Quote Originally Posted by ruadmaa
If the differences in amplifier sound are anywhere near obvious anyone could hear them. As to unaccountable variables in Ian Masters tests, what exactly do you mean. Various amps/receivers were level matched then played on the same speakers. Any differences in audio quality should have been very, very easy to detect. If the variances are so subtle that not even the best trained people can tell the difference, does it really matter???? Put your money in good speakers and room acoustics.

You obviously disagree so I would suggest that you go and buy the biggest most expensive separates money can buy, if nothing else your array will be very impressive.
So you're saying that any two amps, no matter how extreme the FR numbers, distortion specs and other measurements might be, sound identical when level matched? You believe that solid state and tubed amps sound alike, in spite of the documentation to the contrary - particularly documentation on the ABX website???? You're going to need something other than this Masters test to convince me the ABX folks are wrong. There is proof to debunk the results of this test - published proof. If you're attempting to render that proof inaccurate, please provide evidence.

As for unaccountable differences, I've stated them already. These tests tend to be conducted in some lab rather than the participants home listening environment using unfamiliar music and unfamiliar equipment. Might that not prove confusing? As I've said before, I could give someone an eye exam showing they couldn't tell the colors blue from green. All I'd have to do is make them use my eyeglasses.

But the REAL problem is that we don't know what the variables were in the Masters test. Masters doesn't say and therefore doesn't say how he accounted for them which makes me say that we can't take them at face value. What we DO know is that no one could tell the tubed monoblocks from the cheapo solid state. That makes this test less than believable. If all they tested were one solid state against another, you'd have some viable evidence. But if they can't tell tubes from solid state, I have to question either something about the test methodology or the participants. I'm very surprised that a hardcore objectivist such as you seem to be would simply accept it, particularly when it flies in the face of current knowledge concerning tubes vs transistors.