I got 2 of these from Amazon...careful that free returns are applicable. I charged them up, turned them on and holy moly.....they do help with my system. What I hear is clarity....space between instruments, a definite difference in upright and electric bass, wider soundstage...you know...all the good stuff. At first I thought it might be increased brightness, but no....it is still the same in that regard. I still can't believe it, and will listen again tomorrow (saved the packaging for the return)...but today, I'm about to keep them.
I was hoping you could provide more of an argument
I forget to say that if you want an argument i only have one...
Probably because these chinese device are cheap and not very precise the audible effect linked to what is the "listener envelopment" experience in acoustic is not related to the precise Schuman resonance anyway...
It is probably a result of the coupling of this device and his own low frequency impulse with our audio system in the same electrical grid which produce an audible effect through the electrical noise floor...
It is easy to verify with my experiment number 2:
Put a shungite piece over the capacitor of the device: compression of the sound..
Put an herkimer diamond only : the sound is more airy and perhaps too much...
Put the shungite add copper tape on his external face+ an herkimer diamond: the audible effect is more balanced and more musical...
Then before calling the police against a conman , try something easy to verify and better than only a "spoken argument" that will never convince any "skeptic club member" anyway and which is useless to those who have tried it successfully or not...
and refrain to insult in beginning or in ending post and even all along the post....
There is no argument in your 2 posts, in mine, there is a first experiment , then a precise acoustic concept description experience, and after that a second experiment with verifiable effects and finally an argument for the reason of the possible S.G. effect assuming no link with the Schumann resonance phenomena...
If i am "sick" i am coherently articulated even with my bad English....
Anyway my best to you without any backmind toughts, life is short.....
I was hoping you could provide more of an argument
FIRST- the effect of the S.G. in an audio system IS OR IS NOT related to the precise set of frequencies called Schumann resonance; i dont know, i doubt that a 10 bucks chinese S.G. is very precise and anything i read was not clear about that effect of Schuman resonance in audio save the publicity to sells costly models... I dont bought costly "tweaks" at all anyway...I prefer homemade one of my own creation or modified cheap devices...
SECOND- you insult me already in your first post about gullible people and con man, when i only speak about a 20 bucks fun and interesting experiment..
THIRD- i already precisely described, in the post preceding your first here, the precise audible acoustic effect of the S.G. in my room for my ears in relation to a very precise acoustical experience and objective concept: the " listener envelopment" sound experience... I even proposed already a simple set of experiments repeatable with precise effects to verify the existence of an objective effect by the S.G. Is it not better than argument for or against?
This is not perhaps "arguments" like arguments in pitch sale for S.G. costly model, this is only precise acoustic concept and precise experiments i propose to the reader...I dont have "argument", no, we dont argue here, we try experimenting and perhaps ,after that, we try to describe the acoustical experience with the precise acoustical concept you seems to not knows anyway, the"listener envelopment"...
It is not enough? You wanted a tested scientific theory written for you before buying 20 bucks toy for an experiment? Or you call the police to arrest the con men you already insulted? Are you a standing comic?
My intention was not to insult you, just point out where you erred in your analysis or judgement.
FOUR- i erred in " analysis" and "judgement" in proposing a fun and simple experiment? i repeat, are you a standing comic?
It goes beyond hypocrisy to insult and attack the messenger while not adding anything to the coherent conversation. To borrow one of your tactics: "Never argue with a sick mind" .....Joe Walsh I wish you good luck and good mental health.
This is the end of your last post with insults.... And here your first post... Then WHO INSULT WHOM?
Yes, there are some people who believe in science and physics and not voodoo. There are people who are not gullible or naive and can realize when they are being conned. Some people don’t fall for the logical fallacy of "the appeal to authority", especially when the authority on science you are appealing to is Groucho Marx.
FIVE-English is not my first language and i apologize for my bad use of syntax etc...
By the wayhere is no mysticism in the way i speak of science in my last posts save for a very narrow mind sorry... And i an not here in this thread to propose argument for a theory of Schuman resonance in audio or for selling S.G.... we speak about a simple, possibly rewarding, anyway funny EXPERIMENT...No argument could never replace an experiment... you boast about science and you dont know that? or science is only a belief for you perhaps?
And note when you speak about my "cunning" of people that i sell nothing and only recommend to buy peanuts cost devices...I repeat i know but it is an important fact ....
I was hoping you could provide more of an argument than just a bunch of double talk and mysticism cloaked in bad grammar an improper English, but such is not the case.
I was hoping you could provide more of an argument than just a bunch of double talk and mysticism cloaked in bad grammar an improper English, but such is not the case. Schumann Resonance is well defined phenomenon and easily understood, but unfortunately, these devices can't possibly produce what they portend to, all evidence is against that argument. You can try to make the diluted assertions that you don't understand (or care) how they produce an affect, but the most you can come up with is your personal experience which is subjective, unverifiable, and open to suspicion. I would call it a pseudo-science (that which cannot be disproved) but it doesn't even rise to that level, it is just the rantings of a highly disorganized mind. Throw in a few irrelevant quotes a bunch of disclaimers and some pious indignation and that pretty much covers your position. My intention was not to insult you, just point out where you erred in your analysis or judgement. It goes beyond hypocrisy to insult and attack the messenger while not adding anything to the coherent conversation. To borrow one of your tactics: "Never argue with a sick mind" .....Joe Walsh I wish you good luck and good mental health.
I have no noise in ANY system when I route everything correctly.. I don’t have inherent noise. If I did I would fix the piece of equipment.. Pretty simple for me.. My equipment doesn’t make NOISE it makes music... I quit having that problem 45 years ago..
Proper ROUTING, goes a long ways.. Be careful with cables... I move cables I pay.. simple.. 15-45 minutes. A warm up time always fixes mine.. A cable swap that's new, 24 hours, used a hour or two.. BUT the first 15 minutes more so than anything.. Pretty subtle after the first 24. TT cable use to drive me nuts.. The new din 5s.. RCAs are so much easier..
Yes, there are some people who believe in science and physics and not voodoo.
Myself i trust science but i dont "believe" in science to begins with...It is not necessary to believe in something that is repeatable, i trust that it will be possible to repeat the experiment...It is not always the case, because of the indefinite numbers of factors at play, then believing here is the most sure way to be deceived by "science"... I will not go further...Scientists dont believe first and last in scientific law they prefer to test them daily and use them or trespass them ....There are limits to their test also and they try to go further....It is called history of science...
And like said someone more wise than you and me: «History of science is science» Goethe
The difference is i dont use my take on science for an alibi to my laziness or my curiosity in audio....I try to think without narrow mind with science but also with an open mind out of my limited understanding.... Most phenomena are anyway unexplained by science at all....Are you even conscious of that?
By the way before insulting me, learn how to read my COMPLETE post before interpreting it... There are 3 citations and only one from Groucho... Then put the 3 citations in your head and process the three together to understand what is the meaning intended by me about science...3 things simultaneously in your head are too much? Quit thinking about science and try sport... 😁😊
Interesting. I thought the SR devices do not affect the sound or the listening environment, they only relax the listener
Before answering a post it is better to read the context of the thread and the other posts of the poster you anwered to...
I even suggest a precise EXPERIMENT of my own, with repeatable results, demonstrating the opposite of what you think about this only "subjective relaxing" effect +a placebo effect....
And we are all happy to know that you are not like us a gullible one....You spare 20 dollars congratulations!
There are people who are not gullible or naive and can realize when they are being conned.
Yes, there are some people who believe in science and physics and not voodoo. There are people who are not gullible or naive and can realize when they are being conned. Some people don't fall for the logical fallacy of "the appeal to authority", especially when the authority on science you are appealing to is Groucho Marx.
Results : Regaining immediately the listener envelopment sphere normal diameter and power...
Interesting. I thought the SR devices do not affect the sound or the listening environment, they only relax the listener so the music becomes more enjoyable. Are you that easily affected that a change in mood can be turned on-off like a switch with immediate results?
By the way a simple experiment i made numerous time sometimes forgetting to put some part of my S.G. grid ON:
I disconnected few minutes ago 9 of my 12 S.G. : results: collapse of the " envelopment listener sphere" potential diameter to a very smaller or less powerful one... It is the way how the sound can be sitting in our face litterally and powerfully...It is not related to volume deafening listening by the way even if some minimal volume is required...
I decide to put them ON again... Results : Regaining immediately the listener envelopment sphere normal diameter and power...
You can conclude to "placebo", but it will be an easy erroneous conclusion, because placebo work for small borderline audible change, not for the perceptive collapse of the listener envelopment potential sphere, if you experience one to begins with and if you know what this concept acoustically means anyway to begins with....
It is not soundstage which is about the way sound go out of the space between speakers and the way each instruments is posit in 3 dimensions in perceived space...Envelopment listener potential sphere diameter or power, is not the same experience nor the same concept...Imagine a voice coming immediately from your left ears but the speakers are in front of you? Or the same voice coming from the back of your head? And the speakers are in front of you....This is listener envelopment sphere,,, I gain it way better with my Helmholtz mechanical equalizer completed but i gain it mostly from my S.G. connected grid.... The two devices were necessary for my experience...
Most audio system are not enough rightfully set in the acoustical dimension of their room anyway to give to someone even one audible envelopment listener potential sphere experience.... Most people work hard to gain only a decent imaging and a decent soundstage and envelopment listener sphere come ONLY after imaging and sounstage are there already...It is with natural timbre perception very difficult to recreate but easy if we know how to deal with acoustic.... And in a small room it takes more than just balancing passive reflecting,absorbing and diffusing surface...It takes an activation and controls of the pressure zones which i did with my mechanical Helmholtz equalizer and in a less powerful way with my Ionizers...
By the way this envelopment listerner potential sphere is also linked to the original way the recording engineer put his microphones and the type chosen around or near the performers....Your are projected in the original performing space in an acoutically translated way by your own room acoustical settings... It is a way more lively experience...
Most people here dont even know what this envelopment listener potential sphere is in a 2 speakers system experience....
Then for them calling my experience "placebo" reflect only the poor environment where they listen to....Or their lazy prejudices against a cheap experiment...Or their lack of acoustical experience in a small room...
To be frank i dont understand a so much STRONG "irrational" reaction and bashing of a so fun and cheap experiment, an a rewarding one for many in the past, with even possible new discoveries if someone dare to experiment?
For sure some people can register no effect in their system and room and for them because of the many factors involving the different noise floor levels coming from mechanical, electrical and acoustical sources... And the discriminative hearing history of each listener being another one...
There exist only one answer to the rejection a priori : prejudices coming not from science but from "scientism" and from patent "sellers" habits here or owners of costly gear, who dont like the idea that audiophile experience may not be so costly at all...
Am i forgetting another reason?
The truth is simple tough, audiophile experience righfully implemented MAY cost peanuts.... Sorry for those who dont like the truth.
Acoustic is Queen in Sound and Music, not electronic design...It is only his useful mate for some kind of reproduction via Fourier method.... 😊 But learn by yourself that this Queen is hermaphrodite and does not need this mate at all cost....
Dont conflate the 2 .....The cost would be very high in all meaning of the words....
And dont believe only in science, like some in religion, learn it at your own level: experiment yourself the truth.....
«Man is greater than science because he dont conflate knowledge with understanding and understanding with truth»-Anonymus Smith
« Some "Science" is often only a fucking habit»-Groucho Marx
I have built systems that have inherent noise levels above absolute silence,
Not to rain on your parade Douglas_schroeder, it is quite the accomplishment I am sure, but don't all systems have inherent noise levels that are above absolute silence?
2 it is an experiment not a market consumers products in a conditioning article in an audio review about a miraculous electronic new costly design to bought at all cost...
3 this experiment could improve many average system for peanuts
4 i propose an interesting complementary experiment for those not intellectually rigid and curious, with 2 different additions on top of the S.G.
5 it is not the first and best way to improve all audio system FOR SURE....A common place fact is not something we can use to bash the experiment....
6 but ONE of the best way to improve most audio system is not upgrading EITHER and may cost nothing at all and i prove it for myself: Acoustic active controls
7 those who bash a 20 bucks experimnent for no reason against all those who claim to like the effect of S.G. in their system and room are mostly consumers and sellers of costly hyped audio products or member of the "Skeptic sun day scientists boy club»
8 i am affilated with none of these groups
9 ANY electronic component in a system introduce noise of his own ’ a S.G. or a new amplifier, it is an engineering fact called a TRADE-OFF... we must deal with this trade-off our own way and in our own system to decide for or against....I did....By the way there is no system immune to the house noise floor ...But we can decrease it...I did....
10 read point number(9) 2 times to digest this nut of science ...
gbanderhoos, +1, my friend! Such things should be obvious, but apparently not.
I have perhaps five reasons why such devices are ridiculous for system building, but I only mentioned one of them. The infusion of noise into the room was another. Kudos for linking to the site so that it can be seen.
There is so much desperation to achieve something significant in terms of improving a rig on the cheap that gimmicks will always sell.
Further, it is an interesting phenomenon that certain equipment receives a pass in terms of introduced noise. I have built systems that have inherent noise levels above absolute silence, but I'm not inclined to introduce a product that purposely adds noise.
MC- glad we’re in agreement in disturbing wires causing sound disparities, and of course different cables can sound better than others within manufacturers. I keep my cables off the floor and none touch each other- without cable elevators. It’s all about the law of diminishing returns and how much the improvement is worth to you versus the total stereo investment.
@theaudiotweak - Plinius says 24 hours for maximum sound warm up. Not sure if it’s superconductive though. That’s I why always leave it on- except when the cleaning comes- just out of extreme paranoia. FYI- I turned it back on right after they left around 2 and when I listened around 5-6 it did not sound right.....tomorrow will be better. I may gamble and leave it on next time....nah.
I also believe as AJ van den Hul states in his 100 page audio white
paper/encyclopedia on his web site that moving wires has a short term
change in sound until returned to their steady state. That would imply
that vibrations in cables, amps and the like would impact SQ, however, I
don't believe it is audible under "normal" circumstances.
I don't know what "normal" circumstances are, but I figured this out all by myself decades ago.
At the time I had 2 identical Synergistic Research Master Coupler power cords. Absolutely identical, bought at the same time. Ted was saying he selects his wire by listening, not all wire qualifies. So I figured if that was the case then maybe I can do the same, maybe even two seemingly identical wires one sounds slightly better than another.
So I listened to my CD player with the one that was on it. Then I unplugged the other one and moved it over to the CDP. Immediately flabbergasted to hear the second PC was not as detailed, focused, clear and liquid! It was not huge but was easy to hear, absolutely no doubt about it.
I listened to it for several minutes, wracking my brain for how it could be that Synergistic would sell two cables so different in performance. Well probably no one would ever notice unless comparing side by side, and why would anyone ever do that?? After a few minutes I began to get the feeling this one was still a little better but not nearly so much. Seriously.
So I swapped them back and what do you know, now this one sounded worse!
It was at this point when I remembered that when Caelin Gabriel (yes the Shunyata Caelin Gabriel) came over one time how gingerly and carefully he handled his power cords. One guy was even giving him a hard time about it. But I remember and now was starting to think maybe there is something to this after all.
This is a very easy test anyone can perform. Take your power cord, speaker cable, or interconnect, listen to it, give it a good thorough wiggle and bend, listen again. It will sound like crap at first, and then settle back into normal performance after some minutes. How crappy and how many minutes depends more on how good a listener you are than anything to do with the cable. If you are a really good listener it will be obvious, and you will hear it change back practically second by second. Odds are you are an average listener and you will just barely notice. Whatever. Your problem. Not mine!
This is the real reason cable elevators and things like that work so well. This is something I have been able to prove by using a rubber band to suspend the cable above the elevator. Shouldn't make any difference but it does.
People, you do not need big thick books or guys with impressive names to tell you this stuff. Just go and listen. You will hear.
Take it a little lighter. Whatever you want to write, wait until tomorrow. Your post was a bit contradictory in some places.
"You are an unpaid sellers of new products my friend not someone able to build a system, someone who BUY ready made electronic components..."
What does this mean? Is he a seller or a buyer? Those two may be different. Is there some other meaning of that sentence? Could you rewrite it?
"I created for 500 bucks my own system, not with upgrades but with elementary scientific facts..."
"By the way i succeeded to reach a great S.Q. at NO COST....."
Is it no cost, or is it $500?
"I dont pretend to have the greatest system , read me right please, but my modest system work at his optimal quality working...."
That is great, but it has nothing to do with the rest of it. It only says that your system is as good as it can be. Which my transistor radio is, too. Except that my radio is not that great despite being as great as I can expect it to be. I am not saying your system is not great, you have a model up from my wonderful old speakers which means it must be the best out there of course, but that your statements make very little sense.
Why being so mad that people buy more expensive things from time to time? Why does that bother you?
Calm down a little bit. From this distance, it seems you are losing your composure.
@cd318 - my point was that I was surprised that the improvement from changing arms from the Rega P5 arm (RB700) to the one from the P8 (RB880) ON the P5 table was much more significant than when I changed the table itself (of course keeping the RB880) from the P5 to the P8.
I expected the table upgrade to be more noticeable, especially since it cost more than the arm upgrade alone. I am still glad I upgraded the table because it has a few features I really like - the better wiring and connectors to the PSU and from the arm, and the dustcover design in addition to sounding better.
It would be interesting to compare the P8 to much more expensive tables if they were placed on a perfectly non-vibrating surface. Regas have low internal noise due to their low mass, but can be vibrated easily because of it. I guess that's why Rega sells wall shelves specifically for the P8/P10. If you really want to see the philosophy taken to extremes, check out the Rega Naiad. It looks like it weighs nothing. It is the design model the P8 and P10 are based on. i think it goes for $40K and is very limited in production, if at all. Probably by special order only.
@theaudiotweak - not surprising that warming up an amp for 45 minutes from dead cold would improve the sound. I think the argument that Doug is making is about burn or break in not being important, not warm up. I think that is universally agreed upon.
When a geophysicist, mathematician and co designer on some of my projects came to visit I had her take a listen to my just turned on system. I asked her to close her eyes and spread her arms to the left and right edges of the soundstage. She expressed 11 to 1..
After 45 mins of playing time and repeating the same tracks at the same exact volume for her to close her eyes again and spread her arms to the left and right extension of the soundstage... ...she expressed 9 to 3 so it is the width of the room at 20.5 feet. She couldn’t believe the difference saying there was no way warm up or breakin of materials could affect electron flow and make that sort of difference. She could not express a different reason as to why. Her exposure to audio is a Bose system and her daughter is a cellist. Tom
"Like you, I am not interested in subtle or very subtle improvements, and I have been surprised by how little my turntable improved in sound in an upgrade from the Rega P5 to the P8 while using the same arm from the P8. If I can’t hear am easily noticeable change when hooking up the new equipment or change, it’s not worth it to me."
Agreed in that it’s the easy to hear changes that are most satisfying.
It’s also good to hear that the P8 is clearly superior to the P5 as they are radically different designs.
I’m sure that many Rega owners will find your experiences with siting helpful. For some decks especially, siting can have a considerable effect.
Rega’s approach to resonance control seems to feature ever decreasing mass with increased rigidity and accuracy in bearing / arm tolerances but that might not be the final word.
Even with the very low mass of your P8, siting seems to matter.
@mahgister,
"In the next week or 2 i will describe my last acoustical device more powerful than any other i used in the past..."
As ever, I’m sure your words will be of interest. Food for thought at the very least.
@djones51,
It's an interesting article which unfortunately highlights the difficulties of preventing human beings from concocting whatever stories they seem to fancy.
It's particularly troubling to me that historical images can nowadays be so easily be manipulated that it can be difficult to gauge whether they have any real veracity.
Or are they also just stories some people want to tell?
@douglas_schroeder Nice article.You're going to raise some temperatures around here with MC at the head of the line of true believers regarding some audiophile tweaks like this Schumann Resonator thing (which I think is among the craziest I've heard of).
I do believe (and have most definitely heard) tremendous improvement is possible with vibration control of turntables, assuming they have existing issues with that as my Rega P8 did. I doubt putting the platform under an SME table would have the same impact. I probably had the most room for improvement - a 10 pound table sitting on a credenza on a suspended floor over a crawl space. Putting it on a wall shelf on top of a Townshend platform made it sound like a new table. It sounded almost as good sitting on the credenza and the platform, but that combo created foot falls that didn't exist before, so I had to put it on a wall shelf. Luckily, I was able to do that because I would have kept the platform without the wall shelf because it sounded so much better, and I would have lived with stepping lightly near the stereo.
I also believe as AJ van den Hul states in his 100 page audio white paper/encyclopedia on his web site that moving wires has a short term change in sound until returned to their steady state. That would imply that vibrations in cables, amps and the like would impact SQ, however, I don't believe it is audible under "normal" circumstances. I put Herbie's tenderfeet under my amp and phono stage because of the low cost and theoretical improvement, but haven't noticed any. I also had the high cost Townshend pods under the amp for a couple weeks and they made no difference. This is on top of the credenza and suspended floor!
Plinius recommends leaving their amps on, which I do, and really never experimented with turning them on just for listening sessions, and my phono stage has no on/off switch. Perhaps frequently turning the amp on and off puts some stress somewhere in the amp and may cause it to wear quicker? Their products will last longer and sound better from their experience, so who am I to question?
I was told that my speakers would sound better over time as the drivers broke in, but they sounded great from the get go, and I can't say if they improved over time as there is so much variation in SQ from album to album. Plus it's not like you turn a switch and voila, they sound better. It's probably very gradual like an asymptotic graph reaching a theoretical optimal level.
Like you, I am not interested in subtle or very subtle improvements, and I have been surprised by how little my turntable improved in sound in an upgrade from the Rega P5 to the P8 while using the same arm from the P8. If I can't hear am easily noticeable change when hooking up the new equipment or change, it's not worth it to me.
I think if people want to hear a difference, they can convince their brain that they do, but if they wanted to really be honest with themselves, they would do blind tests. I asked posters on this discussion to do that, and so far only one has done it and he said it made no difference to the sound, and maybe widened the soundstage very slightly.
For those who need to learn discernment in such matters, I offer my latest article at Dagogo.com, "Audiophile Law: Burn In Test Redux", wherein I show that this kind of activity is a waste of time and leads to poorer system building.
System building meaning what: throwing money for costly upgrade ?
You are an unpaid sellers of new products my friend not someone able to build a system, someone who BUY ready made electronic components...
I created for 500 bucks my own system, not with upgrades but with elementary scientific facts...
The most important one being acoustical law...
Acoustician dont need a 100,000 speakers + a 100,000 amplifier to give himself a great sound.... a blind customer yes... A blind reviewer yes...
Study more, experiment more, buy less....
By the way why are you so repulsed by a 20 bucks experiments HERE that could teach ourself something?
The self appointed "scientists" are scandalized and now the sellers of costly gear are afraid...
You are never repulsed by the marketing conditioning playing in the sellings of costly electronic design?
What are your priorities?
Mine is reaching the most perfect sound at peanuts cost.... OH! i am deluded probably, too much creative to be honest....Bordeline ? Probably.... By the way i succeeded to reach a great S.Q. at NO COST.....It is then possible.... I dont pretend to have the greatest system , read me right please, but my modest system work at his optimal quality working....And when this is the case upgrading lost much of his appeal...
For those who need to learn discernment in such matters, I offer my latest article at Dagogo.com, "Audiophile Law: Burn In Test Redux", wherein I show that this kind of activity is a waste of time and leads to poorer system building.
@willgolf - true about Pat Metheny, but that is true about almost everyone, except maybe Neil Young. Although Pat's newest double album from last year is very reminiscent of his early incredible albums. Not "experimental" at all.
I've heard of Al DiMeola. I'll have to check him out. Never heard of the others - I'll check them out too. It's hard for me to listen to new groups unless they happen to be on Sirius when I drive my wife's car and they allow their songs on the Real Jazz or Watercolors stations. It's hard to roll the dice for $25 for vinyl if I'm not sure I'll like it and play it. The last new one I checked out was John Scofield, who was recommended by my brother in law. It was pleasant/nice enough, but nothing special. I considered him a poor man's Larry Carlton (who also is not a favorite, but since he recorded with Steely Dan for a while back in the day I have a few of his CDs, which rarely get played).
For me other jazz guitar favorites are Earl Klugh, George Benson and Lee Ritenour. As far as rock, Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits, Steve Howe/Yes, Brian May/Queen and of course Clapton are at the top of my list.
Please don't forget the GOAT who most (at least the jazz guys) claim to be their idol, Wes Montgomery (R.I.P.). His collaboration albums with Milt Jackson and Jimmy Smith are 2 of my favorite albums. Also his recording with Miles' band, Full House is incredible.
MC -- I don't know if my Viking Acoustic Grande Voix Dual Horn speakers are the reason. I suppose I could try the SR's in my Theater Room where I have Tekton Double Impact In Wall speakers to see what the results are there.
Mahgist -- I will look into your additional tweaks.
Sokogear - The early Pat Metheny was better than his later stuff. He is such a great guitarist and great to listen to. I also Love Michael Hedges RIP, Kaki King, Al DiMeola, Explosions in the Sky for guitar rock, John McLaughlin to name a few.
I’ve seen Pat Metheny/PM Group probably 8-10 times (including the disastrous Orchestrion tour) and have at least 12 albums, the majority on vinyl.
I wouldn’t say favorite though....that has to be Donald Fagen, never to tour again solo, only as Steely Dan. R.I.P Walter Becker. 15+ concerts and every single original SD or DF album (no greatest hits that kill album themes-except Alive in America) released in the US on vinyl, and the other handful on CD. Maybe 15 albums.... Never miss a tour. Hopefully he’ll come out when the venues open to capacity. Even bought his book and met him briefly. He’s not the warmest and fuzziest....
Thanks @willgolf for the honest assessment. Sorry to hear about your vision problems which should only improve your hearing. Sounds like you are a major tweaker and can determine which are worthwhile. I'm not surprised the Schumann Resonator is not one of them.
Still looking for a blind test positive....
Gotta love Pat Metheny The first album, all white with Lyle Mays (R.I.P) on piano in the original Pat Metheny Group) is the original audiophile test album that was played during my first real stereo purchase in 1980. All Yamaha....except cartridge Micro acoustics I think). Heavily influenced by the salesman and the price range.
Simply put, we struggled to hear any difference. However, the one thing that we agreed on is that the sound stage may have been a little bit larger. But it was so minute.
So will i leave them plugged in. Why not. It did not degrade the sound, but I can’t say it really helped either.
Try my little experiment.... Put on the capacitors of the S.G. a thin plate of shungite for phone at few bucks each and a bit of copper tape on the external side after that add an herkimer diamond 3 or 4 gram... Another under 20 bucks that perhaps will surprise you.... But with all the tweaks you already have i am not surprised by the result...
Try my litlle experiment....For fun.... 😊
The sound will be different in the three cases, with shungite on top or with herkimer diamond or with the 2 together... We learn something doing that very strange on the audible effect of minerals in an electrical field....for sure some will call you "nut" here....
That's the spirit. That is what I have always done. Every single thing I have was tested. First for proof of concept, then gradually more and more as and if it continues to work. If not, adios MF! 😂😂
Disappointed there wasn't a better result. Sounds like there was, just not as much as we were expecting. Then again, only $20! Do you have a cat? They seem to love em. Krissy's goes and curls up to hers all the time!
Having moved my two devices right behind my speakers I did do the A/B test with my spouse in the room. For my small investment of $28 i figured why not try. We listened to 4 artists to conduct this test: Pat Metheny - Guitar Jazz Mt Joy - Younger Days - Indie Rock Alabama Shakes - Rock / Soul Al DiMeola - Jazz Guitar Fusion
All songs were played at the same volume level. We played them all the way through and then plugged in the Resonator and then went back and played back to back.
Now I need to place in a major caveat. I am tweaked out already. I have 18 Synergistic Research HFT's, Synergistic Orange Fuses and Outlets and a Inakustic 3500P PC. I have Perfect Path Technologies, EMATS in my Electric panel, fuse box, under all of my electronics and I have pasted all my electrical plugs with PPT graphite. In addition, my system with no turntable is well over $100k. Please don't take this as bragging because it is not. I just wanted to set the stage for my simple outcome, which led to a further discussion with my wife.
Simply put, we struggled to hear any difference. However, the one thing that we agreed on is that the sound stage may have been a little bit larger. But it was so minute.
So will i leave them plugged in. Why not. It did not degrade the sound, but I can't say it really helped either.
So the question I throw out if you bothered to read my lengthy comments is....is there a law of diminishing returns for these tweaks? I already have a ton of tweaks already. I hate to say this but the best tweak I have used in my system has been the upgraded SR orange fuses. Does the quality of your components matter? In other words, do you think this SR would work better for someone who had say a $5k system more than someone who has a $60+ system. I wonder.
I guess the only way to answer these questions is to take all of my tweaks out and start one by one putting them back in to see where the biggest improvement came from. Unfortunately I am functionally blind so I have to rely on my hearing. At this point I love my music and don't have the time nor desire to do that extensive testing.
So, the bottom line....for me the SR was not really impactful; however, everyone has a different system and for 10-20 bucks it is worth the experimentation.
I left the Schumann Generator on for three days in the sun / stereo room. As before ~ 7 feet on a window sill, behind the speakers. I enlisted the wife (who is open minded, but has not voiced an opinion) to help. Music: James Taylor and Nora Jones. I chose these because of the high quality of the recordings, and virgin vinyl 200 gram records. Also because the music uses only a few high quality played instruments and is low key. (I believe I have a very nice stereo system, the only addition in the last year being 2 SVS sub woofers, un-ported, with isolation feet.) Had the wife place the SG on the window sill not knowing if on or off. Listened to side one of James T. Then again side one of James T. I could tell a difference, when it was on/off. But, the only difference was a wider, deeper, sound stage. The actual music did not sound better to my (old) ears. Same thing with Nora, better sound stage but not quality of the instruments or voice. Sample size of two. Accurate on both tries. So I had a 50/50 chance of guessing correctly. Not a large enough statistical sample size for serious discussions. BTW, no booze or other substances used during the listening sessions.
Something interesting to add. Our cat Mina, on occasion, likes to listen to the stereo. She decided to jump up on the love seat where I was located and took a seat right next to me. She has never done that in the years we have had her. (she usually sits on the floor in the sweet spot) We have been using the other SG unit in the bedroom every night, under the mattress. No better quality or sounder sleep by either person reported. The cat did not go under the bed to check out the SG to our knowledge. (She actually sleeps between our heads every night)
Then another anomaly: Friday night we watched a new episode of Ancient Aliens. The show focused on how sound and low frequencies, btw 4-7 Hz, effect the brain waves in humans. Then they showed some 4-6K year old stone carvings found in various places. In several carvings was shown the Schumann Generator Coil, a spiral circle created by a single line. My 2 units have the Coil exposed under a clear plastic plate. It was the same coil as shown on the stone carvings. Eerie. I don't know what to make of that visual observation.
I have a audiophile friend coming for a visit near the end of the month. His hearing is significantly better than mine. I will re-run the same test and report back the results....to be continued.
I recommend FIRST if possible some passive treatment of the room and active one like with Helhmotz pipes before ANYTHING else...
But i know that Schumann Generators work, even if not, for all specific gear coupled to all specfic ears and coupled to all specific acoustical possible settings tough, then, if your audio system is in the living room and not in a kind of laboratory dedicated audio room like mine and you cannot introduce there many acoustic treatments THEN it is possible even probable , but not for all people like i just said for evident reasons, to gain an improvement at peanuts cost, then try 2 S.G. for 20 bucks...This is the most cheap possible experiment with a positive return probability... If it does not give an improvement, call that a fun experiment... This is my point....
I dont and never has promoted in audio thread any expansive upgrades or "tweaks"...I dont need them at all myself, not because they are all"snake oil",not at all, some are more than good, and will give better S.Q. than my devices.... BUT i enjoy an already very good level of S.Q. with my homemade devices... Thats enough for me and for a 500 bucks system...Simple...
The other reason i never used anything sold like "tweaks" is my thread audio journey where i speak ONLY about low cost homemade creations or discoveries of mine...I want to speak proudly of MY peanuts cost devices not of other tweaks even if they are better than mine and more scientifically improved.... Remember that mine give reward for no cost.... The goal of my thread is audiophile experience for the" poors " at peanuts costs.... Not : " who own the best system in the world?" There exist many other threads about that.... i am the only one with the reverse goal : optimizing what is low cost gear only with only no cost devices...... I hope to be understood...
MC - I don't want to go through the hassle of ordering, arranging them, testing them and then probably having to pack them back up, go to a shipping place and return them.
If I can get ONE or TWO people to tell me they have heard a difference when having someone else turn them on or off randomly or turn some of them off while blindfolded I'd probably try them.
As magister says, my room has not been treated acoustically, so they probably would not work. MC-when I saw your room pictured, I didn't see much in acoustic treatments which makes me suspect you are being victimized by confirmation bias, but I understand you are too scared of the results to do a 3 second test.
I'll give it another day or so, then leave this epic discussion about a medical potential solution.
I would be tempted to try these things if I could hear of any positive blind tests, which should be quite easy to perform.
If it's so easy, and you want it so bad, do it yourself. Those of us who can hear, why should we spend three seconds proving anything to you?
The truly hilarious thing is we have right now a thread about a guy who is totally stone deaf, and he hears better with his balloon than you with your "ears"!
Well isn't that convenient given they have no impact on acoustics ..... but hey, I am sure the test will be fully sited.
It is useless to discuss with you... Sorry....No arguments only bashing... You dont even know that you dont understand basics...
I am ignorant myself but i discovered all that especially discussing with you and trying to understand...
By the way i want to thank you really, because without discussing with you, i would have never stumble on the article that give me my most powerful idea and device.... Then my first sentence is not fair i think now....You dont have sound arguments but without you i will have never dit it....
Then i apologize for my rudeness with you, but you are not smooth with all others yourself isn’t it?
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