Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Off Topic Can't get away from snake oil

Whilst reading some articles on an excellent saxophone technician's website, I found this article, which only goes to show that snake oil most certainly isn't limited to this industry...

As always, keep your wits about you when someone is trying to sell you something; and that applies to Meridian too.

Not the HiFi industry but a common theme of assessing sound quality which is so difficult to define with respect to hard data

Indeed, but I also think human beings have a curious capacity for self-delusion. I have a neighbour, for example, who is convinced he saw a bigfoot some years ago while camping in Washington State. No amount of logical pursuasion on my part has been able to shake him of this notion - and he is a smart, educated guy.

In the context of these kinds of things, convincing oneself that an expensive power cable has a material affect on sound quality is pretty harmless, if expensive!

Simon,

bigfoot is not a powercable company ;-))

So I never dit see a bigfoot but hear clearly the difference with different power cables,
not on all I have heared-sorry.
But its correct, this snake oil market is completly dubiosly,
as some things are "easy" to recognice,but others dont.
So when you want to have a progress on your equipment,
I come to my conclusion that I have to try it and listen.
And when I get myself "free" from all that marketing/technical/believing hype and can test without be get biased, its a real progress.
But its difficult here not to get "headpregnant"...

Robert

If you have a spare hour check out Ethan Winer's video on audio snake oil.

Robert:

I 'picked on' power cables because I can see no objective reason (given basic adherence to the laws of physics) why they would make a difference, nor, frankly, have I ever heard one. I don't completely dismiss the experiences of others, but, like bigfoot, I'm skeptical.

Simon

PS - While I am not an 'objectivist' per se - I do beleive that long-term subjective listening can unearth material differences that elude measurement - I do very much believe in my own eyes and ears. People say they hear differences, fine, but there are also lots of people who claim they see ghosts, aliens, and all sorts of comparable absurdities.

Lot's of snake oil in the Violin world too.

And if you call a violin a fiddle, does it sound more rustic?

There was an interesting article many years ago, in Audiophile magazine I think, about how the use of language and words in themselves set and changed perceptions e.g. "balanced" sounds more positive than "un-balanced" and "silver" sounded brighter than "copper". The article found by VK reminded me exactly of that.

What's interesting is that there probably *is* some effect of the material used on the sound of the saxophone (though, as pointed out in the article, the size and shape of the bore is of the 1st order of importance). Unfortunately, all this marketing rubbish ruins any possibility of discovering the truth.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE sorry couldnt resist

I recall reading some years ago a story about Stradivarius (sp?) violins, and why modern instruments have not been able to capture the same sonic magic. The 'explanation' was in the varnish used, and the degree to which micro-fractures in the varnish over time contribute to the sound quality.

Which Reminds me of a story told when we saw Gyles Brandreth recently.
It concerns an event celebrating A significant aniversary of the Murder of Thomas the Becket.
Yehudi Menuhin was to play and before the performance Gyles asked about the Stradivarius (SP) Violin.
He was handed it to admire and subsequently droped it. It bounced down some steps and broke on the very site of the Murder.

What did Yehudi do?
He said, Its OK, I have a spare with me always.

This is as I remember it being told, Probably better related in his latest book. Cheers Chris