Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
Conflicting information on Cables and other audiophile components.
- Thread starter Adamsolympia
- Start date
blades
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2014
- Posts
- 170
- Likes
- 28
I believe the possiblity of difference is based on the recording. If the recording is modern pop, it's probably recorded poorly, and doesn't matter if it's FLAC or not as it sounds very poor with a transparent setup.
Test is more useful with a file with lots of information and highly detailed or quality recording. Down converting that to hear any difference would be more telling than taking Mily Cirus's new album and comparing the bit rates.
I doesn't matter. If you have the technology to do it, take a wav file, compress it to a 320mp3 and save the data that was removed from the compression and play it back. Do you know what it will sound like? It will sound like a very quiet hiss or whisper. The file won't even miss it sonically. That is why even SilverEars won't be able to tell the difference in a bias controlled test.
Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
Well then, once I have the time and energy, I will conduct and publish one of these tests in a manner befitting my title.
cel4145
Headphoneus Supremus
And you have just demonstrated the blindspot by defending science with that statement. Because audio equipment contributes to an aesthetic experience, useful research would typically need to be comprised of both quantitative and qualitative, where the qualitative would take that into account. And to design qualitative research methods and do the resulting analysis of the data, one would have to understand theories from social science and the humanities, which a lot of researchers in the hard science would not have a clue about, and thus why they feel it can be "deliberately eliminated." To rely only on the quantitative is sort of like thinking one can analyze cake and compare it to pie by analyzing it's chemical composition and other physical characteristics without doing research into what makes it taste good and having people taste it.
But I guess it depends on whether your end goal for research is how the equipment measures or which people will like better
I'm not persuaded that our senses can be so easily separated. Try doing wine tasting with your nose stopped up and see if you like the same wine with all your senses intact. Still, I don't conclude that blind tests are pointless: they provide very useful data that we take into account in the quite complex process of forming our beliefs. So please stop deploying the rhetoric of "Science!" Let's try to keep the discussion open.
Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
And you have just demonstrated the blindspot by defending science with that statement. Because audio equipment contributes to an aesthetic experience, useful research would typically need to be comprised of both quantitative and qualitative, where the qualitative would take that into account. And to design qualitative research methods and do the resulting analysis of the data, one would have to understand theories from social science and the humanities, which a lot of researchers in the hard science would not have a clue about, and thus why they feel it can be "deliberately eliminated." To rely only on the quantitative is sort of like thinking one can analyze cake and compare it to pie by analyzing it's chemical composition and other physical characteristics without doing research into what makes it taste good and having people taste it.
But I guess it depends on whether your end goal for research is how the equipment measures or which people will like better
If I'm not mistaken, the focus of qualitative research is psychology, so it's not surprising that "hardcore" scientists overlook this aspect. Too much extra work, not enough funding.
Ultimate irony, on the Wikipedia page for qualitative research:
Equipment that measures better is often less pleasurable to listen to for many people, at any rate.
My brother dislikes how dogmatic so many scientists are, so he made a little comedy bit: whenever there is an argument he doesn't feel like fleshing out, or if he is intentionally making an argument that makes no sense, he holds up his finger, widens his eyes, and proclaims, "Science!"
SilverEars
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2013
- Posts
- 14,526
- Likes
- 6,522
I think science is applied to two domains. One domain is like social sciences where it varies alot, and math cannot be precisely applied. Another domain is physics where equations can be precisely applied, and laws extracted since it's predictable.
LIke medical science, studies come out results based on correlations, but not completely conclusive. On the other hand for physics, the conclusion should be solid.
One can look at more of the physical science is higher science, but I feel the other sciences are more challenging since it requres so much studies and experience to better understand phenomenas.
LIke medical science, studies come out results based on correlations, but not completely conclusive. On the other hand for physics, the conclusion should be solid.
One can look at more of the physical science is higher science, but I feel the other sciences are more challenging since it requres so much studies and experience to better understand phenomenas.
cel4145
Headphoneus Supremus
Not just psychology, but qualitative research is used throughout the social sciences and even in the arts and humanities (to a certain extent). Although certainly psychology is likely the pioneer of much qualitative research methodology. Qualitative research can be hard to do because it often does not give the definitive answers that hard science would like, but that's because it grapples with issues that defy providing definitive answers.
Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
And this is precisely why there are endless arguments among audio enthusiasts, as it encompasses both domains.
Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
I would imagine that its use could be practically anywhere, but the focal point certainly seems like psychology to me.
As for not giving definitive answers...that harkens back to a college psychology course where all we did was go around in circles. Such is life, I suppose...
cel4145
Headphoneus Supremus
That definition is not very helpful for understanding that qualitative research is used (and is necessary) in many other disciplines. Heck. Even marketing uses qualitative research a lot. What do you think focus groups are?
Music Alchemist
Pokémon trainer of headphones
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Posts
- 20,092
- Likes
- 2,299
I'm a professional marketer, actually. Psychology is key! Get inside the mind of your prospects and you've won half the battle.
Psychology applies to all the things you mentioned, as far as I can tell. That's what I meant.
Oh, and I meant philosophy course, not psychology - though both of those had plenty of circle-wandering.
cel4145
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah. But be careful of thinking about it that way. Qualitative research in marketing is not just about psychology. You guys look at cultural/socio/economic differences as well, right?
That's why I say don't think of qualitative research as mainly about psychology. It's used in a lot of different ways. You might just be more familiar with the psychological perspective/application--your bias
Users who are viewing this thread
