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widemediaphotography
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- #21
I know a loudspeaker designer, well known in my country, who among other things collaborated on a serious audio magazine, at a time when there was no internet yet.
he tells an anecdote: one day, at the editorial office, they did some comparative tests between cartridges, from the correct basic model to the high-end one, in order to write an article.
Every cartrige was instrumentally interfaced (R & C) as best as possible and the output levels were balanced. All listeners were professional audio designers. The article did not come out, since no difference was felt... and a "scandal" was feared, especially with respect to the manufacturers who were also advertising announcers: why buy espensive cartridge if no difference?
You therefore understand the reason why, if you do not provide correct recordings and with a technical basis made according to the rules of art, I will not be interested in comparing pears with apples.
Reiterating that the focus of the test is exclusively to identify the intervals in which the sonic differences are actually perceived, rather than attempting to make the two cartridges sound identical or as similar as possible. Let's reverse the question:
How could I conduct a blind test with 2 different cartridges, using an AT-LP5X turntable equipped with USB output, a PC audio, a DAC, a headphone amplifier and headphones?
In other words, once I have updated the head (which costs 5 times the price of the initial one), to convince myself that if I don't perceive significant differences the problem is in my hearing and not in the heads, how should I carry out the test? At least DELTAWAVE showed me the differences.
Now, applying the ABX method by changing cartridges and recalibrating each time due to the weight difference (non-geometric) cannot be considered an effective approach.
I took measurements under the same conditions: same vinyl, same number of head hours, and same type of setup (including the use of a microbalance).
I can provide the full audio tracks, but anyone can analyze them with Delta WAVE and replicate the graphs I posted. But what would this prove?"
Any suggestion will be accepted
but I must admit that this continuous mode, without interruptions, was much appreciated because it is rather "comfortable" for the tester.