The Audiophoolery Thread.

[GrimJosef]

Sadly (or, perhaps, fortunately given how many businesses are thereby kept afloat) not only is daft stuff believed by some audio enthusiasts, but different, even opposing, daft stuff is believed by different groups - "Silver is the be all and end all !" vs "Oh no it isn't, it makes the music sound metallic and taste funny !" So the chances of getting half a dozen people to agree on what their supply cable should be made of are probably small.

Cheers,

GJ

[Ted Kendall]

Originally Posted by ajgriff

i think it's something called 'the profit motive' that leads people to stretch the truth as far as it can go.

Twang!

[ajgriff]

... and beyond!

[Sideband]

This thread is so long, I've only read bits of it but have we had any real audiophools commenting about any of this pseudo-science and condemning us for not believing any of it....?

[ajgriff]

Perhaps there aren't as many audiophools about as we think or possibly no self-respecting audiophool would join a forum populated by so many deluded sceptics.

Alan

[stevehertz]

Originally Posted by Sideband

This thread is so long, I've only read bits of it but have we had any real audiophools commenting about any of this pseudo-science and condemning us for not believing any of it....?

I reckon there's a few fence sitters who run with the wolves and bark with the dogs. But in general, there's no hardcore audiophools on here! After all, how could anyone with even a basic understanding of electronics believe that resting your speaker wires on tiny stands or that ultra pure silver connection wires can make any audible difference to the sound?

[dglcomp]

Don't forget to make sure your optical/Toslink cables are gold plated too!

Although one of the audio suppliers had AES3 (AES/EBU) running over wet string at a trade show, makes people who think they need esoteric cables for digital audio look a bit stupid.

[Heatercathodeshort]

I think I'll get the paint pot out. If they can sell them for $125, all I can say is, good luck to them! John.

[ex seismic]

Ah yes, that was probably extremely expensive fluid making the string wet. Oxygen free water perhaps? Well known that tap water doesn't have the correct quantum ambience.

[thermionic]

Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort

I think I'll get the paint pot out. If they can sell them for $125, all I can say is, good luck to them! John.

Exactly! I have a friend who has spent insane amounts of his hard earned cash on his equipment, interconnects and plug top fuses! He is insistent that he can tell the difference in swopping items around.

I used to question his logic. How can a gold plated 13Amp fuse in his amps plugtop make such a difference to the sound? His reply? ‘ I know nothing about the technical aspects, but I I can tell the difference ’.

His money. His hobby. If he’s happy, who am I to ridicule him? So I now just let him get on with it! I’m done trying to reason with him. He says,’ why do you buy old TV’s that are black & white and have a small screen?’

......maybe he has a point!

[Outrun_uk]

https://www.russandrews.com/signature-socket/

Oh, come on! Really?? This sort of thing should be against the law ��

[dglcomp]

Although it would be funny to change his fuses for standard ones when he isn't looking and get him to speak highly of their positive effect afterwards

['LIVEWIRE?']

The only thing which seems sensible to me in that Russ Andrews ad. is that Unswitched mains sockets just may be better than switched ones.

[dglcomp]

Originally Posted by Outrun_uk

https://www.russandrews.com/signature-socket/

Oh, come on! Really?? This sort of thing should be against the law ��

Doesn't even look like a Good quality socket, more like the ones you would get in somewhere like Wilko for about £1.50. It's certainly no MK or Crabtree.

[m0cemdave]

Originally Posted by John_BS

I try to avoid reading adverts aimed at high-end audio aficionados, but I was sent to this site by a friend and was unable to unhitch my gaze as I learnt more and more about fuses and realised just how ignorant I was...

https://www.synergisticresearch.com/fuses/blue/

Towards the bottom of the page is this:

--------

Frequently asked questions.

Q: Are fuses directional?

A: Yes, fuses are directional. Electricity should flow from the left to the right when you view the fuse. If you do not know

the direction of flow you should listen to the fuse inserted in both directions. One direction will sound more detailed. This is the correct way.

--------

I wonder if that entire website (there isn't much of it anyway) is a spoof?

[GrimJosef]

Originally Posted by thermionic

... His money. His hobby. If he’s happy, who am I to ridicule him? So I now just let him get on with it! I’m done trying to reason with him. He says,’ why do you buy old TV’s that are black & white and have a small screen?’ ... maybe he has a point!

I have to say I have some sympathy with this. It's a well-established fact that our minds influence our perceptions, and quite a few audio enthusiasts' enjoyment comes because of what they know is in their equipment, not what the air is doing at their eardrums. Sadly, relatively few of them are happy to admit this, but a few are (I am, when I'm enjoying my vintage amps which I know perform no better than a decent modern one).

Cheers,

GJ

[alanworland]

Just stumbled upon this lead unit for improving the mains supply to your hi-fi.
Seems an awful lot of cash to 'clean up' the supply! call me pessimistic but shouldn't the power supply in the equipment be able to supply suitable conditions for the equipment to operate as designed?
I'm afraid I'm putting these in the same category as the speaker 'wonder cables' that can be bought.
Or have I got it all wrong?

https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/the-mcru-pinnacle-mains-power-lead/

Alan

[Radio Wrangler]

Originally Posted by m0cemdave

I wonder if that entire website (there isn't much of it anyway) is a spoof?

To repurpose one of Arthur C Clarke's laws:

Any sufficiently esoteric website is indistinguishable from a spoof.

David

Electricity should flow from the left to the right when you view the fuse.

Most plugs have the fuse vertical err ummm.

[Electronpusher0]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

Most plugs have the fuse vertical err ummm.

Won't all the electrons run downhill?