Audiophile Timex clock?

SET Man · « **on:** 28 Jan 2006, 05:43 am »

Hi all,

Well, it is getting late but I can't sleep. So, I went over to Audiogon to just check things out. But Guys! look what I found!

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?accstwek&1138674309&1138425278

What the.....? That is one expensive Timex clock!

Man! If they could mod that cheap Timex to make your system sound better imagine what they can do if they moded a Rolex!

Anyway, I'm not saying that it won't work, it might and I do not have any connection with the seller or designer of the product... to think of it not that I wanted to anyway

Take care all,
Buddy

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 07:20 am »

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue23/clock_nespa.htm

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 03:09 pm »

Quote from: SET Man

Hi all,

Well, it is getting late but I can't sleep. So, I went over to Audiogon to just check things out. But Guys! look what I found!

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?accstwek&1138674309&1138425278

What the.....? That is one expensive Timex clock! Man! If they could mod that cheap Timex to make your system sound better imagine what they can do if they moded a Rolex!

Anyway, I'm not saying that it won't work, it might and I do not have any connectio ...

Back in the mid-70's the rage was the small black RadioShack Clock with red LED's. Absolute Sound and Stereophile raved about it.

I think it was $17.95, and I needed a clock, so I bought two, and still use one to this day.

Does it improve anything about the sound? I don't think so.

I think the most amazing thing about it, is that it still works (tells correct time) 30 years later.

meby · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 04:12 pm »

I am not sure if the Positive Feedback review was being sarcastic? I sure hope so, if not I think I will not be visiting their site anymore. What a crock of Sh*t. I have the same travel alarm clock I bought from Wal-mart like 10 years ago for about $5. I should put a orange sticker on the front and charge $200 for it.
I wonder if audio is the only hobby where people throw away money on such crap

Watson · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 04:47 pm »

Quote from: meby

I am not sure if the Positive Feedback review was being sarcastic? I sure hope so, if not I think I will not be visiting their site anymore. What a crock of Sh*t.

The review is not a joke, sarcasm, or satire. If there's any doubt, read Dave Clark's manifesto about tweaks:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue21/audioramblings1.htm

But stepping back, why does the Clever Little Clock generate such a negative reaction in the audiophile community? Brilliant Pebbles and the Intelligent Chip both generated far less anger than this (the latter was reviewed in Positive Feedback and 6moons, and the former at 6moons), and Brilliant Pebbles is, well, just a jar of rocks.

Is a jar of rocks somehow more believable to most audiophiles than a clock with an orange sticker on it? Certainly the reaction has been a lot more vehement to the Clock.

meby · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 04:57 pm »

Actually I think all 3 products are bullsh*t. But the initial post was for the Timex clock.

Watson · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 05:11 pm »

Makes sense.

I just find it interesting that everyone has their own personal line in the sand regarding tweaks. There are a couple of guys on various forums who usually believe and buy literally anything (Bedini Ultra Clarifier, Auric Illuminator, IsoClean directional fuses, Nordost Valhalla power cords, etc.) and who defended Brilliant Pebbles (in some cases, e.g. the current thread at Head-Fi, continue to defend them) but have now for some reason refused to accept the Clever Little Clock.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 06:43 pm »

Each one to their choices, especially if one has money to spare. My Washingtons and Lincolns were hard earn to waste in "scams" such as that.
Man can justify anything with some good arguments and figurative examples and being that the average audiophile iq swings between analytical to passionate, I have no doubt that some will find this Timex clock, relevant to their audio experience.

But then...

There are things that cannot be explain with hard facts and physical theories.

PS: Maybe I should begin marketing my secret concoction to improve our jaded audiophile perceptions....Any takers? Pre-pre-pre release special, 99% of the MSRP, just $2-competitive with the Clock in question!

ctviggen · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 07:36 pm »

Quote

There are things that cannot be explain with hard facts and physical theories.

Like what?

AB · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Jan 2006, 08:03 pm »

I stopped reading Dave Clark's essay once I arrived at this gem.

"Food for thought: Science requires faith and belief just as much as any thing else out there. Science is quite finite—it is a growing body of knowledge.."

hmen · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 04:28 am »

Quote from: Watson

I just find it interesting that everyone has their own personal line in the sand regarding tweaks.

Maybe I'm just arguing semantics but I don't think The Clever Little Clock is really a tweak. A tweak, IMHO, is when you make a physical change to a component or attach something to it to with the expectation that it will cause a specific change in the performance of the component.
Putting a brick on top of a CD player is a tweak because the weight of the brick is supposed to decrease vibration and jitter. Bybees Quantum Purifiers are a tweak. The Clever Little Clock basically claims to work like magic. The add even says it has no physical affect on the sound waves. It sounds like snake oil to me.

Watson · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 05:24 am »

Does a tweak really have to be connected to the components themselves? Room treatments definitely count as tweaks. Most people probably consider the Hallograph ( http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue6/hallographs.htm ) to be a tweak. Even Brilliant Pebbles, which most people don't put on the components themselves, are probably considered tweaks.

Geoff Kait posts fairly regularly at AudioAsylum and occasionally hints at how he "believes" the Clever Little Clock works. He's never really specific, but his theory basically sounds like some kind of interaction between electromagnetic waves in the environment and our brains. At least he has a theory! Do the guys selling IsoClean directional fuses even a have a theory why their fuses are directional with alternating current?

hmen · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 06:42 am »

Watson,
Good point. It doesn't have to be connected to a component. Room treatments are a good example. You put them up to absorb sound at certain frequencies. They have a physical affect on the sound. These actually claim Not to have an affect on the sound.

Atol · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 06:45 am »

Anyone interested in my XL edition? It can cure cancer

Atol · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 06:46 am »

Doublepost... eh.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 01:32 pm »

This clock looks like a regular Timex clock with a Harmonix Tuning Dot attached:

http://www.combak.net/roomtune.htm

I know guys who swear by the Harmonix Tuning Dots, and I will admit to have tried them myself (they fell into the "I'm not sure, but I think I heard a difference" catagory...so ultimately not worth the money IMHO). However, with the Harmonix Dots, you are supposed to use them in volume...minimum of 16 Dots in a room, with some precision required for their layout and placement. And as opposed to Machina Dynamica, Harminox (IMHO) has a pretty decent reputation.

Here's another tweak product that has stirred controversy...but moreso than the Harmonix and Timex clock, I know guys who are absolutely ga-ga over these. And Acoustic Dreams is also pretty reputable IMHO. They are too rich for my blood, but I would love to try one just to say I tried it...

http://www.acousticdreams.net/AcousticSystemResonators.htm

SET Man · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 01:54 am »

Hi all,

Guys,

I posted this up not because I want to started flame or war or anything. It just that I personlly find this so called tweak funny. You know goodthing that people here in AC are more open minded and resonable. If I post this in the Audio Asylum, it likely to started a war and would be 10+ pages long by now

Anyway, as far as a tweak for me. It is very simple... Anything could be lable or marketed as a "tweak" Why? Well, as we all know that very thing have it own natural resonance. That mean anything that you have in your room including you will vibrate at a certain feq.

So, everything you put in your room will have some effect of the sound in side the room. The only problem is that some will be too small to hear any different.

As for those tweaks offered by the same people who sell the Clock... Like the "Pebble" Well, if you put something on top of the cdp or pre-amp than sure you will hear something different. That is why I have a zip-log bag full of sand on top of my CDP.

I think that thoes $$$$$ tuning dots and wooden stick.. and etc whatever it call will have some effect for sure. But the key is that only if is at a right vibration with the room and the system. That's why same tweak will not work or show the same effect on all system/components.

Now, for an example... If I collected, let's say a pound or 2 of my cat poop. Put it in a zip-log bag than put it on top cover of my turntable or CDP. I'm sure that they will some some effect on the sound due to the damping effect cause by the weight of my cat's poop.

Hmmmmm.... that's give me an idea. I should try to market my cat's poop as a damping device. How about $50.00 for a 2lbs bags? Now I just have to come up with a catchy name.

Anyway, guys life is too busy with little time to listen to music. So, enjoy the music while you can.

Take care all,
Buddy

PS

You know there is something that I will never understand... the intelli-chip. Just doesn't make any sense to me

Well, maybe I'm just to dumb to understand or hear any differnt

Anyway, let not get in to it.... I think I will go back to listing to music now.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 02:08 am »

Phil,

[/list:u]

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 02:28 am »

No that won't work at all, the proportions must be just right. Gotta use the golden ratio...somewhere...

PhilNYC · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 02:35 am »

lonewolf...it may be less expensive, but I'm not all that good at bowling, so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't win one...