My understanding is a test can be used as a method to deceive not seek an answer. Not necessarily by dishonest intention, just a false process implemented by an unknowing party.
Tests can be done for lots of reasons. What is to be tested should be clearly spelled out. Of course they can be done for deceptive reasons etc. Or they can be done to answer legitimate questions.
You wanted to know how I did mine. First, you need to be aware that there are many people who will avoid trust ears tests at all costs. On top of that, even if they do a test, they will vehemently deny the results and also start to spin the wheel of excuses. One of the excuses on the wheel is "stress". That they were temporarily deafened by the "stress" of listening to there favorite music in stereo.
One way to address the "stress" excuse, is to make them unaware they are being blind tested. If they are unaware, there is no way "stress" can be an excuse.
One would also not want to reveal how such a test is done if it were to have any future viability.
How about we get some contribution to help clarify how to conduct a true blind test. It could be usefully to understand when trying to decide on a cable or component and how it may stack up to the competition.
First, is to understand that "blind" does not mean wearing blindfolds like in Mikes test.
Blind, means "not knowing"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinded_experiment certain information that can affect, in this case, perception of the DUT (device under test).
One can do a "blind" test totally sighted. Mine were. There are also levels of "blindness", such as single and double, where the experimenter is also "blind".
One critical aspect of a blind audio test, is levels must be fairly precisely matched. Easy to do with electronics, cables, etc. A royal PITA with loudspeakers, turntables, etc.
Then there is what you're trying to test. If it is sound>ears, then all of the above. There are fun casual ways to do it and dead serious stuff like AES, drug research, etc.
But as I explained in my previous post to you, if the sole intent is to find what pleases you most, at home, in full view of your system (sometimes a large audiophile shrine of shiny equipment
), listening purely for pleasure.....then no blind test is required whatsoever.
Simply pick what looks, sounds, feels, pleases, etc, etc."best"...to you.
Mikes example above was the fun variety, I've done plenty of those, all participants knowing and enjoying. A quick follow up - the gent who picked his own amp as worst, using sound>ears only, still uses the exactly type of amp in his system at home and swears it is still better sounding than the ones he picked sound>ears. It had zero effect on his beliefs.
The only thing that should matter, is what pleases
all your senses most. that will give the most satisfaction, even if short term.
cheers,
AJ
