Blind A/B Listening Results

[Guest larouchea]

First of all I would like to thank everyone who participated in the blind A/B listening evaluation. Klipsch is always evolving and one way that we are doing this is through a more scientific and structured listening evaluation. We like to have un-biased results to listening tests and one of the most effective ways to do this is through blind evaluation.

First, in the morning session, during the tours, you were listening to a different speaker than what was listened to in the A/B test in the afternoon. The speaker in the morning was new model from a new line of products we are working on. This line of products will be released later this fall. Check back at Klipsch.com later this fall to find out more details about the new line.

On to the results... There were 2 pair of speakers in the Afternoon being evaluated. Speaker A and Speaker B. We received really good comments from all participants. Also, we did mention that we were periodically changing what speaker A and B were, to keep all of you from talking about the results. We actually didn't switch them, but it threw you off the scent enough to keep the results pure. We did that only so that there were no listeners going into the room having heard from someone that A was better or vice-versa. This kept the integrity of our results.

Is the anticipation killing you yet... Ok I'll really post them now...

Speaker A - Klipsch OnWall Model Prototype (from the new line I Mentioned above). Stay tuned to klipsch.com to see the official release in the next few months.

Speaker B - Definitive Technologies Mythos II.

The actual number of votes for each speaker was A: 13 votes, B: 5 votes, Both: 1 vote.

Again, than you all for participating and we really value all of your input regarding this listening evaluation.

Andre LaRouche

Acoustic Design Engineer

[jwc]

Thank you

[colterphoto1]

Good test results there Andre- glad we were able to get you some valid data from the Pilgrimage! I think the Forum fans appreciated being part of a test trial that helped the company. They kept asking in the planning stages 'how can we make a difference?'.

WIll you be conducting similar listening evaluations with the test team at Klipsch?

[Jay481985]

now post those 5 mythos votes names to beat them up [6]

[HarryO]

I chose "B". Not as efficient but I thought had a better range, depth and smoother.

Harry

[HarryO]

Cool test Dre!

Have any deductions about the listeners? Is there any correlation between the A vs B listeners? Age? Equipment preferences? Speakers owned?

How far has the analyzation of results gone? VERY curious.

Thanks,

Harry

[DoubleJ]

I chose "B". Not as efficient but I thought had a better range, depth and smoother.

Harry

I choose "B" for the same reasons

Speaker "A" had more detail and a tighter sound stage but that isn't a must for me.

For the purists* of the reviewing group, I can understand why "A" was the walk away winner.

*What I mean by purist is someone who understands the music and the instruments used to create that music. I live a sheltered life, in some cases by choice and in other cases by geographical location, so I don't know what live music sounds or should sound like..whether its Classical, Rock, Country, New Age, etc.

So, how did I know that Speaker "A" had more detail? I can only relate , not to any great ability, to the sound of a Piano. Speaker "A" did a much better job of making you feel like you were listening to a real. live Piano than speaker "B".

In conclusion, I tend to prefer a wider, deeper sound stage, with full knowing that it is at the expense of losing clarity and detail. (This may be considered Blasphemy but this is what I prefer).

I'm sure there will come a time when I can start "Hearing the Music" and not "Just listening to the Music" and thus purity and clarity of the music will probably take over my listening preferences.

JJ

P.S. I don't feel ashamed or embarrassed whatsoever that I didn't choose the Klipsch product nor would I have done the "Snoopy Happy Dance" that I correctly identified the Klipsch product. This was a very well done "Blind Test" and I was very glad I could be a part of it.

[colterphoto1]

Cool test Dre!

Have any deductions about the listeners? Is there any correlation between the A vs B listeners? Age? Equipment preferences? Speakers owned?

How far has the analyzation of results gone? VERY curious.

Thanks,

Harry

those who favored 'B' generally had weird haircuts.

I'm sure Andre will do some correlation of the results. That's why he asks all those questions.

[michael hurd]

I picked "A" during my test.

[HarryO]

"those who favored 'B' generally had weird haircuts."

Thank you for the compliment Michael !

[anarchist]

I picked A (my comments were it was a much better soundstage amongst other things) and from my super hearing, incredible insight and brilliant intuition... I knew exactly what the speakers were. Not.

I think it was Larry's review which was really thorough and nailed the difference between the two speakers. I trust that guys opinion on speakers now. He says he can't hear out of one ear but he was on the money on everything including the soundstage.

The interesting bit is I auditoned DefTech's on numerous occasions in person and if it weren't for my loving Klipsch, I would own DefTechs.

[Jay481985]

now where is meagain saying both speakers were the same [:#]

[LoudnClear]

I voted A, relief to know I recognize and prefer the Klipsch sound in a blind test. Since I have all this Klipsch packed in the house.

[Seadog]

I picked A.

It seemed much more live to me, with better separation of the instruments and a much larger sound stage. I guess I just like the "Klipsch sound".[]

Thanks for letting us know what was behind the curtain!

[theplummer]

I was the one odd man out. I liked both, but for different reasons. I felt A was more forward and live, but I felt B had a wider dispersion and felt like that would be desirable in a HT setting, which I feel is where the market is headed. I also felt like they were the same speaker with changing electronics.

What really amazes me is how similar the two were voiced, that's what led me to believe they were the same speaker.

[customsteve01]

Caroline and I both picked "A". The funny thing is we didn't talk during the test or before filling out the questionair. But after we turned them in we both agreed on the same things. "A" was more defined, but "B" did have alittle more bass.

I too was wondering if it wasn't the same speaker with changed electronics, they sounded so close.

A really big THANK YOU for allowing us to be a part in the test.

Steve

[meagain]

Yea yea - I put "both" (in case Klipsch was funnin' us) - but if not both "B". So did my husband. A instantly smacked as "more enjoyable", but what I do is ignore soundstage, width, depth, feel, air, etc. and focus on the sound from the speaker itself - THEN the soundstage/feel comes later (more like icing on the cake). That's how I judged.... ignored the 'feel' part. Just thought "B" was cleaner like on Sarah Mc's vocal, etc. My husband zeroed in on the horns in the music. But surely A was fuller, etc. and I initially was going to put "A" till I started obsessing. Maybe cuz they were in the wall? I thought both speakers were pretty comparable on the face of it. One didn't 'totally suck' over the other IMO. Oh well - Sorry. I guess more accurately A: 13 B: 6.

Well, if those were in wall speakers - gosh that sure would be nice. I would buy those. Are those the types one can rotate?