Blind listening verses Sighted Listening..good read

[mlsstl]

RGA wrote: "So the assumption and the only value a blind test will or could do for you is to what exactly? "

The opening sentence of my first post on the subject in this thread was: "The answer to the issue of blind testing heavily depends on who is doing the test and for what purpose."

I then drew a clear distinction between people who are buying a home system for their own listening pleasure and a researcher who is doing fundamental research or a designer looking for the best design "unencumbered by a hodge-podge of psychological factors."

Also, while the blind test is widely used in the medical world, it was not "invented" for that purpose. Blind testing is a basic part of the scientific method and is widely used in all types of science research where personal biases could sway the tests. It has even been used in nuclear and particle physics since individual researchers can have preexisting expectations as to what they "should find" in certain experiments. (Hmmm, now that sounds familiar....)

I will note that I am hesitant to attach much importance to the "stress" factor in blind testing. That strikes me far more as an excuse than a truly valid consideration. I would argue that under sighted tests, the well proven psychological factor of peer pressure (the "you hear that, don't you?" factor) has an equally, and probably more, powerful warping effect on the results.

In fact that example is a good illustration of how we can blithely ignore a proven defect of sighted testing (peer pressure) when it gives results we like, but turn up the magnification on hypercritical examination (the "stress" of testing) when we don't get results we like.

And, also as noted, I never suggested that blind testing was a replacement for other types of listening under any of the circumstances, whether a purchase for the home or design work. I'm fully aware that no testing situation designed by humans can give 100% certainty about anything. The inability to obtain unquestioned, perfect confidence in the results should not be an excuse to not do something that can give useful information.

As for me - an old dog - learning new tricks, I'd like to think over the years that my mind has been changed from time to time as I've been exposed to new ideas. ;-)