Boycott Monster Cable - Beyond Tiki

B BarkerBird Member Joined: Jul 20, 2004 Posts: 168	B BarkerBird Posted posted on Thu, Dec 23, 2004 11:22 AM The world of hi-tech audio is full of scams. Lots of things "improve the sound" that really just come down to the placebo effect. I know audio engineers that have a big red knob on their mixing board. If the client says to change something that sounds perfect already, they'll turn the big red knob, hit a couple of dead switches and say "How about now?" Invariably the client will say it sounds much better. James Randi, the famous magician and skeptic has gone toe to toe recently with the editors of Stereophile magazine. They frequently run glowing reviews of equipment that couldn't possibly work, but are conveinently also advertised in their magazine. I'm not just talking about cables. But "quantum purifiers" which are just magnets wrapped around cables for a mere $1200. Or "cable cookers" which "warm up" your monster cables for a warmer sound. And then you get to the really wierd stuff like putting "Shakti" stones (yep, just plain rocks!) on your speakers to "align" the sound. http://www.tricell-ent.com/Shakti.htm It's wacky stuff. But remember, if you can't tell the difference when someone randomly switches it on and off and you have your eyes closed, it's just the big red knob effect.

The world of hi-tech audio is full of scams. Lots of things "improve the sound" that really just come down to the placebo effect.

I know audio engineers that have a big red knob on their mixing board. If the client says to change something that sounds perfect already, they'll turn the big red knob, hit a couple of dead switches and say "How about now?" Invariably the client will say it sounds much better.

James Randi, the famous magician and skeptic has gone toe to toe recently with the editors of Stereophile magazine. They frequently run glowing reviews of equipment that couldn't possibly work, but are conveinently also advertised in their magazine. I'm not just talking about cables. But "quantum purifiers" which are just magnets wrapped around cables for a mere $1200. Or "cable cookers" which "warm up" your monster cables for a warmer sound. And then you get to the really wierd stuff like putting "Shakti" stones (yep, just plain rocks!) on your speakers to "align" the sound. http://www.tricell-ent.com/Shakti.htm

It's wacky stuff. But remember, if you can't tell the difference when someone randomly switches it on and off and you have your eyes closed, it's just the big red knob effect.

Post #132498 by BarkerBird on Thu, Dec 23, 2004 11:22 AM