Except for it being perhaps a difficult thing to arrange practically, I wonder whether there have ever been any true double-blind tests for pianos and piano sonority? I guess it would be something where both the judges and the players would be blindfolded. Something akin to those famous wine tests from previous decades.

13 days later

It's basically impossible to set up a neutral environment for such a test. A truly well prepared Chinese piano will always win against a badly prepared Steinway or Bösendorfer that's 10 times as expensive.