Matt - You just made a good point .. some clarification is a good idea here, in regards to how this type of testing works.
There is the longer term testing between two speakers (in this case, M100's vs Martin Logan ESL Hybrid). I will break both speakers in for at least 50 hours before doing any serious listening, and switch them in and out over a period of weeks.
Over a time period, comments will be posted regarding the listening experience .. with attention paid to bass extension, bass articulation, mid range clarity, treble clarity, is either harsh at a frequency, with a particular instrument, or with higher volumes.
Microdynamics (example - a whisper in a song) will be tested. And finally, the "musicality" of each speaker pair will be posted, based on personal experience.
Some speakers make you want to listen longer. Some don't ... and it is usually the more musical speaker which does.
THEN ... the other type of test is one done at a GTG. In this test, listeners will get the chance to hear each speaker pair for a period of about an hour. Then the process is repeated with the other speaker pair.
The listeners will then write up a "review" regarding what they thought of the speakers, with no comments between the listeners.
After they are done, the results are handed in. I usually am the "host", and collect the notes, without reading them.
The listeners then get to "see" which speaker pair was "A" and which was "B". At this point, we get out the notes from everyone, and review them.
It's a lot of fun - and also is pretty close to what Axiom does at their facility, except they can do instant A-B switching.
Does this help clear things up?
As for the amp - plus center channel and subwoofer - I am getting those just for fun. I have, for a strict 2 channel listening test, a NAD 317 integrated amp with easy switching between speaker pair "A" and "B". For a GTG style setting, no subwoofer would be used, just the NAD amp, a good CD player, and the speakers in question.
