Job vacancy: executive officer for Audio Listening Review forum

[Geert]

The audiophile community is seeking an executive officer to start up and lead the Audio Listening Review forum. The mission of the forum is to counter the spread of misinformation by certain actors who believe the sound of hifi equipment can be assessed via measurements and listening is futile.

The executive officer shall coordinate and publish the results of structured listening tests. We believe this approach to be more constructive than heading into heated discussions on forums of echo chamber communities without the support of relevant evidence.

To assure the outcome of listening test are reliable and repeatable by others the candidate will implement a testing protocol in analogy with principles applied in other physics and technology areas. He'll assure the tests are rigorously and rationally solid documented.

The candidate will have access to a virtual unlimited budget, provided by hundreds of companies producing HiFi components and accessories. As these companies can benefit tremendously from the research the candidate will assure the founding doesn't directly influence the test results.

The ideal candidate is someone who can guide and inspire voluntary teams of testers. Technical knowledge is less important as the setup of listening tests usually requires no more than a level matching switch box or null test software. Altough the startup of this initiative will be pretty intense, it won't take more than a few successful listening tests to redefine the future of audio!

This job will give you the opportunity to meet great people having fun at what they love best, listening. You have the chance to make a real difference and contribute to society by restoring the balance in audiophile believes.

(Edit: )

 

[amirm]

what's wrong with you doing this job?

 

[Geert]

what's wrong with you doing this job?

Because I'm obviously biased because I'm on the wrong side of the fence.

 

[amirm]

Why would that matter if you are running a proper blind test???

 

[amirm]

and why do you think any company would fund this? We paid $20,000 for a single test when i was at Microsoft!!!

 

[Josq]

Great "job offer". Previous listening tests have uncovered that linear frequency response and good directivity are preferred by most listeners. New listening tests may establish to what extent things like step response and narrow/wide directivity influence the general preference.

Right now, in absence of well-controlled listening tests, measurements are the next best thing, and a very big step forward from uncontrolled sighted and sponsored reviews. But there might be a future in which we have uncovered all relevant aspects of what makes the sound of audio components preferred. In that future, measurements might indeed become the only thing needed to make a rational choice between audio components.

 

[Drengur]

My wife is in the kitchen, even she agrees with Amirm.

 

[Geert]

Why would that matter if you are running a proper blind test???

I added an important note to the bottom of my post. Didn't think that was necessary given my history on this forum.

 

[Geert]

Right now, in absence of well-controlled listening tests, measurements are the next best thing, and a very big step forward from uncontrolled sighted and sponsored reviews.

Thankfully you got the message. I already thought deleting it.

To clarify as to my surprise the discussion directly took of in the wrong direction. This was a message to newcomers we see here every day, arguing ASR has it all wrong and demanding more elaborate measurements and listening tests. It's easy to make demands, but what do they contribute? As @amirm is already doing a tremendous effort on the measurement side I thought, why is no one on the listening side of the spectrum taking initiative?

 

[sq225917]

Because ears aren't measurement devices. What is really needed is brain scans while listening to level matched devices under blind conditions to find out if we actually prefer one device over another and if that correlates to measured superiority.

 

[Geert]

What is really needed is brain scans while listening to level matched devices under blind conditions to find out if we actually prefer one device over another and if that correlates to measured superiority

That's a good suggestion for our job candidate. Altough I often read people claiming this type of study already exists, and it shows differences. Then they head into brain alpha and beta waves (the excuse why blind tests don't work) and bone conductivity (where I did my homework on and concluded it's not applicable to Hifi).

 

[FeddyLost]

You forgot to mention inventing special fMRI scanner. We need to avoid uncertainty of terminology. I think, brain mapping is much more reliable than questionnaire and can be automated in big batches.

 

[Geert]

I think, brain mapping is much more reliable than questionnaire and can be automated in big batches.

The problem with that is, it's measureming again. The ALR forum is aimed at people who believe in listening and often don't trust measurements.

 

[sergeauckland]

Even assuming for a moment that any corporation would fund such research, I wonder how long they would continue to do so once results start coming in showing no difference between components that they had spent a fortune marketing.

S

 

[FrantzM]

Humor is too often lost on a text-based forum..

I could see it in the OP...

Peace.... really.

 

[danadam]

What is really needed is brain scans while listening

Just beware of (dead) Atlantic Salmons

 

[Geert]

Even assuming for a moment that any corporation would fund such research, I wonder how long they would continue to do so once results start coming in showing no difference between components that they had spent a fortune marketing.

S

That´s our assumption. But the ALR forum starts from the premisse the audible differences are there. Thousands have heard it you know, and marketing materials already confirm it. It just a matter of documenting it in a language that's understood by those stuborn facts and figures fanatics.

 

[sergeauckland]

That´s our assumption. But the ALR forum starts from the premisse the audible differences are there. Thousands have heard it you know, and marketing materials already confirm it. It just a matter of documenting it in a language that's understood by those stuborn facts and figures fanatics.

Disregarding the humour, which great, if listening tests are conducted with academic rigour, then the null result is by far the most likely. The two such tests I know of for amplifiers, one carried out by James Moir & Associates, the other by Martin Colloms, have indicated as such for competent amplifiers. I expect the same for any competent electronics.

S

 

[Geert]

if listening tests are conducted with academic rigour, then the null result is by far the most likely

My initial post was the result of multiple discussions in the thread https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ything-or-nothing.29062/page-175#post-1280237. I mentioned the null test on different occasions, but it's very clear that test also does not get much love. I guess it's again a to technical approach. Lot's of people believe there's audible information we can't capture or visualize via electronics.

 

[Andretti60]

I would like to apply for that position, but I have already a good job as snake oil salesman that allows me to live in the most expensive area of the Galaxy. But I can be one of your investors, because I believe in your cause. I can start with a 5US$ check, but I am willing to increase it to 6$. Enough to get you started.

Finally a good thread… this morning news are pretty depressing, and for a long time now.