When is the most important time to make a meaningful HiFi equipment comparison?

[Yomanze]

Lots of us are swapping things around, and last week I just couldn't get my bearings having changed single amping to bi-amping, a different preamp, different DAC to pre interconnects and introduction of a 2nd pair of speaker cable in one go out of necessity. What was doing what? It was a much bigger change that I anticipated, and it took me some time to get to where I wanted to go.

I found a great quote on a TNT Audio review (http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/passaleph_e.html) of the Pass Labs Aleph P:

"It really has measurement-device precision; the space between each instrument becomes huge, empty - even in the most complex movements you can very easily follow each orchestral element. It is really incredible, and, at the beginning, quite disorienting, since the ear, not accustomed to such precision, chases this sound or the other, losing the whole figure."

This is exactly what happened to me when I bi-amped my (gain matched) LFD PA0 (SE) and LFD PA2M (SE). It took me some time to understand that the treble had been 'freed' with a significant step up in precision and with the character of the PA0 (SE) that I like in the highs just becoming even more so (I suspect it's because it only has to power a tweeter now).

Other times I find first instinct after having spent at least a week without a component change (and lots of music) to be the arbiter of whether I am going to prefer something or not. What I have to be careful with is the distinction between equipment burning in and indeed my ears burning in!

So, when comparing gear, is there any advice that you'd offer to ensure that things are as natural as possible i.e. geared towards the sound you're going to prefer?

[John]

I think good practise one system change at a time but of course I broken that rule to many times
For me the best test is to have whatever upgrade I got in for a few weeks then go back to original set up before the upgrade and see if you still think the same as the brain can play tricks
I think most of us have our own version of a listening track list to test it to music we know
Another good test is play something you had trouble listening to and see what it does
Glad the upgrade worked bi-amping can make a nice difference

[Firebottle]

That's a tough question there at the end :scratch:
I think the general consensus is only change one thing at a time, but I do agree your ear can 'tune in' to a different sound if it is noticeably different.

Can't be any more specific than that,

Cheers, Alan

[AlexM]

I always find reverting to the pre-change configuration is informative as it helps you to identify whether different is the same as better in all respects, just some or whether it is just different. I sometimes (often) find my first impressions confirmed but not always. .

[Ali Tait]

Yep, agreed. Try the new configuration for a week or two, then revert back to original. Only real way to be sure IMHO.

[Barry]

Yep, agreed. Try the new configuration for a week or two, then revert back to original. Only real way to be sure IMHO.

+1

There have been a number of times I have done this, only to find the so-called "improvement" is not so, merely a "difference".

[Macca]

if you find you are asking yourself 'is this different or better' then it is just different since true improvements tend to be pretty obvious from the off. Difficult though when you make a change that on paper should be a big step up but it doesn't grab you since the temptation is to start rationalising. Where intellect gets confused quite often physical and emotional rarely do. Listen with your gut is my advice. And don't make more than one change at a time. And keep as much of the old kit as you can rather than sell it on since you then have more options to swap things around and try different combinations.

[MikeMusic]

So, when comparing gear, is there any advice that you'd offer to ensure that things are as natural as possible i.e. geared towards the sound you're going to prefer?

I am now becoming used to the clarity and dynamic range in the upgraded system and I think it has been easier with the gradual changes over the past year or so.

I don't know how I would have coped with all of those changes in one hit
I'm guessing...
Too harsh, too analytical, lacking in 'bass', IE the woffle you get from a bad set up.
I used to be very happy with my Akai tape deck, Rotel amp and Leak 2075 speakers. After a few years I upgraded to Linn/Naim and was ecstatic with that.
I have found even the gradual improvements take some getting used to
Swapping back should confirm you are going in the right direction

[Yomanze]

What is interesting is that no one has mentioned that swapping back and forth quickly is a good thing i.e. blind tests. I agree that the best thing to do is have long term listening with no changes, switch something in and trust your instincts, taking into consideration possible adjustment periods.

[Macca]

What is interesting is that no one has mentioned that swapping back and forth quickly is a good thing i.e. blind tests. .

I did that when I was testing cables, 8 sets so long term listening wouldn't work as by the time I got to combo 64 I would have forgotten what combo 1 was like. So just used the same about 30 seconds of music each time. It was so tedious that I never bothered to write it up here but I think it did work as a method. Wasn't done blind though.

[AlexM]

I find that sometime a/b comparisons can be misleading as I find that I need to listen for an extended period and to a wide selection of music to confirm or refute my gut reaction. Too often your attention is drawn to one aspect of the presentation that can seem like an improvement, or an aspect of a piece is better resolved, but you may find that another track is lacking in some important way.

Sometimes it is just so obviously better and extended listening only confirms the initial impression, but I think my system is now at a level where I'm not blown away by a new piece of electronics as much as I was in the past. I am also wary of the 'honeymoon period' effect as I've been caught out by this before.. Sometimes one doesn't always have the luxury of an extended period of time with all of the kit you need to compare, and so you need to make your decision based on initial impressions, but this often goes wrong if you aren't comparing in the context of your own system and room. I tend not to chop and change too often because of all these issues. ..

Cheers,
Alex