Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed

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Aether Audio

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Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« on: 16 Jun 2010, 06:56 pm »
Friends,

Seeing that there has been an extreme amount of interest in exactly how the Smith Cell (which lies at the heart of the Black Box) works,  we have decide to make a disclosure that does not give away any construction secrets, but does reveal the basic concepts at work.  We hope you will find this of some value.

-Bob  :D

Aether Audio Black Box
Smith Cell Technology Revealed

The underlying principles governing the operation of the Smith Cell device within the Aether Audio Black Box and the NuForce Magic Cube are a synthesis of simplicity and sublime complexity.  While its construction is based on unique…yet deceivingly modest techniques, the arrangement of its components invokes seemingly mysterious and previously “hidden” aspects of electromagnetism that have only recently been documented by scientific research.  While we admit the Smith Cell employs the use of powerful permanent magnet materials at its heart, it’s the unique geometry thereof as well as that of the signal carrying conductors that is key in unleashing this hidden set of forces.

To be sure, permanent magnets are not considered to be mysterious in any general sense and have certainly been used by others in the recent past for imparting various effects in audio applications.  Our observations regarding their use suggest though that previous designers have overlooked a potentially serious negative side effect resulting from the configurations most commonly used.  Also, previous devices are not optimized in their ability to take advantage of the recently documented subtle forces mentioned above, and as they are in the operation of the Smith Cell.  Specifically, most designs employed in speaker and/or interconnecting cable formulations force the signal-current to flow through a PM by soldering input and output wires to its ends.  This naïve and simplistic method runs the risk of distortion resulting from signal-current induced magnetic saturation of the PM material, while also reducing the level of the fundamental forces that actually produce the desired effects.  Conversely, the Smith Cell’s proprietary arrangement of magnet/conductor materials completely avoids any possibility of such distortion under all operating conditions, while also optimizing the intensity of the desired underlying forces.

Succinctly, the Smith Cell’s fundamental function is to “spin-align” the primary axis of signal-current electrons, such that they exhibit a common magnetic moment while passing through the cell.  Spin polarization as a byproduct of the powerful magnetic field “strips” away any secondary phonon modulation (1/f noise, distortion, etc.) that has been imparted upon and accumulated by the signal electrons during their passage through the conductors, as well as their passage through any associated electronic circuits ahead of the cell in the signal chain.  This effect would be of little consequence though if the effect were not also transmitted along the length of the conductors and to either side of the cell.  This is because if it were not, thermal phonon vibrations would simply re-modulate the electrons immediately after leaving the vicinity of the cell, such that the effect of the cell would be nullified and consequently, no net advantage would be realized.  The extension of the Smith Cell’s spin-polarizing effect down the length of the conductors is a complex process though, and therefore beyond the scope of this paper.

Finally, the most vital aspect of Smith Cell operation is that in order to avoid any signal-current induced PM material saturation/distortion, electron spin-polarization must be accomplished without the signal-current doing any “work” against the magnetic field generated by the PM material.  In short, the magnetic material must impart a spin-aligning force upon the electrons without the signal-current flow imparting a reverse force against the field of the magnetic material.  Although seemingly a mutually exclusive process, the cutting edge research of Christian Monstein has shown that such is not the case.  Since his initial experiments, the “Monstein Effect” has been reproduced in laboratories around the world and gives us new insight into the deeper aspects of EM Theory that have been essentially dismissed ever since Heavyside’s simplification of Maxwell’s original EM wave equations.  Further theoretical support is provided in Einstein-Cartan-Evans Theory, and other experimental evidence abounds as well.  As examples, the well documented Aharonov–Bohm Effect and even Faraday’s century old “Homopolar Generator” both seem to be based in the same underlying physics.  This “phenomenon” of EM Theory is commonly referred to as “Scalar Wave” propagation and critics of orthodox theory point out that before Heavyside essentially “threw them out,” Maxwell’s original EM wave equations predicted their very existence.  It is also suggested that in his later years, the great and mysterious inventor Tesla was actually working with Scalar EM waves long before others had even conceived of them.

While theories abound and debate still rages in scientific circles as to the theoretical interpretations thereof, repeatable experimental evidence such as the Monstein and Aharonov–Bohm Effects cannot be refuted.  In particular, whether due to Scalar EM waves or otherwise… the Monstein Effect is a documented fact.  As a practical consequence, we are employing its effects in the Smith Cell to good use in order to achieve the necessary spin polarization of signal electrons and the desired effects thereof, while avoiding the potential negative effects at risk by other less sophisticated and inferior devices.
 

ted_b

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #1 on: 16 Jun 2010, 07:23 pm »
The Smith Cell technology works!!!  How do I know?  I was privileged to be able to use Bob's Magic Box (sans Smith Cell) as a prototype (i.e a bunch of parts wired together and hanging off my speaker terminals  :)  ) and then a/b'd it against the production Aether Audio Magic Box setup that now simply includes the Smith Cell (and all the parts I previously used, but nicely packaged inside the MB  :)  ).   The differences in noise floor, clarity and overall music flow were more than subtle.  To me it provides a similar but frankly larger gain to what Bybee products have done for me in the past (except at a fraction of the cost).  The "timing" or overall toe-tapping rhythms of the music just seem more right.

konut

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #2 on: 17 Jun 2010, 01:36 am »
Why a four-year-old child could understand this report. Run out and find me a four-year-old child. I can't make head nor tail out of it.
Groucho Marx

Bob, it might help if you explain about electrons the way you did to me when we spoke on the phone shortly after I ordered my Black Boxes. It had to do with the speed of electricity did not necessarily mean that electrons themselves move at that speed, and the orientation of the electrons themselves. You explained it so that even a non-engineer could understand the basic principle. I know I was impressed at the time. While I'm sure that it will not change the minds of sceptics, those with an open mind will be willing to learn.

satfrat

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #3 on: 17 Jun 2010, 02:00 am »
The Smith Cell technology works!!!  How do I know?  I was privileged to be able to use Bob's Magic Box (sans Smith Cell) as a prototype (i.e a bunch of parts wired together and hanging off my speaker terminals  :)  ) and then a/b'd it against the production Aether Audio Magic Box setup that now simply includes the Smith Cell (and all the parts I previously used, but nicely packaged inside the MB  :)  ).   The differences in noise floor, clarity and overall music flow were more than subtle.  To me it provides a similar but frankly larger gain to what Bybee products have done for me in the past (except at a fraction of the cost).  The "timing" or overall toe-tapping rhythms of the music just seem more right.

The Black Boxes aren't for everyone or every system. I also demo'd them with my Butler Audio amps and Odyssey Lorelei's and they did absolutely nothing for my system.  :dunno:  Bob had even warned me that they might not work with the Butler tube hybrid amps because of their topology and he was right. I happily returned to my Bybee Ultra Speaker Filters after the demo.  :thumb:
 
Cheers,
Robin

sts9fan

Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #4 on: 17 Jun 2010, 02:37 am »
People throw around words like "revealed all the time. 

ted_b

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #5 on: 17 Jun 2010, 02:38 am »
People throw around words like "revealed all the time.

??  This is Bob's Circle.  What is the problem with him using the word "revealed" in his own post?
« Last Edit: 17 Jun 2010, 03:58 am by ted_b »

sts9fan

Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #6 on: 17 Jun 2010, 03:56 am »
I was joking. I don't get the explanation.

bhobba

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #7 on: 17 Jun 2010, 05:20 am »
Bob, it might help if you explain about electrons the way you did to me when we spoke on the phone shortly after I ordered my Black Boxes. It had to do with the speed of electricity did not necessarily mean that electrons themselves move at that speed, and the orientation of the electrons themselves. You explained it so that even a non-engineer could understand the basic principle. I know I was impressed at the time. While I'm sure that it will not change the minds of sceptics, those with an open mind will be willing to learn.

The electric field itself basically travels at the speed of light (more or less anyway - the issue is that speed depends on the medium) - the electrons drift along with the field at actually quite slow speeds.  In fact that drift is responsible for the existence of the magnetic field which is basically a relativistic effect anyway.  Interestingly even though enormous speeds are usually required for relativistic effects to manifest that is not the case here - the enormous number of electrons in that drift means relativistic effects actually matter - hence the existence of magnetic fields.

The Aharonov–Bohm effect is actually a quantum effect - and quantum mechanics is weird man - really really weird (but mathematically unbelievably beautiful) and I am sure Bob doesn't want to get into that here.

Thanks
Bill
« Last Edit: 17 Jun 2010, 09:48 am by bhobba »

Aether Audio

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Re: Black Box/Smith Cell Technology Revealed
« Reply #8 on: 18 Jun 2010, 03:27 am »
sts9fan ,
 
Quote
I was joking. I don't get the explanation.


Sorry about that.  The issue is complex enough such that it's not easy to simplify if you don't already have a background in electronics.  Standard EM theory is plenty tough enough to begin with, let alone to start throwing in issues such as scalar waves and QM (as Bill pointed out).

Could you be more specific about which part you don't understand?  There are several issues involved and each is pretty deep stuff in its own right.

I'll try to answer back when I can, so please be patient.  I'm in "no mans's land" right now in Okachobee, FL and have to drive down the road to hijack an unsecured wifi connection just to get on the net.  So... give me some time and I'll do the best I can.  Depending on the schedule, I might not get back to you until I get home next week.

Take care,
-Bob