Hi all.
I am not sure if I am off topic, but here it goes anyway.
I gather all those citations from left and right over a few years.
An audiophile is someone who can hear differences among various components, cables, etc… even when there aren't any.
An audiophile can confirm that there is a difference in sound,
even no components have been changed,
only by suggesting him, that some changes have been made.
It’s a fact that many audiophiles concern themselves with connectors
and power cords and all the fancy tweaks,
when these at are pale in comparison to the effect of room acoustics.
Room treatments are the most grossly overlooked and misunderstood aspect of hi-end audio.
Sometimes, room treatment can only be bookshelves, plushy sofas, thick carpet thick drapes and a few frames on walls.
The industry has now reached the point where wire resistance
and listening quality are not the issues any more,
although listening claims may still be made…
The strategy in selling these extremely expensive products is,
in part, to appeal to those who are looking to impress others with
something unique and extremely expensive and flatter their alter ego.
How a short strand of expensive cable can improve upon
electricity delivered by miles of standard electricity transmission
equipment outside and inside a home?
How short does the (Specialized) wire have to be made before differences can no longer be heard ?
Guy 13
Excellent insight, made me smile as there is a lot of truth here. This I so agree with.
Room treatments are the most grossly overlooked and misunderstood aspect of hi-end audio.
Sometimes, room treatment can only be bookshelves, plushy sofas, thick carpet thick drapes and a few frames on walls.A wealthy man in Orange County was interested in getting involved with Music Reference. I visited his home which he had been livinig in for at least two years. His listening room was literally a rather large cube with very hard walls, hard floor, very few windows, no drapes, no carpet, one couch. The two of us in the room provided more sound absorption than everything else put together.
We started to converse and I suggested we go outside because it was a nice day. The real reason I wanted to go outside was the I couldn't understand a word that was said in that room it was so live. I have never experienced a room with such horrible reflections. Later he asked me to comment on his system. As nicely as I could I told him I couldn't hear his system, all I could hear is the room. He had some decent equipment. He told me the speaker maker was going to come and make some updates to the speakers in a few days. I wonder if the speaker maker commented on the room. I found it hard to believe that this man had been listening to whatever in this room for over two years.
It is interesting what some people will pay for special room treatment that does the same thing as furniture that you can enjoy. For instance a bookshelf with books of different sizes will do a better job than those assemblages of little wood blocks that people hang on the walls. The blocks are harder than books (more reflective) and the differences in height too small to do anything much below 10 KHZ where you really need it.
I don't understand corner traps at all. At the corner there is a node in a standing wave where there is virtually no air motion to be trapped.
I think the people who design room treatments don't know much about sound waves, which is unfortunate.
I thinks audiophiles trust that someone who makes something knows what they are doing. I find quite the opposite is true when it comes to tweaks, fuses, cables, burn in devices, etc, etc.
I don't understand why people listen down the length of a room when they can listen across the width and reduce side wall reflections.
Instead of pulling your speakers way out from the wall and your speakers into the middle of the room try putting a heavy drape on the wall behind the speakers and a shelf full of books right behind your listening chair. Its a handy place to keep the books too.
I recall one time a fellow told me something that was simply untrue, something that could easily be shown to be untrue. I asked where he got that information. He told me he read it in an advertisement so it must be true. The Admen have finally reached their goal.
