"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
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"Dennis Moore" wrote in message
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"Wylie Williams" wrote in message

But if there is a simple method I would like to see instructions. I
am considering comparing three amps I own. Normally I would have just
substituted and listened to each a few days, comparing opinions with
my wife as we went along, but I will consider bias controlled
listening. Wylie Williams

Which method of testing makes more sense Wylie? Doing DBT's
or SBT's which you may never use any of these amps for again.

Or hooking them up for a few days. Seeing how you feel about
them at the end of it. And picking the one you feel good about
to keep listening to long term.

..and then never using any of these amps again but the one selected.

Of course, there is nothing that keeps one from "hooking them up for a few
days" under DBT conditions.

Which method of selection comes
closest to matching the long term use of the product?

Since there need not be any difference in the timetable or listening
circumstances for the evaluations, they are equally close to matching the
long term use of the product.

However, I think it needs to be said that long term listening has been
thoroughly investigated under DBT conditions, and found to be very
insensitive when it comes to reliably perceiving small audible
differences.


How about in perceiving less direct but more important "gestalt" difference?
EG, depth of soundstage, focus of instruments, accuracy of timbre over a
range from ppp to fff, etc. These are the kinds of things audiophiles can
hear in a relaxed, monadic state that they have trouble believing are
imagainary when they are put into the typical blind a-b or especially a-b-x
test which uses much more of a left -brain approach and based on your own
comments here seem mostly sensitive to frequency response and loudness.