Are contact treatments worth the money?

Rodman99999,
I must say, however, that I still think that what happens at connections is relatively simple. If the connectors are corroded, clean them. If there is a mechanical problem with them making a connection, fix it so that they make a tight connection. Simplistic. I don't think that precision polished, nanometer scale contact is necessary for optimal transmission of relatively low frequency audio signals.

I think that audio connection design has evolved to a point where they make secure contact, and are resistant to corrosion. I like to keep my contacts clean and tight and be done with it unless there is an obvious problem. I save my audio hobby allowance for things like tubes and cartridges, and my dream pair of speakers.

I use Pro Gold every six months or so. The immediately visible difference that it typically makes is striking, on the brightness of what might have been taken for a reasonably clean surface prior to the application. Seems like a low-cost common sense thing to do.

Re the philosophical matters:

design, build, test, listen to music, re-design...

Exactly. Let's not forget that experimentation and trial-and-error are integral parts of good engineering. And good engineers will recognize that not everything can be explained analytically, and that it is sometimes pointless and/or cost-ineffective to try to do so.

I'll add, though, that it is often those with non-technical backgrounds (among reviewers, ad-writers, and audiophiles), who are the worst offenders in these respects, by conjuring up speculative explanations for what they hear that are based on what I would refer to as quack science. Meaning either science that is simply invalid, or that is misapplied due to lack of quantitative perspective (such as skin effect that was mentioned above, another good example being time-alignment of cables).

There are things that we can hear but can't measure (or don't know how to measure); and there are things we can measure but can't hear. There are also things that we can hear but can't explain, and I believe it is much better to have no explanation than to promulgate a speculative one or an incorrect one.

Regards,
-- Al

For those who may be interested in actually "listening" and determining for yourself whether a contact enhancer can make a meaningful difference in your system, the solution is fairly simple. Walker Audio offers a full satisfaction guarantee on their E-SST/SST contact enhancer. Simply try it. If you're not satisfied with the results in your system, return the unused portion within 30 days and Lloyd will refund your purchase price, less shipping. Sure, you're out of pocket the shipping both ways, but otherwise it's a pretty pain-free way to find out for yourself whether a silver contact enhancer will make a meaningful improvement in your system, and be worth the cost, or not.

This was the approach my listening partner and I took. And as I've noted in this thread and elsewhere, the Extreme SST makes such a meaningful improvement in our system that we use it on all contacts and would not consider setting up another component without it. The improved results are consistent everywhere we've done some careful comparative listening both in our system and the systems of several audio friends.

As Aball points out, it's possible that a system will not have the base level of resolution to allow one to hear a further benefit from applying the contact enhancer. I've experienced that with one system we checked out. But that was only one system out of about 10 in which we've shared a comparative listening session with friends. In every other case, both we and the owner of the system heard a meaningful improvement. For several, the improvement was worth the cost and they purchased some E-SST on their own following the listening test. For a few, they heard the difference, but the improvement wasn't worth cost to them. Different strokes, and all that.

My listening partner and I tend to rely on what we hear -- if our ears tell us the sound is different, better or worse, that's what matters to us. If we both hear the same thing, as we usually do, we know we should pay attention. If there is a scientific explanation, that's nice. But, ultimately, we find that irrelevant if we HEAR the difference.

Almarg: I like your comment that "it is much better to have no explanation than to promulgate a speculative one or an incorrect one." Thanks for that observation.
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Mr B- As I stated: Music signals contain much more information than simply frequency, and many components of said signal are not quantifiable(but very audible). If audio(or electrical) connections did indeed provide optimal transmission: contact enhancers could not further affect one's music reproduction, but to degrade it. A multitude of us have observed that they do however improve things audibly(Rushton stated our case perfectly). BUT- If you are satisfied with your connections- Case closed! BTW: While 12AX7s will share the same specs and perhaps even the same transconductance measurements: If you take a pile of them and compare those of different manufacturers, or even various designations(ie: 12AX7/7025/ECC83/ECC803S), or date codes of the same manufacturer, you will find few that are constructed identically, though all are dual triodes. Structural materials, the number of mica supports, cathode coating substances, etc. also vary between manufacturers. Hence: Very few will sound alike.

If audio (or electrical) connections did indeed provide optimal transmission: contact enhancers could not further affect one's music reproduction, but to degrade it, or have no effect on it at all. I think that would be more accurate.

It's o.k. though, I can bang my head against the wall all day. The only result is that you would still spend your $30+ on something that is touted to have a real effect on an electronic system that has negligible effects on the basis of the laws of nature, which is what your system was founded on in the first place.

I am glad to see that the audio salesman who chimed in with a plug for his shop did offer a money back guarantee. That was refreshing. His caveat that your system may not be good enough to resolve the difference with and without the tweek was a bit pathetic (although only in 1 out of 10 times does this happen, so my dear friend and future customer, don't be offended, your system is good enough to be sure).

Sorry for the cynicism, tweeks are accessories. Accessories carry the highest profit margin in the store where you shop. Caveat emptor.