• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Audiophilia - From skeptic to believer

If they are so worried about radio or other EM interference in their speaker wires, why not just go with fiber optic cables? That way you could be absolutely sure no radio frequencies are being picked up by your cables or connectors. Plus, just think of how expensive such a system could get. ES would have all kinds of big numbers with $s in front to impress us with. ;)

ETA - I guess the speakers and other equipment would probably get more expensive, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need $20,000 of optical cable. It's not that expensive since it doesn't need all that shielding I guess. So maybe the overall price might go down instead? :(
 
Last edited:
My external pre-amp was broken and I had to use the internal pre-amp inside Benchmark DAC1 ($975). It sounded grainy, boomy and muddy. So I had to compensate for it by taking my whole system apart and starting over.
Click to expand...

are you one of pro-eq or anti-eq guys?
 
Plea for reason

ExtremeSkeptic said:
I have already done a double blind test. Here is the video: QUOTE]
I hate to say it, but your every response seems to show that you know but little of how to perform any meaningful test. Your obsession seems to border on the pathological and while some may find it amusing, I have to hope that you will find someone to talk to. Do you not have any friends and relatives you could turn to? I don’t think your participation in this forum is helping you or the others. It merely reinforces your behaviour and convinces no-one else. Please take the time to consider this calmly and reassess your life.
Click to expand...
 
ohp said:
I didn't really get what was going on there. Can you describe your test protocol and what your results were?
Click to expand...
It is called Clueless Protocal, the same protocal that IDers use.

Paul

:) :) :)
 
ohp said:
I didn't really get what was going on there. Can you describe your test protocol and what your results were?
Click to expand...
There were 8 power cables. I let someone else spin the screwdriver to select the power cord, then that person changed the power cord inside the closet, left the room and went into room #2. While all that took place I was covering my eyes and ears in room #3. I had no contact with the one who changed the cables. After a certain period of time I went back to my room and turned on the computer. The closet door was closed so I had no idea which cable was plugged in. Then I started listening to my audio system and I could hear that the sound signature wasn't any of those 8 cables, something was different. Since I have written many megabytes of logs in the past, I remembered one time when the Statement power cord wasn't plugged in deep enough, it sounded just like that. And that was my guess, and I was right.

That test was better than a normal double blind test, because I had no way of knowing the correct answer wasn't any of those 8 choices. A true blind test is one where you explain what is going on instead of make a wild guess, anyone can guess. A true test has extra variables you can choose from.
 
Last edited:
osmosis said:
I'll answer! It's because that's the only quantified number he can understand. He doesn't really know the difference between, say, 10 microfarads and 10 picofarads, but he does have a vague concept of the difference between $10 and $10000.
Click to expand...
I don't care about money, that's why I have mutilated all my high-end gear. If a $975 source sounds better than a $20 000 source, I will use the cheaper one (who wouldn't?). That's why I posted the numbers. Some audiohiles are spending $400 000+ on their systems and still getting bad sound, my system is the price of peanuts compared to that, that's the point I'm trying to make. If you want to get the best sound for as little money as possible, spending less on the electronics and more on the tweaks is the way to go.

After downgrading electronics and adding more tweaks I ended up getting better sound for a fraction of the price.
 
I normally shy away from cod-psychological comment, possibly because members of my family suffer from mental illness. But "ExtremeSkeptic", you are without doubt a very strange person. Pathological obsession aside, your blog entries are either rather unfunny attempts at self-deprecation, or signs of psychological troubles. Your latest one where your mother locks you out of the house to stop you "tweaking", a policeman breaks your arm, and you are then anally raped by a fellow inmate, is bizarre to say the very least.

In all seriousness, have you consulted a doctor?
 
Big Les said:
I normally shy away from cod-psychological comment, possibly because members of my family suffer from mental illness. But "ExtremeSkeptic", you are without doubt a very strange person. Pathological obsession aside, your blog entries are either rather unfunny attempts at self-deprecation, or signs of psychological troubles. Your latest one where your mother locks you out of the house to stop you "tweaking", a policeman breaks your arm, and you are then anally raped by a fellow inmate, is bizarre to say the very least.

In all seriousness, have you consulted a doctor?
Click to expand...

:D :confused: which post was that?

btw, ES, I really could use maybe 20 grand for upgrades to my studio--my old computers broke, and I could use a new synthesizer, etc. Let me know if you want to donate.
 
ExtremeSkeptic said:
There were 8 power cables. I let someone else spin the screwdriver to select the power cord, then that person changed the power cord inside the closet, left the room and went into room #2. While all that took place I was covering my eyes and ears in room #3. I had no contact with the one who changed the cables. After a certain period of time I went back to my room and turned on the computer. The closet door was closed so I had no idea which cable was plugged in. Then I started listening to my audio system and I could hear that the sound signature wasn't any of those 8 cables, something was different. Since I have written many megabytes of logs in the past, I remembered one time when the Statement power cord wasn't plugged in deep enough, it sounded just like that. And that was my guess, and I was right.

That test was better than a normal double blind test, because I had no way of knowing the correct answer wasn't any of those 8 choices. A true blind test is one where you explain what is going on instead of make a wild guess, anyone can guess. A true test has extra variables you can choose from.
Click to expand...


What you seem to be describing here is an experiment that failed. If you had set out to try to distinguish between the 8 power cords, and something prevented you from doing so, then this doesn't constitute a completed test, let alone a proof of your hypothesis.

When you fixed the issue with the statement power cord (what is that? Should I have asked? was it not one of the 8 cords you were testing?) did you go on to identify more of the 8 power cords than could be expected by chance?
 
calebprime said:
btw, ES, I really could use maybe 20 grand for upgrades to my studio--my old computers broke, and I could use a new synthesizer, etc. Let me know if you want to donate.
Click to expand...
I only have $200 left, I bought food with the money.



obsessive.audiophile.jpg





Year 2005

568_fridge.(2005.09.06).jpg






Year 2006

fridge.and.freezer.(2006.06.18).JPG







Year 2007

fridge.and.freezer.(2007.01.21).JPG






Audiophile.shorts.falling.down.JPG








Audio system complete

removed.rack.JPG





Spend money on food

cutting.cheese.JPG


side.JPG





22.JPG


23.JPG







Bodybuilding


01.JPG




Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyVnept1fjI
 
ExtremeSkeptic said:
I don't care about money, that's why I have mutilated all my high-end gear. If a $975 source sounds better than a $20 000 source, I will use the cheaper one (who wouldn't?). That's why I posted the numbers. Some audiohiles are spending $400 000+ on their systems and still getting bad sound, my system is the price of peanuts compared to that, that's the point I'm trying to make. If you want to get the best sound for as little money as possible, spending less on the electronics and more on the tweaks is the way to go.

After downgrading electronics and adding more tweaks I ended up getting better sound for a fraction of the price.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean ES. As I said to my friend the other day, as I walked up to my car ($20,000) I am completely not interested in how much things cost. Having spent $50,000 on a new extension to his house, my friend said that he had no money left to be interested any way! At that point I looked at my watch ($400) and saw that I was late for my date that evening ($2,000, then $100 per hour after 1am)

;)
 
As a wise man once said:

You are a sad, strange little man and you have my pity.
 
Well ES...with all you have done, you should publish all your findings. I am sure some audiophile magazine would publish your methods and results.

glenn
 
Valhalla confirmed

I have confirmed my findings about the Nordost Valhalla cables now. I have cut them open and done experiments.

Adding Valhalla after any wiring colors the sound. It removes low-level detail which makes it sound cleaner and faster. Reviewers say Valhalla is neutral but it's not true.

I like Valhalla because it removes the fatiguing low-level noise in the recordings, when that noise is gone it makes it sound like real life. But too much Valhalla isn't good. So I made a hybrid interconnect and added only 15cm Valhalla at the end.

See more in my blog.

02.JPG


03.JPG
 
I normally shy away from cod-psychological comment, possibly because members of my family suffer from mental illness. But "ExtremeSkeptic", you are without doubt a very strange person. Pathological obsession aside, your blog entries are either rather unfunny attempts at self-deprecation, or signs of psychological troubles. Your latest one where your mother locks you out of the house to stop you "tweaking", a policeman breaks your arm, and you are then anally raped by a fellow inmate, is bizarre to say the very least.

In all seriousness, have you consulted a doctor?
Click to expand...

did you take Abnormal Psych 101 and now you want to brag about your entry level knowledge of neuroses? you're gonna learn the hard way to keep your opinions to yourself.
 
ExtremeSkeptic said:
Adding Valhalla after any wiring colors the sound. It removes low-level detail which makes it sound cleaner and faster. Reviewers say Valhalla is neutral but it's not true.
Click to expand...

how do you color the sound?
when you say "removes low level detail" what does this mean? is it like a high pass filter?
cleaner? faster?

Just nod and smile, and back away...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom