Extreme Snake Oil

[Punter]

Let me introduce new king of snake oil from Nirvana audio Taiwan.

Chronos 音響優化器 | Nirvana Audio 超凡之聲

超凡之聲 以 Nirvana Audio 獨家技術打造的Chronos音響優化器，效果立竿見影，享受更清晰、乾淨，充滿細節與力量的音樂，音場、定位都變得自然而明確。擺放位置不受限制，通電或不通電都一樣可以產生優化效果。

www.nirvana-audio.com

The owner of Nirvana audio was running yogurt business.Now he make audio optimizer.
The audio optimizer is an usb device.
Nirvana audio claim the usb device can improve electricity power,jitter and room mode.
The most amazing thing is they say it can work without plug the usb in your device just put it in listening room.
This amazing snake oil just cost 4000 USD to have one.

From the manufacturers website

So you plug this into a wall wart and then wait until the light comes on.... riiiight...

When connecting the IDMIX CH05 Pro Power Bank to a wall outlet, please notice the NEUTRAL and HOT slots on that wall outlet. In general, the longer slot is for NEUTRAL, and the shorter slot is HOT (110~220V when energized).

Use care not to format the Chronos Optimizer by using any kind of the electronic devices, such as personal computer, Blu-ray disc player,...etc.

The Chronos Optimizer should not be exposed to strong magnetic fields such as those generated by Neodymium magnet, Alnico magnets, Samarium Cobalt magnets.

The Chronos Optimizer should not be exposed to dripping or splashing.

Then a reviewer says this:

When employing Chronos optimizer, the sound becomes more vivid, substantial, and immersive; besides, the sonic elements blend together seamlessly, creating a cohesive and organic audio experience. Upon Chronos optimizer’s removal, the sound stage abruptly loses its depth, and the tangible presence of musical instruments diminishes significantly. This effectiveness bears semblance to the subtle augmentation of mid-range frequencies through a judicious application of EQ. However, the act of adjusting EQ alone fails to enhance the sound stage and sound imaging that is achievable through the utilization of this Chronos optimizer, wherein the remarkable amelioration is attainable without compromising the integrity of the musical signal. Though challenging to explicate within existing theoretical frameworks, it is undeniable that this Chronos optimizer’s efficacy remains resolute and substantiated.

So the snake-oil train rolls on.

 

[boxerfan88]

One of the best marketing writeup that I have come across! It can spin from copper-silver measurements showing no difference, to copper-silver having different sound characteristics, to direction of conductors becomes a crucial factor.

Kudos to the marketeer!!

Utterly amazing !!!

The Sound of Copper vs Silver conductors - SW1X Audio Design

While copper tends to sound warmer and has more body it is a bit slower and less harmonically rich, silver does exactly the... Read More about sound of copper vs silver

sw1xad.co.uk

 

[voodooless]

One of the best marketing writeup that I have come across! It can spin from copper-silver measurements showing no difference, to copper-silver having different sound characteristics, to direction of conductors becomes a crucial factor.

Kudos to the marketeer!!

Utterly amazing !!!

The Sound of Copper vs Silver conductors - SW1X Audio Design

While copper tends to sound warmer and has more body it is a bit slower and less harmonically rich, silver does exactly the... Read More about sound of copper vs silver

sw1xad.co.uk

Dr. Slawa Roschkow

Guess what he's a doctor in..?

Managing Director at Clartes Ltd | Experienced Managing Director with a demonstrated history of working in the manufacturing and wholesale industry. Skilled in Start-ups, Trading, and Product Development. Strong business development professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Finance from Cass Business School.

 

[Palladium]

One of the best marketing writeup that I have come across! It can spin from copper-silver measurements showing no difference, to copper-silver having different sound characteristics, to direction of conductors becomes a crucial factor.

Kudos to the marketeer!!

Utterly amazing !!!

The Sound of Copper vs Silver conductors - SW1X Audio Design

While copper tends to sound warmer and has more body it is a bit slower and less harmonically rich, silver does exactly the... Read More about sound of copper vs silver

sw1xad.co.uk

Reminds me of the Dynaudio official image for their Heritage Special, which featured a cutout of them showing the most generic cables possible for their drivers and crossovers inside.

 

[mhardy6647]

So you plug this into a wall wart and then wait until the light comes on.... riiiight...

It has to warm up.

EDIT:
PS I am a little concerned by the "in general" comments applied to the identity of hot and neutral at one's (US 120 VAC) electrical outlet.

 

[NormB]

Did anyone notice that it has a direction arrow on it ? Do you point it at the North or South Pole to align it with the earths magnetic field ?

I’m thinking of selling a “noble metal” frame in the shape of the great pyramid of Gizeh to put over the Swiss dismal fool’s box which will sharpen the sound like a razor!

 

[NormB]

Nahh, but at least the CIA can no longer mind control your fuse

So I could buy a lifetime (mine AND my family’s) worth of fuses for $4 at the dollar store!

 

[oozlum]

Ignore this post when no politics are allowed in this thread.

When snake oil infiltrates into Indenpendence Day speech (India).

 

[ErVikingo]

medical snake oil, with funny addition~!

 

[AdrianusG]

medical snake oil, with funny addition~!

So actually quite useful LOL

 

[srkbear]

Well, ask Google Bard and ye shall receive…

 

[ta240]

The 'no real benefit over more affordable products' definition is a too wide. Used in the real world then 90% of what is sold is snake oil.

To me the definition of snake oil is a product that doesn't do what it says, not a product that there is a cheaper option for or even a product that does something you don't like but other people do. Some manufactures even say "this does this with the sound, if you like it then enjoy, if you don't then it isn't for you".

There is no way that Chronos thing above should be in the same category with audio components that are just "evil" for being expensive and not as high of SNR as other options (even though nobody has proven in a double blind comparison that they can tell the difference with most).

I know a lot of people get their panties in a bunch because "Someone is making a lot of money selling really fancy products when there are cheap ones that measure better!!!" but that isn't what snake oil is. The world is filled with expensive versions of things, try to save people from all of them!

Keep in mind that we live in a world where people regularly modify their vehicles to not only make them less drivable but actually dangerous to be around.

 

[srkbear]

The 'no real benefit over more affordable products' definition is a too wide. Used in the real world then 90% of what is sold is snake oil.

To me the definition of snake oil is a product that doesn't do what it says, not a product that there is a cheaper option for or even a product that does something you don't like but other people do. Some manufactures even say "this does this with the sound, if you like it then enjoy, if you don't then it isn't for you".

There is no way that Chronos thing above should be in the same category with audio components that are just "evil" for being expensive and not as high of SNR as other options (even though nobody has proven in a double blind comparison that they can tell the difference with most).

I know a lot of people get their panties in a bunch because "Someone is making a lot of money selling really fancy products when there are cheap ones that measure better!!!" but that isn't what snake oil is. The world is filled with expensive versions of things, try to save people from all of them!

Keep in mind that we live in a world where people regularly modify their vehicles to not only make them less drivable but actually dangerous to be around.

I wasn’t taking the ChatGPT response very seriously, just thought it was a fun experiment.

But I was pleased to see PS Audio and Chord on the list! To me products that offer nothing that a far cheaper alternative can provide (or do better) for say, $14,000 (I’ve leave the eight year old product I’m invoking unmentioned), I consider that snake oil. I’m sure purists would say it’s about products that don’t do anything at all, but charging 4-5 figures for something like a DAC or CD transport that offers nothing more than one that costs $300? That extra expense is offering something with no benefit, right?

 

[egellings]

I view audio snake oil to be a product that cannot possibly do what it claims to do rather than one that makes extravagant claims but still sorta works, but not up to the standards posted in the claims. An example would be the expensive power cords. The sellers rhapsodize over how the cord will really make an improvement in S.Q. compared to any ordinary but competent one, i.e. one that has the necessary ampacity for the application and has the necessary safety approvals from organizations like UL and CE. Once a power cord works, it's a done deal. Equipment manufacturers supply power cords with their equipment, and I can't imagine why they would want to degrade the performance of their often expensive products by providing a power cord that would somehow crimp the product's performance, especially when a competent power cord is relatively cheap compared to other parts of the product...and don't even get me started on Shakti stones!

 

[AdrianusG]

I view audio snake oil to be a product that cannot possibly do what it claims to do rather than one that makes extravagant claims but still sorta works, but not up to the standards posted in the claims. An example would be the expensive power cords. The sellers rhapsodize over how the cord will really make an improvement in S.Q. compared to any ordinary but competent one, i.e. one that has the necessary ampacity for the application and has the necessary safety approvals from organizations like UL and CE. Once a power cord works, it's a done deal. Equipment manufacturers supply power cords with their equipment, and I can't imagine why they would want to degrade the performance of their often expensive products by providing a power cord that would somehow crimp the product's performance, especially when a competent power cord is relatively cheap compared to other parts of the product...and don't even get me started on Shakti stones!

Do i even wanna know

 

[egellings]

Do i even wanna know

Those stones will just open up your soundstage! Hork!
About hork: A shout of derision from a grandpa bullfrog.

 

[srkbear]

I view audio snake oil to be a product that cannot possibly do what it claims to do rather than one that makes extravagant claims but still sorta works, but not up to the standards posted in the claims. An example would be the expensive power cords. The sellers rhapsodize over how the cord will really make an improvement in S.Q. compared to any ordinary but competent one, i.e. one that has the necessary ampacity for the application and has the necessary safety approvals from organizations like UL and CE. Once a power cord works, it's a done deal. Equipment manufacturers supply power cords with their equipment, and I can't imagine why they would want to degrade the performance of their often expensive products by providing a power cord that would somehow crimp the product's performance, especially when a competent power cord is relatively cheap compared to other parts of the product...and don't even get me started on Shakti stones!

Well then in the spirit of the thread I’ll throw out any of iFi Audio’s cables, power “conditioners”, line “cleaners”, “audiophile networking” products, etc—they have a whopper line up of these do-dads that do absolutely nothing and they ain’t cheap.

Paradoxically, they have two streamers (their Zen Stream and Neo Stream, both of which I own), that offer fantastic performance and feature sets for a fraction of what most other manufacturers charge, and I love them. I also own their Pro iCAN Signature amplifier, which was a bit pricey (I paid $2,100), but it is built like a tank, has very nice aesthetics and ergonomics, has 14+ watts of Class A, discrete, balanced power, has a kitchen sink of balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs (i can’t think of any option they left out), has one balanced XLR input and three RCA inputs, has a 12V DC trigger to power other components, has a terrific analog bass boost with four presets (which was primarily why I chose it), fully discrete solid state and valve circuits to choose from (with stock NOS matched GE 5670s), and to my ears sounds terrific. It’ll drive the Susvara easily, which is enough power for me.

They also just released a Pro iCAN Phantom, which has everything my amp has except for an added electrostatic energizer, and all of the above features augmented with settings that can be changed either via a physical switch or by remote control, which is nice—but it’s getting into the overkill category for me. But it is worth mentioning this brand, because they are one you can’t paint broadly with a snake oil brush, for what that’s worth…

 

[ta240]

I wasn’t taking the ChatGPT response very seriously, just thought it was a fun experiment.

But I was pleased to see PS Audio and Chord on the list! To me products that offer nothing that a far cheaper alternative can provide (or do better) for say, $14,000 (I’ve leave the eight year old product I’m invoking unmentioned), I consider that snake oil. I’m sure purists would say it’s about products that don’t do anything at all, but charging 4-5 figures for something like a DAC or CD transport that offers nothing more than one that costs $300? That extra expense is offering something with no benefit, right?

No benefit to you; to others it may have a quality feel or look that they like or a name they are fans of. I see nothing wrong with catering to a market that puts a lot of value in the name, look and feel of a product and is willing to pay for exclusivity. As long as it functions well enough within the audible range, or in some cases even adds things that the buyer prefers to the sound.

People buy things like watches and cars based on looks and brand name all the time. Sometimes they get ones that perform well, sometimes not.

The purpose of clothes are protection from the environment and covering, anything that is more expensive than a couple dollars would be snake oil. A $100 shirt???

There are few interests or hobbies that I'm aware of where so many people judge so many others for wanting something different than what they want and judge companies so harshly for giving it to them.

For perspective someone paid $120,000 for this:

 

[egellings]

No benefit to you; to others it may have a quality feel or look that they like or a name they are fans of. I see nothing wrong with catering to a market that puts a lot of value in the name, look and feel of a product and is willing to pay for exclusivity. As long as it functions well enough within the audible range, or in some cases even adds things that the buyer prefers to the sound.

People buy things like watches and cars based on looks and brand name all the time. Sometimes they get ones that perform well, sometimes not.

The purpose of clothes are protection from the environment and covering, anything that is more expensive than a couple dollars would be snake oil. A $100 shirt???

There are few interests or hobbies that I'm aware of where so many people judge so many others for wanting something different than what they want and judge companies so harshly for giving it to them.

For perspective someone paid $120,000 for this:
View attachment 310384

I'll bet that that perishable artwork no longer looks the same today. May it was sold as slomo performance art--you gits to watch it rot.

 

[IPunchCholla]

I'll bet that that perishable artwork no longer looks the same today. May it was sold as slomo performance art--you gits to watch it rot.

somebody ate it.