Can You Pass The Test?
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This is from an article about Spotify's premium service and if it's worth it to upgrade:
"....the vast majority of listeners do not have the hearing ability to tell the difference between lossless audio and music that is compressed at a high enough quality. Although at low bitrates the differences between lossy and lossless audio can be quite obvious, I’m willing to bet most people can’t tell apart a lossless file from a 256 kbps MP3 one — let alone a file compressed with the more modern Ogg codec that Spotify uses.
There are five tracks, for each of which you’ll have to complete 5, 10, or 20 trials, depending on how much time you have to kill. The more trials you do, the more statistically significant your results are. I’d recommend starting with 5 repetitions, as the test can get quite time consuming as you switch between tracks obsessing over tiny differences.
If you are like most audio enthusiasts — let alone most regular people — you probably won’t be able to hear the difference. I just took the test with some $400 headphones and failed."
https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2021/02/24/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hif...
http://abx.digitalfeed.net/spotify-hq.html - instructions
http://abx.digitalfeed.net/spotify-hq.html - 5 trials
The link above compares Spotify’s 320 kbps streaming against a lossless file.... In this test, the goal is to match one of two clips (A or B) to a reference clip (X). They’re randomized, and you don’t know which clips are lossless or not; you just have to pick whether A or B is identical to X.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alan R
It's too early to play the
It's too early to play the stereo, so I'll try this later in the day.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
I'd like to see a similar
I'd like to see a similar test but using vinyl with only an analog chain vs the same album with a digital stage. Say an early Harry moss cut copy of abbey road vs the U.K. 95 pressing. Not using the later 2012 remastered version or the newer remix, but staying true apple to apple(pun?)
keeping plenty of crow on hand to serve up of course..
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
I put on my decent headphones
I put on my decent headphones and started the test. After 2 tracks I turned it off, because I couldn't tell a fuck bit of difference between them.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
(((JJW)))
(((JJW)))
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: I rang a silent bell
Got 64% correct so for me it
Got 64% correct so for me it makes a difference. I'm solidly in the never lossy camp.
Turtle, did you know JJW?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Kinda not sure if I have
Kinda not sure if I have anything to pull Audio off internet in a Hi-Fi way, 24/96 or better... and then output through appropriate DAC into halfway decent Amp and speakers.
I know it's possible, but I've got headphone jack into Tivoli Audio Music System for internet audio.
It's acceptable for what it does. Hüsky likes Classical Music during Nap-Time.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: intentionally blank
I tried to do it, but
I tried to do it, but listening to that tune by The Killers over and over again really wasn't doing it for me.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
>Turtle, did you know JJW?<
>Turtle, did you know JJW?<
well he was famous here for his lossless POV.
I think I did meet him in '07 when I went out there but it's a blur
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
Slightly off track but they
Slightly off track but they did a blind test with Stradivarius violins to see if the players could tell them from modern ones and you guessed it they couldn't. What I found most interesting was the maker of the modern violins was the most upset about the results because he has been chasing that sound. My wife's nephew is a professional violinist who has soloed at Carnegie Hall, and he was playing a Strad for a while. They get loaned to select violinists by the people who own them because almost no musicians could afford to buy one. When you get loaned your Strad that is like entry into the kingdom, but when he got his he didn't end up liking it. He thought the sound was good but didn't like the feel. He plays something else now.
There is the old joke about audiophiles only listen to music to hear the mistakes in the production, but like so many other things if listening to lossless gives you enjoyment then it is real for you and that is all that matters.
https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2012/01/02/144482863/doubl...