Does what we hear correspond to what we measure?

[Vintage02]

Hello,

You and I are fans of the magnificent reviews done by Amir, NTTY, and others, where they show us measurements that seem to predetermine what we are going to hear.

But what if we did the opposite : let's listen and try to correlate what we hear with objective measurements.

First of all, I suggest that you listen to two recordings of the same piece and already share your opinions on which one seems to be the 'best'.

This is a title by the French artist Michel Jonasz : 'Les fourmis rouges' taken from a 2017 live performance.

Obviously, some will be tempted to compare the files using programs like Audacity or DeltaWare, but I would like you to just listen on your system or through headphones and tell me your preference for No. 1 or No. 2

Here are the links for these pieces :

N° 1 : Michel Jonasz - Les fourmis rouges (Live Casino de Paris 2017)

N° 2 : Michel Jonasz - Les fourmis rouges (Live Casino de Paris 2017)

Then I will give you more details about the two recordings.

Thank you in advance for your participation

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Hello,

You and I are fans of the magnificent reviews done by Amir, NTTY, and others, where they show us measurements that seem to predetermine what we are going to hear.

But what if we did the opposite : let's listen and try to correlate what we hear with objective measurements.

First of all, I suggest that you listen to two recordings of the same piece and already share your opinions on which one seems to be the 'best'.

This is a title by the French artist Michel Jonasz : 'Les fourmis rouges' taken from a 2017 live performance.

Obviously, some will be tempted to compare the files using programs like Audacity or DeltaWare, but I would like you to just listen on your system or through headphones and tell me your preference for No. 1 or No. 2

Here are the links for these pieces :

N° 1 : Michel Jonasz - Les fourmis rouges (Live Casino de Paris 2017)

N° 2 : Michel Jonasz - Les fourmis rouges (Live Casino de Paris 2017)

Then I will give you more details about the two recordings.

Thank you in advance for your participation

Are they perfectly level-matched?

 

[Vintage02]

Hi,
Distinguishing any differences, such as the noise level, is part of your assessments and precisely what could be correlated with the measurements.

 

[MAB]

Hi,
Distinguishing any differences, such as the noise level, is part of your assessments and precisely what could be correlated with the measurements.

We are asking about level matching - are the files level-matched? Not detection of noise level.
Also, the files aren't accessible.
We get people posting non-level matched stuff all the time, asking people to take the time to prove some point they are trying to make.

 

[DVDdoug]

We don't usually measure the music/performance/recording. That's art. We can measure various characteristics of a recording but one person may say "A" is better and another person may say "B" is better.

You can't tell much from looking at a waveform or spectrum unless something is grossly wrong.

The equipment is measured to see how accurately the recording can be reproduced.

With electronics, measurements can tell you everything you need to know. We can measure better than we can hear.

With speakers in a room, it's not so easy.

Quoting Floyd Toole, again:

Two ears and a brain are massively more analytical and adaptable than an omnidirectional microphone and an analyzer.

 

[Vintage02]

Sorry, I forgot to enable the download. It should work now.

 

[MAB]

Sorry, I forgot to enable the download. It should work now.

Did you level-match the files.
You keep not-answering this.

 

[Vintage02]

I think that above all, you should take the listening test and you will get your answer.

 

[Purité Audio]

Very little point if they aren’t level matched.
Keith

 

[MAB]

I think that above all, you should take the listening test and you will get your answer.

Sorry about that.
I am uninterested in re-determining the my threshold of level matching.
Bye.

 

[whereisbrian]

Hello, I downloaded the 2 files, unless I'm mistaken, they each have the number 2.

 

[NTK]

Both links in post #1 point to the same URL.

[Edit] OP seems to have corrected the links.

 

[Vintage02]

Very little point if they aren’t level matched.
Keith

This is an opinion, however, adjusting the levels to perform an ABX test is not the goal here. I am just asking you to listen to the two tracks and say if one seems better to you. The difference in level can be part of this choice.

 

[Vintage02]

Both links in post #1 point to the same URL.

[Edit] OP seems to have corrected the links.

I just tested the download and I do have track No. 1 and track No. 2. But they are two recordings of the same song, each from a different device. What interests me in this test is the perception of any differences potentially caused by the source. Maybe I wasn't clear enough from the start.

 

[Tom C]

I think it has been pretty well established that if comparing with different levels, most people will choose the louder as better. That doesn’t really need to be confirmed because it is already well known.

 

[Vintage02]

Sorry about that.
I am uninterested in re-determining the my threshold of level matching.
Bye.

Perhaps you could have just discovered a talented French artist. Thank you for your honesty; we will have other opportunities to exchange ideas.

 

[Vintage02]

I think it has been pretty well established that if comparing with different levels, most people will choose the louder as better. That doesn’t really need to be confirmed because it is already well known.

Indeed, but is this then the only criterion that should be taken into account?... there are also the speakers, the sound stage, etc...
Would a mediocre device that plays louder therefore be better than one that is more refined in reproduction but plays less loudly?

 

[Sono]

Not my kind of music actually, so I didn’t listen to both tracks in full.

Slight preference for #2 at my side.

 

[whereisbrian]

Listened to with AKG Y50BT headphones equalized with Peace, I prefer sample 2, slightly less compressed in dynamics it seems to me...

(woodix on the Blue Forum )

 

[MAB]

Indeed, but is this then the only criterion that should be taken into account?... there are also the speakers, the sound stage, etc...
Would a mediocre device that plays louder therefore be better than one that is more refined in reproduction but plays less loudly?

Taking a listening test is the worst way I can imagine to be introduced to an artist. Listening to clips in critical evaluation mode is really unappealing. I see this done in stores, shows, and demos. Don’t understand the appeal.

I listen to much of the content posted in threads like “what are we listening to now?”