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It almost seems that absolutely everything affects sound reproduction. Do I really need to place precisely shaped and "engineered" rare wooden, stone, metal or alien objects in, exactly the correct position, and proximity to my electronics?

Shall I cryogenically freeze my brain along the the $1000/meter ultra wire some claim as best.

Could an extra crystal interface, or three, be better than one long oxygen deprived copper dong?

Is my 1950's grass wallpaper -- which imparts a natural sound -- better than the new genetically engineered, hydroponically grown variety?

Would my amp prefer the air in my attic to the plasticizer laden air found near carpeting?

Would speaker cables be better laying upon fresh sod than ceramic floor risers.

I do know a marked improvement was realized when I drilled out the center of some expensive wooden pre amp knobs and poured molten lead inside. The difference was the greatest when playing Heavy Metal.

Ahhh! You definitely worry too much my friend! All you need is a room full of friends (to improve the acoustics) and a firm piece of duct tape over everyone's verbal outlet slithe (to keep them silent). Perhaps a drink (through a straw) for everyone would improve on the general mood too. NB! Play LOUD!

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All you need is a room full of friends (to improve the acoustics)

True!

There are thousands of aspects of electricity and it's use that we have no understanding of. Many of these dubious products search (with mixed results)
and find answers to the questions we still have regarding sound and the energy that supplies it.

What once many thought bullshit of say, Cardas's Golden Ratio, many now find that it's origins and developments are sound, logical fundamental progression of learning and evolving knowledge about electricity and its uses.

Look at the fact that many new cable products use similar forging processes like Cardas, because they realize through sound engineering, that compression of metals (or other processes) can create alloys (vdH), or complete marriage of cable and connector.

What your limited knowledge is preventing is a good desire to learn and seek the truth. Your own conviction that everything is bullshit is prohibiting an open mind, and therefore your own unbiased search for the truth, about any aspect of audio engineering and design.

As soon as we collectively figure out the every aspect of the nature of universe, we can create better audio products that sound better, and also explain and market more effectively to the masses what is really occuring.

Until then, be confused. Be very confused.

Oh yeah, the LAST stylus treatment I use on my schmuck to shine up my knob from time to time... awesome.

Who knew that I could keep my cartridge stylus in top shape for 10 plus years AND keep my putz rock hard for almost the same duration??!

I rest my case. But not my dong.

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It almost seems that absolutely everything affects sound reproduction. Do I really need to place precisely shaped and "engineered" rare wooden, stone, metal or alien objects in, exactly the correct position, and proximity to my electronics?

Shall I cryogenically freeze my brain along the the $1000/meter ultra wire some claim as best.

Could an extra crystal interface, or three, be better than one long oxygen deprived copper dong?

Is my 1950's grass wallpaper -- which imparts a natural sound -- better than the new genetically engineered, hydroponically grown variety?

Would my amp prefer the air in my attic to the plasticizer laden air found near carpeting?

Would speaker cables be better laying upon fresh sod than ceramic floor risers.

I do know a marked improvement was realized when I drilled out the center of some expensive wooden pre amp knobs and poured molten lead inside. The difference was the greatest when playing Heavy Metal.

I'm sure that certain people on here would gladly sell you some "improvements". Looks like you know already what does and doesn't work but I like your humor

Send in the clowns.

To answer your concerns I will address them individually.

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It almost seems that absolutely everything affects sound reproduction. Do I really need to place precisely shaped and "engineered" rare wooden, stone, metal or alien objects in, exactly the correct position, and proximity to my electronics?

No. It's like Horshoes. Close can be a winner.

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Shall I cryogenically freeze my brain along the the $1000/meter ultra wire some claim as best.

No. Brains that have been frozen don't work when thawed. Of course this presumes said brain worked prior to freezing.

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Could an extra crystal interface, or three, be better than one long oxygen deprived copper dong?

Absolutely not. Everyone knows one long dong is better than two or three short ones.

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Is my 1950's grass wallpaper -- which imparts a natural sound -- better than the new genetically engineered, hydroponically grown variety?

No. If my memory is correct three (I think) weeks in Amsterdam for the Cannibus Cup.... uh what was the question?

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Would my amp prefer the air in my attic to the plasticizer laden air found near carpeting?

Of course it would. Being a huffer kills brain cells and ruins lung capacity. You could keep your amp close to that wallpaper. That way you could be close to it also.

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Would speaker cables be better laying upon fresh sod than ceramic floor risers.

No. Try putting the risers on fresh sod with the cables on the floor.

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I do know a marked improvement was realized when I drilled out the center of some expensive wooden pre amp knobs and poured molten lead inside. The difference was the greatest when playing Heavy Metal.

What did you expect.

Thanks for that! I haven't laughed so hard in years.

Mark

Well done, JoeE.

Concise, direct unequivocal answers.

Saying, "Too many things..." is just scratching the surface.

How about we add some that don't get sufficient play...

1) How come us golden ears can hear the effect of putting a quarter-sized disc on the wall, but can't hear a difference between listening at 68 vs. 75 degrees air temp?

2) Why do we not say things like, "My system's optimum humidity is 30%?"

3) A piece of wood the size of a spool of thread can have significant sonic impact, but we expect our systems to sound the same when we demo for a another person or people.

4) When we say things like, "One record lead to another...and the next thing I knew it was 5 a.m...." why don't we notice changes in perception more readily based on our sleep/wake cycle, etc?

Wouldn't it make more sense to say, "I listened until my natural cortisol levels had fallen and noted a change in how things sounded."

5) For guys our age, I'm surprised we don't have people saying, "The Viagra was great, but it also improved my listening experience so much that I became distracted and stopped what I was doing and just listened for a while."

6) I have yet to see a "We got new carpeting and pads and the sonic change is spectacular," or the opposite.

7) "I do my best listening during a new moon. Waxing gibbous it the worst."

8) "When I have my wife's meatloaf, my system sound declines, and when I eat my girlfriend's muffin everything sounds better."

9) "If I miss my blood pressure pill my system sounds better/worse."

"If my blood sugar gets too high, treble suffers on my system."

10) "There's this one pair of slippers that make my system sound best when I'm wearing them."

____

Of all the various bullshit we feed ourselves, I am constantly amazed that we so frequent stop noticing things when there isn't a specific product to buy.

Time for a line of listening clothes, listening supplements, listening furnishings, etc...

No flames intended, just thinking about all the places our explorations don't lead on this sonic journey.

You have described the tension well. The line between legitimate and highly suspect is ever wavering.

Buddha's list, while tongue firmly planted in cheek, is superb.

I wondered about your screen name. All I know about pentagrids is that they were in FM tuners.

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There are thousands of aspects of electricity and it's use that we have no understanding of.

Evidence?

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Imagine, the old pgc vacuum tube used to impress me with (for its time) its great physical complexity and compact design.

They still impress me. The physicality of tubes and what they accomplish is fascinating.

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Imagine, the old pgc vacuum tube used to impress me with (for its time) its great physical complexity and compact design.

They still impress me. The physicality of tubes and what they accomplish is fascinating.

And they are fun to design with. Some of the newer USSR_era tubes have some amazing specs, like 90vdc and 2 amps!

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Imagine, the old pgc vacuum tube used to impress me with (for its time) its great physical complexity and compact design.

They still impress me. The physicality of tubes and what they accomplish is fascinating.

And they are fun to design with. Some of the newer USSR_era tubes have some amazing specs, like 90vdc and 2 amps!

One can't help wondering how they'd stack up against vintage Sylvanias or RCAs in listening tests. And if they spec better or worse.