[comzee]

LINK
 
Thoughts?
 
EDIT:
 
I want to add I'm not an "expert" in this area (audio). News sources all over are reporting the "snake oil" concept here. With items like this it's very easy to debunk, so to speak, the benefits it claims to give. 
 
This is for all my fellow skeptics out there, if you're like me head-fi is a minefield of figuring out what's rhetoric and what's not. What's made up to sell products, and what isn't. Remember conman came from confidence man, which many people have here. A slim few offer up scientific test results. Burn me at the stake now I guess. 
 
My current list of things that don't add quality:
 
1. Anything above 320kbps audio
2. ASIO and similar concepts
3. Any analogue cable that costs over $15*
4. FLAC** 
 
 
 
*first time I heard about cryogenic frozen cables here... -_- no words.
**In some cases FLAC sounds better then 320kbps mp3 just because it was created from a different master source that might have been better.

 

[NawiLlih]

I like my lossless personally, but I do think this "premium SD" sound like a load of BS!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I'd sooner believe that a smartphone case with copper and ERS paper will make for a blacker background.
 
On airplane mode.

 

[IAMBLEST]

LINK

Thoughts?

EDIT:

I want to add I'm not an "expert" in this area (audio). News sources all over are reporting the "snake oil" concept here. With items like this it's very easy to debunk, so to speak, the benefits it claims to give. 

This is for all my fellow skeptics out there, if you're like me head-fi is a minefield of figuring out what's rhetoric and what's not. What's made up to sell products, and what isn't. Remember conman came from confidence man, which many people have here. A slim few offer up scientific test results. Burn me at the stake now I guess. 

My current list of things that don't add quality:

1. Anything above 320kbps audio
2. ASIO and similar concepts
3. Any analogue cable that costs over $15*
4. FLAC** 



*first time I heard about cryogenic frozen cables here... -_- no words.
**In some cases FLAC sounds better then 320kbps mp3 just because it was created from a different master source that might have been better.

What system do you have where you restrict yourself to those 4 principles?

 

[Mooses9]

I'd sooner believe that a smartphone case with copper and ERS paper will make for a blacker background.

On airplane mode.

Yeah this is some crazy bs going they are selling snake oil if anyone was ever doing so.

 

[InsanityOne]

Hello Head-fi,
 
Today I have some very interesting news coming from Sony:
 
Source 1: http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/02/19/sony-to-offer-premium-sound-memory-card/
 
Source 2: http://phandroid.com/2015/02/19/sony-premium-sound-quiet-micro-sd-card-160-dollars/
 

 
 

 "We suppose that’s what brought Sony to manufacture an expensive new “Premium Sound” micro SD card that will go on sale next month in Japan. Priced at $160 for only 64GB of storage, it’s definitely a lot more expensive than the $35 cards you’ll find on Amazon, but Sony’s SD card claims to produce less electrical noise when reading data, something only those with a really keen ear would be capable of hearing."

 
Less electrical noise from an SD card? Only 64GB for $160? I can get 128GB for less than that! I'm pretty lost on this one, what do you all think? Head on over to the two articles and have a quick read for yourselves!
 
Edit: I wouldn't mind someone picking one up and offering a review though... 
 
- Insanity

 

[CrocCap]

deleted

 

[WindowsX]

It saddens me whenever I see people trashing Sony's effort to build better quality of storage. Although I don't really know exactly about improvements they made in the product but from its pinout and internal architecture design, I could see how micro SD card can be improved.

 

1. As for PCB, they could raise copper thickness, improving PCB build quality for reducing interference, redesigning PCB layout for less ground loop, etc. Yeah that would certainly reduce the signal interference in data path.

2. As for voltage supply, They could improve regulator like adding some sort of power filters or use better power regulator providing cleaner power and more stable voltage.

3. As for chips, they could use better grade of interface controller for improved low latency performance or upgrade interface driver with better clock synchronization or use better grade of memory core for less access time and stable voltage data block or something.

4. They could also improve resistors and capacitors using military like high precision 1% or even 0.1% tolerance resistor and lower ripple caps or something.

 

And yeah these are my assumptions of how you could build better micro SD card in terms that audiophiles would be scientifically satisfied. I don't know what Sony did but they even managed to show measurements of reduced noise spike yet people make fun of it without knowing anything about it. I bet the mass would be trashing audiophile grade Solid stage drive as well if released. Sighs...

 

[Azsori]

This is why I still have a soft spot always for Sony: 
 
"A Sony spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that they’re not even sure how well the product will sell, but they’re making it anyway for customers who demand sound quality."
 
 
What more can you ask for as an audiophile?  And who cares about the bad rep?  I get that for my other hobbies as well: Gaming PC's, HTPC, High End TV, High end home surround sound, Car modifications, Anime collections, DLSR photog gear, One each released tablet/smartphone OS type. A lot of people can't think beyond the tangible.  Either way, it is most likely a superior way to implement the technology.  Over great periods of time these things will trickle down and improve baseline standards. 

 

[Ari33]

Yes, I think they could actually be useful for certain devices. I have read a few posts on here with people wondering why their music sounded better from their devices onboard memory in comparison to their micro SD cards.
These noise spikes demonstrated in the Sony test might well have something to do with these reports and adds some credibility to them being a worthwhile solution for some people.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Yeah this is some crazy bs going they are selling snake oil if anyone was ever doing so.

 
Problem is people like those on Reddit will pick up on it, make fun of all audiophiles as audiophools, and they have no idea that audiophiles are laughing at the idea too.

 

[Mooses9]

This is very true too.

 

[Folex]

Hey I am offering audiophile quality banana phone. Only $599
 

 

[Mike37]

Excellent! Will you be releasing a "bunch" version that will do 5.1

 

[Folex]

5.1 being released 2/22/15 for the low price of $1,999.00 w/out optional attachments.