James Randi vs. Anjou Pear - once and for all


(Via Gizmodo)
So it looks like the gauntlet's been thrown down (again).
Backed up this time by, apparently, *presses pinkie to corner of mouth* one million dollars...

See:
http://www.randi.org/jr/2007-09/092807reply.html#i4
dchase
>>>> perhaps the idea is to show that a rave review may not be as authentic as it is made out to be.<<<<

Shadorne,
I agree with you- a lot of mediocre and over priced cable and audio gear for that matter garners undeserved rave reviews however I doubt that this is the gist of this exercise. It will be interesting to follow the fall out after the challenge is met however I have an idea as to the outcome- most likely "my test proves once and for all that ALL high end ables are fraud"

Time will tell.
LM
I was recently a sucker for the cable hype, but was enlightened by a person who requested that I remove all of my high end Nordost Cable and replace it with Monster Cable to see if I noticed any loss in quality of sound. To my surprise after a week of listening, I didn't miss the high end cable at all. I then invested all of that money into a high end CD/SACD player where I noticed a BIG improvement in sound quality. The idea is to put your money where it makes the most difference. Who cares about the super-duper specs of high end cable if you can't hear, or can barely hear the difference.
>>>I was recently a sucker for the cable hype<<<

Yet another nail in the coffin of excellence. If the champions of mediocrity can convince everyone (or just enough people) that cables, electronics, and speakers beyound the mass market level are "hype" then the market will be clear for overpriced, but less expensive then real quality products, to take over and the dumbing down of consumers will be complete. Perhaps someday not too far off boards will be full of people singing the praises of highly compressed audio broad cast wirelessly through their homes via iPods to plastic speakers with perfect measurements- with nothing of real substance to comair against the battle is won.

If anyone has ever read George Orwells 1984, think "Double Plus Good"

Good night and good luck,
LM
Redwoodgarden,
I'm glad we have you and others like you to protect us from personal senses we should no longer trust- Thank you.

I would greatly appreciate your list of subjective elements to life, thought, art, literature, cuisine, beauty, or anything else you feel should be off limits to thought, individual discretion, and personal responsibility. It will be a glorious day indeed when we no longer have to think for our self’s and can instead entrust our lives to wiser, selfless, and enlightened people who have our best interests at heart.

LM