Double blind tests of Violens

[amirm]

Nice short audio piece on how high-end audio is not the only area of dispute with respect to fidelity:

 

[GaryProtein]

I think the findings are hilarious and I'm not surprised!

 

[cjfrbw]

"People like different things." BINGO!

Does sound like a lot of the testimonial threads in audio when the participants INSIST they know there is a difference, just as some of the musicians insisted they knew (erroneously) which violin was which and gushed on about them.

 

[garylkoh]

May be it wasn't a great Strad......

See this: http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2003769818_violins01.html

The CD/DVD is available off Amazon, and the 15 violins & violas certainly sound very different to me. Not all sound great.
http://www.amazon.com/Homage-CD-DVD...1373775516&sr=8-1&keywords=james+ehnes+homage

 

[garylkoh]

According to David Oistrakh, the violin makes no sound. It is the violinist that makes the sound.

I just watched this documentary last night on DVD. It's available on Youtube.

The Art of Violin - Part 1 and Part 2

 

[DonH50]

Audiophiles are pikers compared to the arguments on some of the music forums... The musician has so much influence on the sound it is hard to come to any conclusions without a lot of testing over extended time and hoping sometime in there the piece was played the same way twice. Admittedly pros come durn close... At least with audio systems we can play repeatable test tones or replay the same musical sample. However, even for audiophiles, I question how much our hearing changes minute-to-minute and day-to-day based on physical and mental changes having nothing to do with the music.

 

[FrantzM]

<snip> However, even for audiophiles, I question how much our hearing changes minute-to-minute and day-to-day based on physical and mental changes having nothing to do with the music.

Same here