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What’s your vote for the most ridiculous, overpriced, and useless tweak?

My vote: Furutech Outlet Cover 105 NCF $220, with “special crystalline material that has two “active” properties.” https://www.thecableco.com/outlet-cover-105-ncf.html

glow_worm
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,130 posts
 
I propose to separate the 2 matters : the more ridiculous tweak and the more overpriced... The more useless and the more ridiculous tough may overlapped sometimes, but the more ridiculous(like salt lamp) is not always the more useless … And for me with my low priced vintage audio system almost all tweaks are overpriced, then it is necessary to replicate without buying when I can...
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
As much as I distain disagreement the salt lamp doesn't do anything to the sound IMO. I had someone measure the number of negative ions produced by the salt lamp and the number is zero. Now, I'm not saying salt isn't a pyroelectric material, but the bulb in the salt lamp doesn't generate sufficient heat to produce negative ions. even tripling the wattage of the bulb still does not produce any ions. But the lamps are pretty, I'll grant you that.
mitch2
4,019 posts
 
@whostolethebatmobile 
What about my vote for the Maxiimus P16?
useless - it generally makes the sound worse, smears focus and destroys the soundstage.
Curious - how do you know what it does to the sound? 
Do you own one?
How do you guys even hear about some of this stuff?
Surprising to see the folks at Mono&Stereo were "Gobsmacked" over this item.
I am thrilled to remain blissfully ignorant of most of this stuff. 🕶
However, I did have a seemingly sane person explain how the "blue fuses for $150 each" transformed the sound of his amp/system.  💥🚀💨

whostolethebatmobile
290 posts
 
Yes I own one. I would not have the gall to criticise something without having heard it in my own system for a long period. I know exactly what it does to the sound (but not how it does it). It’s main effect is to artificially exaggerate front-to-back dimensionality (not the same as depth, because sounds appear to come forward from the speakers), at the expense of soundstage accuracy. Try to imagine a processed, blurry 3D photo compared to a normal crisp 2D photo of the same scene. That’s what it does to the sound.

glow_worm OP
84 posts
 

Important note on the  €2000 Maxiimus P16... be sure to buy the right one:

“ Note: if your home has 3 phase electricity, only one of these will be harmonised by the P16. In case you would like full harmonisation, the MAXiiMUS P40 is the right choice”

Luckily the P40 actually costs less than the P16 (go figure). And let’s face it, the last thing you need is to leave 2 phases of your electricity unharmonized, so why take a chance?

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