Extreme Snake Oil

[egellings]

If the infinite veils were lifted everytime a newflanged HiFi product came out then audio stores everywhere wouldn't be continually closing down left and right.

I am glad that veils are porous, or I'd have suffocated a long time ago.

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

The equipment may well improve over time, but it's already so good that the improved versions of electronics will sound no different from current competent equipment. Transducers are a different story, though. Speakers and phono cartridges may well improve over time. Microphones are very good and sit somewhere between speakers & electronics in terms of improvability.

I’m thinking more about DSP, active room correction and new software that allows us to correct old analog recordings and even extract individual instruments for complete remixes

 

[egellings]

I’m thinking more about DSP, active room correction and new software that allows us to correct old analog recordings and even extract individual instruments for complete remixes

That's a whole 'nother world.

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

That's a whole 'nother world.

But it is audio. And there is substantial crossover into the hardware. As much as “synergy” has been a subject of extreme BS in audio in the past it is an issue with these new technologies.

 

[srkbear]

No way. You can’t tell me there is no difference between Dudamel and Stokowski;-)

Ba dum chik!

 

[Spkrdctr]

I am guessing in this instance they mean "attitude" as defining a pointing direction, like attitude of an airplane or spacecraft.

It is however another fine example of relating real science at the micro/quantum level to something where it has no place. Misapplication marketing.

Don you beat me to it. Good Job!

 

[Spkrdctr]

I just can't help but freak out every time I hear an audiophool talk about synergy. I am at a loss on how all these tweaks and quantum level electron movement along with combatting magnetic waves through different materials can be heard with a pair of speakers. Most speakers are in reality so poor in reproducing sound that they in effect put a big blanket over the electrical signal that entered at the speaker terminals. Change speakers and you get a different sound. It wipes out, smothers, swamps or obliterates the extreme difference only seen on an O'scop with the range turned way up see pico stuff. This is my Joe Sixpack explanation. Any more and it gets all sciency and stuff!

 

[DonH56]

You'd love the current threads on another forum calling us idiots for not understanding why not just fuses, but also the wires themselves, are directional and it's easy to hear the difference. I tried to explain that, while they might hear a difference, it wasn't the direction of the wire and why, which got some likes and a couple of nasty emails to STFU. Gotta' say the mods shut down the personal attacks, appreciated that very much.

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

You'd love the current threads on another forum calling us idiots for not understanding why not just fuses, but also the wires themselves, are directional and it's easy to hear the difference. I tried to explain that, while they might hear a difference, it wasn't the direction of the wire and why, which got some likes and a couple of nasty emails to STFU. Gotta' say the mods shut down the personal attacks, appreciated that very much.

Fuses are definitely directional. Try putting them in sideways or diagonally ;-)

Seriously though. It’s astonishing how crazy has become normal in high end audio

 

[Speedskater]

From Benchmark Amplifiers:

Audiophile Snake Oil
by John Siau April 05, 2024
The Audiophile Wild West

Audio Application Notes

Benchmark's Application Notes newsletter is designed to educate audio enthusiasts. Each month we will offer insights that will help you have the best audio experience.

benchmarkmedia.com

​

 

[Palladium]

Fuses are definitely directional. Try putting them in sideways or diagonally ;-)

Seriously though. It’s astonishing how crazy has become normal in high end audio

"High end"? By what technical standard?

 

[Ghostofmerlin]

From Benchmark Amplifiers:

Audiophile Snake Oil
by John Siau April 05, 2024
The Audiophile Wild West

Audio Application Notes

Benchmark's Application Notes newsletter is designed to educate audio enthusiasts. Each month we will offer insights that will help you have the best audio experience.

benchmarkmedia.com

​

It’s like they’ve been reading this site.

 

[Punter]

Yet another Audiophool streamer! Behold the Innuos Pulsar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one contains a Toroidal transformer, a linear power supply board, a USB re-clocking board and NUC board fitted with Pentium N4200 CPU which is described on another forum as "a low power consumption, low cost, low performance CPU good for basic tasks like web surfing if you are on a low budget". All of this non proprietary, pre-made componentry is mounted in a fancy box with a CNC'd front panel which must be the most expensive component in the entire assembly.

All of this for the low, low price of €6’399, US$6,857 and AU$11,900!

I see around US$300 worth of components here and maybe another $100-200 for the box.

Review here from my favorite reviewer. https://hifiknights.com/reviews/transports/innuos-pulsar/

 

[Angsty]

I’m not sure if it is really snake oil if it does what it purports to do, albeit at a high price.

 

[theREALdotnet]

All of this for the low, low price of €6’399, US$6,857 and AU$11,900!

I see around US$300 worth of components here and maybe another $100-200 for the box.

If they use off-the-shelf open-source software then it’s a proper con. But perhaps they spent 10 years on software development for this box

 

[MattHooper]

I started this thread as a reaction to an absurd review of an expensive power cord and had no idea that it would turn into hundreds of pages.

What cable thread and any audio form doesn’t?

 

[MattHooper]

I just can't help but freak out every time I hear an audiophool talk about synergy.

Audiophool here

I’m OK with some talk of synergy. I believe I’ve experienced it myself in some aspects of systems. In fact, I recently experienced a killer example of synergy and other friends set up.

But I think there are plausible versions of synergy, and implausible versions (implausible, including all the woo woo about cables and tweaks and burning in and all that)

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

Audiophool here

I’m OK with some talk of synergy. I believe I’ve experienced it myself in some aspects of systems. In fact, I recently experienced a killer example of synergy and other friends set up.

But I think there are plausible versions of synergy, and implausible versions (implausible, including all the woo woo about cables and tweaks and burning in and all that)

Speaker/ room synergy. Pick up arm/ cartridge synergy. Cartridge/ phono preamp synergy.

What else?

 

[MattHooper]

Speaker/ room synergy. Pick up arm/ cartridge synergy. Cartridge/ phono preamp synergy.

What else?

Master Thread: Are measurements Everything or Nothing?

Saw this awesome measuring all in one at a flea market! :eek: Just requires a three-phase power connection.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Victor Martell]

You'd love the current threads on another forum calling us idiots for not understanding why not just fuses, but also the wires themselves, are directional and it's easy to hear the difference. I tried to explain that, while they might hear a difference, it wasn't the direction of the wire and why, which got some likes and a couple of nasty emails to STFU. Gotta' say the mods shut down the personal attacks, appreciated that very much.

Ain't that the way of the world
In this divided world, everyone calls the opposite side idiots... TBF, well, science helps us on this side, as it does on different divides... whether it helps you to survive COVID or not spending $10K on a fuse, it helps to be on a side that can be supported by science.