[net.audio] Double-blind challenge

ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (04/13/84)

I would like two or three 'golden ears' to volunteer for an experiment.
The terms are as follows:

I will mail you three little 'black boxes.'  They won't be painted black,
but they will be sealed, and the first condition of volunteering is that
you must agree not to open them or attempt in any way to measure what
is inside.

Each box will have two input jacks, two output jacks, and a switch.
These boxes are intended to be connected between your preamp and your
power amp.  Don't worry, nothing in the boxes is capable of damaging
any part of your system, even if the box malfunctions.

The experiment is for each volunteer to listen carefully to the
effect that each box has on the sound with each switch setting.
I am much more interested in comparing the two settings of the
switch in each box than I am in comparing one box with another.

You may make the comparisons in any way you see fit.  You may invite
your friends over to listen if you like, and you may spend as much
time as you like, so long as you don't hold on to the boxes too long
before sending them to the next volunteer.  This is the second condition
of volunteering: you must send the boxes to the next person within one
week of receiving them.  This is to make sure the test doesn't drag out
too long.

The test will be double-blind for the following reason:  I will not label
the boxes or the switch settings in any way before I mail them out.
The first volunteer will be expected to number the boxes #1, #2, #3 in
some order, and the switch settings A and B in some order.

The third condition of volunteering is that you must agree to mail me
as detailed a description as possible of what you heard as soon as possible
after completing your tests, and that you not post any comments on the
experiment until I have posted the final results.  This is so that you
do not bias any volunteers who will be getting the boxes after you.

Once I have gotten the boxes back, I will break them open and match contents
with labels.  I will then post the volunteers' comments, and match what
they heard with what the particular box and switch setting was doing.

To volunteer, send me mail at research!ark (you can mail to rabbit!ark
too, but it is forwarded to research!ark) with:

	Your name
	The address to which you want the boxes sent
	Your home phone number
	A description of your stereo system
	Your present thoughts on how you plan to conduct your listening tests.

I will foot the bill for postage to the first volunteer, and each
volunteer must agree to pay postage to the next one.  The final volunteer
gets to send the boxes back to me.

I particularly invite the participation of Phil Rastocny, who seems
to be able to distinguish differences too subtle for most of us.

pmr@drutx.UUCP (04/19/84)

Sounds exciting.  Count me in.