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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 ?
mrtennis
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
All you dead-horse beaters, arise and smite :-)
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
843 posts
 
To do this right is very difficult. Read the book Blink to get an idea of how humans form judgements. From psychology we know that people will preceive coffee from a red can as richer and more full bodied than the same coffee from a green can. Every single thing that is said to the subject, every thing in the enviroment, the order things are presented in, and even the lead experiementers beliefs, even when double blind designs are used influences the results.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
"Arise and SMITE."

I like that word. Heheh.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,139 posts
 
On a related topic, it's well known that if by accident or otherwise you lose the use of one of your senses that the remaining senses become more acute. That being the case, has any audiophile out there tried poking out their eyes to improve their hearing? It's probably a bigger upgrade than any sub-$3k power cable.
newmanoc
295 posts
 
Onhwy61:
I agree, I think you might possibly get more bang out of say a 4k power cord than out of blinding yourself, but below 3k? No way. But I really think you have got to spend 6k on a power cord before you can say for sure you've done more for your system than you can do with self mutilation alone.
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