Blind test: we have a volunteer!!!

[GoldenOne]

Only other issue is trying to find a magnius in the UK. Unfortunately the uk/EU distributor for schiit is... Well schiit at actually keeping stock of anything. And shipping from the US is ~£40 extra.

Ill keep an eye out though and worst case could use something else (though would like to get a magnius given as that's what started the discussion)

 

[GoldenOne]

I would suggest a splitter to the headphone and 24/192 recording using ADI-2 if only to check for L-R changes and level differences as well as the possibility for others to check things.

Yeah I'll get something set up to make sure that the viewer can hear whats going on and also know there's no funny business.

BTW @amirm for the test how many runs and what p-value would you consider a 'pass'?

 

[amirm]

BTW @amirm for the test how many runs and what p-value would you consider a 'pass'?

I personally target p < 0.01 but you can go for 0.05. For trials, depends on how many clips we will use. Let's shoot for 15 trials for each to make it not too onerous.

 

[amirm]

So what headphones amps you have now that you can easily tell the difference between?

 

[amirm]

I'd like to use susvara if @amirm is ok with it.

Were your concerned with Schiit Magnius limited to Susvara as a headphone? Otherwise none of those issues would be there?

 

[GoldenOne]

So a brief proposal for test structure. Feel free to provide suggestions for alteration.

- I'll do the test at a friend of mine in London's house.
- Dac will feed preamp (holo serene), preamp will feed two amplifiers simultaneously (both balanced) both amplifiers will be connected to a switch, the output of the switch will feed the headphones and an ADI-2 Pro FS R ADC in parallel so that a live recording can be taken to demonstrate there is no channel swapping or vol mismatch. If volume needs to be adjusted it will be done on the preamp itself which will obviously adjust both. I can also play a quick 1khz sine for each run and switch back and forth for a couple seconds to show that the vol is identical.
- Camera 1 will be on my head similar to in my reviews
- Camera 2 will be on the setup itself so that people can see what's being changed there. Interconnects and everything other than the switch will be hidden from my own view so I do not know which is which.
- Between each run I will leave the room, and my friend will use a coin flip app (which will be shown on camera 2) to choose which way around to connect the two amps. (he will always unplug and replug each run even if its the same config as previous run just to ensure the time between runs is even and there is no possible giveaway that nothing was changed)
- I'll pick a handful of tracks I know well ahead of time to use.
- I'll use the switch to flip back and forth between the two amps and choose which I think is the Magnius.
- Will aim to do 30 runs to be thorough, p-value of 0.05 to be considered a pass
- If after all this there is doubt then we can set up a time to repeat the test and have someone from the forum present.
- Everything will be recorded in one continuous take. Final uploaded video to YouTube I'll edit/speed up parts where needed to make it more watchable but will provide a copy of the original raw unedited videos and audio recordings in the description and in here.

I'd prefer to keep my face out of the video itself, but I don't think that affects anything and if we do a 2nd repeat with an observer that will alleviate any concerns anyway.

Dac used will probably be holo may just cause I'm most familiar with it. But dac choice shouldn't matter I don't think.

Amps used will be schiit Magnius with 2nd amp TBD. I'd quite like to use the benchmark AHB2 if @amirm would be happy with it as it's my daily driver so again I'm quite familiar with it. Not technically a headphone amp but with the sinad and noise floor specs it should be fine.
If not though I can select something else.

 

[GoldenOne]

Were your concerned with Schiit Magnius limited to Susvara as a headphone? Otherwise none of those issues would be there?

No my review and opinions of the Magnius were mostly formed with the arya. But susvara are my best cans so if possible I'd like to use them.

 

[amirm]

No my review and opinions of the Magnius were mostly formed with the arya. But susvara are my best cans so if possible I'd like to use them.

Well, to the extent possible I like to repeat the test in video and not add more variables. I am not clear why you want your "best cans" given the numerous issues you pointed out with the other in your video. It is not like you pointing out super subtle differences as to now want to maximize it.

 

[GoldenOne]

Well, to the extent possible I like to repeat the test in video and not add more variables. I am not clear why you want your "best cans" given the numerous issues you pointed out with the other in your video. It is not like you pointing out super subtle differences as to now want to maximize it.

Im happy to use the aryas if you'd prefer. Reason I suggested susvara though is because it seems sensible to use the best possible components where possible to ensure the only bottleneck is my own ears which seems like a good plan.

 

[amirm]

- Between each run I will leave the room, and my friend will use a coin flip app (which will be shown on camera 2) to choose which way around to connect the two amps. (he will always unplug and replug each run even if its the same config as previous run just to ensure the time between runs is even and there is no possible giveaway that nothing was changed)

I prefer that you don't leave the room otherwise folks would wonder if you are watching the camera stream where the coin flip is occurring. There are a ton of random number generators online. Your proctor could use that to select the next iteration.

You need to simply sit away from him while keeping the headphone on all the time.

 

[amirm]

- I'll pick a handful of tracks I know well ahead of time to use.

Sure. I like to see this list so I can listen to them as well.

 

[GoldenOne]

I prefer that you don't leave the room otherwise folks would wonder if you are watching the camera stream where the coin flip is occurring. There are a ton of random number generators online. Your proctor could use that to select the next iteration.

You need to simply sit away from him while keeping the headphone on all the time.

Sounds good to me. Should save a little time too.
In terms of the random number generator if you'd like to suggest one in particular then that's fine too.
Use of random number generator/coin flip app was just to demonstrate that there is no preset pattern or bias to which setup config is selected

 

[amirm]

Amps used will be schiit Magnius with 2nd amp TBD. I'd quite like to use the benchmark AHB2 if @amirm would be happy with it as it's my daily driver so again I'm quite familiar with it.

OK, I ask again: was your observation of Schiit doing terrible things based on Benchmark being a reference or did you also compare it to some other dedicated headphone amp?

 

[GoldenOne]

Sure. I like to see this list so I can listen to them as well.

Ill put a list together and post in a bit. Might end up changing it but if I do I'll of course post here ahead of time. All the tracks will be normal music of a few different genres and if there is a potential issue with any tracks I'm happy to take them out. (though I don't see why there would be)

 

[amirm]

In terms of the random number generator if you'd like to suggest one in particular then that's fine too.

Sure. Here you go: https://www.random.org/

Just set the min to 0 and max to 1.

 

[GoldenOne]

OK, I ask again: was your observation of Schiit doing terrible things based on Benchmark being a reference or did you also compare it to some other dedicated headphone amp?

Both. Ahb2 is my favourite amp at present but I also compared it against topping a90, chord mojo, jds atom, asgard 3, holo serene, and have of course tried plenty of other stuff but not side by side.

 

[amirm]

- I'll use the switch to flip back and forth between the two amps and choose which I think is the Magnius.

Translating, do you mean that the proctor would move the inputs to the switcher on every iteration? That seems onerous and error prone.

I was thinking that you don't have control of the switch. The proctor generates the random number 0 (Magnius) and 1(other). Whichever this is, is the one you hear and you get to say if it is Magnius or the other.

 

[GoldenOne]

Sure. Here you go: https://www.random.org/

Just set the min to 0 and max to 1.

OK sounds good, will use this for the test.

 

[amirm]

Both. Ahb2 is my favourite amp at present but I also compared it against topping a90, chord mojo, jds atom, asgard 3, holo serene, and have of course tried plenty of other stuff but not side by side.

Here is the problem: I need to verify the two choices don't have any objective difference. I don't have an AHB2 but do have Topping A90, Atom, etc. Otherwise people will wonder what an AHB2 does to a high impedance headphone.

 

[max1236]

Couldn't you do both headphones?