Advice on....Snake Oil

mapman

It can be very difficult to prove fraud legally ...

Of course. That’s why we have lawyers. Yet it still appears that notwithstanding the frequent accusations of fraud that are made on this site, no one - not one single person - has ever even filed a complaint of fraud with authorities. Not one single time. That can’t be simply explained away by stating that fraud difficult to prove. No proof is required to file a complaint.

If fraud were a real problem in our world of hi-fi, you’d think at least one lawsuit seeking class action status would have been filed. After all the US is a rather litigious place - just consider some of the absurd lawsuits that have been filed: A woman who sued the government because she was burned by nacho cheese; class action status sought for suit claiming Garden Veggie Straws have no veggies;
and then there’s the class action effort regarding fake butter at Dunkin’.

So the explanation that no suit has been filed over hi-fi fraud because it would be difficult to prove just isn’t valid. Besides, it isn’t necessary to actually prove the allegation of fraud. The vast majority of cases are settled out of court.

I think use of the word really just reflects laziness. It’s an overused cliche that says nothing at all

As i say above, Components as a  whole, can be hyped, = over promoted = propagandized. 
Snakeoil is like feet under amps, certain expensive cables, certain room treaments,  can't name the all.
All sorts of weird ideas which pass off as *upgrades*. 
Hype pertains to some opinions i read on audiogon about certain components which i <know> are being over blown. 
Take electrstats, some folks still believe in that garbage, = to me its hyped.. Is this my personal bias, or it there some truth that electrostats area  real genuine speaker experience?
I can't stand that technology. How it ever survived this long, and even ever sold, beats me. 
Now that i am on my personal bias, might as well mention solid state amplification,, Just for the record,, how is this dinosaurish technology still hanging on?? 
man, tube amplification (not SET, which i also can't stand) has blown away anything solid state. 
Now you might say,, hey thats snakeoil, worse,, hype.
AS I see it its the solid state fans hyping that style of electronics.
I think its time we tell things just like we know it. This is 2020, not the year 2000 which i consider late middle ages in  audiophile land. 
I am trying to bring this hobby up through the 21st century, exposing the <frauds>, the <hype> and the 100% pure <snakeoil>
Snakeoil buster here... 

So the explanation that no suit has been filed over hi-fi fraud because it would be difficult to prove just isn’t valid.

Look we have the Inet now, Folks can google images of whatever they are considering buying. 
If they fail in their research, the blame lies with their laziness.
Rule #1, never ever believe what you read, w/o doing due diligence, = sniffing out the lies/propaganda.  Likea   good old hound dog.
Rule #2, never be too quick  to buy anything, always sleep on it
Observe these 2 basic rules, a  audiophile will be OK. 

NOTE I've seen  comments posted about a  certain coupling cap *The rave*, very exp vs others,, I know there is some snakeoil mixed in with the hype. 
But I keep my mouth shut.
I know  the lab I can trust, and so that case is closed

The three brands you cite are hardly the most snake-oily.

When a company "diversifies" into these more, errr, marginal products, it's probably because they feel they're just about achieved saturation in their segment of whatever market they're in.

Business 102.

If lawsuits against snake oil products were effective you couldn't buy homeopathy psuedo medicine at the store. Lawsuits against the type of deceptive practices employed by by some of these marketers isn't worth the time or effort. It is very hard to prove and claiming since noone has sued them they must therefore work is fallacy.