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Floyd Toole - Sound reproduction – art and science/opinions and facts

CIRMMT · lecture · Watch on YouTube

Audio & video engineeringUniversity lectures & courses

What it is

Floyd Toole's CIRMMT distinguished lecture on the science of sound reproduction, drawing on decades of blind listening research. It covers what listeners prefer in loudspeakers and why measured accuracy and anechoic response matter.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it as a crash course on audio reproduction science, especially the finding that listeners reliably prefer more accurate speakers in blind tests.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 6 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2019, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “In blind testing, the average listener reliably prefers the more accurate speaker.”

    Crash course on sound reproduction science and listener preference

    Humbly8967, 2023-11 · Strong recommendation · in “Speaker Support in Asahi Linux”

  2. “Here is a talk that could be very informative.”

    Toole talk on blind-test research in sound reproduction

    1kGarand, 2019-06 · Recommendation · in “DIY Amps: A Roadmap for Beginners (2017)”

  3. “Here's a lecture by the same author, given at CIRMMT Distinguished Lectures in the Science and Technology of Music.”

    Lecture by Floyd Toole on science of sound reproduction

    lioeters, 2021-03 · Recommendation · in “Audio – Science in the Service of Art [pdf]”

  4. “And a talk by the author covering some of the material for those who prefer that”

    Toole's talk covering his research for those preferring video

    BoingBoomTschak, 2026-07 · Recommendation · in “24-bit/192kHz music downloads and why they make no sense”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: floyd toole, blind listening tests, speaker measurements, psychoacoustics, equalization

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