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How to detect Snake Oil

post #1 of 91
6/16/08 at 5:38pm
Thread Starter 
A "free" gift...


Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil — Audioholics Home Theater Reviews and News
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post #2 of 91
6/16/08 at 6:07pm
I have snake oil detectors available, £349.99 each and can be used up to 15 times before you need to refill the detection cartridge.
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post #3 of 91
6/16/08 at 6:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duggeh View Post
I have snake oil detectors available, £349.99 each and can be used up to 15 times before you need to refill the detection cartridge.
You might also be interested in my BS repellant!
It comes in ozone-depleting 12 oz spray cans and handy 3 oz pocket sprayers...handy for dealing with BS when you're "on the go"!!!

It should be legal to spray people down with silly string when they're trying to shovel you a load
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post #4 of 91
6/16/08 at 6:27pm
Any manufacturer that refuses to allow double blind testing is selling snake oil.
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post #5 of 91
6/16/08 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mojo View Post
Any manufacturer that refuses to allow double blind testing is selling snake oil.
I'd even settle for an un-biased third party test!

Like consumer news where they buy the product with their own cash, don't take freebies or loaners, no advertizing collusion, etc...

I come to forums to get away from the brainwashed lemmings that populate the audio rags and what do I find... the inmates have taken over the asylum!!!
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post #6 of 91
6/16/08 at 7:31pm
That website is an on-line store that sells home theater equipment and cables from "SonicWave" and "Velocity". Why is their proclamation any more useful than any other proclamations from other vendors and retail stores?
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post #7 of 91
6/17/08 at 1:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon L View Post
That website is an on-line store that sells home theater equipment and cables from "SonicWave" and "Velocity". Why is their proclamation any more useful than any other proclamations from other vendors and retail stores?
Possibly because they don't feel they are selling snake oil?
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post #8 of 91
6/17/08 at 2:10am
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post #9 of 91
6/17/08 at 2:12am
If it looks like a snake, then there's bound to be snake oil inside of it!
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post #10 of 91
6/17/08 at 2:29am
I heard that snake oil hit $140/barrel today.

Wait... I think I'm confused here.
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post #11 of 91
6/17/08 at 2:35am
Some things on that list are completely bull!

6) Cryo : I've heard the exactly same Cardas 4x24 Cryo treated vs standard, they DO sound different.

7) Break-in : I've build quite a few RCA-RCA cables. The one I built last year using EXACTLY THE SAME wire and connectors sounds somewhat more refined than the one I built yesterday and have put maybe an hour on.

9) Solid vs Stranded : Will be trying to prove/disprove this during the summer with solid core Cardas wire.

Bonus Section) Directional wire : Wire CAN BE directional; if shielding is connected only one one side, it should be connected on the SOURCE; that way the return path will be shorter.
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post #12 of 91
6/17/08 at 3:27am
Have you blind tested the cryo cables vs. standard/burned-in cables vs. the new ones? If you haven't, you can't call them "completely bull;" you can say your experiences have differed, but saying that something is meritless usually demands some sort of substantial evidence aside from personal experiences. Anecdotal evidence isn't invalid, it just isn't compelling.
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post #13 of 91
6/17/08 at 4:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by royalcrown View Post
Have you blind tested the cryo cables vs. standard/burned-in cables vs. the new ones? If you haven't, you can't call them "completely bull;" you can say your experiences have differed, but saying that something is meritless usually demands some sort of substantial evidence aside from personal experiences. Anecdotal evidence isn't invalid, it just isn't compelling.
Sure, I built a new pair of cables yesterday using the same materials I always use in my system (18AWG Cardas wire in Teflon with Yarbo 50RB RCA) because I need a slightly longer cable than before (1m instead of 2ft). I plugged it in and noticed that the cable sounded sharper in the highs and the bass wasn't as controlled. I switched back to my old pair and everything sounded right again. Switched again to the new IC and the bloated bass is back. It's not night-and-day difference but it's noticeable enough that I want to find out why it doesn't sound right. I know how my favorite tracks sound and when they don't, I get concerned.

Cryo vs not, I had used that 4x24 Cardas wire a while ago (over a year) and no longer have it so I can't pull it out and test right now. I remember noting slight differences, but I can't recall exactly now. Next time I refill my wire supply, I'll make sure to buy cryo and standard versions of the same wire and have a listen. Will likely happen in a few months. On a practicality note, cryo has the advantage of being more resistant to breaking, that alone makes solid-core wires worth cryo treatment especially for headphone recables and portable cables that suffer abuse.

Now this really confuses me; what exactly would qualify as "substantial evidence aside from personal experience"?
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post #14 of 91
6/17/08 at 5:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
Now this really confuses me; what exactly would qualify as "substantial evidence aside from personal experience"?
I believe he was referring to double blind testing.
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post #15 of 91
6/17/08 at 5:38am
And why do we need a link on "how to detect snake oil"...? I just use my "thinking cap".. it works wonders... seriously..
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