Blind Listening Tests & Amplifiers

[Fantastic]

For those who have been following this thread , you might notice that apart from the topic it is also giving us insights into the 'make up' of each of the people who are replying. It is quite illuminating. Impressions I had of various people - I can't see anyone - have turned out to be very different from what is seen now. Interesting. If you missed the informative background noise ,read through all the posts again !

[fdegrove]

Hi,

It is quite illuminating. Impressions I had of various people - I can't see anyone - have turned out to be very different from what is seen now

You're not a shrink, are you? Eeeeek...
In case you are you could have a field day around here....let the fun begin.

To borrow from PM:

The Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose...

Hubba, hubba,

[Fantastic]

Hi Frank,
Please come in. Now lie down on this couch and relax while I probe your mind. Give me a couple of minutes to get the hack saw and my gloves. It can tend to be a bit messy.
Any long 'last'ing wishes ?
All acquired information will be put up on a new thread on this forum.
Are we ready ?
Hold on, I need to steady my hands ......

Me a shrink ?? How much do you have in your wallet ??

[mefinnis]

Originally posted by carlosfm
Hi, am I missing something here?
.......
Ha!
It's people like you that muck up the Hi-Fi business.
You're the type of salesman that today is selling hi-fi, and tomorrow is selling socks.

It would appear that you have missed the vast majority of the thread, or simply not been able to compehend it. Then you finish with a couple of childish insults ........ I'm in awe!

I am impressed that NW took the time to reply as he did. There have been some very relevant points made on both sides throughout the thread. Try reading it first, then please join the discussion at a credible level.

regards
mark

[carlosfm]

nw_avphile,

I assumed tha you were demonstrating or trying to sell something to the Bryston man...
Well...
Blind tests are made in a way that people know they are goind to listen a group of amps, for example.
They don't know what exactly they are going to hear.
The person that is commanding the group tests is the only one who knows, and calls the devices A, B, C...
People only know they are hearing amp A or B...
That's from where the "ABX comparator" device's name comes from.
Hi-Fi Choice used to do these goup tests.
As for the op-amps, I changed it on my amp, one day at nigh.
The next day I was hearing to a Ben Harper CD, and my wife (not an audiophile!) came into the room and asked me:
"What have you done? Have you bough something? It's playing much better".
Do you want a better blind test?
Believe me, she knows that CD very well.

Tube_Dude, portuguese brother, that happens...
I prefer the 2604 over the 2132 (I feel the 2132 has an overblown bass).
But you can try the OPA627 (with adapters).
You won't ever regret.
I changed the op-amps (AD176 for OPA627 - no need for adapters) on my Audio Alchemy DDE 3.0 Dac, and I would never go back.
And my wife approved it again!
You can also try LM6172, works very well with one-bit cd-players (or dacs).

P.S: nw_avphile: I can make blind tests with op-amps, I always put them with good machined sockets.

[Brad Kizer]

Very interesting thread...I'm not about to debate what someone else hears or may think they hear. Try this. Pick up a book on psychoacoustics. Some of what you find will suprise you.

Our hobby is filled with hype. The trick is (in my estimation) to be able to separate fact from fiction. And in our case that can be quite difficult. About the only thing I'm sure of (for me anyway) is that if you are testing amps it would be wise to have a control amp. Take the second amp, make your mods and listen having your assistant switch (blind) between the two. I'm in the process of building two Seal Electronics Opti-Mos amps just for this purpose. The control amp (200W) will consist of "off the shelf parts". The test amp will have have various changes. I visited Randy Slone (Seal's owner) at his home for two days and discussed the different ways to alter the sound through component and bias adjustments. Amazing possibilites to say the least. I also spoke with Hugh Dean of Aspen Amplifiers on the same subject. He also had many ideas to "tailor" the overall sound.

This link will give you a small taste of psychoacoustics...
http://www.sfu.ca/sca/Manuals/ZAAPf/...oacoustic.html

Enjoy!

[mikek]

Originally posted by Fantastic
For those who have been following this thread , you might notice that apart from the topic it is also giving us insights into the 'make up' of each of the people who are replying. It is quite illuminating. Impressions I had of various people - I can't see anyone - have turned out to be very different from what is seen now. Interesting. If you missed the informative background noise ,read through all the posts again !

Hi fantastic,.......you've got my attention here...what background vibes do reckon are emanating from yours truly?

[Fantastic]

Hi Mikek,
Everyone gives of vibes. As long as they are positive they should be fine. It is truly an achievement to be able to 'watch the way the world runs' and try not to compartmentalise the different external vibes we 'feel'. That we we are free to refine our own positive vibes and not be burdened by 'other peoples vibes'. But we can watch them from our own personal bay windows - to help refine our own vibes!
Cool eh ?

[mikek]

Originally posted by Fantastic
Hi Mikek,
Everyone gives of vibes. As long as they are positive they should be fine. It is truly an achievement to be able to 'watch the way the world runs' and try not to compartmentalise the different external vibes we 'feel'. That we we are free to refine our own positive vibes and not be burdened by 'other peoples vibes'. But we can watch them from our own personal bay windows - to help refine our own vibes!
Cool eh ?

Yes...and the answer is...?

[Fantastic]

Hi Mikek,
You missed the point. I should not be saying anything about your vibes because that would be categorising you. That would be wrong as it would have my own bias . I can only watch others and see how much I need to improve myself - see what the others are doing wrong and avoid doing it myself.
The world is a mirror of sorts. So what you throw out at it gets thrown back at you. Sometimes other things get thrown back at you - ignore that.
Aren't we digressing too much from this thread ? Of course it is about the 'tone of replies' that started this in the first place.