Beware the audio guru


There are a few contributors to these forums who apparently see themselves as gurus. They speak in absolutes, using words such as "always" and "never." They make pronouncements about products or techniques they’ve never heard or experienced, justifying their conclusions because contrary claims are "impossible" or "snake oil." Those who disagree are accused of being "deluded," or suffering some insurmountable bias, or attempting to further some commercial agenda. On occasion, they have taunted detractors with an appeal that they engage in a wager - one guy wanted $25,000 cash up front and an agreement drafted by lawyers. Another offered 5-to-1 odds.

I am not going to tell you who to believe. But for anyone who might be uncertain about sorting out conflicting claims here, I suggest they consider the behavior of experts in other fields. No good doctor offers a 100 percent guarantee on any treatment or surgical procedure, even if medical science suggests success. No good attorney will tell you that you have a case that positively can’t be lost, even if the law appears to be on your side. No true professional will insult you for the questions you ask, or abandon you if you seek a second opinion.

A doctor conducts his own tests. An engineer makes his own measurements. Neither will insist the burden of documentation falls upon you.

These might be details to consider as you sift through the many conflicting claims made on Audiogon. In short: Decide for yourself. Don’t let other people tell you how to think, or listen.
Ag insider logo xs@2xcleeds
This is getting complicated.


The closer to the edge you get, the the more of the self the problem consumes. It’s the mental equivalent of attempting to reach light speed. Just one way of expressing it that might help.
Your post is also highly revealing more of the true nature of the Laurel vs Yanny issue that was recently brought to light.

And is part of how we create our own sensory input filter and apply previously cognated aspects to our new cognition, as a short cut in time, in order to posses a faster form of sensory recognition in the given moment. Ie we pull from our library of heard and seen things, when we encounter the new.

This is why some say that cables make no difference.

They’ve wired themselves to be aurally ’blind’. Seriously.

Then the insistence that fuses make no difference, even when a purely engineering and scientific analysis says the opposite., and such analysis supports what people say they hear.

Negative proofing keeps the middle of the herd safe, and makes everyone else lift their load. Additionally, it kills and dumbs down the edges of the herd via directed force..all when the edges of the herd --is what is actually keeping the middle of the herd alive.

Being on the edges of the herd forces one to contend with the projected violence and insanity that pours out of the middle of the herd. Even though the middle of the herd sees it as the opposite.

Throughout the full encompassed, er, scope of this..er..mess...the human system of life is borne.

Which has the more raw deal? The edges where the action is but one is constantly attacked and torn down by the middle, or the dead minds and lives of the middle - who have no idea how dead they are?

"This is getting complicated!" you sez...

"Good!" the universe says, as it grins, and gleefully picks up a pointed stick -and pokes it in your I.
Note that there is no actual engineering or scientific analysis proving that allegedly "better and way more expensive" fuses make a difference relative to a working stock fuse IN THE SOUND OF THINGS. They're exclusively supported by "claims" of hearing things, which in my experience (extensively testing and comparing the damn things) is just silly when these claims , although possibly sincere, don't take into account what fuses actually do with their tiny meltable wires. Hyperbole driven opinions don't do any favors for the often sales driven purveyors of fringe tweaks, a fact lost on many when large profits or insecurity by listeners come into play, "Mom, I spent 150 bucks on this fuse so I MUST hear better cello tone and an expanded soundstage or I'm simply unworthy...schedule a session with my therapist now..."
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wolf_garcia
Note that there is no actual engineering or scientific analysis proving that allegedly "better and way more expensive" fuses make a difference relative to a working stock fuse IN THE SOUND OF THINGS. They’re exclusively supported by "claims" of hearing things, which in my experience (extensively testing and comparing the damn things) is just silly when these claims , although possibly sincere, don’t take into account what fuses actually do with their tiny meltable wires. Hyperbole driven opinions don’t do any favors for the often sales driven purveyors of fringe tweaks, a fact lost on many when large profits or insecurity by listeners come into play, "Mom, I spent 150 bucks on this fuse so I MUST hear better cello tone and an expanded soundstage or I’m simply unworthy...schedule a session with my therapist now..."

You probably should have included in your first sentence, “...that there is no actual engineering or scientific analysis proving that allegedly “better and way more expensive” fuses make a difference relative to a working stock fuse in the SOUND OF THING” the caveat, “at least as far as I know.” Since not only did HiFi Tuning provide the evidence in measurements but also subject listening tests that correlated with the measurements. Also, there is the sticky evudebcecwe have that NASA began testing technically advanced fuses as early as 20 years ago. I kind suspect NASA probably did a careful engineering and scientific analysis of various fuse options, at least in terms of technical performance, don’t you? A clever fellow would probably be able to track down some NASA fuse analysis reports, no? How ‘bout reporting back what you find out?
Fuses are known to be odd order harmonic distorting in their current clamping, and this translates to forms of inconstant non-repeating odd order harmonics.

The ear is INORDINATELY sensitive to this sort of distortion signal.
It is how we stay alive as a human animal. Core. Critical. Absolute in value. the snap of a small twig, the rustling of the grass, the thup thup thup of the padded foot of the predator approaching, the breath of the tiger, the change in the bird song...we are wired for it. Core.  Our ears and associated brain aspects never sleep. As long as we are alive, our hearing is on. Like the heart, it never stops.

Some of us have these skills undeveloped or absent, some of us have it still... and overdeveloped, even.

Prove it! Besides in one direction fuse distortion is audibly much lower. So you’re trying to tell me odd order harmonics are directional? Hmmmmm....