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Chess,

As I wrote to Alan, the point is taken that a double-blind test is possible. It serves me right for trying to be clever at 2 in the morning.

However, I would argue that double-bliniding is unnecessary in an AV audition...so long as your friend (or the store owner) doing the A/B switching doesn't give a running commentary as to what each speaker sounds like to their ears, and doesn't tell you which speaker is A and which is B, the room for bias is minimal.

I'd be happy to carry on this debate, but I should probably just keep my foot in my mouth.

No foot in mouth there fhw.
I certainly agree with you that you do not need a double blind test to actually test but as you say, the person 'assisting' has to be completely mute during the process.
Often salesmen CANNOT remain quiet and you would still have to remove the visual cues from the testing perhaps with a blindfold. This might look a bit awkward walking into the a/v store though.

fhw,

You can order the ABX box Alan mentioned from several places online if you really want to do that sort of testing at home so it is certainly possible. I'd actually kill to find a store selling equipment and using ABX boxes or something similar.

The reason I specify double-blind is exactly for the reason Chess just mentioned. The sales guys rarely restrain themselves from biasing any comparison, for obvious reasons. Even subtle body language can play a major role in this.

But, ultimately, the reason I specify double-blind is because it is the only scientifically justifiable means from which to draw conclusions. The way audiophiles use absolute statements regarding speaker wire and the like requires fallsifiable proof. If they merely left it to subjective statements, I wouldn't protest so much.

Regards,
Josh