danvignau,
"The tweaky magic stuff allows you to share the experience of visiting your dealer to talk about your hobby. It makes you happier, so you believe it works. This is a great marketing plan, because every time you visit the store, is a selling opportunity for new equipment.."
Yes it does work for some, the same way that hypnosis, placebo and optical illusions do. Unfortunately all of these phenomena only have short term temporary effects.
Otherwise we could all escape our earthbound existence to live in our illusions indefinitely. Attempts to do so via audio style retail therapy are also inevitably doomed to failure unless we can make genuine lasting improvements to our playback experience.
I remember reading that Paul McKenna (well known UK hypnotist) confessing how he once hypnotised his partner into believing that he was a fantastic lover but to his regret (and possibly hers) the effect of this trance like state could not be maintained indefinitely.
Lasting satisfaction, on the other hand is not something many of us audiophiles easily find.
I’m probably the closest to it currently as I’ve ever been. It’s now about 6 years since I’ve made a component change to my system (Creek Destiny integrated amp which has considerable more power than its predecessor), and 10 years since I replaced my Ruarks with the Tannoys.
So do I still want better sound playback? You bet I do! My love for music is as strong as it was ever was. Two days ago I couldn’t get Dylan’s Senor out of my head, yesterday it was R.E.M.s Losing My Religion - very weird as it’s not one of my favourites by them.
However, I’m also far more wary and suspicious than I once was.
As they say ’Once bitten, twice shy’.
Although to say only once bitten in my case would be a seriously gross denial.
Nowadays another adage spring to mind,
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Ok, ok, give or take a dozen or so times. It wasn’t all my fault, I am an audiophile. Albeit a thoroughly shamed one at that.
