thebes Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 The Twins have gone to Grandama's house for the holiday (you should see Grandma!) so instead of the usual Friday nihgt music thread, let's try something a little different. The audiophile hobby, like most hobbies, has more than a little wierdness, excess, and crass commercialization huskerism associated with it. For example. recieved my Acosutic Sounds X-mas catalogue today and two beauties stick out: Clear Audio Matrix Record Cleaner:$3,750 Compare it this way, that's three thousands, seven hundred and fifty estate sale and thrift shop lps, or 125 brand new high end lps at $30 a toss. But wait-------------there's more: The Air Tight Disk Flatter: $1.699 No folks it's not a fancy whoopy cushion, it's a high tech gizmo to take the warp out of your lps. Of course you could use books, bricks etc. to achieve the same result, and if you do send me the 17 Benjamins. Look I don't get Sterophile so I'm not exposed to this stuff on a regular basis and therefore not totally jaded to this craziness. So what's your favorite audiophile excess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meuge Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Well, I for one cannot understand CD demagnetizers. Considering that CDs are an optic media and a red laser is used to read them, I fail to see how demagnetizing them can affect anything but the wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Howz about that oil wax lube stuff that you're supposed to rub on all your cables and interconnects to "increase conductivity?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I saw an ad for a CD that is designed to demagnetise the entire signal path of your audio system. I think I will pass on that L'll booger! If it accomplishes that it would totally screw up my Khorns! Nominee number 2 has to be a pair of interconnects offered elsewhere at only $11000 for a 3 foot pair which is a major discount from the normal retail of $14000 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiob Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Tubes & Phono cartridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I'm saving up to get some pro quality cable piers. You know the risers that lift the cables off the floor. Makes a world of difference in the sound. I know of a place on the net to get into some NICE ones for under $1K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Mini interconnect preamp jumpers. just kidding Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 ---------------- On 11/19/2004 10:33:06 PM garymd wrote: Mini interconnect preamp jumpers. just kidding Larry ---------------- Too bad they didn't work for you on that Fisher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Actually, mini-interconnect jumpers have to be an improvement over those U-shaped nails that come stock on amp/preamp combos. I certainly wouldn't use a 10 penny steel nail as an interconnect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschfoot Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Shun Mook Mpingo disks are still off my chart. I give him credit for being "first to market." I think he is still ONLY to market with those things. And his "power tube resonators" also stand quite alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Being relatively new to this hobby I find the amount of high end expensive gadgetry astounding and some of it perplexing. I would like to see a fact or fiction article on all the strange audiophile gadgets! fact or fiction demag cd ? fancy ceramic risers ? power conditioners ? isolation products ? laser shield for cd players ? tube dampers ? Attenuators ? Shakti Hallograph Soundfield Optimizer ? Cable Burn in service using a CABLE COOKER ? expensive interconnects/speaker cables one you cable is shielded can you tell the difference between $200 cables and cables up to a couple grand ? Oh yeah "twins" fact or fiction picture Just to name a few I can understand isolation and tube dampeners but some of the other stuff seems like snake oil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 I didnt know you could get oil out of a snake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Oh sure, plenty of omega 3, 6, and 9 EFA's in there too. 1-2 tablespoons a day recommended for adults healthy enough for sexual activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Now I happen to be the proud owner of a Densen Demagnetizing CD so lets be careful shall we. It is a fascinating bit of technological wonder I will have you know. All you do is play the thing at volume and it demegnetizes the entire audio chain from CD player to speakers. The clever part is that all it does is play the most irritating high pitched whine you have ever heard for about 3 minutes tailing off to silence at the end. After that the relief that it has stopped is so tangible that everything does indeed sound better. This effect is not limited to the stereo either. The dogs barking sounds melodic, the baby crying intoxicating and the wife complaining becomes a Callas Aria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 ---------------- On 11/20/2004 5:35:09 PM Maron Horonzak wrote: I didnt know you could get oil out of a snake. ---------------- You just have to know how to milk it got to find those teats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 Max that gizmo sounds like the dog wistles we'd get out of the back of comic books when we were kids for about 25 cents. Bet you paid more than that. That is really, relly funny! Maybe the thread should have been: Goofy Gear We Got Conned and/or Snuckered Into Buying. Seti, Cable Cookers? Boy there really is one born every minute. Am I the only one here who thinks Rube Goldberg must have been an audiophile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 "Cable Burn in service using a CABLE COOKER ?" Save your money and just plug them into the wall for a little while each direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Lets not forget one thats been around for decades. The K77 tweeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 ---------------- On 11/20/2004 9:05:36 PM mike stehr wrote: "Cable Burn in service using a CABLE COOKER ?" Save your money and just plug them into the wall for a little while each direction. ---------------- Ahh, but you can't plug interconnects into the wall... From Stereophile October 2004 Vol. 27: -- Audiodharma Cable Cooker v.2.5 $649 -- Breaks in virtually every kind of cable there is in order to "enrich and warm up" its sound. MY found the Cable Cooker to alleviate new cables' "objectionable constriction and brittleness." He said, "I don't know how many audiophiles would be willing to drop $649 on a cable break-in device, but any audiophile club ought to consider it. For a reviewer, the Cable Cooker is essential." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwm Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 "Just to name a few I can understand isolation and tube dampeners but some of the other stuff _____seems like snake oil..." Thats because that is exactly what it is.....What I find even more digusting is the agitation and outright hostility that some of the "audio neurotics" exhibit if you challenge their logic or ask for some kind of credible documentation to support the use of these products. The attitude that really disturbs me is the "you just dont get it" approach, at that point I want to pick up the nearest blunt object!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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