[A_Dying_Wren]

Hi guys, I dunno if this has been mentioned before and I apologise if it has but his is my proposal for dbt that I think can satisfy everyone.

1. Build a large aluminium (or similar metallic material) box open at one end (but with a lid that is lockable). A shoe box sized box would work I think. Have the open end be the smallest side (i.e. on the side)

2. Install metal dividers splitting the box in half lengthwise.

3. Drill a hole at each end of the box in the middle of each half (two holes on each side (front and back, one of them being the lid) of the box) to allow the cable ends to leave.

4. Place a high-end cable (cryoparts?) in one half and a cheap cable in another. You can use however many feet of cable will fit into the box (5 ft minimum). Use the holes drilled to allow the plugs to be exposed. The cables will probably need to have replaced connectors (female at both ends). Having the same connectors for both cables is a must.Fasten the cables to the box

5. Lock up the box and color code the cable connectors (maybe with a little ring around the connector or something)

6. Ship it out to members of the community. You can set minimums like 500 posts or having decent equipment.

7. Let them keep it for a week and then feed back here. They'll pass on the box to someone else.

8. Test to see if they found a significant difference.

Essentially, we're letting these audiophiles conduct their own testing (making it a double blind as they would be both testers and experimenters and be blind) by sending out a box with two cables in it that are color coded and that they cannot open. They can test it in the leisure of their home with all the equipment and songs they have. No longer can accusations be made that not enough time was provided, that the situation was awkward, that the participants weren't audiophiles, that the equipment wasn't right, etc etc.

To clarify some things,

Yes these cables will also be partnered with whatever cables the experimenter is using. That's fine as that cable would be constant. Any coloration introduced by the different wires in the box should still be distinguishable.

The cable length would have to be at least 5 ft I think. A bigger box may be needed.

We can spice it up by introducing identical wires or different lengths of wires.

Burn-in shouldn't be relevant. One can possibly burn in the cables before sending them out. Future burn-in shouldn't matter. If a cheap cable with more burn-in can sound better than an expensive one I think we're on to something.

I personally can't administer this test as I'm far too busy now, I'm not in the US and I haven't the slightest clue how to do any DIY.

What do u guys think?

 

[Uncle Erik]

I like your thinking. Something similar was tried here a few years back. Edwood built three cables of different materials and they were shipped to a number of members for listening and evaluation.

The results came back statistically insignificant. If I recall, only one person correctly guessed what the three cables were and the rest of the results were off.

I'm posting from the phone right now and can't give you a link, but a few searches should bring up the experiment.

 

[anetode]

That method could potentially compromise the reception of the results of the study and its validity. Use of identical female connectors would necessitate another pair of cables, not to mention that the choice of the connector itself would be subject to criticism by the participants. The use of color coded rings, while seemingly trivial, could also alter observer bias.

As a rule of thumb, the simpler the test setup the better. There should also be a middleman between the test's designer and the participants, a neutral party trained to administer the test but unaware of its purpose.

 

[BIG POPPA]

DBT is too much work for a hobby....IMO