Tweaks

Furthermore, could 1000 audiogon customers be wrong?

You're kidding, right?! Yes, most certainly 1000 Audiogon customers could indeed be wrong, Geoff. History has proved over and over that not only thousands, but millions, tens of millions, entire nations can be misled over far more serious choices than an LED geegaw made in China, or colored pebbles in a glass bottle. People are vulnerable in all sorts of ways in all matter of choices. As far as the silly little choices we make here on Audiogon, one need only read some of the input here in various threads and you will quickly learn how varied people's stated preferences are. If you've been at this very long you'll also see with what degree of contrast others stated opinions diverge from your own observations. By all means, make your own choices. I don't pretend to speak for anyone but myself. I made no "observations" or comment on your products other than their resale value on the used market. I've most certainly have poked fun at them in the past. I find them very easy to poke fun at because at face value they occur to most people with conventional reasoning powers to be ridiculous. From your advertisements, you actually seem to have a sense of humor about them...either that, or your elevator ain't making it to the top floor.

Your "observation" that investing in clever little clocks and teleportation tweaks is quite unwarranted as there is a 30 day money back guarantee on both products.

In case I was not clear; my comment was referring directly to buying items used and reselling at minimal or no loss. I have very rarely seen a used Clever Little Clock here on A'gon, which means one of four things to me (one could posit more if one were inclined to contemplate this at length - I am not):

1. The folks who buy them are delighted with the results and are hanging onto them to hand down to their grandchildren. My grandfather only left me a wooden tool chest and his stamp collection.

2. The folks who buy them are less than delighted with their effectiveness as an audio tweak, but like the conversational novelty of having one, and or are in need of a cheap time piece for the bathroom. I'm sure some of them may be wondering why the flushing of the toilet actually sounds better with the clock in place there.

3. The folks who are buying them are taking full advantage of your 30 day warranty and are returning them after trying them out. I'm sure this never happens so we may as well just strike number 3 and forget I ever mentioned it.

4. The folks who are buying them are just too embarrassed that they made the purchase and had allowed the 30-day period to lapse before realizing what they were less than delighted at what they'd paid for.

Of all the tweks, I think isolation devises are the best way to improve sound quality, particularly under source components. I used Vibrapods/cones under my TT. I set them points up on my equipement rack shelf (which is made of glass which I hear is the owrst kind of shelf re resonance)then I placed a sheet of mdf board on top of the pods, and have my TT on top of the mdf. That way I can use the leveling feet of my TT. It makes a differencce isn all areas compared to no Vibrapods/cones. My TT does not have a suspension, so it definately improves the sound quality.

However, pods have a drawback-there is no way to level them. If the pods had screws so you could replace component feet with the pods/cones, and have the ability to level them, it would make a good product better.

I have been using shorting plugs on my Preamp inputs and on any other unused digital inputs. Never use them on outputs.
They do make a difference, slight, but a cheap improvement.

Some vibration control devices such as Vibrapods fattens the sound. Sharp cones usually is the opposite. Isolation bladders can or cannot improve. So Trial an error is recommended with these items.

Now the Magic Clocks, brilliant pebbles, I have them all and they do improve the soundstage. Geoffkaitis really on to something there. Not sure why , but they do .
Many people have bought them but are afraid to post because of all the crap you can get back in replies.
I actually did a review of them, if you care to read it its in the Audiogon Review section.

I also own Acoustive Revive RR-77, Alan Maher Circuit breaker filters and have used the copper sleeves over power cords IEC and also HIFI soundguys teflon tweaks.

I guess unless you try these things you really shouldnt comment on there effectivesness.

Please also review my system.

Now the Magic Clocks, brilliant pebbles, I have them all and they do improve the soundstage. Geoffkaitis really on to something there. Not sure why , but they do .
Many people have bought them but are afraid to post because of all the crap you can get back in replies.
I actually did a review of them, if you care to read it its in the Audiogon Review section.

Your grandchildren will be bustin' their britches when they find out that, among the stuff you've left to them is jar or two of BP's and a Clever Little Clock. Did you purchase the phone call from Geoff too? I wonder if those phone calls skip a generation or can be passed along with the gear. Geoff?

Your review, well, actually the responses to it, make for some very entertaining reading. I've found that any mention of Geoff's products tends to render some amusing responses.

I guess unless you try these things you really shouldnt comment on there effectivesness.

I agree.

For the record, I have not tried any of Geoff's products. As I've made clear, I find them ridiculous at face value and certainly feel fine in stating as much publicly. I am very confident the majority of rational people would have a similar viewpoint. To be fair to Geoff, I am not basing my comment(s) on experience with his colored pebbles or LED clocks, or phone calls or any other tweak he markets,but simply on common sense. They are not intended as opinions on the actual function of the product or a review of the product since I have not heard them and likely never will.

Ozzy, my hats off to you for posting your review in spite of ridicule (my own included). I have no doubt you believe what you are hearing and that's what counts. I wonder how it would show up on a room response curve, though that's really not what matters, is it? So when you take all the pebbles and LED clocks out of the house and place them in a lead box with sacred symbols engraved in it, in the tomb of a nearby church, synagogue or in a vault at the nearest NASA facility...you know, so that none of the mojo gets out, does your system go back to sounding like just your run of the mill, pedestrian Pass-labs/Eggleston/Cary ho-hum system again? Kind of like waking up the morning after a bender to find what you'd slept with the night before was not at all what it seemed to be when you made that choice just a few hours ago?

Alas, I don't think I could be so open-minded to enjoy the benefits of the Geoff's offerings. I believe that this would be a requirement as the benefit of his stuff begins and ends in the grey matter. I guess my grand kids are just getting that tool chest, a few stamps, and an old sweater or two. Maybe they can come visit your grand kids and enjoy Geoff's tweaks there. Oh my, this is sad. I'm going to go drown my sorrows in cheap whiskey and cry myself to sleep in the corner of my bathroom where the toilet sounds like shit when it flushes because there's no clever little clock in there.

I guess unless you try these things you really shouldn't comment on their effectiveness.

First, let me say that Ozzy has clearly assembled a system of exceptionally high calibre, and I have considerable respect for the great majority of his posts which I have seen here. And I am in general agreement with the quoted proposition.

But I would add that there is a finite limit to the circumstances to which the quoted statement is applicable. To roughly paraphrase a comment that was made some time ago in an unrelated thread by the estimable Tvad, you don't have to conduct a controlled clinical trial to determine that a witch-doctor cannot cure cancer by shaking a rattle and burning incense. Some things are self-evident.

Regards,
-- Al