This is why our brains have such a tough time with audio quality and why we can't just all agree.

[PewterTA]

I think this is a pretty cool little example how our brains take the information we just previously heard and uses that information in making inferences into what we are going to hear (or do hear the next time).

 

It's almost like figuring out a code!

 

Check out the link to Unbelievable Facts here.

[Booster MPS]

Thanks that was pretty fascinating.

[RedFuneral]

Huh, I wonder if our brains become programmed in a sense that a stereo system should sound like x, x being whatever someone grew up with or a memory of an impressive sounding system.

 

Could be that anything that strongly deviates from this expectation is fatiguing as the brain tries to correct.

[GregWormald]

So go back a couple of hours later and see if it is still intelligible. (It's not to me.)

 

It's all about pattern recognition. And yes, once we recognise the pattern we can do so later with less information. Our brain/memory determines how long we keep the pattern in awareness and how accessible that memory is.

 

For me, music is primarily an emotional experience, not primarily an intellectual one--so the less intellectual effort I have to use in recognising the patterns (melody, beat, instrument tonalities, etc.) the better.

 

Greg

[RedFuneral]

I just tried it again three days later and I still am able to hear it before they do the ungarbled sentence.

 

I wonder if you're saying that those who focus on sound more intellectually might do better with this kind of thing? I would say that I do lean that way somewhat but I can't place myself in either camp. I switch between following a few instruments and beats to just getting lost in the music when I listen. It's rare that I get stronly emotionally invested and I'm fine with that as it makes those experiences that much more special.

[TimArruda]

So go back a couple of hours later and see if it is still intelligible. (It's not to me.)

 

It's all about pattern recognition. And yes, once we recognise the pattern we can do so later with less information. Our brain/memory determines how long we keep the pattern in awareness and how accessible that memory is.

 

For me, music is primarily an emotional experience, not primarily an intellectual one--so the less intellectual effort I have to use in recognising the patterns (melody, beat, instrument tonalities, etc.) the better.

 

Greg

 

 

Same exact thing here Greg, very much an emotional experience.

 

Tim

[RealAudio]

Not surprising at all. B&O once did a study and found that people reported equipment sounded different when the only change was the color of the enclosure.

[InfernoSTi]

The more you learn, the more you can understand and not just take in the big picture. I believe this is a truth of life and it is great to see it explained in this way about audio.

 

I have experienced this in so many ways...the most simple being to drive down the highway and observe cars for 30 seconds or so. Then try to remember a specific color car...typically you can't, it's all just a blur of cars. Now think about a particular make of car or a particular color car and spend the same 30 seconds. Now you can remember all of them...they were easy to see! Of course, now other cars are hard to remember.

 

This is why experience counts with audio systems. It isn't just about young ears or best equipment or recordings. It is equally (or more) about training your ears and your mind to listen. You can really learn to hear into music and it is very enjoyable.

 

Listen to the cymbals...do they splash or crash. Do their tones change or remain constant? Listen to the bass...hear the difference between the bass guitar and the bass drum. Hear the kick of the bass drum and how it has harmonics above the initial tone. Listen to the midrange...what's going on there? The more you listen, the more you can start to hear things that were always there but you never noticed.

 

Nice article...

 

John

[mayhem13]

The more you learn, the more you can understand and not just take in the big picture. I believe this is a truth of life and it is great to see it explained in this way about audio.

 

I have experienced this in so many ways...the most simple being to drive down the highway and observe cars for 30 seconds or so. Then try to remember a specific color car...typically you can't, it's all just a blur of cars. Now think about a particular make of car or a particular color car and spend the same 30 seconds. Now you can remember all of them...they were easy to see! Of course, now other cars are hard to remember.

 

This is why experience counts with audio systems. It isn't just about young ears or best equipment or recordings. It is equally (or more) about training your ears and your mind to listen. You can really learn to hear into music and it is very enjoyable.

 

Listen to the cymbals...do they splash or crash. Do their tones change or remain constant? Listen to the bass...hear the difference between the bass guitar and the bass drum. Hear the kick of the bass drum and how it has harmonics above the initial tone. Listen to the midrange...what's going on there? The more you listen, the more you can start to hear things that were always there but you never noticed.

 

Nice article...

 

John

 

You assume or take for granted that these things you suggest listening for are actually reproduced as you suggest by the listeners speakers or influenced by the rooms early first reflections. Nearly no one here has a system that's constantly directive down to 100hz as you do......or have no phase induced errors with crossovers placed within the critical range of hearing acuity.........as you do........or enough surface area to reproduce midrange and midbass seperate from low frequency drivers.....as you do......and the list goes on and on. You can listen to a little stand mounted 2 way or a 3way tower or a electrostat panel all day long and never hear these things you suggest. Instead, you....or they hear cone breakup, phase overlapp, floor bounce, room modes, mismatched directivity from mids to highs.....and again on and on.

[InfernoSTi]

You assume or take for granted that these things you suggest listening for are actually reproduced as you suggest by the listeners speakers or influenced by the rooms early first reflections. Nearly no one here has a system that's constantly directive down to 100hz as you do......or have no phase induced errors with crossovers placed within the critical range of hearing acuity.........as you do........or enough surface area to reproduce midrange and midbass seperate from low frequency drivers.....as you do......and the list goes on and on. You can listen to a little stand mounted 2 way or a 3way tower or a electrostat panel all day long and never hear these things you suggest. Instead, you....or they hear cone breakup, phase overlapp, floor bounce, room modes, mismatched directivity from mids to highs.....and again on and on.

 

Room acoustics make one wonder why we bother with better sources, amps, recordings, even musical reproduction in the home at all. It's amazing what the ear can trick us into hearing if we pay attention and not pay attention to the music. For a second there I was believing what I was hearing....the old trick of the ear had me fooled!