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I think I've Just Seen Absolute Proof That Audiophiles Are Insanely Gullible

I didn’t want to crap on someone’s sales thread, so I thought i’d post my amazement here. The focus of my disbelief? The "Dalby D7-Vinyl Stabilizer," which is a damn weight that screws onto the turntable spindle to hold the record securely onto the platter. Listed retail? 4000 British Pounds! (although a mag listed it at $6,800! On sale here at AudioGullible for the bargain basement price of 2500 British Pounds, or $3600 US dollars!!! Just read a few snippets of the sales ad . . .

"The D7-Vinyl Stabiliser has a sonic character that brings music to life and the ability to elevate the entire audio frequency from the veil and mechanics inherent in prerecorded music. The gains are immediate, with sweeter high frequency extension while the mid and lower registers are beautifully controlled. The soundscape is wider, higher and deeper, allowing the music to breathe more naturally."

I’m sorry, but I’m calling total BS on this. A friggin’ weight brings "music to life," "sweeter high frequency extension," "allowing the music to breathe more naturally . ." Come on. Its a modified paperweight that screws onto the platter. One can only imagine what this guy thinks about some $20K interconnects for the turntable -- the music probably writes itself! And don’t forget the amazing improvement that a $4,000 carbon fiber mat might add . . . You probably would think you were hallucinating because the music breathed so much it was oozing out of the speakers, like on some of my more memorable nights in college in the ’70’s.

Now I have never heard this amazing gift to the audiophile community, so maybe it is the audio equivalent of the Second Coming, but really? $5,800 for this? It confirms to me that there is a certain insanity/gullibility/too much money/snake oil in this so-called "hobby," (which is a hobby to customers and ridiculous business for some manufacturers). When is enough enough? What about audiophile paint, that has amazing sonic qualities to cut down reflection and make the soundstage so wide that you feel you need a new apartment? Don’t forget the audiophile couch, that is sonically neutral but promises to position your ears to "bring music to life?" OK, I’ve made my point. No offense to the seller of the snake oil, but really . . . When is enough enough?

This concludes my rant for today. :)
moto_man
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,588 posts
 

A couple of points. People talking about audio components or the "best" version of a particular album are usually very clear that their choice is by far the best, no comparison.

Secondly, I don’t think we need a statistically valid, new prescription drug class double blind test. That’s what the "no blind test" people hide behind, saying it would be too difficult and expensive to organize, and it probably would be.

All I want and think is necessary, is for someone who thinks A blows away B, be it wire or recording or whatever, is to put on a blindfold, sit down in his own listening chair and correctly identify the amp, cable, tweak or recording that caused his jaw to hit the floor when he could see what he was listening to.

I just want to make the point that a properly designed double blind test is not needed to test audio claims.

I have always suspected that the fastest way to clear audio reviewers out of an open bar at an audio show would be to pull out some blindfolds.

don_c55
1,025 posts
 
I have what I consider to be an costly system that I built up over the years of $50K.

I think it sounds great. and has all the sound qualities described in the mags that mega buck systems claim to have.

I have been to shows that have many rooms set up with $100k and up systems.

Most all sound much worse than my home system. And store setups are the same!

WHY???

The explanation of "RICH" audiophiles, and dealers of big buck audio is

They take many days to "tune in" before they sound great.
The people setting up the systems are not familiar with the mix of different equipment.
The rooms are "Odd" sizes, and shapes.
The music is bad.
You have to sit in the sweet spot.
The power quality in the hotel is crap.

That is all crap! Period! Why can’t these systems, at the very least, sound very good???

The truth is, big buck systems are most all, "way over hyped", to anyone that is rational at all!

This is the opinion of many, many old audiophiles and all most all outsiders.

The extreme high end, which is now all that is left, will not admit this fact!

When "High End" comes up for discussion in the "real word" we are "all" idiots.

The "big buck" people that are the new majority, are responsible for that view. They use to be the minority, now they rule!

Common sense is not very common.

In the end, and it is the end. Just enjoy what "you" have!

I do not care about future generations.

Good night, and Good Bye!


moto_man OP
363 posts
 
@tomcy6 , so true!  Pull the blindfolds out and see what reviewers say about a product! That would be embarrassing indeed!  The key is that they don't know whether they are listening to the super duper best thing since sliced bread or the same $20,000 "old technology" trash that they drooled and fawned over last year.  I'd love to see that!

almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Regarding blind testing, in this particular case I would certainly expect the differences between the Dalby D7 and most other weights or clamps to be distinguishable, at least when used on most turntables. As I intimated in my post dated 2-2-2016, in fact, I would think that its 3+ pound weight would even damage many turntables, eventually if not sooner.

The real question, though, would be whether differences could be distinguished between this $6800 weight and another 3+ pound weight having similar contact area and costing say $50 or so.

Likewise, while the article I linked to about the Tice clock in my post dated 2-5-16 mentions that in "a blind test ... Frank Doris [a reviewer] was able to detect the Clock with statistical significance," as I said in that post:
I wonder if anyone who may have claimed to have heard positive results from one of these things ever went to the trouble of doing a thorough and honest comparison between the effects of the Tice Clock and the effects the $30 Radio Shack version may have had under the same circumstances.
Regards,
-- Al

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I design and sell a clock that is, while still a clock, totally unlike the Tice Clock in terms of operation, though obviously also rather outlandish - the Clever Little Clock, now in it’s third incarnation. Would you believe the CLC received a Brutus Award from Positive Feedback and (to make matters worse, so to speak) the clock, which is battery powered and can be placed anywhere in the room, underwent a blind test conducted by the reviewer and his wife? What the Clever Lil Clock illustrates so handily, hang on to your hats, is the effect of time itself on our sensory perception of the sound.
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