FWIW. I'm pretty good at managing methodologies, processes and procedures having spent most of my career in IT related fields. My involvement in writing and interpreting regulations in higher education (e.g. for assessment and degree awarding boards) helps a bit too, as does being a current camera club judge and former club competition secretary.
Basically one needs a framework which is unambiguous and easily interpreted and implemented, but at the same time retaining the 'fun' element.
Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
-
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm
- Location: East Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 1 time
-
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm
- Location: East Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
I suspect blind testing would be difficult to implement anyway in a domestic environment. Swapping bits of kit around would be a bit tricky as would disguising speakers.
- savvypaul
- Posts: 8672
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
- Location: Durham
- Has thanked: 1663 times
- Been thanked: 2994 times
- Contact:
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
Indeed. Not the sort of 'fun' that we would be hoping for!Simon Hickie wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:58 am I suspect blind testing would be difficult to implement anyway in a domestic environment. Swapping bits of kit around would be a bit tricky as would disguising speakers.
- savvypaul
- Posts: 8672
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
- Location: Durham
- Has thanked: 1663 times
- Been thanked: 2994 times
- Contact:
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
Agree, completely. We listen to music with all our senses. 'Blind' creates an unnecessary stress on the brain and I certainly wouldn't do it in 'normal life'.Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:42 am Yes, don't get involved in the crap about blind testing, it makes as much sense as deaf testing.
How did you go about writing up the sessions for HFC?
- savvypaul
- Posts: 8672
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
- Location: Durham
- Has thanked: 1663 times
- Been thanked: 2994 times
- Contact:
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
Thanks Simon,Simon Hickie wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:54 am FWIW. I'm pretty good at managing methodologies, processes and procedures having spent most of my career in IT related fields. My involvement in writing and interpreting regulations in higher education (e.g. for assessment and degree awarding boards) helps a bit too, as does being a current camera club judge and former club competition secretary.
Basically one needs a framework which is unambiguous and easily interpreted and implemented, but at the same time retaining the 'fun' element.
That is very valuable insight. Please do keep posting any more ideas / thoughts here (or PM, if preferred).
Thanks again,
Paul
- Dr Bunsen Honeydew
- Posts: 30758
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
- Location: Muppet Labs
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 48 times
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
I just gave notes to Paul, he wrote it up.savvypaul wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:10 amAgree, completely. We listen to music with all our senses. 'Blind' creates an unnecessary stress on the brain and I certainly wouldn't do it in 'normal life'.Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:42 am Yes, don't get involved in the crap about blind testing, it makes as much sense as deaf testing.
How did you go about writing up the sessions for HFC?
-
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm
- Location: East Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
As I see it, the challenge is to identify the various objective (and subjective?) criteria we tend to employ when assessing hifi kit and then for individuals to score their subjective assessment against those criteria. The psychology of music is an interesting field and part of it deals with the way individuals engage with a piece. For example, a friend hates Genesis with a passion because he has a real aversion to timing changes. Another is a PRaT fanatic and sod the imaging (NAIM kit...). Yet another is very much into pinpoint 3d imaging and so on. I like full-on orchestral music, so weight and scale are important for me, but I also like to be able to unravel the different strands and I like clarity with it.
That of course leads to a challenge with respect to music programming for such a bake-off event. My personal tastes mean that I would need to hear a mixture of classical, classic prog rock, crossover, electronica and singer-songwriter, but jazz would do nothing but annoy me That of course begs the question as to whether one would use the same programme of music for each bake-off, perhaps introducing new pieces over time. Having the pieces available on the appropriate media may be problematic though. An interesting point is whether one should include 'difficult' recordings. For example, Sufjan Steven's Illinoise can sound terrible on a poor system but opens up nicely on a good one. Similarly, Radiohead can sound like a jumbled mess on a system that does not resolve detail or time well.
That of course leads to a challenge with respect to music programming for such a bake-off event. My personal tastes mean that I would need to hear a mixture of classical, classic prog rock, crossover, electronica and singer-songwriter, but jazz would do nothing but annoy me That of course begs the question as to whether one would use the same programme of music for each bake-off, perhaps introducing new pieces over time. Having the pieces available on the appropriate media may be problematic though. An interesting point is whether one should include 'difficult' recordings. For example, Sufjan Steven's Illinoise can sound terrible on a poor system but opens up nicely on a good one. Similarly, Radiohead can sound like a jumbled mess on a system that does not resolve detail or time well.
- CN211276
- Posts: 6547
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
- Location: Cardiff
- Has thanked: 1423 times
- Been thanked: 987 times
Re: Hifi Bake-Off Society & Blog
I think this is a good idea and would be interested in a DAC bake off.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable
Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ
Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat
RIP Doc
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable
Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ
Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat
RIP Doc