I'd like to ask a question. What is the consensus around these parts of when people can hear a difference between 2 DAC's (when level matched)? I For instance, Using the RME ADI-2 as the benchmark, in Amir's chart, which DAC would you have to drop to measurement wise to hear a difference?
The reason I ask is that over at Gearslutz, a few seasoned recording engineers say they definitely can hear differences in converters. Now, it's possible they can hear differences because one is vastly superior to the other, or that one is adding distortion they like and the other isn't or if the comparisons have been of DAC's that both measure well enough that you would say no difference would be discernable, then maybe it's placebo or they have not level matched etc.
When I tell them about the challenges I have seen here and elsewhere, that says "$10,000 to charity if that can be done under controlled conditions etc etc.." some are interested in taking the challenge, but their main concern is that they are positive they can tell the difference in their own studio, on monitors they know show those differences etc, but they worry that if they were to visit Amir (or someone else) to try a blind test that the conditions may simply not allow them to hear those differences or even that the test may be skewed/biased in favour of the ASR position that no difference will be heard, either intentionally or subconsciously.
Also, maybe their methods to listen for differences may not meet your criteria? For instance, they may want to play a snare sample. paying attention to transient response and the decay of the reverb (these are just things off the top of my head and may not be at all what they'd want to do), but maybe this would not work for your test? In other words, simply playing back a track and switching between 2 DAC's may not be what they mean when they say they can hear the difference, but it becomes apparent when working with DAC's? Soloing strings may be where they can hear traits of one to another? Again, I'm just guessing.
Anyway, I am trying to act as a middle man to try to get one or two of them to come take the challenge, as I think it would be useful and interesting to people in both camps. I keep suggesting that they contact Amir to discuss how the test could be done that would satisfy both parties etc, but I think they are just concerned ASR's aim would be to prove them wrong rather than simply find the truth as science should, thus making the test parameters too limited?
If anyone can convince them it would be a friendly, in good faith experiment and are willing to come up with a test that would satisfy both parties then there may be some takers.
In the meantime, I'll try to find out which DAC's or interfaces they say they clearly heard differences and maybe they could provide Amir with them to measure so he can say "well of course he could hear a difference, one is total crap" or "there is no way anyone could hear a difference with these two DAC's".
@amirm
