You may not hear the differences, but someone else might....

The internet is filled with people screaming “snake oil”. But are they correct? Do you believe your ears or the math? Why are some people so reluctant to do a comparison test?

Setting up a listening test to compare various types of files is not easy.  You need a base of equipment that is equipped to play any subtle differences and a trusted set of files to compare.  We suggest using the free test downloads at BlueCoastMusic.com where you have 10 different sets of files created by mastering engineers from the original source files.

https://bluecoastmusic.com/hifilife/test-your-music-systems-for-high-res...

If you try to compare files where the source of the files are unknown, upsampled, recorded at 44.1 or overcompressed it will be difficult to compare anything.

To start, set aside several hours and have several people involved.  We rarely do a test with fewer than 3 people. Here we'll explore some of the basics steps to compare files.

Keep in mind, the objective is to determine differences in formats, cables, devices, conversion tools, etc.  You don't need to like the music. 

The question is "do you hear a difference" not “would you pay for the difference”. Obviously, some people want the highest quality possible even if the differences are very, very small. 

If you would like to try the test yourself, DSD-Guide.com offers a guide on how to do a comparison listening test.

https://dsd-guide.com/how-do-comparative-listening-test-updated

Good luck and enjoy!