AndreasG Wrote: > I have little experience with the Squeezebox but quite some experience > with audio gear... > > 1. > If you say that the output level of the Squeezebox is lower than that > of your CD player, this makes a comparison very difficult. If you want > to compare the quality of two sources, you need to match signal levels. > This means you have to actually *measure* the analog output signal > levels. Otherwise all testing is in vain and you will only fool > yourself. Louder will always sound better, even if you don't realise > that it is louder. Adjusting volume "by hand" is not sufficient! > > Let me repeat this because it is so important: *You have to make > abolutely sure that the signal levels going to your power amp are > absolutely the same, wether source is the SB or the CDP!* You can > achieve this for example by using a preamp with adjustable gain for > each channel and then measure the output levels of the preamp on both > channels with pink noise. >
You are describing today's accepted truth about A/B testing. However, I strongly believe there are things in sound reproduction that a "flick between the boxes" quick A/B test cannot reveal. To compound matters, I don't think setting equal levels based on simple amplitude matching works. (Distortion will make things sound louder.) Another problem with A/B testing is that our auditory system actually adapts to what we are listening to. A quick switch may not let us adapt properly in the available time. A/B has its place, certainly, but it won't easily resolve all aspects of sound reproduction. -- P Floding ------------------------------------------------------------------------ P Floding's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2932 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=22273 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
