[433521]

I tried my best, I did. Some got better, a few got a lot better. But after a certain year they cannot conjugate verbs. That age has moved into management now, it won't be career limiting.

This is why I did not have children. Though I could communicate clearly, I figured my children would be an all around disaster. I feel like I should get more credit for this decision.

 

[MisterMudd]

Take that back!

(if Asheville would slide off the side of the mountain into Tennessee we'd be in the clear).

We’re building a dam to prevent that from happening but, don’t know how long the levy will hold.

 

[bcowen]

We’re building a dam to prevent that from happening but, don’t know how long the levy will hold.

LOL! If you can get the water deep enough, perhaps it'll slide under the surface and disappear.

In all seriousness, Asheville is a beautiful place with gorgeous scenery and a very high ratio of micro breweries to the population. That in itself is worth some redemption.

 

[Paladin79]

What?!?!?!? All these years of extensive educational effort in vain? Harrumph.

Just on the amp cabinets themselves, not everyone knows you invented tiger maple and believe so strongly in its attributes. (This would be a perfect time to show off ideas you borrowed from me, or that I made.)

 

[Paladin79]

I was thinking of something along these lines...

For example: Test subject listens to a Bifrost 2 for 5-10 minutes using a specified track. They are not told it is a Bifrost 2, just that it is DAC A. They then listen to the same track on a Modi for 5-10 minutes, again not told it is a Modi, just that it is DAC B. Amp, headphones, cables and source are all the same. They are then randomly played either DAC A or DAC B and asked which it is. The data is then coded as "correct" if they get it right, "incorrect" if they get it wrong.

If the reality is that only 5% of the population can detect a difference between 2 DACs, then you're going to need far more test subjects to prove that than if the reality is that 95% of the population can detect a difference.

And let me state that I'm a subjectivist audiophile - and I don't have an axe to grind here....and now that I think about it - I probably don't have time for this schiit anyway ...I wrote my original post after a few glasses of wine and a slab of Texas brisket!

An important part of DACS is the input and output circuitry and that varies DAC to DAC just like the sound would vary between pre-amps. Having been involved with testing of 20 pretty good DACS, (two by Schiit were in the mix) my experience has shown that more than 5% of the population can hear a difference. For a DAC to win multiple people would have to score it high in several categories and others might score low in the same categories, stretched over 50 participants. The Bifrost 2 was not around yet when the tests were conducted. I would agree that maybe five percent could tell me one copper wire from another.

 

[Paladin79]

And where you have the knowledge, you also share freely, as do many here. ‘Nuff said!

Oops I left @sam6550a off the previous list. Sam is a retired engineer and I certainly respect his knowledge and opinions.
He also has experience with tube gear, folks like him are getting harder and harder to find.
I am limited what I can share but my company has nothing to do with tube headphone amps or the Russian tubes I pursue for the sake of great SQ.

 

[Crowbar44]

An important part of DACS is the input and output circuitry and that varies DAC to DAC just like the sound would vary between pre-amps. Having been involved with testing of 20 pretty good DACS, (two by Schiit were in the mix) I cannot agree that only 5% of the population can hear a difference. For a DAC to win multiple people would have to score it high in several categories and others might score low in the same categories, stretched over 50 participants. The Bifrost 2 was not around yet when the tests were conducted. I would agree that maybe five percent could tell me one copper wire from another.

So statistics are BORING and I'm becoming a colossal buzzkill discussing them here

I'm not suggesting at all that only 5% of the population can detect a difference between DACs. Frankly I have no idea what percentage of the population can (but I bet Jason has an inkling) - it could be 95%. That would be the purpose of conducting the study.

I used the 5% example to discuss the issue of statistical power and trying to determine how many people should undergo the test to get an answer. If 95% of the population can hear the difference between 2 DACs, in order to prove that in a study you might only need to test 50 people to get a statistically valid answer to prove that. On the other hand, if only 5% of the population can hear a difference, you might need to test 700 people to prove that.

OK...anyone still reading has eaten their vegetables, lets get back to BBQ .

 

[Paladin79]

So statistics are BORING and I'm becoming a colossal buzzkill discussing them here

I'm not suggesting at all that only 5% of the population can detect a difference between DACs. Frankly I have no idea what percentage of the population can (but I bet Jason has an inkling) - it could be 95%. That would be the purpose of conducting the study.

I used the 5% example to discuss the issue of statistical power and trying to determine how many people should undergo the test to get an answer. If 95% of the population can hear the difference between 2 DACs, in order to prove that in a study you might only need to test 50 people to get a statistically valid answer to prove that. On the other hand, if only 5% of the population can hear a difference, you might need to test 700 people to prove that.

OK...anyone still reading has eaten their vegetables, lets get back to BBQ .

I edited my statement after I reread what you wrote. At the end of the day we enjoy one DAC or another, one amp over another etc. I just feel fortunate to have several I can hear at one time rather than traveling a great distance to hear some individually.

Unfortunately Indiana is not known for BBQ so I will leave that up to NC and Texas. I would think folks from Kansas and Tennessee might speak up as well.

 

[sam6550a]

Oops I left @sam6550a off the previous list. Sam is a retired engineer and I certainly respect his knowledge and opinions.
He also has experience with tube gear, folks like him are getting harder and harder to find.
I am limited what I can share but my company has nothing to do with tube headphone amps or the Russian tubes I pursue for the sake of great SQ.

I wondered why I was left off of your list. I thought that maybe I was in the penalty box like bcowen.

 

[Paladin79]

I wondered why I was left off of your list. I thought that maybe I was in the penalty box like bcowen.

@bcowen's penalty box is made of cardboard, and every now and then he pours some NC BBQ sauce on it and gnaws his way out.

No slight intended, I am prepping to take off for a funeral today so I have been distracted. I wanted to make reservations at this place but it is a bit far out of the way.

https://talbotttavern.com/

A tavern/Inn that has been around since the 1700's down in bourbon country. A toast for the living, a drink for the dead.

 

[artur9]

Where this all gets disquieting to me is when the "wisdom of the crowd", cognitive science and behavior all come together. People really have to be on their toes to protect themselves from being swayed in directions they don't want to go by others taking advantage of things like expectation bias using data manipulated in certain ways to present "facts" which really aren't. Sadly, I think many people aren't on their toes.

And the most susceptible are the ones that think they are immune or resistant to such tricks.

Reminds me of the turn of the 19th century medium craze. The scientists were easily fooled by the con artists, thinking they were observing natural phenomena, while magicians, used to trickery, were not.

 

[Paladin79]

And the most susceptible are the ones that think they are immune or resistant to such tricks.

Reminds me of the turn of the 19th century medium craze. The scientists were easily fooled by the con artists, thinking they were observing natural phenomena, while magicians, used to trickery, were not.

Mathematics is a science and it deals with, among other things, amounts. Galton was educated at Cambridge, Trinity, and Kings College so I hope he is not included with con men. A gentleman helping with our testing started at Oxford, then Waterloo in Canada, then his PHD locally.

 

[bcowen]

I wondered why I was left off of your list. I thought that maybe I was in the penalty box like bcowen.

I got so tired of going to the penalty box I just moved in. There's enough room for two, so if you want to hang out come on in.

 

[sam6550a]

I got so tired of going to the penalty box I just moved in. There's enough room for two, so if you want to hang out come on in.

Will you provide single malt refreshment to wash down the BBQ?

 

[Ripper2860]

In NC it is proper etiquette to get roaring drunk before one eats so as not to remember how bad NC BBQ is.