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Why are there so many Snake Oil in this business?

thanks for the link to Ethan's article. I remember his work from another forum where he introduced us to the benefits of Acoustic treatment.

Interesting article.
 
A few years ago I watched with interest a forum on amplifier fuses. Many came in lovely colours and were offered for three or four digit dollars.

In the meantime I am happy with a a bunch of generic (correct specifications, of course) little things I keep in a matchbox that cost a few bucks. In total.
 
Ok, there are limits to what certain cables can do. Take a CAT 3 networking cable and try to run 10GbE signal thru it. You're not going to get the bandwidth.
Its merely a question of the limitations of the cable and its design spec.

Which gets to your point.

Snake Oil works when they can point to a limitation and then make outlandish claims.

Think of it as using a truth to sell a lie.

That's how the con works.
I was asking the OP
 
As per your comment of, "S/PDIF, Toslink, USB, I2S can all have an effect on the final analogue sound that we hear."
They do not have a effect on the analogue signal.
The connections themselves maybe not (although the optic connection can't handle as high of a data rate) but the way they are processed might not all be the same. Maybe I'm hallucinating but IIRC Stereophile sometimes measures different performance from different connections. And they're always saying asynchronous isochronous is the best USB configuration. If we add in HDMI someone (who the heck was it?!?) showed that HMDI on a receiver was always a bit polluted, even if there was no video being carried.
 
I am reminded of an old joke.

What’s the difference between a stereo salesperson and a computer salesperson?

The stereo salesperson knows when they are lying to you?
 
I am reminded of an old joke.

What’s the difference between a stereo salesperson and a computer salesperson?

The stereo salesperson knows when they are lying to you?
That is generalizing to the maximum. Not fair to the majority of stereo salespeople in any manner. :facepalm:
 
But why does this business have so much Snake Oil in it?
Well it's very easy to fleece people of their money when there has been so many audiophool myths propagated over many years, as all they need to do is prey upon those who don't have technical backgrounds by calling into play such myths that often sound very plausible.

If people just came to ASR instead of watching idiotic YT "reviewers" and believing their tripe, the industry would be much better off.


JSmith
 
So are you saying that stereo salespeople are also unaware of when they are lying to you? :p
paul+top+photo2.jpg
 
Can anyone tell me what a SORTZ is? I asked Amir and apparently he does not know either. Although I do not know what a SORTZ is, I highly suspect that it is a snake oil product. https://audiogroupdenmark.com/aavik-acoustics/

View attachment 442613

"Ansuz Sortz is a termination plug for open input and output sockets. This innovative audio product is designed to audibly reduce disturbing noise that infiltrates any audio component through the open input and output sockets or through the ground connection.."

Only $1600 for pair.
 
It exists because they (needlessly in my opinion) try to justify luxury prices through engineering terms.
Hobbies do that in general, yes, but up to a point.

Went it comes to prices that try to separate classes no excuse is needed. Some know that, some don't.
 
"...to create the finest and most uniform layer of Zirconium and tungsten followed by a layer consisting of aluminium titanium nitride. Finally, the discs are coated with a layer of zirconium."

Missing the depleted uranium , it's optional !
:D :)
 
Thanks guys! That was amazing response time. When I looked at the date of the last post, I had doubts that the thread was still active.

So I read the 6Moons thing and that told me what the SORTZ is but it did not convince me that SORTZ is not snake oil. Are there really folks stupid enough to buy this?

I have two TOPPING LA90 Discrete amps and I don't hear any noise, even when I put my ear right up to the tweeter when turned all the way up (low gain) but with no input signal and the two LA90's new cost about the same as a pair of SORTZ.

Are there any measurements that can identify any improvements?
 
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So I read the 6Moons things and that told me what it was but it did not convince me that SORTZ is not snake oil. Are there really folks stupid enough to buy this?

Just expensive shorting caps:

Monosaudio RCA Dust Caps 8Pcs RCA Shorting Plugs Audio RCA Male Plugs Shileding Caps Detachable Center Pin Noise Stopper Dust Proof Protectors for Audio,Speakers,Subwoofers,Amplifier(Rhodium Plated) https://a.co/d/iNRSOnp

Screenshot_20250407-063704.png
 
Putting a 'shorting cap' on a output connector, may damage the output stage.
Putting a 'shorting cap' on a unused input connector, accomplishes nothing.
 
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