Do Transports Matter???

Now where did I put that can of paint labeled 'transparent, clear, with a deep sound stage'?

Listening to audio is about sensory perception and not about a scientific analysis. I did not say in my previous post that science should NOT be used in hi-end audio, but that it should NOT be the only means we judge anything.

When the CD first came out scientist figured that the human ear could only hear 20hz-20khz (which is more or less true), and that one would only need to sample music at a rate of some 44khz to get a signal that was unnoticeably the same to the human ear from that of a traditional analogue signal. LMAO! All I can say is that I can tell from the next room whether my wife is playing a record or CD. The sound difference is painfully obvious.

Anyway, I would never say that technology has not succeeded in many ways. It has! And technology even gives us the music we get through our music systems. I am in wireless technology, and I love it.

However, I would STILL say a few things: Technology has not even come CLOSE to reproducing a human eye's capability. NOR has technology come remotely close to reproducing a human ear's capability. Nor has technology given us the artificial intelligence it would take for technology to tell us whether a particular 2 channel setup compares to live music.

Technology does not analyze reproductions of art. It is great at analyzing black and white thinkgs such as 1's and 0's.

Heck, one can even make the argument that our speakers can never 9and I do mean NEVER) sound like live music, because the way they reproduce the music is so vastly different than live music it is scientifically impossible for it to absolutley sound like the original.

I will readily admit that there are many things on the audio market which make fraudulant claims. Yep, there are many people out there who will readily take your money for a wiz bang gizmo that is supposed to sonically improve your system. HOWEVER, I know that certain AC cords make components sound A LOT different than the stock AC cords do. Not just little differences but HUGE differences. And I am not selling anything. I am not a dealer or manufacturer saying this. I have tried many AC cords and detailed some of my experiences in my reviews here at Audiogon.

Lastly, I will point to an Audio Reviewer who I have a little respect for. Check out Art Dudley's latest column in Stereophile where he talks about a power cord he just tried. I think he said it was the first cord he ever tried that he thought made a huge difference over stock. And Art Dudley is a pretty cynical guy (at least it sounds like that from his writing style). I take all reviews with a grain of salt, but it was very interesting reading Art Dudley's column. I personally think he needs to try more AC cords because he is only at the tip of the iceberg.

If you are a TAS fan, look at the review they wrote on the Kimber Palladium PK10. Also see Enjoythemusic.com for another review of the Kimber Palladium PK10.

Maybe this is a big audio conspiracy?

Maybe AC cords are the audio equilivilent of Big Foot?

Maybe I am INSANE? Maybe I cannot trust my senses?

Because what I am hearing, Redbeard, directly contradicts my sensory perceptions. And frankly, everyone's sensory perceptions that were around me when I was doing some listening.

Even my WIFE, who does not care a flip about hi end audio equipment, has heard a difference between the AC cords. And I was not telling her what one I preferred at all. She came to her own conclusion without any influence from me. Go figure...

I am friends with many people who love two channel, and we all principally agree that AC cords make big differences on components.

Maybe this is one big delusion???

Oh, and I never said that there were unexplainable forces at work. I believe I said no one has yet to explain to me why AC cords really make this much of a sonic impact. I have heard attempts at the explanation, but nothing that satisfies my curiosity. I am sure there is some scientific explanation. Until I haer an explanation that I can understand, AC cords remain mysterious to me. But in the end, it is not the factual explanation I am seeking, but the experience of listening to wonderful music.

KF

TOK 2000, I don't think anyone has said that "science" is the only thing that matters. Maybe defining that offensive word "science" would be a start. You seem to believe that human hearing does go beyond 20Khz. I happen to think that most male adults are lucky to hear anything above 14 or 16 KHz. So a guy states that his grandma can hear him futzing about with his eq and spot any change in high frequencies. Does that prove anything? To him: yes. To the world at large: I would hope for more. Do you see anything wrong with attempting to find rational reasons for the way a sound system sounds? Do you find anything wrong in people being sceptical when reading ads such as the one for Tri-orbs? The comeback is always: "well did you listen to whatever product". How gullible have audiophiles become? Do you actually think that adding tablets in your tank will improve your car's consumption tenfold? Do you actually think that Gluocsamine will cure you of arthritis? This debate goes on and on and on and on. You eat what you like and I'll eat what I like, how's that?

I never said that all people or even the average person can hear under 20hz or over 20khz. The scientist who came up with the redbook CD standard designed it to this criteria. I really wonder what the CD would sound like if it were designed from 1hz to 30khz. I am sure the format would sound different than the 16bit format that we have today even though humans are suposed to not be able to hear outside the 20hz-20khz range.

Anyway, the issue I am taking up is AC cords. Not Tri-orms or Glucsamine. I have a lot of personal experience with different AC cords, and I find it very silly when someone dismisses them outright on the 'science' basis.

It seems that both Redbeard and Pbb think that if science cannot explain something, it does not exist. Or if there is no scientific basis for something to happen, it should not happen.

Science starts with observation of something we really do not understand. I have observed hearing amazingly different musical presentations coming out of my system (as well as many other systems) with the switching out of AC cords. I do not understand it nor have I heard a satisfactory explanation as to why this happens. But to dismiss it outright would be a horrible alternative. That would be like Copernicus after he documented that certain stars have an anagle of paralax just saying the data is totally wrong and the stars still must be infinitely far from the earth (an angle of paralax basically proved that the stars were a certain distance away from the earth, and not an infinite distance that had been theorized in the past).

To put things into a perspective that may be a little more analogous. The science of nutrition I find very mysterious. Over the years human nutrition has been debated widely. Many years ago a nutritionist by the name of Atkins came out with a diet that went totally against what most nutritionist had EVER considered healthy. The Atkins diet was ostracized. Until recently... And recent nutritional studies have shown that the Atkins diet can work and be healthy. My father has lost like 30lbs on it. Go figure... I think (if I remember correctly) the Atkins diet initially came out in the 60's (I may be wrong).

Redbeard makes an argument that 16bit digital has been totally mastered by the scientist and that it is child's play for these people... Why is it then that companies are coming out with CDPs that sound better and better? Do you think all CDPs sound the same? DO you think all DACs sound the same? I have heard cutting edge 16bit digital playback that was absolutely amazing compared to an Audio Aero Capitole 2 CDP. When CDPs came out many laymen thought they all sounded the same. Over the past 22 years 16bit digital has come a long, Long, LONG way soundwise. Everytime I dare think it can get no better, someone comes along with another DAC/tranport or CDP that sets a new standard. Perhaps I am hearing things here as well?

KF

Hi,
Tok20000 i freely admit that i found many similar or even same viewpoints reading your posts.
It amazes me over and over again that people refuse to believe their senses only because there is no "scientiffic" explanation for it. I don't even feel sorry for them anymore, i've just excepted that there are (too?) many people like that...
We can (can we?) mistify it even further by mentioning other"things" even harder to explain, that under "right" circumstances realy do make a difference...but that's another "story".
Best regards.