All you dead-horse beaters, arise and smite :-)
do blind tests have any practical significance
do the results of a blind or double tests have any usefulness ?
a blind ab test does not prove anything. it only states facts, namely that a certain percentage of listeners were able to distinguish the sound of one component from another.
there are many issues as to the validity of these tests.
the question, "can a listener detect the sonic difference(s) between components", is never answered definitely by one test.
suppose a blind test is administered 10 or more times to the same group of listeners. assuming the first test is replicated 9 more times, there is a chance that there may be an inconsistency between the outcomes of the test.
suppose a statistically significant percentage, say less than 60 percent, for a large sample of listeners, identifies differences between 2 components, what does that mean ?
what is the application of such a result for a prospective buyer of a component ?
a blind ab test does not prove anything. it only states facts, namely that a certain percentage of listeners were able to distinguish the sound of one component from another.
there are many issues as to the validity of these tests.
the question, "can a listener detect the sonic difference(s) between components", is never answered definitely by one test.
suppose a blind test is administered 10 or more times to the same group of listeners. assuming the first test is replicated 9 more times, there is a chance that there may be an inconsistency between the outcomes of the test.
suppose a statistically significant percentage, say less than 60 percent, for a large sample of listeners, identifies differences between 2 components, what does that mean ?
what is the application of such a result for a prospective buyer of a component ?