See, proof.
See, proof.
Ah, the inevitable Ionnidis citation.Well randomized is the key. If you only use college students, or only use volunteers at an AES conference, or even if you only use people from the US, it is unlikely they are sufficiently well randomized to represent the population of the world.
Actually the problem is more difficult that it may first seem. A famous and well regarded paper on medical research, although not without some criticism too (and medical research is what this would be): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1182327/
I mean - it's amazing we've been able to develop any technology at all with how crap science is. Yet here we are with smartphones with the computing power of a 1000 Apollo missions (including the ground stations). Oh, and even then,we managed to put a few people on the moon wiht 1960s tech.Ah, the inevitable Ionnidis citation.
He seems to have gone somewhat emeritus since then
You're 'just asking questions', I know, I know.
Some attempts at replication here would indeed be helpful. But there seems to be a limited appetite for that, blind testing’ s detractors want to throw away the results without attempting replication.Ah, the inevitable Ionnidis citation.
He seems to have gone somewhat emeritus since then
You're 'just asking questions', I know, I know.
Firstly most all better DACs sound the same and people use their imaginations too much and believe all sorts of stuff is happening so be careful with other peoples' DAC sound quality opinions. If there is a difference in sound quality and imaging and we are using the same DAC ICs then the only thing remaining that could affect the sound quality is the balanced/single ended input circuitry or the audio out circuitry which is basically the reversal of the input circuitry.I’ve heard in a number of similar reviews, that these DACs are excellent at detail retrieval but some reveal a wider, more expansive or 3D sound stage.
So, my question from an audio science perspective is, if two devices can retrieve a very similar depth of detail, perhaps even as much audible detail as exists, what is it that one is doing that the other isn’t, to produce a better (or maybe just different) soundstage?
Imagination/lies of subjective reviewers, contaminating audiofools on forums, then this gimmick is supposed to be a real thing... However, it never has been a thing to begin with.what is it that one is doing that the other isn’t, to produce a better (or maybe just different) soundstage?
Those are rare. We do have them here @ ASR though.I’m an engineer but not an audio scientist. So I’d love to be educated by audio scientists, as to whether there is a measurable or scientific reason why one DAC may sound different to the other if they are equally resolving.
Those are rare. We do have them here @ ASR though.
I think that people need to do more blind testing to alleviate this stress and strain of what does actually sound better. That requires very basic test gear and a sine wave generator on average.Yeh - determining what is authoritative science and what is hear-say or belief is always a challenge. That said, all opinions are worth hearing, so long as you know which camp they are in.
I'd say:Thanks for the responses so far.
To address a few points :
I know reviewers may be biased, may have different imaginations, pre-conceptions etc. not that they are necessarily out to con anybody - many of these reviews are superbly done, for what they are, and I’m grateful for them. Food for thought makes life interesting!
I know I could just ‘enjoy the music’, which I do, but this forum is about understanding why, isnt’t it? Even if the answer is that there is no ‘why’ in this case.
I’m an engineer but not an audio scientist. So I’d love to be educated by audio scientists, as to whether there is a measurable or scientific reason why one DAC may sound different to the other if they are equally resolving.
More comments welcome.
Distortion - there seems to be some evidence that increased distortion creates enhanced soundstages. But these are therefore fake soundstages, since they are creating something that is not in the recording. A very accurate DAC with low levels of distortion may have a different soundstage than one with lots of distortion.
A question that pops up is where is the 'some evidence' and what kind of distortion would that be (HD comes with IMD) and what levels is the 'some evidence' about ?Distortion - there seems to be some evidence that increased distortion creates enhanced soundstages. But these are therefore fake soundstages, since they are creating something that is not in the recording. A very accurate DAC with low levels of distortion may have a different soundstage than one with lots of distortion.
As an engineer - what do you mean by equally resolving?Thanks for the responses so far.
To address a few points :
I know reviewers may be biased, may have different imaginations, pre-conceptions etc. not that they are necessarily out to con anybody - many of these reviews are superbly done, for what they are, and I’m grateful for them. Food for thought makes life interesting!
I know I could just ‘enjoy the music’, which I do, but this forum is about understanding why, isnt’t it? Even if the answer is that there is no ‘why’ in this case.
I’m an engineer but not an audio scientist. So I’d love to be educated by audio scientists, as to whether there is a measurable or scientific reason why one DAC may sound different to the other if they are equally resolving.
More comments welcome.