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Chew-Magna t1_j6mqqtl wrote

Would you be able to tell the difference if you didn't know they were different file types? I'd try to do a blind test if possible. Knowing beforehand which is which is a very powerful subconscious persuasive tool, something that has been proven in various studies.

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Joseph_HTMP t1_j6mqua6 wrote

Which is why a null test is the only way to know for sure :)

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PhoenixRisingtw t1_j6mtpzw wrote

By null test you mean blind test?

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Joseph_HTMP t1_j6mzn5k wrote

No. Put both files into an audio editor, flip the polarity on one of them, and if they're the same they should cancel out into silence. If they don't, what you're hearing is the difference between the two files.

It is literally the most scientific way of finding out if there's a difference between two bits of audio.

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MachineTeaching t1_j6p0zvm wrote

That falls apart rather quickly. You wouldn't expect a regularly mastered flac and a dsd file to actually be identical.

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PhoenixRisingtw t1_j6n4ntd wrote

That's definitely interesting. How do you flip polarity? But even if the're not the same, you might still not be able to hear that difference and placebo might be in place.

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zoinkability t1_j6p9ckw wrote

Wouldn’t that show a positive for both reasons why an audible difference would exist? Either a different master or a difference due to format would be audible via a null test.

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verifitting t1_j6myy2i wrote

Doesn't help that DSD tends to be 6dB softer so you need to compensate in volume.

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