Jenn wrote in
:

I'm actually stunned by this statement. I'm NOT saying that trumpets
sounded worse on EVERY softer presentation, or EVERY louder
presentation. However, I've consistently been told here that due to
psychoacoustical effects, non-level matched tests are illegit because
the listener will almost always prefer the louder sample. I'm simply
stating that I detect this obviously bad trumpet sound, for example,
regardless of which way the levels are. So, no; you have no evidence
for your theory.

Ya know, this is one thing that I like to point out now and then...

Regardless of the type of test, the listener should set the volume level.
I think so, anyway. This is what I do when I'm setting up a guitar amp
tone. I play it at the level I'm going to use it. Without a doubt it
sounds different at a different volume level. Whether that's my ears, or
the equipment, or whatever, it doesn't matter. Let the listener set the
level for comparisons and then note if there's an actual discrepancy.

You can talk about level matching your A/B tests, but how do you actually
level match? Suppose one system has 3 dB more signal beyond 10 kHz,
because of the speakers. How do you level match? Do you go for an
average of the program material? How are ears going to react to that?
For me, I like to adjust the equipment so that it "sounds like" the same
level. It may not be very scientific, but there's really not much of a
basis for a scientific method to do this, in my opinion.

In the end, you're probably never going to listen twice to your stereo at
the exact same level unless you just leave the volume control in the same
place all of the time. Even then, stuff heats up, gain changes ....

So level matching is important, yeah, but let's go easy on the lengthy
debate on a matter which in the end is largely subjective. :-)

--
stealthaxe