[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathanjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm very sympathetic to this...if we can show that cables (or whatever) make no perceivable difference in SQ in DBTs, and if we spread the word enough, hopefully we can save a lot of people from spending money pointlessly and (more importantly, perhaps...) begin enjoying their cheap(er) gear. However, I'm reminded by Hume that the reason is the slave of the passions, and I'm sceptical that we can ever rid people of their potentially false beliefs. People will doubt the science, no doubt.

Hey, people are still looking for Big Foot.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -

scep·ti·cal /ˈskɛptɪkəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[skep-ti-kuhl]

adj. Variant of skeptical.

 

[b0dhi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Real Man of Genius /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because once you have exposed Mr Placebo for the lying biatch that he is you can then enjoy the cheaper stuff without having to spend the extra dough. Reality can have it's perks too.

Actually, placebo experiments show that even after you tell someone that what they swallowed/felt/heard was a placebo, it still doesn't make the effect of the placebo diminish.

So, in a strange way, even the box the headphones come in affects the sound of those headphones. The grandeur of the presentation will make the person expect better sound, and they will hear it (not just imagine it, mind you - actually hear it. The neurological response changes).

Delusion has its perks

That said...I don't own any cd demagnetisers\expensive power cables\vibration pads etc. Unfortunately I'm a sceptic too ;p

 

[Stikk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moogoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif Damn straight- for the small amount of time I was forced to use a thin, piddly USB cable with my DAC, I kept fretting till I got a nice, thick one. No logic or reasoning involved. And I sure couldn't tell a difference, either, but at least I could rest.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't USB a digital signal..? Like HDMI, it either gets there or it doesnt, so you can't really improve the quality of the signal because if it doesnt all get there, none of it gets there!

That's just my understanding of it, feel free to correct me if I have been misinformed..

 

[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stikk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't USB a digital signal..? Like HDMI, it either gets there or it doesnt, so you can't really improve the quality of the signal because if it doesnt all get there, none of it gets there! That's just my understanding of it, feel free to correct me if I have been misinformed..

It IS, that's why placebo was the most important factor in my decision.

 

[krismusic]

I am getting really fed up with reading hyperbolic claims from manufacturers that thier product uniquely delivers the "emotion" of the music. The musician does that! It is as if I have a well machined ball bearing and someone comes along and tells me they have a better machined one. Maybe but it won't make any practical difference. Sorry. The last thing we need is another analogy uI am very close to giving this hobby up. Grrrr!

 

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by moogoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Damn straight- for the small amount of time I was forced to use a thin, piddly USB cable with my DAC, I kept fretting till I got a nice, thick one. No logic or reasoning involved. And I sure couldn't tell a difference, either, but at least I could rest.

This isn't placebo. It's OCD.

 

[krismusic]

Originally Posted by moogoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Damn straight- for the small amount of time I was forced to use a thin, piddly USB cable with my DAC, I kept fretting till I got a nice, thick one. No logic or reasoning involved. And I sure couldn't tell a difference, either, but at least I could rest.

This isn't placebo. It's OCD.

Ha ha. I was thinking of you when I posted here. Very much enjoying not lugging the Mojo around thanks to you!

 

[bigshot]

We reserve the right to claim you as a Sound Science success story!

You were really mad at me in the beginning? Remember? Now we're pals.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Quote:

Originally Posted by QQQ /img/forum/go_quote.gif If it works, it's all godd i guess. I know people who's just can't relax with cheap cables(or anything) in their system. They say - even i can't know for sure is there any difference or not, i'm feeling much better about my system when all the components are top-notch.

Damn straight- for the small amount of time I was forced to use a thin, piddly USB cable with my DAC, I kept fretting till I got a nice, thick one. No logic or reasoning involved. And I sure couldn't tell a difference, either, but at least I could rest.

Sure, but you could have easily trained out that irrational response, and it is an irrational response, by continuing to stick with the thin cable until your brain finally got exhausted. It would have taken some effort and time, but perhaps that would have been a good investment?

 

[krismusic]

We reserve the right to claim you as a Sound Science success story!

You were really mad at me in the beginning? Remember? Now we're pals.

Happy to be SS poster boy! I honestly don't remember being mad at you. You have saved me going down the rabbit hole several times over the years.

 

[Sonic Defender]

If you cease to be a slave to your passions then you have no reason to listen to music any more, as it will not evoke the feelings in you that it once did.

I am not entirely clear what you are trying to say so perhaps I am misunderstanding you. Are you saying that if somebody is driven by passion to waste money on things like special cables, but stops doing so they are no longer able to enjoy the music at the same level? If so that just doesn't seem to make sense and there is no rationale basis for, or way to test those assumptions. Sorry, hope that didn't come across as too harsh, but this is the Sound Science forum where we are allowed to be honest in our critiques.

 

[bfreedma]

I am not entirely clear what you are trying to say so perhaps I am misunderstanding you. Are you saying that if somebody is driven by passion to waste money on things like special cables, but stops doing so they are no longer able to enjoy the music at the same level? If so that just doesn't seem to make sense and there is no rationale basis for, or way to test those assumptions. Sorry, hope that didn't come across as too harsh, but this is the Sound Science forum where we are allowed to be honest in our critiques.

You’re responding to a post from 2008 from a member who’s last post was in 2009. Not sure you’re going to get a clarification...

 

[Sonic Defender]

You’re responding to a post from 2008 from a member who’s last post was in 2009. Not sure you’re going to get a clarification...

Ha ha, totally missed that. So funny.

 

[SilentNote]

It's not that the placebo effect isn't real or doesn't improve audio perception of the listener, but that there's so much snake oil in the high end audio industry that it's unethical.

Selling a $8000 cable that passes digital signals is just a scam - whether it evokes placebo effect or not.

 

[bigshot]

Encouraging placebo is good for business.