The Law of Accelerating Returns


I totally agree this letter from the editor of A-S.

It makes sense if you have a $10,000 high quality integrated and stick a   $500.00 TT with a $300 phono section, a $400,00 Topping DAC and stream through your phone you will never know the real potential of the $10K integrated. And don't get me going on speakers. 

This article makes total sense but one must live within their means. 

No you do not have to spend a left lung for great sound but it all needs to be balanced. 

 

128x128jerryg123

I can accept it costs more to produce better performing components. But there is some voodoo physics in "high end" products. One example is speaker cables costing tens of thousands of dollars. The issue of skin depth attenuating high audio frequencies is an example that can be easily calculated. A pair of 8 gauge solid cables has the resistance changing from 0.005 Ohms for DC to 0.01 Ohms at 20 kHz for typical lengths. This in series with 4 speakers attenuates signal voltage by less than 0.01 Db. Cable marketers caught in this junk science lose all credibility for me. There are other claims: differences in signal path length of a few millimeters at the speed of light smear the sound and stored static dipole polarization in loudspeaker insulation can be tested by putting the insulation next to another cable with the speaker disconnected. The first cable is connected to the speaker and not to an amplifier. Such stored dipole energy from one insulator should be possible to hear in the connected speaker if insulation were an issue. It does  not. 

 

When I read the article I had quite a laugh. We have to remember that TAS serves an industry based on the simple assumption that spending more money gets you better sound. Anyone, even multimillionaires, want to think they are receiving good value for their money so the theory of "accelerating returns" fits right into the agenda.

Wonderfully and simply stated.

All the best,
Nonoise

When I read the article I had quite a laugh. We have to remember that TAS serves an industry based on the simple assumption that spending more money gets you better sound. Anyone, even multimillionaires, want to think they are receiving good value for their money so the theory of "accelerating returns" fits right into the agenda.

Well said...

And not a word on the HUGE change coming from acoustic treatment and control... For sure...

Who want to know that a 100,000 bucks audio system is not enough to reach a hi fi sound most of the times...

 

Helmholtz method is the key... Acoustic is the door...

So can an uber expensive system fix an average, flawed room? If the room cannot be adjusted then what other choice do you have? Tweaks or better components? I choose better components. And how many sell expensive components after comparing to a stone or a resonator or liquid plasma cables?