Re: [Harp-L] comb test

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Isn't it possible that these testers became frustrated, especially  
> considering that the brass comb was used 4 times in a row near the  
> beginning of the test?


You have to reuse the same comb several times in a row--it creates a  
bassline reference for the other results.

There may have been serious issues with the test and how it was run  
and conducted (not being there I can't say).  These would be good  
reasons to either back out or take the test as honestly as possible  
and publish a written description of what the tester regards as  
flaws--preferably asking that the letter be published with the  
results.  Pre-meditated scuttling of the data was neither mature,  
helpful nor respectful.


> I would have rather seen a test where comb A was compared to comb  
> B, with many different pairings of combs.


But in order to have valid results you need several cases where comb  
A is compared with comb A.  The test must be blind, and must also  
have controls.  If the combs are always different, then there's no  
way to judge if people really can tell--are they hearing actual  
differences or just perceiving the differences as part of the test  
process.  If the amount of perceived difference is the same for two  
samples of the exact same comb as it is for two different combs, then  
the conclusion can be made that any differences in the evaluation are  
not physical but psychological.  If they can perceive that it is  
indeed the same comb being tested, then that is significant.  The  
evidence given suggested that the players couldn't tell when the same  
comb was used.



JR Ross