Another Browser-based Listening Test Tool: BETA

[JP]

This is a riff of @jaakkopasanen browser-based AB/ABX listening test tool from several years ago. I wanted to add some features, but the code base had reached an age where I decided it was likely easier to start over. So:

Same basic concept as @jaakkopasanen's tool which I'll post more about when it's ready for prime-time. In a nutshell you pass the config via URL, and in the config the audio files are acquired via URL as well - I'm using DropBox to host all the files.

The impetus for a new version was to implement seeking, loop cursors, and the ability to crossfade to accommodate waveform discontinuities when switching due to capturing analog sources. The rewind button jumps back 2 seconds, the [] button puts the loop cursors at +/-2s from the playhead, and ][ turns off the loop cursors.

Demos are below. Lots to work through, but I mainly want to see if anyone can break the playback/cursor functionality, and if there are any fundamental problems.

ABX Demo
ABX + Confidence Demo
Triangle Demo
(Also supports Triangle + Confidence)
AB Preference Demo
2AFC Same/Different
2AFC Adaptive Staircase

**Mobile devices will not play through the speaker if in silent mode.

Geek talk: I made this a static page for more flexibility with hosting (serverless). I'll add the ability to submit stats to an API endpoint per config file for data collection (no PII). Code is here: https://github.com/FidelisAnalog/Browser-ABX

 

[JP]

Reserved.

 

[JP]

Reserved.

 

[shuppatsu]

Very cool! I’ve had ambitions to do pretty much this but I’m too lazy to do it. I’d like to set it up so users can add 10-15s flac files and use wasm ffmpeg to convert files locally, with the ability to challenge other people.

I know this is just a demo but it’d be nice to know what we are comparing. Also I’d imagine this kind of lite jazz is probably the easiest thing for codecs to reproduce.

It worked without incident on iPhone Safari. Naturally, my 48 year-old ears and $20 aac Bluetooth earbuds detected no difference whatsoever.

 

[shuppatsu]

Ok so one of those tracks has some peak distortion. I assume that's not the fault of the cartridge?

 

[WXfreak]

ABX

Listening tests in the browser

abxtests.com

 

[JP]

View attachment 513306
Ok so one of those tracks has some peak distortion. I assume that's not the fault of the cartridge?

Kleos is a line contact and the 2M Blue is a 0.4mil elliptical, so quite different. The record is also cut hot. It's not a difference most people notice - you're the second person out of a few dozen test taken.

 

[drmevo]

I got through 7/10 twice (all green), then when making my selection for 8, it kicked me back to the beginning. Using Safari in iOS 26.3. Really neat tool, but seemed like too much of a coincidence I got kicked back at the same point for it to be my device/browser/network.

 

[JP]

What exactly do you mean back to the beginning?

 

[drmevo]

It shows it’s downloading the files and then I end up here:

 

[drmevo]

I just reproduced it a third time. It kicks me back to the above page as soon as I tap my guess for 8/10. Works great otherwise.

 

[JP]

Thanks. Haven't seen that one yet. About to push a bunch of changes that aren't small, so perhaps try again after that. I'll let you know.

 

[drmevo]

Sounds good.

 

[JP]

Okay latest changes are live.

The more substantial changes are the waveform zoom controls, and the addition of two test types: 2AFC-SD (same/different) and 2AFC-Staircase (adaptive). For the latter this is the initial release. I still need to work through the stats page and the results interpretation logic.

Working demo here using two fixed tones so you know what is reference so the algorithm and can be stepped-through:

DBT — Double-Blind Listening Tests

 

[JP]

I forgot to mention - next major step is a config builder/editor built-in to the tool so folks don't have to mess around editing YAML files.

 

[drmevo]

I tried the ABX test again and it’s still kicking me out on the 8th guess.

 

[JP]

Hmm. I tried it on my iPhone a few times with no issue. I’ll need a think on how to debug this. Do the other test types also have the same issue?

 

[drmevo]

I can click through the ABX test quickly and get it to complete, but if I actually try to pass it (selecting each option and clicking the rewind button a couple times) I get kicked back.

So far the other tests seem OK just clicking through, but I haven’t tried them in earnest yet.

 

[JP]

Okay I can repro it with two formats I’ve tried so far- ABX and Triangle. Hopefully good news that it’s been consistent thus far with crashing on trial 8.

 

[JP]

clicking the rewind button a couple times

That and the graphical loop cursors are my two favorite features. The issue should be fixed now.