise at -50db vs -60db

foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-19 20:20:44

File A: concerto-50.wav
SHA1: 1bb20b098aba99a598a90c0e05e74608c0e4ccbd
File B: concerto-60.wav
SHA1: 9972ec4973748e13bd1ead05d97373fee4778686

Output:
DS : Interface SPDIF (TEAC CD-2000)
Crossfading: NO

20:20:44 : Test started.
20:21:26 : 01/01
20:21:44 : 01/02
20:22:08 : 02/03
20:22:34 : 03/04
20:23:11 : 04/05
20:23:27 : 05/06
20:23:36 : 06/07
20:23:56 : 07/08
20:24:16 : 08/09
20:24:16 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 8/9
Probability that you were guessing: 2.0%

-- signature --
417d458e8c5b8196648ff32b5941854238fd0b26

And I totaly failed to hear differences bewteen - 60 db and -70db

Note that I first did the test with 9 attemps and got lucky in my picks ( at the end I was guessing)
I did it again with 16 attemps and results reflects that I was clearly guessing

Attempt 1
foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-19 20:28:19

File A: concerto-60.wav
SHA1: 9972ec4973748e13bd1ead05d97373fee4778686
File B: concerto-70.wav
SHA1: fcf6c800dd8f1dcbf4f9b6d628cbad494de09e0c

Output:
DS : Interface SPDIF (TEAC CD-2000)
Crossfading: NO

20:28:19 : Test started.
20:29:36 : 00/01
20:30:00 : 01/02
20:30:25 : 02/03
20:30:45 : 02/04
20:31:05 : 03/05
20:31:15 : 03/06
20:31:25 : 04/07
20:31:31 : 04/08
20:31:36 : 05/09
20:31:39 : 06/10
20:31:39 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 6/10
Probability that you were guessing: 37.7%

-- signature --
e066677fa03adfee0148cb680fba322240f2e726

Attempt 2
foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-19 20:32:43

File A: concerto-60.wav
SHA1: 9972ec4973748e13bd1ead05d97373fee4778686
File B: concerto-70.wav
SHA1: fcf6c800dd8f1dcbf4f9b6d628cbad494de09e0c

Output:
DS : Interface SPDIF (TEAC CD-2000)
Crossfading: NO

20:32:43 : Test started.
20:32:52 : 00/01
20:33:03 : 00/02
20:33:12 : 01/03
20:33:25 : 02/04
20:33:29 : 03/05
20:33:40 : 03/06
20:33:50 : 03/07
20:33:54 : 03/08
20:33:57 : 04/09
20:33:59 : 05/10
20:34:00 : 05/11
20:34:03 : 05/12
20:34:05 : 06/13
20:34:07 : 06/14
20:34:09 : 07/15
20:34:11 : 07/16
20:34:11 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 7/16
Probability that you were guessing: 77.3%

-- signature --
e008989c3701a9d712cd091928f2c4d54b9ce19f
 

Attachments

  • noise 50 vs 60.txt
    624 bytes · Views: 1
  • noise 60 vs 70 - 1.txt
    644 bytes · Views: 1
  • noise 60 vs 70 - 2.txt
    752 bytes · Views: 1
Last edited:
Do you believe your time was well spent?

Certainly. I enjoy m'y hobby differently everyday.

There's time I just want to enjoy music, sometime I want to build, understand, participate on a forum, doing blind tests and tests my limits.

I know un the end I'll have more knowledge and it really matter to me :)
 
Back
Top Bottom