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From: ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Modifying the Magnavox FD1040
Message-ID: <4328@alice.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Sep-85 11:35:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: alice.4328
Posted: Sun Sep 15 11:35:43 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Sep-85 00:08:36 EDT
References: <428@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 15

> I'm sorry, but I don't think that double blind testing is an absolute
> requirement.  After living with a piece of gear or a pair of pants you know
> them and can recognize them.  The DC filtering cap change was so dramatic
> that I knew there was a big improvement even with 15 minutes elapsed between
> listenings.  I must admit that the subsequent changes that I made I was not
> very sure if it was any better.  Theory dictated that it would be, but I
> did wish for a second machine to compare with.

Yes, you know there was a big change, but you also knew to expect a
change.  The placebo effect is *very* powerful.

I have seen several product reviews recently in which the reviewer said
something like "This amplifier had a sweeter high end than our
reference amp, but we were unable to substantiate this perception
during double-blind testing."


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