ESP MusicCord listening test Part 2!

bongomania · #1 08-06-2011, 08:03 PM

OK, I took on board all the suggestions that came up from round 1 of the tests. These clips are only 15 seconds long, they are not overtly clipped, there is no limiter in the chain, and they are as identical as I could make them in terms of start/stop times and levels. There are two zip packs, one where the clips are in FLAC format and the other where they are in AIFF format. For some reason WAV encoding was not working for me this time, I don't know what went wrong with it. Here are the links:

http://www.bongomania.com/FLACtestClips.zip
http://www.bongomania.com/AIFFtestClips.zip

The arrangement this time is that there are three clips, named "control", "trackA", and "trackB". Of A and B, one of them was recorded using the same power cord as the control, while the other was recorded using a different power cord. One of the power cords is an ESP MusicCord PRO, the other is a super-cheapo 18 AWG standard cord of the same length as the ESP. None of the clips are copies of each other, nor are they copies of the clips I used last time. They are three brand-new separate recordings.

So what you will do is listen to the control clip, then listen to the other two clips, and decide whether A or B sounds identical to the control. And that's the wording of the poll: "Which clip sounds identical to the control, A or B?" There is no room for carrots or "I don't care" responses in this poll--if you don't care, don't bother posting.

I will reveal the results in a few days, maybe a week, depending on how this test goes. So, ready? Here we go!

playerunk · #2 08-06-2011, 08:05 PM

downloading as we speak..will edit with the results

Edit :

honestly.. no difference so i voted both.

but if i were to be obligated to cast a vote to which is identical to the control (with both not an answer)..it will be A (although a little cheating was involved

)

Alexander Eddy · #3 08-06-2011, 08:25 PM

It would be nice if people this time round don't post the results of any digital analysis if the clips. This is a listening test right? Not a DAW test.

scotch · #4 08-06-2011, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Eddy

It would be nice if people this time round don't post the results of any digital analysis if the clips. This is a listening test right? Not a DAW test.

Agreed. My bad!

cybersnyder · #5 08-06-2011, 08:54 PM

I got the last one so I'll go on record this time too. B is the MusicCord. A and Control are 18AWG.

projectMalamute · #6 08-06-2011, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Eddy

It would be nice if people this time round don't post the results of any digital analysis if the clips. This is a listening test right? Not a DAW test.

Yeah, you wouldn't want any concrete information clouding the discussion of boutique power cords.

kuys · #7 08-06-2011, 09:05 PM

Identical.

Alexander Eddy · #8 08-06-2011, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by projectMalamute

Yeah, you wouldn't want any concrete information clouding the discussion of boutique power cords.

I agree entirely (assuming you were being sarcastic). If people post analysis from their DAW's, it gives the "golden ears" a helping hand. I'm all for analysis, but only after the golden ears have had a guess

rpsands · #9 08-06-2011, 09:13 PM

I couldn't tell the difference. Not a shocker there, my ears are terrible.

I did identify some differences in the waveforms last time around (1&2 vs. 3&4) that seemed to imply there were some differences.

R Baer · #10 08-06-2011, 09:23 PM

I played all three clips on my Macbook Pro, using an E-MU 0404 interface as the sound card and listening on very accurate Beyerdynamic DT250 headphones. I also played them through my M-Audio monitors as well.

While I think I can hear the very slightest difference in the clips through the monitors, it's certainly not even close to the degree demonstrated in the Michael Rhodes clips on the ESP website. No difference through the headphone rig. So... I voted no difference. In the name of fairness though, if ESP is willing to send me a cable, I would certainly be willing to try one out hooked to our amp and 212 cab so I could A/B them in a situation similar to the Michael Rhodes test and listen to it with an open mind.

Stingray5 · #11 08-06-2011, 09:24 PM

First few listens thru I felt like 'B' had a little more fullness to the tone, particularly in the high end, than the control and A, and voted as such. Subsequent listens it became a bit more blurred and now I'm not entirely sure.

R Baer · #12 08-06-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray5

First few listens thru I felt like 'B' had a little more fullness to the tone, particularly in the high end, than the control and A, and voted as such. Subsequent listens it became a bit more blurred and now I'm not entirely sure.

Exactly what I heard, but on the speakers, not the headphones and only on the first pass.

bal704 · #13 08-06-2011, 09:25 PM

Apparently a lot of people's ears are terrible. Judging by the results last time, most people either chose the wrong answer, or couldn't tell a difference. Maybe this product is for those with golden ears, who can tell the difference between battery brands and power cables. (that was a joke, don't flame me).

rpsands · #14 08-06-2011, 09:27 PM

Man, I can't wait for the results to be revealed. Funny stuff.

R Baer · #15 08-06-2011, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bal704

Apparently a lot of people's ears are terrible. Judging by the results last time, most people either chose the wrong answer, or couldn't tell a difference. Maybe this product is for those with golden ears, who can tell the difference between battery brands and power cables. (that was a joke, don't flame me).

Well, I'll certainly never claim to having golden ears. After 25 years of playing in loud rock bands, I'm just happy to have any hearing left at all.

GrowlerBox · #16 08-06-2011, 10:42 PM

I have a fair listening setup -- Macbook, Presonus card and AKG open-back headphones or Rokit nearfield monitors.

I listened to them all one after the other a few times, then auditioned each of the 3 "parts" of each clip (where Jimmy plays in a different register) in turn so as to maintain a short segment in memory and offer the best opportunity to perceive a difference.

I couldn't. Perhaps once the analysis software is allowed to let rip some differences will be found, but even that will not induce me to part with that much for a power cord I can't hear. If Jauqo ever comes down under to hear me play, he can bring one along so I sound good enough for him. Would that that was all it took...

Our electrons probably spin in the opposite direction, though, which would doubtless counter the voodoo. Perhaps ESP will make a "Southern" model with an anti-clockwise wrap. A left-handed model? I sense a marketing strategy.

Alexander Eddy · #17 08-06-2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Baer

I played all three clips on my Macbook Pro, using an E-MU 0404 interface as the sound card and listening on very accurate Beyerdynamic DT250 headphones. I also played them through my M-Audio monitors as well.

While I think I can hear the very slightest difference in the clips through the monitors, it's certainly not even close to the degree demonstrated in the Michael Rhodes clips on the ESP website. No difference through the headphone rig. So... I voted no difference. In the name of fairness though, if ESP is willing to send me a cable, I would certainly be willing to try one out hooked to our amp and 212 cab so I could A/B them in a situation similar to the Michael Rhodes test and listen to it with an open mind.

Please tell me that you live near Jauqo!

willsellout · #18 08-06-2011, 11:14 PM

Could hear no difference. Now if I can't hear a difference in a quiet room in my house, what are the chances you would hear a difference in a live situation?

R Baer · #19 08-06-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Eddy

Please tell me that you live near Jauqo!

Actually, I had the chance to meet Jauqo at NAMM in January and spend a few minutes talking with him. I always have a lot of respect for people that just come right out and say what they mean. He may rub some the wrong way on here, but he's really a pretty cool cat and a heck of a player.

On the last thread, there were quite a few players that said you really need to hear the cord through a high powered rig to fully appreciate what the cord does. I was only saying that I would be willing to put that to the test in an effort to explore all the possibilities.

Alexander Eddy · #20 08-06-2011, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Baer

Actually, I had the chance to meet Jauqo at NAMM in January and spend a few minutes talking with him. I always have a lot of respect for people that just come right out and say what they mean. He may rub some the wrong way on here, but he's really a pretty cool cat and a heck of a player.

On the last thread, there were quite a few players that said you really need to hear the cord through a high powered rig to fully appreciate what the cord does. I was only saying that I would be willing to put that to the test in an effort to explore all the possibilities.

I don't doubt that at all. It was just in the last thread he was talking up his hearing and said he was willing to do a live double blind (and he is an endorser). I was just hoping that someone may be able to set that up.

/derail