A procedure for ABX and objective listening

[E-Stat]

Wires, well, are still wires carrying the same old signal.

Your perspicacity so noted.

They still interact with the components at both ends. Zip cord causes measurable distortion.

"The three very different cables all appeared to perform equally. This was what the experimenters were expecting to occur, independently of the load. They were all very much sceptics with regard to significant loudspeaker cable differences - at least between adequately rated cables. "

"The distortion patterns were noticeably different, not only between the cables, but also between the input and output ends of each cable...Voishvillo reported that upon seeing this, Czerwinski exclaimed "But they're only short cables!"

 

[bluemooze]

Or, I could just enjoy listening to music every day like I usually do.

 

[patate91]

Ok -60db vs -70db noise test

Day listening, alone at home : SPL average 72-73 (82 max peak with REW).
Laptop -> usb to TEAC USB DAC -> amplifier -> in room listening

100% to indentifie -60 db. I feel that I could here at -70db but like I said it's a feeling. This with noise is offensive and far from soft noise we have on music file. Anyway I'm prtty confident that -80 db is inaudible ( 85% su8re about -70db)

foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-25 14:19:18

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

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

14:19:18 : Test started.
14:19:48 : 01/01
14:20:10 : 02/02
14:20:24 : 03/03
14:20:46 : 04/04
14:21:00 : 05/05
14:21:22 : 06/06
14:21:37 : 07/07
14:21:57 : 08/08
14:22:11 : 09/09
14:22:30 : 10/10
14:22:45 : 11/11
14:22:59 : 12/12
14:23:28 : 13/13
14:23:45 : 14/14
14:23:57 : 15/15
14:24:14 : 16/16
14:24:14 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 16/16
Probability that you were guessing: 0.0%

-- signature --
2bdcccd375926304b74b53e9c0f1495db71e9110

Next mp3 vs FLAC

 

[patate91]

I did a quick 10 trials pass for 65 kbps vs APE (826 kbps) and succeed

Same setup as above - with an average of 67 db (REW)

And I did a 10 trials 130 kbps vs APE (826 kbps) and I totally failed . No longer alone at home but sometime as I was 100% sure I was having it... I tried to focus on certains aspects like drum hit and cymbals.

foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-25 15:34:46

File A: Steely Dan - Aja [SHM-CD]_ape.cue
SHA1: 8ac5d0da918d872a95fcab9dcfe3e52d632eccd1
File B: Black Cow .65mp3.mp3
SHA1: 783b8a7b1b2dd70170059f49dfa7d5ba86aa9d42

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

15:34:46 : Test started.
15:36:14 : 00/01
15:36:47 : 01/02
15:37:04 : 02/03
15:37:29 : 03/04
15:37:42 : 04/05
15:37:55 : 05/06
15:38:26 : 06/07
15:38:37 : 07/08
15:38:47 : 08/09
15:39:05 : 09/10
15:39:05 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 9/10
Probability that you were guessing: 1.1%

-- signature --
0c9d128b0e03babf6f77beb437bdd01b90226cee

foo_abx 2.0.4 report
foobar2000 v1.3.16
2017-09-25 15:39:59

File A: Steely Dan - Aja [SHM-CD]_ape.cue
SHA1: 8ac5d0da918d872a95fcab9dcfe3e52d632eccd1
File B: Black Cow 130.mp3
SHA1: 67817e4b138f5dc29e3fbbaaf5e651130fca72f1

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

15:39:59 : Test started.
15:41:28 : 01/01
15:42:22 : 01/02
15:44:12 : 01/03
15:44:34 : 01/04
15:44:53 : 02/05
15:45:30 : 02/06
15:45:59 : 02/07
15:46:16 : 02/08
15:46:35 : 02/09
15:47:01 : 03/10
15:47:01 : Test finished.

----------
Total: 3/10
Probability that you were guessing: 94.5%

-- signature --
24fc3b4eab420a1af24f6e2a86efdd2c3228ccbd

I also did a quick ABX with music with more elctro instruments and I failed with 65kbps. Maybe the recording quality of the CD was not that good.

 

[ev13wt]

I already know my results in the upcoming one.

I'm deaf as a bat with 256 mp3.

 

[patate91]

I already know my results in the upcoming one.

I'm deaf as a bat with 256 mp3.

I'll try to RIP more CD that I have, like the Beatles (more used to it). I thought that 130kbps would have a more differences.

In any cases I don't think that's the kind of differences that you can spot while doing other things like reading, Internet, etc.

 

[patate91]

@ev13wt next time you do an ABX that you succeed ((let say a 128 or 130 kbps) can you tell me what you were focusing on? I'll try to get the same files

 

[ev13wt]

Use a very clean recording with layers of Instruments and create some. I'll try my best!

 

[patate91]

@E-Stat hey I got another thouht for you today (in the end looks like I like you)

Do you think you can find texts and links that shows flaws of ABX? I would like to add them to the useful links section.