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Moto_Man's Scam Of The Week

I thought that for the amusement of all (and principally my own), I would endeavor to scour the AudioGon ads and pick what appears to me in my purely unscientific way to be the "scam of the week," which typically represents overblown claims of wonderment coupled with a silly price.  A couple of weeks ago, I highlighted some snake oil that I think will be difficult to beat . . . the $5800 Dalby D7 record clamp.

This week, there are a number of contestants ranging from the "Shun Mook Audio LP Clamp" yours for only $3,000.  Here is what the seller claims about the Shun Mook Audio Clamp:

"This extra heavy century old ebony root which were immersed in the swamps of Africa has a unique power that no other wood possesses. The vibration generated by the diamond stylus in the vinyl groove besides inducing an electroflux through the phono-cartridge also excites the ebony molecules, causing it to resonate. This in turn is feed back through the stylus and is reproduced as expanded sound staging, enhanced separation, sharpened focus and enriched tonal balance of the music."

Century old ebony root that has received a "unique power" from the swamps of Africa? That gets excited by a phono cartridge's "electroflux?" Give me a break.

But in good conscience, the BS claims of the Shun Mook were already referenced in my prior thread on the Dalby D7, as deserving as this bit of nonsense is for "Scam of the Week," I will award that coveted distinction to . . .

The "HighEnd Novum PMR Premium MkII - Room Acoustic Resonator hand made in Germany"  which is essentially a stepped bronze wok on a display stand, for $2,490.  Now, as usual, I haven't heard the Room Acoustic Resonator.  Maybe it is a miracle worker.  Logic says it is total BS.  Just read the numerous claims parroted by "reviewers."

"By overlaying the music with a full scale of multi-vocal overtones, more detailed sound is produced [by this bronze plate]. The music gets more momentum and energy, the presentation of the instruments is more realistic and more solid. The spatial imaging is increased in all directions. The result is again a natural and authentic sound experience with beautiful sounds."  

Sure it does.  The secret to this miracle plate? (1) Creation of a two-sand mold by means of a "primitive model"
(2) Heating the bronze alloy to about 1200 ° C (3) Casting of liquid metal in the form and the all-important (4)
Controlled cooling off the casting for the production of a fine crystalline structure of metal.  It must be the production of that "fine crystalline structure of the metal" that overlays the music with a full scale of multi-vocal sounds.  This screams for a legitimate double-blind test.

Those are just some of the reasons that I call out "HighEnd Novum PMR Premium MkII" as the Scam Of The Week.

Note:  there is apparently a miniature version that is only $649.  That is really too cheap to qualify as a "scam of the week," but it is possible that such a puny bronze plate must be used with the big daddy bronze plate to "tune" the music even further, which would probably qualify, LOL!
moto_man
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
From Arthur Clark's third law, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic," we get the following corollaries or whatever,

Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice. (Grey's law)[5] (compare Hanlon's razor)

Any sufficiently advanced cluelessness is indistinguishable from malice.[6] (Clark's law)

Any sufficiently advanced troll is indistinguishable from a genuine kook. (Morgan's maxim)

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo.

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced. (Gehm's corollary)




stewie
187 posts
 
Well, if you've ever been on the job market for a position in big city orchestras, you'll notice that they have some very specific rules governing their blind auditions. All of the rules are designed to keep the playing field level. In addition to the rules preventing disclosure of gender (no coughing, perfume or cologne, that could give it away), and excluding amplification devices, they also exclude the use of brass, aluminum or magnesium "resonating bowls," since they offer such a large acoustic advantage. The exclusion dates back to the late 90s, when it was discovered that a young performer by the name of Chin Housin Crepier had won a series of auditions largely due to his use of what he claimed was a "spirit basin," but was nothing more than a brass resonator.
A few years later, he was at again--not with a resonator, but with some exotic hardwood shims, which he would place under the feet of his audition chair. It turned out that by slicing several rounds off of a super high end record clamp, he'd vaulted his way into the Berlin Philharmonic. Look it up!
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Its a great weight for $1200.00 tops 3k ill pass.
jetter
3,116 posts
 
Moto Man's "scan alert" a ok. 
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,389 posts
 
Synergistic research module to super modules for starters read all thd possible ad on just yo play music.
Their total Disgrace of even using the biggest Genius of our time 
In Electrical Nicola Tesla.The Tesla coil. Synergistic Research makes a mockery 
Of this marvel they have made  $Millions on putting a heavy DCcharge on a cable  if it were that great in their implementation 
It would be best cable hands down, and all the bells and whistles .
I owned the Element cables and the magic bullets filters nothing more ,and the live shields counting power cords say 10 wires for example  now is 16  when you have to plug it inplus the active shield a 20 0outlet power strip is crasy and messy.To me and others it is the biggest hype of the decade.when you spend  $ 100 k or more advertising 
Per year the reviews are better and better sort of like running for president if we give you owe us. Collectively the $1,000,000 
Slight of hand. There are a number of cables better iIn my experience for donic purity.but does not have the $$ press accolades .
Please remember it is just what is the most in your opinion and how you see fit.
Take all their gadgets even a 50k loom just for s few  cables 
Are they Gold ? This is collectively by far the most expensive.
Collection of ?? Questionable goods !!
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