To cryo or not to cryo

Rustler - If what you say is true, I'd think they would want the expensive TVs to sell better; that would probably explain why the expensive ones often look best.

Q: If what you say is true, that all stores engage in this sort of trickery, what advantage is there to going to more than one store? How could you ever be sure you're not being tricked?

Well,this thread is degenerating nicely.I personally have not had a thing cryoed,though I have done my homework and understand the concept.Looks like a 50/50 proposition in terms of acceptance by the Goner's.Thanks for all the ideas and thoughts and hopefully we will get closer to the bottom of this marvelous process one day with regards to audio properties,cheers,Bob

Usblues,I am not any type of scientist,far from it.However, I did read the info on the link Hdm provided to farmingdale.edu,etc.I read nothing in it which in any way speaks to any benefit (or lack thereof) in 'cryoed' materials employed in audio applications.Perhaps I missed or misunderstood something.

I'm not any type of scientist either, Double4w, but I do have 1) a set of ears and 2) I can read information and make a relatively simple interpretation of it.

With respect to #2 above, take for example the following info, quoted directly from the article referenced:

"Fine eta(h ) carbide particles (precipitates) are formed during the long cryogenic soak (chromium carbides, tungsten carbide, etc., depending upon the alloying elements in the steel). These are in addition to the larger carbide particles present before cryogenic treatment. These fine particles or "fillers", along with the larger particles, form a denser, more coherent and much tougher matrix in the material."

"Retained austenite is a softer grain structure always present after heat treatment. By applying cryogenic treatment, retained austenite is transformed into the harder, more durable grain structure - martensite. The range of retained austenite in a material after heat treating may be as high as 50 % or as low as 3 %. The amount depends on the heat treating operator and the accuracy of the heat treating equipment. Cryogenic treatment simply continues the conversion initiated by heat treatment, whereby almost 100 % of the retained austenite is converted to martensite. As greater amounts of retained austenite are transformed, and wear resistant martensite is increased, the material obtains a more uniform hardness."

"Copper electrodes exhibit longer life, show less wear and deformation and they can be used with less power input. Cryogenic Treatment reduces tip burn-off and carry reduced amperage on heliarc tungsten electrodes."

Let me translate it simply for you. Cryoed materials allow better transfer of 1) power to your component and 2) signal from the component to the speaker because of the above.

Let's break it down even further. You know the audio guys who place a very high emphasis on "the source" as being critical, the guys who tell you "garbage in, garbage out". They make a valid point. However, let's take that thought one step further: the power and the signal transfer are the ultimate source, the equipment is only facilitating that (that is a slight exaggeration, but without power and signal transfer, the equipment does nothing).

Cryo, by its very nature, enhances both power delivery and signal transfer. It is the ultimate el-cheapo form of power conditioning and cable upgrade all rolled into one. That's about as simple as I can make it for you.

How could it?