A new low in audio snake oil

[mhardy6647]

Slightly off topic,
but still

https://www.****************/2026/02/audiophiles-paying-premium-cd-formats/

You probably know this but in case you didn't: "we" (ASR) have a thing about that website.

Please do not link to headphonesty site

Hello everyone. While we have a very generous policy as far as linking to other sites, it has been brought to my attention that content on headphonesty . com is mostly AI generated and clickbait. So I have changed the forum software to block references to the site.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Thus is the URL censored.

 

[AdrianusG]

You probably know this but in case you didn't: "we" (ASR) have a thing about that website.

Please do not link to headphonesty site

Hello everyone. While we have a very generous policy as far as linking to other sites, it has been brought to my attention that content on headphonesty . com is mostly AI generated and clickbait. So I have changed the forum software to block references to the site.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Thus is the URL censored.

Okay,

I didn't know, but Noted

 

[gluugsnergluug]

Since reading about the Chronos Optimizer this morning, I developed a thoroughly new technology, Audio Infinity, that will improve the performance of all your audio equipment!

Simply, pay me the low, low price of $9.99 per month (service fees and taxes apply) and my proprietary technology will give you clearer treble, more powerful bass and midrange resolution beyond anything you’ve ever experienced.

It doesn’t matter whether you own an inexpensive MP3 player & $15 earbuds or a $100k audiophile system, Audio Infinity will make all of your listening dreams come true.

The best thing is that it happens immediately after your first payment. No waiting around for equipment to arrive.

Audio Infinity is your path to listening nirvana.

So send your $9.99 now to get the audio experience you’ve always dreamed of!

SOaaS - Snake Oil as a Service.

 

[tony_ee]

Anyone interested in my HP1980B with the Nirvana Audio Reference MkII cryogenic treatment?

Only $56K.

I have four 1M probes available with the prerequisite Iso-Paratonic endo-miogenic treatment... Only $24K each... $99K as a set of three.

$150K for the scope and probes!

;-)

 

[Descartes]

The new snake oil

Argento Audio Flow​

Prices: 1m interconnect, $6850; 1.2m phono cable, $7750; 1m speaker cable, $10,250; 2m power cord, $6850

Argento Audio Flow Ultima Cables

Full disclosure: When it comes to cables, I’m not a silver kind of guy. I’ve just never liked the sound—and in my experience, there is a sound—of that

www.theabsolutesound.com

 

[aagstn]

The new snake oil

Argento Audio Flow​

Prices: 1m interconnect, $6850; 1.2m phono cable, $7750; 1m speaker cable, $10,250; 2m power cord, $6850

Argento Audio Flow Ultima Cables

Full disclosure: When it comes to cables, I’m not a silver kind of guy. I’ve just never liked the sound—and in my experience, there is a sound—of that

www.theabsolutesound.com

These are pretty good, but make sure you thrown them out and replace them after an hour of use. The resonance of the songs you have played gets imbedded in the silver and causes distortion on future songs you play.

 

[antcollinet]

These are pretty good, but make sure you thrown them out and replace them after an hour of use. The resonance of the songs you have played gets imbedded in the silver and causes distortion on future songs you play.

Don't be ridiculous...

You get at least 100 hours out of them before they need replacing. A bargain at only $70 per hour per cable.

 

[BeeKay]

You get at least 100 hours out of them before they need replacing.

I would not want one with +50 hrs. Inevitably will start to sound hollow and worn.

 

[Sokel]

There has always been this myth that Japanese pressed CDs are somehow better. In the 80s there may have been a CD example or two where the early US pressing had issues and the Japanese version was better, but in my experience I have never heard a noticeable difference. I have several examples in my collection of 80's Japanese and US pressings of the same CD. They sound identical to my ears, but there are people that swear they can hear the difference.

This has escalated in the 2020s with these UHQCDs and SMH-CDs from Japan. I have heard a few and the ones I listened to were common super loud and distorted remasters that IMO were far inferior to the original CD pressings of those albums in late 80s. The idea these CDs are somehow superior because they are better plastic and aluminum discs is ludicrous. All that matters is the mastering done on the disc. If it is well done, the CD will sound great. Props to Japan for taking the marketing gimmick of Hi-res audio to a new level by offering standard 16/44 audio and pretending it is better because UHQCD and SMH-CD is magically better sounding plastic.

There's lots of threads by @Jean.Francois comparing different editions with measurements, here's an example:

Dire Straits – Making Movies – Review – (Test: vinyl record, MOFI, Abbey Road, CD, SACD, Streaming, stereo to Atmos)

Hello, Making Movies is the third studio album by Dire Straits, released in 1980, and marks a major turning point in the band’s career. For this review, you will find 10 versions tested: Ed 1: Japanese vinyl record – 1980 Ed 2: MOFI vinyl record – 2019 Ed 3: MOFI SACD – 2019 Ed 4: MOFI CD...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[aagstn]

There's lots of threads by @Jean.Francois comparing different editions with measurements, here's an example:

Dire Straits – Making Movies – Review – (Test: vinyl record, MOFI, Abbey Road, CD, SACD, Streaming, stereo to Atmos)

Hello, Making Movies is the third studio album by Dire Straits, released in 1980, and marks a major turning point in the band’s career. For this review, you will find 10 versions tested: Ed 1: Japanese vinyl record – 1980 Ed 2: MOFI vinyl record – 2019 Ed 3: MOFI SACD – 2019 Ed 4: MOFI CD...

www.audiosciencereview.com

These are excellent comparisons and they helped me run down the best versions of albums like Purple Rain.

 

[gluugsnergluug]

These are pretty good, but make sure you thrown them out and replace them after an hour of use. The resonance of the songs you have played gets imbedded in the silver and causes distortion on future songs you play.

I just listen to the same song over and over again to keep the resonance constant. Freebird has never sounded so good.

 

[AdrianusG]

The new snake oil

Argento Audio Flow​

Prices: 1m interconnect, $6850; 1.2m phono cable, $7750; 1m speaker cable, $10,250; 2m power cord, $6850

Argento Audio Flow Ultima Cables

Full disclosure: When it comes to cables, I’m not a silver kind of guy. I’ve just never liked the sound—and in my experience, there is a sound—of that

www.theabsolutesound.com

I Think that when you can afford to spend this kind of money on a piece of interconnect or speaker cable, you are OVER PAID!
even when as a reviewer for such magazines, you'll likely get a nice discount when you decide to keep them.

 

[egellings]

I Think that when you can afford to spend this kind of money on a piece of interconnect or speaker cable, you are OVER PAID!
even when as a reviewer for such magazines, you'll likely get a nice discount when you decide to keep them.

Either that, or you won a lottery or inherited a large amount of wealth. Blowing what to me would be a stupid amount of money on wire is of no concern in that situation; the devil may care. The thing with wire is that it's a money loser because there's always a newer, flashier model coming out, and you just gotta have that because it absolutely trounces the current model. The resale value on wire is really poor because by time you want to sell it, the craze for it has passed, and the wire's value crashes. And, the popularity of any cable model has the shelf life of potato salad.

 

[Punter]

Either that, or you won a lottery or inherited a large amount of wealth. Blowing what to me would be a stupid amount of money on wire is of no concern in that situation; the devil may care. The thing with wire is that it's a money loser because there's always a newer, flashier model coming out, and you just gotta have that because it absolutely trounces the current model. The resale value on wire is really poor because by time you want to sell it, the craze for it has passed, and the wire's value crashes. And, the popularity of any cable model has the shelf life of potato salad.

I disagree. There are individuals out there who would intentionally restrict spending on regular items to be able to purchase idiotic rubbish like this. I know one personally, the guy lives inn a garage because he's filled his house up with hoarded junk. Amongst the junk are multiple sets of really expensive speakers the latest pair share the garage with him. As a means to have money to spend on speakers, he lives a poverty lifestyle and eschews even hot water for showers. He's nearing 80 years old and accepts that his hearing has deteriorated significantly (as it naturally does) but he is so obsessed with HiFi and speakers specifically, that he is prepared to live like a church mouse to pursue his dream of finding the "perfect" set of stereo speakers.

 

[egellings]

I disagree. There are individuals out there who would intentionally restrict spending on regular items to be able to purchase idiotic rubbish like this. I know one personally, the guy lives inn a garage because he's filled his house up with hoarded junk. Amongst the junk are multiple sets of really expensive speakers the latest pair share the garage with him. As a means to have money to spend on speakers, he lives a poverty lifestyle and eschews even hot water for showers. He's nearing 80 years old and accepts that his hearing has deteriorated significantly (as it naturally does) but he is so obsessed with HiFi and speakers specifically, that he is prepared to live like a church mouse to pursue his dream of finding the "perfect" set of stereo speakers.

I had a buddy like that. He hoarded so much audio gear that he had a pathway between side-by-side stacks of little-used gear so that he could get from room to room, all stacked with more gear. He had a good paying job, and most of the money went for gear purchases. I never knew quite what to make of that. To him, music was nothing more than a test signal for equipment. He never let a song play through its entirety, selecting just the sonically impressive bits of songs to wow his guests.

 

[AdrianusG]

I had a buddy like that. He hoarded so much audio gear that he had a pathway between side-by-side stacks of little-used gear so that he could get from room to room, all stacked with more gear. He had a good paying job, and most of the money went for gear purchases. I never knew quite what to make of that. To him, music was nothing more than a test signal for equipment. He never let a song play through its entirety, selecting just the sonically impressive bits of songs to wow his guests.

Yeah,

Apparently that's what (true) audiophiles do, they use music to listen to their equipment

 

[RexrothPigeon]

albums like Purple Rain

what other albums are like purple rain?

 

[Descartes]

I disagree. There are individuals out there who would intentionally restrict spending on regular items to be able to purchase idiotic rubbish like this. I know one personally, the guy lives inn a garage because he's filled his house up with hoarded junk. Amongst the junk are multiple sets of really expensive speakers the latest pair share the garage with him. As a means to have money to spend on speakers, he lives a poverty lifestyle and eschews even hot water for showers. He's nearing 80 years old and accepts that his hearing has deteriorated significantly (as it naturally does) but he is so obsessed with HiFi and speakers specifically, that he is prepared to live like a church mouse to pursue his dream of finding the "perfect" set of stereo speakers.

Has he found the Grail yet!

 

[aagstn]

what other albums are like purple rain?

The situation with Purple Rain was the Paisley Park remasters. They were mastered very loud with added distortion. This was a problem no matter the format, so even the vinyl record versions had the same issues. The options were to get CDs or records before the remasters or get the new blu-ray audio release since it was based on the original mastering. I went with the blu-ray audio release. Plenty of classic albums suffer from similar modern remasters that can be quite compressed and distorted. Whether this is a problem is probably up to the ears of the listener, but I do not like modern remasters and as a rule I seek out copies based on the original mastering when possible for classic albums.

 

[Punter]

Has he found the Grail yet!

Obviously not! At this point, his hearing is so limited that he has trouble even perceiving actual noise on the audio from his FM receiver. Another friend was assisting him in setting up a new antenna for the receiver on a pole attached to the garage. This other guy was up a ladder pointing the antenna to get the best signal and was calling down to our HiFi nut to let him know when the signal was peaked. The process was becoming frustrating for the guy up the ladder because HiFi nut wasn't giving him any definitive feedback on the signal quality. They finally reached agreement on the situation and the antenna pointing guy came down to assess the outcome. He was surprised to hear the signal contained a substantial amount of noise and asked HiFi nut why he didn't let him know about it while he was up the ladder. HiFi nuts response was "what noise?"
Based on this, I don't think HiFi nut is in any state to assess speakers but he keeps spending his money!