How are super tests actually conducted

PJPro

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Jan 21, 2008
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I have often wondered how your supertests are actually conducted and why you do not detail the test rigs used.

OK, so with TVs I guess you plug in an aerial and away you go. However, with an amp, for instance, how much of the comparison is actually about the amp rather than the system/components it is partnered with?

Using the amp example, clearly you could........

1) Set up a test rig (CD player, speakers, speaker wire and interconnects) and simply plug in each amp in turn. This would provide a good means of comparison with a common set of components. However, this may disadvantage one or more of the amps due to partnering issues.

2) Set up a number of rigs of carefully selected components which allow each amp to perform to it's best. But how to you tease out the performance of component under review/comparison from the performance of the system as a whole?

And finally, do you use a panel of experts or a single individual.

It's all probably been asked before, so allow me to apologise in advance for posting this submission. I would be grateful for a link to the reply/thread is available.

Thanks.
 

John Duncan

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"a stockroom of comparative kit"? So you do have a load of sub-£1k integrateds just lying around then?

http://whathifi.com/forums/p/6485/36071.aspx#36071

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PJPro

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Thanks for your swift reply Clare.

Not altogether sure the thread you pointed me to has the answers I'm looking for. My question is, do you use an single test rig or multiple rigs to compare say an number of amplifiers or do you use bespoke rigs for each amp? I'm guessing that you use the latter. My question then is, how you go about ensuring that the subsequent review is about each amp rather than the system of which it forms a part?

The thing is, I suspect it's rather difficult. Therefore, the group/super tests are primarily system comparisons rather than component comparisons, although editorially I accept that the component may be the focus. What I am leading to here is a request that the system used for each amplifier (or DVD Player or whatever) to be detailed in the piece for each component within the group/super test.

What do you think?
 

Clare Newsome

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It's something we've done in the past, but dropped because the lists were getting so long (see below) and leaving less space for the reviews themselves. It's something we're considering re-instating here online as part of our major site overhaul later this year, when all the reviews will be online, complete with full tech-specs etc etc.

In the meantime, I'll get our technical editor on here to detail our current reference kit, which we regularly update to ensure we're using the most suitable (ie transparent) offerings around.

But we don't just use reference kit - we use a mixture of price-comparable products within Group Tests, too.

And if we think a separate component is displaying particular characteristics that will benefit it from being partnered with different products (in terms of price points or performance-style), we'll make that switch - which is why you'll often read in our review about a, for example, CD player not being ideal to partner with lively amplification: we'll have tried it with a range of amps to see how it performed.

In short, every product is given the opportunity to perform at its best, so we can communicate its true potential - not just how it performs in one system.
 

Ketan Bharadia

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Hi,
Our main hi-fi reference system is made up of the following:
Naim CDS3/555PS CD player
Bryston BP26/4BSST pre/power amplifier
ATC SCM 50 speakers
wired with cable from various manufacturers depending on what we are trying to test.

We also have price compatible kit and similarly priced rivals to help work out a star rating.
 

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