Snake oil = adding or removing elements to the signal, signal path and/or sound in such a way that it becomes apparent to the one who is sensitive to notice. It�s not about making something better -what�s not there can simply not be added later on like making a 200,- worth piece of equipement sound like a 20.000,- piece-, it�s customising to your own preferences.

So MrMarbach is right, professional musicians often have and really can appreciate expensive instruments. Simple reason to me is a 1+1=2, meaning the master craftmanship of the instrument is combined with the master level of playing the instrument:

1) I recently read about a Strad that was examined using a modern MRI scan, cause obviously it was too expensive to take it apart for the study. The scans showed that 7 different types of wood were used to build it. They suspect that these types and the places where they were used, attribute to the �sound� of the violin. The violin builders absolutely understood the violin itself and mastered the technique of building it.

2) so we�ll also need to factor in the human element in the equasion then. The not too expensive violin of your 8-year old can produce a lovely sound when its been played by a professional violinist. You will never have thought that that inexpensive one was capable of doing that. It�s because of the experience and practise of years of training. When the same violinist has a very expensive one, absolute magic can happen when combined with the delicate handling by the musician, applying different strokes in various angles to create the sound.

People in the other camp are also true, saying they can�t tell a difference in sound by built quality.

1) In a recent study on music lovers the following was found. When they were hooked up to a CAT-scan and listened to their favorite music, the scan indicated activity in one little particular spot. That little spot in their brain was positively effected producing endorfines the same as when other test persons were given hard drugs. A careful conclusion could say that for some people listening to music is addictive or better, they enjoyed it so much that they were on cloud No. 7.

2) The analogy is that some people are very susceptible for a change in sound, they could indicate the difference by a tickle in their pleasure spot, others are not.

The drawback of this in instruments and equipment, is that the human mind can only �remember� a sound for 30 seconds, making A/B test very difficult, hence the 1 million $ price has been claimed but never been rewarded.

So why would it be so hard to believe that hifi companies can also make a difference. Some of them have gone through a lot of research, experimenting with different materials, spent boatloads on listening to finally master the technique of creating a piece of equipement. Well just as the same of the violin builders, but then with modern material and technology.

The reason is the number of people able to tell the difference is so much smaller than the group of people who can�t. The logical conclusion is to hype it up, spend lots of money on advertisments, (sponsered) reviews by industry critics. This may be seen as a form of �education�, where the reviewer writes where and what the differences are, for the readers to mark this in their subconcience and flag it for true if they hear the same if they demoed type X of brand Z. This will take the reader to a (slightly) higher level of mastering the art of listening.

Meridian masters the technique of bits and bites profoundly. Their DSP philosophy is based upon computer chips that run internal software. With a push on a button speakers can be set from small to big. Also using the MRC program one is able to set the sound to one�s preference. In itself Meridian is also using �snake oil�, hidden in software and hardware, it is adjusting the sound by adding or removing sonic elements. Some call it their sonic signature. M is not alone, many respected hifi companies have an aclaimed signature.

People not having a fine processor or DSP speakers, do the same by physically swapping equipement/cables etc around to alter the sound a little. If not by a push on a keyboard or remote control, all of a sudden it is called �snake oil�. The fact they have a good hearing, makes it apparent for them that the sound has changed. Just like listening to the concert violinist playing first the 200-dollar-made-in-China and afterwards a Strad violin.

For the ones that do not have a trained hearing (or have no impact on their pleasure spot in their brain), the acclaimed �difference� is often said to be snake oil, also when it concerns expensive cables, dempers, equipement etc. It would be true if they would say �I can�t tell the difference�. But I believe that�s not right, they just haven�t mastered the art of listening.

A big problem though with listening impressions is, when we hear something out of the ordinary, the normal language we use is not suited to describe what we hear. Personal words like �rich�, �warm�, �laidback� are very personal and can be interpreted by others very differently. So to conclude on snake oil and the effects:

Alicia Keys says: �the keys on a piano are black and white, but you can hear a million different colors�.

Just my opinion, no prun intended to anyone.

Alex

Stereo: ML360s, ML390s, Meridian 800v2, Chapter Audio Sonnet, Preface & Couplet 400s, Shunyata Hydra, Vivid K-1s