Can You Really Hear It? How to Run a Fair ABX Blind Listening Test

An 11-slide presentation on running a fair ABX blind listening test. It covers why sighted listening misleads (expectation, small level differences heard as quality, fading auditory memory), how an ABX test works, and three rules for a fair test: match levels to within about 0.1 dB, use the same time-aligned content with fast switching, and fix the number of trials in advance. A table gives the correct answers needed for p < 0.05 at 10, 16 and 20 trials, followed by what a pass does and does not mean, and how to check your setup with an easy control comparison first. You can run a level-matched ABX test in the browser, with built-in test pairs or your own files, using the free ABX Blind Test from The Audio Stuff. More free browser-based audio tools: theaudiostuff.com/tools/.