What's the biggest rip-off in high end audio??

wushuliu · « **Reply #120 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 06:46 am »

Quote from: bearuk on 29 Jun 2012, 03:47 am

Without doubt (surely!) the biggest rip-off in high end audio must be anything sold by machinadynamica.com

The Super Intelligent Chip - quantum material that makes your CDs sound better.
The Clever Little Clock - I shall remain silent
Brilliant Pebbles - they look kind of interesting I suppose
And now, to the winner

The Teleportation Tweak...

At this point machinadynamica wins over the skeptics by nature of the fact that skeptics are the ONLY ones who bring this company's name up again and again and again. It's like there's this handbook that goes out with the same companies and the same products to be mentioned over and over. If you guys would stop bringing them up, guess what, no one would know about them.

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #121 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 29 Jun 2012, 05:25 am

Hey Diamond Dog, nobody ever said wealth and intelligence had a 1:1 correlation

Never said they did. Just sayin' that it seems more likely you're going to see someone crapping all over high-end around here than cheap-and-cheerful as though audio turns you into Castro. One is no less douchey than the other. I'd venture most of those guys have never gotten close to the gear they're so quick to write off as decadent or an over-reach or a waste of money that isn't theirs. What ever happened to aspiration? If I was fortunate enough to be able to dabble at that level, you're damned right I would just for the experience...why not? And so would you.

The guys who say that even if the cheddar was available, they still wouldn't buy the best gear they could get their hands on can all go form a men's chorus where they can warble selections from "Les Miserables"...Standing on the barricades, cheap cables and flavour-of-the-week "giant-killer" DAC's clenched in their fists, they sing of oppression and brandish their modest-yet-still-enjoyable gear proudly while the cannon-fire whistles over their heads...Oh puleeeease.

As yin to the above yang, there is another audio site I have lurked on occasionally where the Cape Cod crew wear their sweaters over their shoulders and their money on their personally-monogrammed sleeves and when some Jean Valjean gets past security and offers to discuss his everyman rig, the condescension flows like tepid, fetid water: " Nice try, Timmy. Now go outside and do whatever you people do..." Interesting to see how many AC'ers have been banned from that sight. And that's the term they use -not"Restricted" but "Banned" as if "Cast Out Of Eden" was just too much typing...

So what the hell was my point again...oh yeah, douchey...let's not be douchey to one another. Seems simple enough.

D.D.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #122 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 02:16 pm »

Was it in Camelot that they asked "What do the simple folk do?"

LOVE your theatrical descriptions, DD! Sounds like you have been to an NY Rave GTG!

Just kidding, New Yawkers! But your Yankees still suck!

wushuliu · « **Reply #123 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 05:09 pm »

Quote from: Diamond Dog on 29 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm

Never said they did. Just sayin' that it seems more likely you're going to see someone crapping all over high-end around here than cheap-and-cheerful as though audio turns you into Castro. One is no less douchey than the other. I'd venture most of those guys have never gotten close to the gear they're so quick to write off as decadent or an over-reach or a waste of money that isn't theirs. What ever happened to aspiration? If I was fortunate enough to be able to dabble at that level, you're damned right I would just for the experience...why not? And so would you.

The guys who say that even if the cheddar was available, they still wouldn't buy the best gear they could get their hands on can all go form a men's chorus where they can warble selections from "Les Miserables"...Standing on the barricades, cheap cables and flavour-of-the-week "giant-killer" DAC's clenched in their fists, they sing of oppression and brandish their modest-yet-still-enjoyable gear proudly while the cannon-fire whistles over their heads...Oh puleeeease.

As yin to the above yang, there is another audio site I have lurked on occasionally where the Cape Cod crew wear their sweaters over their shoulders and their money on their personally-monogrammed sleeves and when some Jean Valjean gets past security and offers to discuss his everyman rig, the condescension flows like tepid, fetid water: " Nice try, Timmy. Now go outside and do whatever you people do..." Interesting to see how many AC'ers have been banned from that sight. And that's the term they use -not"Restricted" but "Banned" as if "Cast Out Of Eden" was just too much typing...

So what the hell was my point again...oh yeah, douchey...let's not be douchey to one another. Seems simple enough.

D.D.

This would be hilarious if read out loud by Garrison Keillor.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #124 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 05:38 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 29 Jun 2012, 05:25 am

Hey Diamond Dog, nobody ever said wealth and intelligence had a 1:1 correlation

True, but unless you are a trust fund baby, wealth and focus usually have a VERY strong correlation...

That's been my experience.

Rclark · « **Reply #125 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 06:10 pm »

Ok fine, Nordost all around

...

I still wouldn't.

eclein · « **Reply #126 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 06:35 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 29 Jun 2012, 05:38 pm

True, but unless you are a trust fund baby, wealth and focus usually have a VERY strong correlation...

That's been my experience.

I agree, I have been fortunate, as I'm sure many of you have been, to meet people along the way that were financially well off or just flat out louded to the gills with cash and I'd say they were some seriously focused folks!!!!

I have never tried cable lifters but they are an item I just can't get with in terms of difference makers, tweaks etc....but I'm always open minded to things.

frank111 · « **Reply #127 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 08:43 pm »

Any review by a man/woman over the age of 50 yrs, of speaker/s in an audio magazine. Pure crapola .

Rclark · « **Reply #128 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 08:54 pm »

Rofl

persisting1 · « **Reply #129 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 09:00 pm »

Quote from: frank111 on 29 Jun 2012, 08:43 pm

Any review by a man/woman over the age of 50 yrs, of speaker/s in an audio magazine. Pure crapola .

And let the flaming commence

Devil Doc · « **Reply #130 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 09:05 pm »

Well, I'm way over 50, and I agree. But why limit it to speakers?

Doc

Wayner · « **Reply #131 on:** 29 Jun 2012, 09:48 pm »

RCA caps for unused inputs/outputs.
Electromagnetic Stabilizer Stone.
Zerodust Stylus Cleaner.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #132 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 12:51 am »

Quote from: Wayner on 29 Jun 2012, 09:48 pm

RCA caps for unused inputs/outputs.
Electromagnetic Stabilizer Stone.
Zerodust Stylus Cleaner.

Nice post Wayne. Though I do like the low priced versions of the above. CyberClean keyboard cleaner works as good as Zerodust for pennies, just stick a dab of it on an old CD case. (We also tried Sticky Hands toys) Using actual shorting plugs on empty inputs can work pretty good, again they cost pennies to make. Don't know much about the Stabilizer Stone as I never spent for one, but I like big rolls of HD duct tape on top of my components to "Stabilizer Stone" them, I like the black color that matches my components. So yeah, since you can get the same stuff for cheap and it works as good or better, I'd say you have a good list of "rip off" products there.

Quote from: Diamond Dog on 29 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm

The guys who say that even if the cheddar was available, they still wouldn't buy the best gear they could get their hands on can all go form a men's chorus where they can warble selections from "Les Miserables"...Standing on the barricades, cheap cables and flavour-of-the-week "giant-killer" DAC's clenched in their fists, they sing of oppression and brandish their modest-yet-still-enjoyable gear proudly while the cannon-fire whistles over their heads...Oh puleeeease.

Oh I do so hope I win today's Mega Millions drawing so I can go try that out.

Quote from: frank111 on 29 Jun 2012, 08:43 pm

Any review by a man/woman over the age of 50 yrs, of speaker/s in an audio magazine. Pure crapola .

You do understand that most of the members here, including this facilitator, are over 50? And that the kind of statement you made shows way more about your inadequacies than shedding any light on reviewers and/or persons over 50. Why would you do something like that? What purpose could it serve other than making you look like a, well, you can imagine.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #133 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 12:58 am »

Why do many people here ignore basic science and physiology. The chances of a person over 50 hearing anything above 10k are slim or none, and I'm being kind.

Doc

persisting1 · « **Reply #134 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:04 am »

Quote from: Devil Doc on 30 Jun 2012, 12:58 am

Why do many people here ignore basic science and physiology. The chances of a person over 50 hearing anything above 10k are slim or none, and I'm being kind.

Doc

What about everything below 10khz. Does that not count?

PDR · « **Reply #135 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:06 am »

I'm almost 52 and had my hearing tested last week....it was ugly.
I wonder what I'm missing....dont know cause it sounds good as far
as I'm concerned....still I wonder.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #136 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:07 am »

Have to disagree with you there. I can still hear the horiz transformer in my neighbors CRT TV, and isn't that 15,735hz? Whines like crazy.

After talking to quite a few audiologists, they've said that if your parents aren't wearing hearing aids and you have taken care of your ears (key thing here) the chances of hearing acutely into your early 70's is good. My parents still have good hearing and on their last trip here, my mom could easily hear the difference between phono cartridges, so I'm not so sure it's safe to say that anyone over 50 can't hear.

As for the snide comments on reviewers, whatever. I've received more than enough emails from people all over the world that have told us they've heard pretty much the same thing we did from components in our reviews, so if we've helped someone find a piece of gear they enjoy, I can sleep at night just fine.

And I've done my share of blind tests as well, and have always passed with flying colors.

There's probably a wider range of experience than many of you care to believe.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #137 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:11 am »

There are always exceptions, and believe me when I say, I'm glad you're one of them.

Doc

sts9fan · « **Reply #138 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:22 am »

The power of suggestion is powerful.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #139 on:** 30 Jun 2012, 01:27 am »

That's very true. Last year at CES I was in the room where Synergistic Research was demoing those little cast iron balls on the wood blocks (that sell for about $4500 for a set of six...) and the guy doing the demo was like Darth Vader. "And then you will hear more soundstage depth, etc etc."

Honestly I couldn't hear a thing and ran into my friend Rob LoVerde from Mobile Fidelity in the hall. Dragged him into the same demo and when we walked out, he said, "Dude, I must not be an audiophile, I couldn't hear a thing..."

We had a good laugh and headed for the bar.