What would you test?
So, whilst I have upset Clare elsewhere with attention-grabbing headlines and is now unlikely to happen - if I were to get a day in the test rooms, I think there should be an 'angle' (as opposed to just sitting and listening to their BFO stereo all day). Got any ideas? High end player or high end speakers - which is best? CD versus Mac 'n' DAC? Mac vs PC*?
Or would you just listen to the BFO stereo all day?
*this one was a lie
timwileman:I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
Are you sure you didn't imagine it?
JohnDuncan:
timwileman:I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
Are you sure you didn't imagine it?
possibly or it could have been silver...or elsewhere!!
JohnDuncan:So, whilst I have upset Clare elsewhere with attention-grabbing headlines and is now unlikely to happen - if I were to get a day in the test rooms, I think there should be an 'angle' (as opposed to just sitting and listening to their BFO stereo all day). Got any ideas? High end player or high end speakers - which is best? CD versus Mac 'n' DAC? Mac vs PC*?
Or would you just listen to the BFO stereo all day?
*this one was a lie
I would watch/listen to a film using one of those silly priced projectors connected to the Denon A1-HD and the Monitor Audio Platinum AV system. In the afternoon, I would like to listen to some cd's using the Scarlatti cd player (the three boxed jobbie) and maybe a Plinius amplification and for speakers maybe the latest Quad ESL-2905 speakers. I'm sure they'd have all that kit just lying around!
So no 'test' as such? Just watch and listen and report back on what high end really is?
i guess in your shoes i would test the primare kit you have with various speakers/cables and combinations etc... great chance to really take you stuff for a test drive with loads of kit
or
if not so happy with your kit then listen to arcam all day ha ha !
I would go for a top CD-combo vs top Vinyl combo vs 24/96 flac/mac, all through the same active pre/power and speakers setup.
To get a definitive "which format is best".
Well, definitive for this year anyway...
But that wouldn't give you a definitive answer on the formats, just how the various pieces of equipment selected performed with their formats of choice.
Boo... so how would you conduct the ultimate "which format is best" test Andrew...or is any such test just folly?
Only possible if there is a single piece of equipment capable of handling all the formats under investigation, thus eliminating as many variables as possible
Well I'd say it wasn't the format per se but the format and player, so i think it's quite valid, though I wouldn't bother with the vinyl, since I think that's a different conversation to the CD vs FLAC/MAC/DAC one. (Can I copyright that?)
Personally, I want to try a grand's worth of interconnect.......
JohnDuncan:So no 'test' as such? Just watch and listen and report back on what high end really is?
It would be a test of how good high end really is.
To be honest, that's what I'd be looking for - play some of my favourite music on a 'reference' system and see if it exhibits the same problems I've been trying to get rid of with each successive upgrade. If it does, then I won't have to bother any more 
Andrew Everard:Only possible if there is a single piece of equipment capable of handling all the formats under investigation, thus eliminating as many variables as possible
Well, since my turntable only does either 33 or 45, then I suppose trying to get it to spin at 500+ rpm could be a little tricky.
And try as I might, I can't find a Sumiko Laser cartridge to go on the end of the tonearm...
JohnDuncan:So, whilst I have upset Clare elsewhere with attention-grabbing headlines and is now unlikely to happen - if I were to get a day in the test rooms, I think there should be an 'angle' (as opposed to just sitting and listening to their BFO stereo all day). Got any ideas? High end player or high end speakers - which is best? CD versus Mac 'n' DAC? Mac vs PC*?
Or would you just listen to the BFO stereo all day?
*this one was a lie
Test active monitors from the likes of pmc and avi against their passive counterparts. Then note at which point, $$$? amp, the passive design gets to the same level of performance.
Same with NAS/mac/dac against best buy cd-players.
I would like to conduct the test with a group consisting of what hifi prof. reviewers and subscribers- all blindfolded for the occasion.
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