Audiophoole Pics

[Samuel Groner]

Just found some nice pics:

www.marklevinson.com/image_library/

My favorite is the "AC regeneration Board" from some amps. I wonder what they are doing there; sounds like a DC supply and a power oscillator which feeds the final PSU...

Samuel

 

[kiira]

[quote author="Viitalahde"]..still dreaming of selling an audiophool power conditioner for a high price: wall electricity modulated with square waves and music from Europe (Final Countdown!) .. :grin:[/quote]

Oh Jaakko you will be rich soon. After all, audiophools can buy rocks to put on top of their equipment. They must have magical powers!

Kiira

 

[alk509]

[quote author="Viitalahde"]Top 7 phoolisms:[/quote]

Hey, don't forget about the big $500 iron blocks that you're supposed to put on top of your amps to "dissipate the stray magnetic field inside the unit"...

Peace,
Al.

 

[chrissugar]

How could you forget about the most important piece in the audiophool arsenal, the 500$ wood knob. And even that knob can be enhanced with some C37. :grin:

chrissugar

 

[Cainester]

How many of you have actually heard a true 'audiophool' system? I mean the kind with jm labs grand utopia speakers, and a rockport sirius III turntable. Audiophiles are our biggest fans and truely appreciate our art. Granted, C37 is too far but how do we know it does not do anything? Have we listened to a before and after? I'll bet most of us could not hear deep into a mix when we first started mixing. All of those subtleties and nuances. But most of us can now... The same with audiophiles. They just want the music as 'studio,' or as 'hall' as possible. Isn't that what we try to capture? I guarantee you, if I had the dough, I'd be an audiophool too. I think we're just jealous :green:

Cheers,
Caine

 

[alk509]

[quote author="Cainester"]How many of you have actually heard a true 'audiophool' system? I mean the kind with jm labs grand utopia speakers, and a rockport sirius III turntable.[/quote]

That's not an audiophool system. Add the wooden knob dipped in C37, on a volume control made up of a ****** old Alpha carbon pot and that is an audiophool system.

By contrast, I've heard true audiophile systems that I just couldn't believe how good they sounded.

There's a difference between audiophiles and audiophools. I have nothing against the former, but no respect for the latter.

Peace,
Al.

 

[chrissugar]

I'm with Al here.
I am for the sane audiophile principles and equipment.
I heard in the last 15 years some great sounding systems. I listened to some Martin Logan, JM-LAB, Magnepan and some other great speakers but maybe the most shoking experience was an optimised system with Wilson Watt/Puppy speakers. My god, it was a Reference Recording classical orchestra recording and it sounded incredible. There was a long crescendo and all the time I was expecting the system to saturate and to be uncapable to play it without distortion. And the whole crescendo was reproduced without effort. INCREDIBLE. I couldn't believe the detail, stereophony and dynamic. And there was no snake oil, C37 or Shakti stones involved in that.
Even now that sound is in my head as a reference to what I try to achieve.

chrissugar

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I ran across this the other day while Googling for something...

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1202/bybee.htm

This part really says it all:

"However, as is the case with audio cable and interconnect, a fully understood theoretical basis is not necessary to enjoy the benefits of the technology."

And then:

"The purifiers are non-reactive and present a stable, low-impedance load. All devices are now cryogenically treated, which is said to improve performance. The outer layer of the purifier is Teflon coated."

Oooh...cryogenics and teflon coatings--it must be good! Based on the specs it seems like a lump of ceramic formed over a piece of copper wire--turd on a wire! Yours for the low low price of $85. Be sure to check out this guys web site, too.

AnalogPackrat

 

[BYacey]

Iron brick on top of the amp? What the.... Don't be fooled.That isn't just any old iron brick; it's special iron meant to absorb any stray magnetic fields that might be lurking around the chassis. And it's CHROME plated too. It can also be used as a door stop if you aren't concerned about disturbing the molecular balance of the chrome through minor scratches.

 

[bcarso]

The sad part of audio phoolery is that some otherwise educated people will reject all innovation and progress after hearing the silly stuff decried.

But as Chrissugar says, once in a while you hear a system that really works and delivers the goods. And it's usually very expensive!

When I met Keith Johnson (speaking of Reference Recordings) it was at a house he had in the SF Valley. The playback was via his famous three track analog tape machine with his tape heads and own proprietary bias scheme, his electronics throughout including speakers with amps of his design inside. We listened to master tapes. Good gawd y'all.

I remember remarking that I had the sense that if I were to move forward by the apparent distance from the performers I might expect to see rosin from the 'cello dropping down onto my pants. Absolutely stunning realism.

 

[soundguy]

the thing that drives me most nuts is the constant disregard for architecture in the spaces that even intelligent audiophiles will put their $200k worth of gear. For me, its more enjoyable to listen on quested monitors in a nice control room than to sit in front of a crazy sounding system in a box with hard parallel walls, even if the $50K leather couch is real comfortable.

dave

 

[Mendelt]

[quote author="soundguy"]the thing that drives me most nuts is the constant disregard for architecture in the spaces that even intelligent audiophiles will put their $200k worth of gear.[/quote]

I had a nice discussion along these lines with an audiophile friend yesterday. He wondered why I didn't invest in something more than a 2nd hand Quad303 with some old (but nice sounding) Dual speakers to listen to at home... He didn't seem to understand that everything sounds like complete crap in the square concrete box i live in.

You should have seen his reaction when he saw the cheap power-cable I use to connect my speakers :grin: I don't think he'll be coming to me with audio related questions anymore... :roll:

 

[BYacey]

One of the big things I have learned about audiophoolies is that typically they have only a smattering of technical knowledge. They tend to base most of their opinions upon what others tell them, and in a way sort of get brainwashed to the point that do not listen objectively anymore. It's a self-perpetuating cult. If you question the cult leader, you get pushed down to the lesser ranks of the "not worthy because you can't hear what we hear". And they are closed to reason and common sense, so how can you have an objective discussion?

 

[orson whitfield]

[quote author="Cainester"]How many of you have actually heard a true 'audiophool' system? I mean the kind with jm labs grand utopia speakers, ...

Cheers,
Caine[/quote]

Hey Caine,

I have. Why just last weekend I heard those very speakers powered by Krell amps/CD/Transport/Pre , etc. I totally agree with you.

Over 90 % of CDs sound like **** on that system.

Anyway, I suggest you guys in New York go to the Stereophile show at the end of this month and take a listen. Oh and PLEASE REALIZE HOW MUCH MONEY THERE IS OUT THERE TO BE MADE BY TALENTED, SMART PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS HERE! Plus you'll bring down prices for idiots like me. Audiophiles even use AD/DA's from the likes of Universal Audio and M*o*nley.

I have a personal friend who makes a killing in this business. Stop whinning and start making cables that sell for 6 grand a meter! What the hell are you waiting for?

 

[pstamler]

[quote author="BYacey"]Iron brick on top of the amp? What the.... Don't be fooled.That isn't just any old iron brick; it's special iron meant to absorb any stray magnetic fields that might be lurking around the chassis. And it's CHROME plated too. It can also be used as a door stop if you aren't concerned about disturbing the molecular balance of the chrome through minor scratches.[/quote]

I remember that brick, and also the decorator version of it which was encased in hardwood.

Thing is, it did improve the sound when it was placed on top of a power amp. So, however, did a plain old brick brick of approximately similar mass. I figured out that they both stopped the top piece of sheet metal from ringing.

Peace,
Paul

 

[CJ]

Audiophiles/Phools are weird people. They put on a song and sit and stare at their speakers, trying to listen for every nuance. Is that enjoying music, or just being a tweaker? Usually I am doing something while I am listening to music. Driving the car, doing my job at work, riding the bicycle, whatever. Never just staring into blind space by myself. Oh well. Whatever. (I have heard some good systems in the old days, SAE amps, Thorens, McIintosh speakers, blah blah blah... .

What cracks me up is these guys spend bukoo bucks on a syetem, then throw a cd on to listen to!

That's like listening to a wire recording of Robert Johnson thru headphones so you can hear all the noise better. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


(BTW, this belongs in the Brewery)

 

[alk509]

[quote author="CJ"]What cracks me up is these guys spend bukoo bucks on a syetem, then throw a cd on to listen to![/quote]

Not just any CD, though... A Kenny G CD! :green:

Peace,
Al.

 

[BYacey]

AND whats wrong with wire recorders CJ? You cannot totally appreciate Caruso until you hear it on wire reproduced with an exponential horn speaker from the '20s. Of course a battery powered class A triode output stage goes without saying...

 

[CJ]

Exactly, Bill!

Or the supremes on the 56 buick mono AM.

Or the Beatles on a Webcor portable with Telefunken 6BQ5's,
or Hendrix on a Fischer Stereo with Klipsh speaks.

Or a Britney Protools/Autopitch mix thru a one chip Goodguys special. :twisted: :twisted:

I love Kenny's stuff before he sold the farm.
Listen to the new Best Of Jeff Lorber if you want to hear what the man can rerally do.

 

[Marik]

[quote author="CJ"]... Driving the car... [/quote]

Oh oh Chris, you are still driving :shock: :shock: :shock:
Hey guys, watch out! :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: