ABX Audio Testing with foobar2000

This video demonstrates ABX testing using foobar2000. http://www.foobar2000.org/?page=Overview

ABX testing is a methodology for comparing two devices or systems. In this case we're testing two audio clips of the same solo acoustic guitar performance. One clip was recorded with $150 preamp, one with a $1500 preamp.

foobar2000 is an audio player for Windows that includes an ABX utility. This utility makes it easy to compare two clips in a double blind test. The ABX utility maintains score and computes the statistics for the comparison series.

Please visit http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2009/04/22/abx-testing-and-a-new-audio-interface/ where you can download the clips used in this video. You will also find links to other test clips and more information about ABX testing, along with other posts related to home recording of acoustic guitar.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• home
• recording
• brewed
• music
• abx
• foobar2000
• kaleponi
• fran
• guidry

[jakedude182]

Love your video thanks :)

[homebrewedmusic]

@jakedude182 Thanks, Jake. I wish all audio gear comparisons started out with an ABX session to ensure that there are real audible differences, but I guess that won't happen.

Fran

[KicknGuitar]

Thanks for the vid!

[commentleaver]

One other thing for newcomers: foobar2000 no longer comes with the ABX comparator component in the installer. Now you have to grab foo_abx.zip from the official components repository, go into Preferences, Components, click Install, and point it to the .zip.

[TreyArc]

Very good and detailed video, good presentation as well.

[Darkoshi]

I am wanting to compare tracks recorded at different bit rates. Your video is very helpful in showing how to use the foobar2000 utility with the ABX comparator. Thanks!

[franguidry]

@commentleaver Very useful info, thanks. I'll update my blog post to reflect the change.

Thanks,

Fran

[franguidry]

@commentleaver Thanks for the info. I actually go to some trouble to match levels when I'm creating these clips, so I'm not sure that an algorithmic gain manager would add much to this particular process.

Fran

[commentleaver]

@franguidry ReplayGain info (which is just loudness & peak measurements) is stored in tags. The tagging of WAV or AIFF files is difficult and not standardized, so you generally have to use FLAC, ALAC, or other lossless compression method to get the audio into a ReplayGain-tag-compatible container. By definition, the lossless formats decode during playback to the exact same stream of PCM samples as were in the original WAV or AIFF, so there's no harm.

[franguidry]

@commentleaver I try to remember to point out the difference between a high score positive and my failure to identify difference. Can't prove a negative, as they say. Thanks for adding your reminder.

fran

[franguidry]

@commentleaver I don't have any experience with ReplayGain. Does it work with PCM files?

By the way, I'm "the narrator."

Fran