Well, though I did not ask for description of any sound preferences this time and asked only for ABX result supported by a foobar txt protocol (for verification purposes), I have received some sound impressions in the thread. Thank you guys and I assume you deserve a revelation
. So here we go:The "cc" is the original, ripped from CD used in the test. The "oo" is the recorded file that went through: Vincent CD-S3 > SPDIF coax > DacMagic Plus > OPA549 chipamp loaded with Ascent 90 speakers > Roland Duo USB soundcard.
----
In my previous tests I was often asked to post original file, which I did not want to do for the technical reasons (time alignment etc.). This time I have decided to put the original as one of the files in the test. As many times before, the technically inferior file (or better say technically more affected and modified) file seems to be preferred by some listeners. Even if that preference is not supported by a statistically significant result and valid protocol.
Last edited:
Just listened to both tracks several times, I have no basis to differentiate them. Even at different levels, and different players I can't tell them apart
Thanks for posting the tracks @PMA
Thank you Don for trying the test.
I said it sounded like there was more distortion in cc, and it does sound that way to me.
Dan and I both thought oo sounded smooth and muted, I said it sounded like some missing HF information perhaps from compression. That's how it sounds to me.
Of course, it is possible to reduce some HF distortion by various means of linear and nonlinear filtering, and maybe other types of processing.
By listening, one can only know for sure the files sound different.
Which file was altered and which wasn't is another matter, and involves some guessing. My guess was the HF distortion on cc was more likely caused by the addition of distortion in your test signal path rather than some type of filtering that removed some HF and made the sound seem slightly more compressed.
You did ask for ABX test results only, but Mooly asked me a question about what I heard and I answered in brief form. I could have gone in to more detail about what I heard vs what I knew I was inferring from what I heard, but I thought I responded adequately to what Mooly asked about.
Since you say oo is the processed file, I would now say it sounds like the difference I heard between the files was probably more the product of your data converters than your amplifier, even though you seem to think it must be the other way around. That is, that's the way it sounds to me, period. I don't know if that's the way your measurements come out or not, and I don't really care. I was only listening and that's the only result I can describe.
EDIT: Bill, I don't consider my words here to be excuses of any kind, as there is nothing to excuse. I am only commenting in response to Pavel's comments for anyone who might care to hear more than than only Pavel's point of view.
Last edited:
Yes . And the guys could have found which file is original and which is recorded quite easily even with Audacity. The non-original, recorded file has infra-sound roll off due to ac coupling in the audio chain. The amp used has 1uF/33kohm input coupling cap/input resistor. This makes 4.8 Hz LF roll-off. See the attached Audacity plots. (Sorry for different Y scales, Audacity is just Audacity. But one can read from Y-axis the dB and compare)
. And the guys could have found which file is original and which is recorded quite easily even with Audacity. The non-original, recorded file has infra-sound roll off due to ac coupling in the audio chain. The amp used has 1uF/33kohm input coupling cap/input resistor. This makes 4.8 Hz LF roll-off. See the attached Audacity plots. (Sorry for different Y scales, Audacity is just Audacity. But one can read from Y-axis the dB and compare)Attachments
Last edited:
And I thank you very much for this approach. However, file analysis does not help to get ABX result.
All that said, I understand that the recorded file may sound more pleasing to someone. All I wanted to get is the proof that the files were really discerned. I am not offending anyone, I just want to make understand that the brain sound evaluation is a complex process and we may be unintentionally biased and fooled by our brain.
Last edited:
absolutely.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.