Aether Audio Black Box or Nuforce Magic Cube ???

Friends,

This is Bob from Aether Audio. Below are some links you may find useful. The first is a PDF price list for the Black Boxes

http://aetheraudio.com/100109%20BB%20Price%20List.pdf

Then this next one is a white paper I recently wrote that suggests WHY different metals in conductors may sound different.

http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf

The above paper was the result of my deeper research into the Black Box. To be quite honest, I had done some preliminary research into the possible science behind how different metals might sound different. Without digging much deeper, I sort of "jumped" to a conclusion (more of a guess than anything) as to what was going on, and then thought about what may be a way to reduce the undesirable effects. In all honesty, the white paper above was written AFTER I discovered that the Smith Cell actually worked. Before I or NuForce really started marketing them I HAD to understand just what was really going on. Talk about an education in Solid-State physics! Besides looking like a snake-oil salesman if I couldn't explain how they work, we also intended to apply for a patent as well, and you HAVE to have a solid science foundation in order to get one of those.

OK... so I built this little thing I called the "Smith Cell" just to see what it would do. Having come from a very science based engineering background, I was a total skeptic and honestly didn't think the thing would have any effect at all. I knew it couldn't do any harm, but seriously doubted it would make one iota of difference - good or bad.

Well, much to my surprise... the darn thing worked! Talk about serendipity? I was only tinkering around and never really had any intention of developing a product. My main thing has alsways been speakers (before now under the SP Technology name)and I only got involved in it all as a byproduct of my own curiosity.

So then, I built a few and the feedback was remarkable. Before long I figured I'd get swamped with orders and would need to out-source their construction, as one guy (me)could never keep up if they really started taking off. Anyway, I went to my good friends at NuForce to see if they could help. An evaluation pair was sent to them, and the next thing you know they thought they were so good that they wanted to market them under their own name.

That led to the NuForce Magic Cube AND my working for them as well in further product design, marketing, technical writing and high-end product technical support. AND... I still get to market the technology under my own Aether Audio brand... at twice the price though. You see, the agreement is that I can't directly compete with them from a price standpoint.

Therefore, my "Black Box" version incorporates all Mundorf Silver-Gold (about the best I think) wiring and your choice of Cardas binding posts for both inputs and outputs (I can include custom ones from other vendors of your choice too). There is also the option to add a selector switch which allows you to adjust the BBs for optimal performance with your particular amp. The switch engages one of 3 filters, or without the switch they are built with one filter to match your amp and it is permanent such that it cannot be changed to a different one at a later date. Finally, there are several options for locating the switch and/or posts, as well as the option of adding mounting brackets. See below:

http://aetheraudio.com/100109%20BB%20Price%20List.pdf

As far as the NuForce version goes, they offer at least 95% the perforance that the Aether Audio version does, and at 50% the price or less. You can purchase the base "Smith Cell" section alone for $249.00 each, or add the optional filter for another $49.00 each. See here:

http://www.nuforce.com/hi/products/magic-cube/index.php

In my opinion, most folks will get the most value from the NuForce version, as I designed it myself and it meets all of the same basic performance criteria of my Aether Audio version. The only difference between the two is whatever marginal gains the Mundorf wiring and Cardas binding posts may offer, and/or the convenience that the switch and other options offered in the Aether Audio version.

So... that's the story - or at least the beginning anyway. The rest is being told one pair at a time by you folks. Will they improve your system? I'd like to say positively that they will - but... you know how such things go. All I can say is that there's a pretty good chance that they will, considering their track record so far!

Take care, :-)
-Bob

Ooops... wrong link for the options. Sorry about that.

See here instead: http://aetheraudio.com/bb_options.html

Thanks!
-Bob

Dear Rcwortman,

I would like to clarify things a bit based on your comment regarding 1/f noise. I realize that for the most part the following is a bit academic and likely of little interest to most readers, but for the occasional individual that is technically minded I will go ahead with the clarification.

Specifically, the Aether Audio Black Box / NuForce Magic Cube does not provide system improvement via a reduction of the latent 1/f noise in the cables and/or the equipment connected to them thereby. Rather, they address the physical "mechanism" inherent within the conductors that also "just so happens" to give rise to 1/f noise as well. If you were to read the following white paper, it will help to explain: http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf

You see, noise voltages arising within conductors is an important field of study in the fabrication of LSI & VLSI integrated circuits. In some applications, these devices use very small amounts of metal as conductors internally for the transport of signals from one area/transistor array to another. The metal (usually aluminum) is vapor deposited and then etched via a lithography process, which leaves behind extremely small conduction pathways. As a part of an ongoing quest to miniaturize these devices and/or compact an ever-increasing number of circuits within them, all forms of noise along with a multitude of other effects at microscopic levels become of increasing importance. As a result, much research has gone into identifying the various mechanisms involved, and much has been learned in recent years.

The upshot is that the cornerstone of this research has to do with what is termed "thin film" samples of various metals. By applying a very thin film of a given metal to a stable substrate, any effects manifest by said metal are "amplified" due to the much higher bulk resistance such samples exhibit. This then makes any processes involved (noise, charge migration, etc.) much easier to detect and study. As a result, a preponderance of evidence has been observed that indicates there are numerous processes involved and specifically, some of the processes giving rise to 1/f noise (as well as others).

To be sure, if we were actually talking the 1/f noise generated by a conductor… there wouldn't be much to discuss. If metals were significant sources of self-noise energy, why… we could "tap" them and us them as batteries by converting the noise to usable power! Quite to the contrary, the "source impedance" of this noise is extremely high and therefore the noise only manifests as a barely detectable voltage. This being the case, it simply cannot "source" any significant current such that it could ever be audible in the operation of an audio system.

But… when current flows through a conductor from an external source (amplifier) to a load (loudspeaker), another variable has been added that changes the scenario significantly. Specifically, it is our opinion that phonon vibrational energy, ever present in the form of ambient heat within the conductor, is the culprit.

As an example, it has been scientifically shown that impurities and crystalline defects (stresses) within a given sample of metal are a primary source of 1/f noise. At the microscopic level, such impurities and defects also behave as phonons (quasi-independent "virtual" particles)… along with the underlying crystalline lattice and just about any other physical feature at those dimensional levels. It has been shown that when impurities and stress defects are reduced, so too is the 1/f noise in direct relationship. Anecdotal observations also tell us this in the audio world, as "high 9s" purity of conductors is greatly sought after for use in various cable formulations.

In closing, it is not the 1/f noise "per se" that our devices are directly addressing, but rather an underlying "electrical current modulation" mechanism that is present (and apparently audible), which also happens to be the source of 1/f noise as well.

I hope this helps and doesn't come off sounding like pseudo-science or snake-oil. If you do the research to find the many existing scientific papers concerning the subject as I have, you'll eventually see what I mean.

Take care,
-Bob

Ozzy,

Thanks for your input. I'll do all I can to help.

For those that don't know, the NuForce Magic Cube is provided as a two-piece system consisting of a "base" unit called the Smith Cell and a docking filter network. The filter can be purchased as one of three different versions intended for use with three different basic forms of amplifiers. The "smallest" filter (SCTH) is intended for use with small, low-power (mostly) tube amplifiers. The next up in size (SCTL) is for larger tube amps and the largest (SCSS) is for solid-state amps.

We recommend that the SCSS only be used with solid-state amps, but the others can be used on SS if one finds that the SCSS "softens" the sound a bit too much. Basically, you can use any of them on solid-state amps, but you should not go in the reverse - using the SCSS on tube amps.

Similarly, if the SCTL seems to soften the highs a bit on a larger tube (push-pull) type amp, you can go "down" one level and try the SCTH instead. If you are using a SET type tube amp, you should only use the SCTH filter... or none at all.

Regarding your question as to which way the filters should be plugged into the Smith Cell? - It makes no difference whatsoever. Seeing that music is an "AC" signal coming out of the amp, all components used in speakers or devices such as the Magic Cube are not "polarized" - meaning that reversing the polarity will cause no harm or benefit. Well, unless we're talking about reversing the polarity of one speaker compared to the other... but most of us know that already.

As far as what the filters do goes... they help to reduce the effects of stored electrical energy within the speaker causing negative interactions with the driving amplifier. The amp and speaker are really a "system" and it can be a very complex one at that. The amp has enough "work" to do in sending the signal to the speaker to begin with. If it also has to contend with delayed energy being sent back to it from the speaker, that energy can cause the amp to make new "errors" (distortion).

By helping to relieve this burden from the amplifier, one will often find that the filters offer a smoother, lesss fatiguing and more natural sound coming from the speaker - particularly from upper midrange to the highest frequencies. At the same time, there should actually be an increase in detail and resolution. If when using a given filter, you find that detail and resolution seems to decrease or the highs seem almost "too soft," try using the next smaller filter. Again, their size "range" from small to large is: SCTH - SCTL - SCSS... in that order.

Just as a side note, the Aether Audio Black Boxes/NuForce Magic Cubes are being reported as benefiting from a few days of burn-in. I'd say that about 100 hours would be the most... if that much. As most folks know, burn-in is a controversial issue and opinions as to how much is needed vary widely. If anybody out there has any observations regarding the matter, we would be most obliged if you would be so kind as to comment.

I hope this helps :-)

Thanks all and...

Take care,
-Bob

Ozzy,

You are more than welcome! – Glad I could help.

As far as the observations you've made with the SCSS filter go, your intuition is correct. My advice would be to try the SCTL next. That may very well give the correct balance between absorbing the reflect energy from the speaker while avoiding any loss of detail. If that's still doesn't strike the right balance, then you can still try the SCTH filter. It offers the least amount filtering action and should not cause any loss of "air" or detail whatsoever – especially with your amp.

Clio09,

You are most welcome as well sir!

Yes, we are addressing the back-emf from the speaker as you suspect. The concept is no real secret and is relatively simple from an engineering standpoint, but it can make an amazingly significant improvement in performance.

I suspect that the Walker device performs a similar function, but from my observation of its physical size, I suspect it does not "reach" down into the audible band as far as our units do. You see, there are things going on in the ultra-sonic region that can give rise distortion in the audible band. Again, I suspect the Walker unit is concentrating its efforts primarily in this region. Our filters are designed to address the ultra-sonic region as well as reduce loudspeaker back-emf in the audible band as far down as 1kHz – depending on the model/values of the filter selected.

On the other hand, the Aether Audio Black Box / NuForce Magic Cube is a two-part process, with the filter being the simplest aspect. The fundamental section of both versions incorporates our proprietary "Smith Cell" technology (hey… we're all subject to a bit of vanity) and therefore we cannot disclose the method of its operation at this time. Seeing that we are in the process of applying for a patent and that it can be adapted to many areas of electrical engineering and products (including high resolution scientific apparatus), I'm sure you can understand our self-imposed limitations. Thanks.

What I can share is that it helps to reduce the problem I believe I have identified here: http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf

I have a number of supporters in this effort, none the least of which are some well-known audio and electrical engineering PhDs – one of which is taking the paper to Essex University in the UK for further study.

Just "how" the Smith Cell works I must leave shrouded in some mystery for the time being, but I can tell you that it reduces the statistical likelihood of electron current flow through the conductors being "modulated" by phonon vibration, as identified in the paper above. Seeing that the process of phonon-electron modulation increases as a percentage of total current flow... as amplifier output current flow through the conductor decreases, the Smith Cell has its greatest effect on the weakest of audio signals. These weak signals carry the information that we refer to as detail and air. They also constitute the very low-level "ambience" signals that give rise to soundstage and imaging. Therefore, one should be listening for improvements in these areas of performance when auditioning either version of the product.

I hope the above info helps. Have a great day all and…

Take care,
-Bob

Yoby,

You can use two per amp channel... but you don't necessarily "need" them. For Bi-Wire apps you can place them near the output of the amp and connect from the amp to the BB/MC with a short jumper. Then out of the BB/MC you connect both sets of wires as if they were being connected to the output of the amp.

If you did want to use a second set, you could place both pair at the speaker end, one each at the end of the bi-wire pair of speaker cables. Then of course you'd use jumpers to each of the speaker input sections from the BB/MC.

You just have to remember one thing... you only want to use one filter on a given amp output channel at a time. Where would you place it? You would want to experiment for sure, but I'd say to try the filters on the tweeter section first.

Actually, there are a bunch of different ways you can use the Smith Cell section and you can use as many as you wish with no concern for the safety of the amp or the speakers. We have yet to do further experimentation ourselves, but there's a good chance extra benefits can be had by putting a Smith Cell at each end of the speaker wire - amp side and speaker side. Heck... if you had really long speaker wire runs, you could even put a Smith Cell in the middle too.

The reason being that all this might be worth a try is that the effect of the Smith Cell extends both directions down the wires that it is connected to. Theory would suggest that the further the wire gets from the Cell, the less effect the Cell has on reducing phonon modulation of the electron current flow. In other words, as conductor material (speaker wire) becomes further removed from the cell, phonon vibration becomes more random due to thermal energy (heat) and less controlled/reduced by the effects of the Smith Cell.

As I said though, this is just "theory" and it is possible that the additional cells will have minimal to no effect. I guess that would be a good thing though as then we'd all know "one cell does the job" and therefore represents even further value. On the other hand, if additional cells do provide further improvement, then at least we know there is further improvement that can be had if we want to go that far.

If anybody does decide to give it a try, we'd be "all ears" (pun intended :-)and love to hear from you. I wish I had the time to experiment more myself, but I have a lot of other things on my plate right now.

Anyway, I hope this helps. Have a great week all and...

Take care,
-Bob