Extreme Snake Oil

[Pugsly]

You are 100% right in your assertions - "foolish" would be more appropriate. But in general I keep my most, err, blunt descriptions, ideas to when I am preaching to the converted... here for example. Out there always try to be careful and polite - you mentioned it , avoid shut down of the conversation. Yours is a mature response!

v

I have been called many things in my life, but mature... I have never been so insulted!

 

[DaleBerlin]

They’re only selling this stuff because they care....
I give you the:

Quantum Burning Technology Burn-in Machine
by Telos Audio Design

“We feel strongly that our customers should not endure the difficult time of running in the cables”

https://www.thecableco.com/quantum-burning-technology-burn-in-machine.html

Holy Smoke! They can also remove all noise in your music above 1KHz and turn it into light! The earth is saved!
https://www.thecableco.com/quantum-noise-resonator.html

 

[Pugsly]

In every aspect of life and business, people will take advantage of your ignorance or lack of knowledge to extract as much money out of you as possible. Plenty of examples: doctors, car salesmen, real estate agents, electronics salesmen, electricians, plummers, take your pick?

The denominator is the same. Get the knowledge so that noone can take advantage of you. And spread the knowledge around to help others too. In time, customers will be knowledgeable enough and companies will have no option but to change.

While I understand sentiment, I would want to emphasize that while such craven behaviour occurs in all segments of society, it is still actually not the norm. Despite the fact that our most promising young people are actively discouraged from pursuing careers in education, nursing, social services, the police force, fire fighters, or in the military, it is amazing just how competitive it is to get into these fields. The startling fact is, given all the hurtles placed in their way, most people are incredibly decent and want to do something with their life that is worthwhile that benefits others and not just themselves. I am reminded of the fact that it takes a lot of training to get humans to kill each other. WWI, despite living in trenches and being shot at constantly, purposely shot over the head of the enemy. Undoubtedly there are psychopaths, but most people do not want to hurt or exploit people. The problem is that, instead of rooting such people out, we tend to promote them in both the professional and political world.... But, you know, we can't possibly ask the titans of industry to pay the same percentage of taxation as the rest of us plebs, as of course they are only going to be motivated by profit. So let's instead continue to exploit, and grind into the dust, the people who make a career out of trying to make the world a better place .

 

[Pugsly]

Holy Smoke! They can also remove all noise in your music above 1KHz and turn it into light! The earth is saved!
https://www.thecableco.com/quantum-noise-resonator.html

I made the mistake of following your link, read the first paragraph and fled. I then had to return in order to see how much of this crime against logic and English grammar you were able to tolerate in order to find out about the 1kHz claim... I was gratified to see that you only made it to the second, um, let's call it a 'paragraph', following on:

"This is the very first time a circuit design which is a combination of resonance and Noise and transform into light! The Internal quantum modules is combined with eight resonate channel and a core processor, the engineer detect the power outlet wave type by internal IC, and generates instant synchronous phase distortion compensation which is made for the beautification waveform through precise resonance and reduce phase distortion."

My brain is broken and I am going to marinate the remaining synapses in whiskey in the hopes that I will not remember the above. Luckily for you, dear reader, I thought it would be good to share in order to afford you the same excuse!

 

[escksu]

If you agree, why keep arguing? Spread the word and someone will listen. One step a time, one person at a time. Nobody listened to Dr. Floyd Toole for years but he went about his business and spent all his life trying to educate, prove, and persuade.


Absolutely correct. Nobody said the world revolves around us here (whatever you mean by 'us').
But there are certain scientific facts that cannot be disputed.
Now if some rich fella is aware of those facts and still wants to spend a truck load of money on a silly product, be my guest.

The purpose of ASR is to educate and inform based on scientific facts. Many members across a number of threads have said that ASR opened their eyes (myself included).

And in all honesty, I doubt wealthy people will spend any time researching stuff around ASR of other forums. They will just go to the local dealer and spend their money on whatever the dealer says or whatever they audition on the day.

It is the average consumer, whose budget is limited and hard-earned, that will benefit the most from ASR.

So instead of arguing about whether wealthy people 'have the right to do this' and 'have the right to do that', let's keep our focus on presenting the scientific facts to people who want to listen, and perhaps if we can save one poor soul from wasting $500 on a USB cable and spend it elsewhere, it will be worth everybody's time and energy.

Thank you very much. What you have posted is pretty much whats in my mind. The ultra rich pple are on a different league from us normal folks. Yes, they won't bother to find out if a $10 cable is as good as that $28,000. They are not interested to save that $27,990.

Yes, you are right. Why do we even bother about how those rich spend their money and products made for their consumption? Thats not the point of this forum right? Like you said, helping pple save $$$ so they can be used on other things.

 

[Spkrdctr]

They understand Quantum Mechanics in this way. If they say the words "Quantum Mechanics" 100 times to themselves, they are now experts on Quantum Mechanics. See? It is actually very easy!

 

[sleepyboy69]

I dont know a lot of wealthy people but I would actually argue that a wealthy person is more likely to prefer scientifically based acoustics and equipment.

1. They have free time to invest themselves subjectively in a science
2. They have the means to try out different setups (speakers, rooms, setups, whatever)
3. They might have an interest into how far science will take a specific thing to.

Now again I dont know anyone who is that loaded but

It's like with cars. They're probably gonna have the best car and make fun of someone who has a ****** but popular car. Same with speakers. Of course, who knows. But in their world there is also good taste and bad taste. I can see snake oil coming up as bad taste.

And in this I also think of music producers who have very high end audio, for example check out Noisia's studio. If you're loaded you're gonna want to build something insane.

I think they would have an interest in knowing more. Not that we mortals don't, but I think it's a very modern inclination to have a thirst for knowledge, rich or poor. Sorry - I dont mean to derail anything.

Also consider the possibility of the rich guy not going to a store but paying an audio engineer to set up his listening room. And that audio engineer is an ASR member lol

 

[David Harper]

Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson are three guys who could, between them, solve world hunger. Combined wealth of over $400,000,000,000
Instead they choose to play with spaceships. Should they be condemned for this? Probably. But, as has been stated here, it's their money to do with what they please.

 

[Mart68]

They understand Quantum Mechanics in this way. If they say the words "Quantum Mechanics" 100 times to themselves, they are now experts on Quantum Mechanics. See? It is actually very easy!

Quantum Physicists say that if you think you understand quantum mechanics then you definitely don't understand quantum mechanics...

 

[redshift]

You just did.

You savage you.

 

[escksu]

Just to reply to this and a previous post by @escksu . To make it about personal free will is missing the point of the conversation spectacularly. All in the above in the post is true. All irrelevant.

The point is that, yes, just by existing, magical thinking in audio should be fought. Even if preaching to the converted here, even if ducking it out at magical thinking sites and forums and getting ignored and piled on, it should not be left unchallenged. The other part that bothers me about that kind of spending (other than it could be better used EVEN if benefiting only the spender) is that it feeds and funds the propagation of irrational thinking.

Every bit of argument pro rational thinking, is worth it, be it against magical audio stones, $28,000/m cable that is indistinguishable in a DBT from Monoprice, flat earthers or anti-vaxxers. All exercising their personal freedom. All fools.

Is all part of the same malady - sure audio is relatively unimportant, but is all related. Have engaged against all those and will continue to do so.

Last and this is from answering to the previous post. "Fool" is not an insult. It is a description. Someone who buys a $28,000/m cable that is indistinguishable in a DBT from Monoprice can be described as a fool. For example, to call me short (or ugly!) is not an insult to me - it is true. Just descriptive.

Once in a while we get peeps here for some reason come to duck it out re: subjectivism in audio. Guess they feel they are fighting the good fight. Is all good - it makes it interesting here.

v

Sure, by all means go ahead. I am not here to change your views or change whatever you think is right. Btw, just a small advice. You may think that those words like fools, short or ugly are just descriptions and not insults. There may be someone out there who thinks otherwise and may haul you to court if you use it on them.

 

[escksu]

[The following, please note, are general comments and need not apply to @escksu - his/her personal situation is of course unknown to me]

Put me on your ignore list, its easier that way.... or would you prefer me to put you on my ignore list instead? Btw, your nick was created just 3 weeks ago......

 

[escksu]

we need a thread on Stereo Systems of the Nazi Hierarchy

You can make your life easier by putting me on your ignore list. I will also do on my side as well.

 

[Pugsly]

Put me on your ignore list, its easier that way.... or would you prefer me to put you on my ignore list instead? Btw, your nick was created just 3 weeks ago......

Why would I put you on an ignore list? I was merely explaining my personal standpoint/position and general stance towards people, while pointing out that I don't know you personally, and thus was unwilling to pretentiously or condescendingly ascribe motivations or intentions to you. That post in particular, please note, was aimed to encourage people to engage in friendly discussion even when the person in question appears combative.
I am not quite sure how the fact that I registered here 3 weeks ago is relevant to anything, or why you are trying to be antagonistic, except that, as suggested in my previous post (did you read it?) you assume that I am part of some monolithic 'they' who are piling on and attacking you. As I stated there, that is not my intention, I speak for myself alone, and I will continue to attempt to engage in a friendly, understanding, and open manner. If you are offended by this, want to block me, or just ignore my comments, that is up to you - rest assured that I am comfortable enough with myself and the way I comport myself that I will not be hurt or offended by anything you say, much less goaded into exchanging insults or blocking you... merely disappointed that we were unable to engage in productive discourse.

 

[Blaspheme]

we need a thread on Stereo Systems of the Nazi Hierarchy

God help me I would probably read that thread. Hopefully with grainy pictures.

 

[sleepyboy69]

God help me I would probably read that thread. Hopefully with grainy pictures.

sounds like something Adorno would write about.

 

[David Harper]

I dont know a lot of wealthy people but I would actually argue that a wealthy person is more likely to prefer scientifically based acoustics and equipment.

1. They have free time to invest themselves subjectively in a science
2. They have the means to try out different setups (speakers, rooms, setups, whatever)
3. They might have an interest into how far science will take a specific thing to.

Now again I dont know anyone who is that loaded but

It's like with cars. They're probably gonna have the best car and make fun of someone who has a ****** but popular car. Same with speakers. Of course, who knows. But in their world there is also good taste and bad taste. I can see snake oil coming up as bad taste.

And in this I also think of music producers who have very high end audio, for example check out Noisia's studio. If you're loaded you're gonna want to build something insane.

I think they would have an interest in knowing more. Not that we mortals don't, but I think it's a very modern inclination to have a thirst for knowledge, rich or poor. Sorry - I dont mean to derail anything.

Also consider the possibility of the rich guy not going to a store but paying an audio engineer to set up his listening room. And that audio engineer is an ASR member lol

one more reason; the way they got wealthy is by not throwing money away on bullsh!t like high end audio

 

[egellings]

I agree that most people don't want to harm others, but when that money pressure and sense of security from being called out for ill-gotten gain get high enough, outlooks can change. Money lust is more potent than the sexual variety.

 

[Wes]

God help me I would probably read that thread. Hopefully with grainy pictures.

https://soundandscience.de/contribu...stems-interwar-germany-siemens-and-telefunken

 

[Mart68]

https://soundandscience.de/contribu...stems-interwar-germany-siemens-and-telefunken

More like 'PA Systems Of The Nazi Hierarchy' but still a fascinating read, Thanks for the link.