[Scott[_6_]]

On Jan 4, 12:49=A0pm, bob wrote:
On Jan 4, 1:10=A0pm, Jenn wrote:

A hotel room? =A0Not an appropriate place to test what it is that makes=
a
Strad a Strad: =A0subtle tonal differences in a performance hall, and t=
he
projection power across all frequency ranges and timbres in such a hall=
..

This is not a fact; it's a claim. What's more, it's a claim for which
we have (surprise, surprise) no empirical evidence.

No it's a fact. Extensive research has been done in the field of
concert hall acoustics and measured parameters have been established
by which one can judge the acoustics of concert halls. Do you really
believe a hotel room will measure up? It is testable. There is no way.
any solo instrument that is suited for the concert hall will overload
your garden variety hotel room. That is a fact.



Now, it might be the case that Strads sound better than modern violins
when pushed to their limits in a large hall. But I've never heard
anyone enthusing about the glorious sound of a Strad who noted, "Of
course, you can only really hear the difference in a large hall."

Now that is quite an anecdotal claim at best.



Which one would you rather take home? =A0This brings into question the
issue of playability, set up, strings, familiarity, etc.

Then there is the issue of which specific instruments are used. =A0Not =
all
Strads or Guarneris or Costcos are equal, obviously.

I'm surprised that those here who preach about biased tests in audio
aren't all over this.

Because there's no bias here. Every violin was tested in the same
environment. Hence, no bias.


Well not sure how you can say that nor am I sure how this can be
called a double blind test. I'm pretty sure it was a human being
playing the violins. So someo in the room who clearly had influence on
the source signal was involved and fully aware of what instrument he
had in his hand. How is this not a huge variable and source for bias
effects?


It would be impossible to test violins in
all environments, of course, but someone who wants to claim that a
different environment would produce a different result assumes the
burden of proof.


Do you really believe a different envirement would not affect the
sound? yes it is impossible to test "every" envirement. OTOH it would
not have been imp[ossible to do the test in an envirement that at
least was like the envirement in which the violins would be used.


This test is so saddled with uncontrolled variables I don't know how
anyone could ever draw any meaningful broader conclusions other than
the testees had particular preferences for particular violins played
by particular performer in a particular hotel room.


I'm all for making these kinds of judgements blind. But if one is
looking for broader meaning this test does not fit the bill.