Attention Scientists, Engineers and Na-s


Isn't it funny how timing works. With all the different discussions on proving this, show me fact on that and the psycho acoustical potential of the other thing an article comes along with the same topics and some REAL potential answers. I received my newest copy of "The Audiophile Voice" Vol.7, Issue1 today and on page 16 is an article written by David Blair and Bill Eisen titled "In The Matter Of Noise". The article focuses on disturbance noise but has some reference to thermal noise, low frequency noise and shot noise, and our ability to measure these noises with the equipment of today. We have measured noise as low as 6x10 to the power of -5, or approximately a few cycles per day. We have also found through laboratory testing that the human brain is stimulated with frequencies from just above 0Hz to just below 50kHz. U.S. Department of Defense documents also show studies of low frequency activity below measurable levels and there various affects.
The article then begins to talk about out of band (hearing) noise and in band noise produced by our electronic equipment and the potential of these noises effecting our sound system. The assumptions are that "disturbance noises rob our systems of dynamics, low-level information, tonal purity and stage depth". These effects are for the most part overlooked and misunderstood by the scientific communities. They say they think that our speakers being hit with "massive quantities of R.F.I. are affected" A very good quote referring to power filters was "Effective noise control imposes no sonic tradeoffs or downside." How often have the discussions here on Audiogon focused on what they are doing? A very interesting comment was that Teflon is capable of carrying 40-Kilovolts static charge, and the industry is touting this as a great insulator for audio signals, that's scarey!
Now I bring this to light because I believe the view of the "Scientists and Engineers" here on Audiogon is so narrow that they are failing to see the exciting challenges in front of them. If all these noises do exist, which they do, and they can be transmitted and received through our systems, isn't possible, just maybe feasible that the insulation of our wires, the casing of our dedicated lines the size and shape of the conductor could, just maybe effect the sound? Isn't it even possible that forces set off by electrical components could be interfering in some so far unmeasured and inaudible way affecting the sound. Do you all test within the full spectrum of 0Hz to 50Khz for every possible situation? Or is it possible, just ever so small of a chance that you are overlooking a whole new science yet unexplored. Doesn't that, even slightly excite your little scientific fossils?
Man if I was younger, healthier and wanted a challenge. This is a career if you'd just climb out from behind you oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzer and see the world is indeed still spinning, and yes, it is 2001. Remember how 30 years ago 2001 was going to be so exciting. What the hell have the Scientist, Engineers and Na-sayers who tote there stuff here on Audiogon done for the advancement of science. Anyone, have any of you really broken through! J.D.
128x128jadem6

Showing 11 responses by jadem6

O.K. Trelja and Craig, now what? How can we as educated people of like mind find new answers? I've learned alot about you two now and feel we have a good start, we don't have to change the world, just progress our corner. J.D.
Steve, I just don't get it. You have such great insight and knowlecge like stated above and could offer so much. Then you'll turn around and become a royal pain like the past week on other threads. Why? Isn't it just as easy to provide value. In all honesty, thank-you for the above. J.D.
Great post Trelja, I would love to see us here break down some of those barriers and maybe as a group begin to think different. It will take yours and others of like mind to create the platform. I was thinking that a lot of the creative juices must be lost in the computer field, but you're here so that's hope!
I was thinking of all the posts of voodoo lately and believe a majority are under this yet under defined science. Think of the shelving, footers, isolation discussions. Are they talking about vibration or is it noise not measured? Power cords, outlets, power conditioners talk of this noise, but I think only tell a third of the story. Power supplies, capacitors, resisters, solder all deal with part of the story. What else have we yet to learn that will open the doors? Interconnects and speaker wire, it goes on and on. My belief is there are way too many of us who claim changes to our systems that something must be to it. How often in the development of our society have we had to look beyond the given, break the rules just to move ahead. I'm so excited to hear you all talk outside the box, no right or wrong, just theory to be proven later! HAVE FUN, DREAM!!!!!! IF WE CAN'T DREAM TOGETHER, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT?
Thank-you Steve, this is what I was hoping for, educated people talking from alternate sides of an issue, with ideas not attacks.
Is it possible then that the line cords, cables and conditioners also play a part in the distortion, thus making it science and not psychology? (wich I find more a science of explaining the unknown than any of them.) Is it possible that isolation devices and footers lower of raise the distortion created through vibration?
Wow Danvetc, that was amazing. Just came out huh? That's exactly what I'm talking about, loosen up and let ideas flow. Now you just need to relate it to audio equipment and we have a start. Don't get me wrong, I love your "stream of consciousness" thank-you for sharing. J.D.

Craig, I think you under estimate the knowledge you do have. I've read enough of your posts to know you have a very good grasp of this hobby, you and I just need some techno dude to help us out here.
O.K. Steve, if it's not the power supply and it's effect on the audio signals in our amp. or source (which you did not mention) and the cords, conditioners, etc. are not effecting anything in the signal, than how do you explain the added noise, lost of base definition, lack of sound stage detail and added edginess that occurs when I switch out my cords and conditioner to standard cords from the wall? The difference is not subtle and it is way beyond subtle, this is like a clock radio vs. stereo system. There is with no doubt, and laughably so a difference, how do we explain this? If there is no measurable difference as claimed, then it must have to do with something we are failing to measure. What? I think for anyone to stand and claim there is no difference has to be not willing to except something unknown to them and I don't see you as that person.
If I took your sprayer analogy and went with it, I would think there is a chance the flow would be smoother, more even if the pressure tank was next to the nozzle, thus no resistance to the flow. If my hypothesis is correct then I would assume a wider hose could provide a more stable pressure, thus a more even flow. If the casing is butyl rubber with a potential for small leakage of air vs. a vinyl tube the flow would be that much more stable. By screening the compressor intake and controlling it's environment I believe we will see a more predictable performance. This of course has not been proven by me and I doubt by you either. So here we sit, you claim no possible difference, I claim possible. Neither of us have any more than our own experience and education to prove our theory, but they both make sense. The point is not to begin a thread on air compressor and there effect on paint sprayers, it was and is to draw a comparison as you tried to do.
Now you have told us, often I might add that it is not possible that the power cords, wiring, conditioners, etc. can have an effect because your scope shows no difference. O.K. I'll give you that a scope will not show a difference, but I'm still claiming better sound, as I do with my sprayer giving a better surface. If you measure the compressor there is no difference, and I would bet the pressure at the hose end is the same under measurement. So is the better finish psychological, or have we yet to conduct the proper test? For us both to stop there seems childish at best. If we both really cared, would we not want to continue working together to find out if there is or is not a physical difference. So from my perspective, today we sit like two kids in a sand box, I'm right and your wrong, and visa versa. We can chose to go home and complain about the other kid, and more than likely not play together again, or we could stop and try to figure out what is going on. The claim of audible difference is not just psychological, and science has a way to prove it. To continue it will require you to accept that I hear a tangible, physical, measurable difference and that your interested in helping the rest of us figure out why. So do you want to play, or go home? J.D.
That's wrong Jostler. I have now had over ten people come and listen to my system, I've then taken out the cords and conditioner and put in the stock cords ( you can read elsewhere my process that's been said to be overkill). I have had amazement, shock, confusion, smiles, but as of yet not one person who didn't hear a major loss with the stock cords. Now if you chose to ignore my factual proof for your unproven doubt, fine, your entitled to your opinion but please don't participate in this discussion for you add no new value.
If you read my post in "blind tests" you would know I've done quite a bit of testing. I'm sure my procedures will not meet your criteria in that you insist on your point. With that said, I'm done with you and Jostler for the time being. If anyone else wants to have a constructive discussion and continue this line of thought please do and I would love to join in. I do however refuse to discuss this with you two any more. You have already cause enough damage on these three threads and through it all you have yet to bring anything constructive to the table. J.D.
In discussions of scientific theory Stephen Hawking states that "any physical theory is always provisional, in the sense that it is only a hypothesis: you can never prove it. No matter how many times the results of experiments agree with a theory, you can never be sure that the next time the result will not contradict the theory. On the other hand, you can disprove a theory by finding even a single observation that disagrees with the predictions of the theory." I propose the theory made by our "experts" here on Audiogon is that in that all wire and cable will test identical when a charge is past through it, then the prediction has been made that there will be no audible difference. I further propose that the observations made by the masses here at Audiogon through blind testing and simple comparison contradict the stated theory, thus the theory is false. It's simple to see and provable in my opinion.
Up until 1969 when Caltech physicist Murry Gell-Mann won his Nobel prize for work that discovered quarks it was believed that protons and neutrons were the "elementary" particles. Of course sense then we've defined six different quarks, and we believe that these are not the smallest but only another layer of building blocks that create mater. It is now know through quantum mechanics that all particles are in fact waves, and that the higher the energy of a particle, the smaller the wavelength of the corresponding wave. We can even go beyond this and talk about the effects of weak nuclear forces. These were not really described until 1967 and has subsequently been used to describe the unification of particle behavior and it's interaction with electromagnetic forces. My point here is that in the past 30 years the very definition of physics has been rewritten. Our understanding of the effects of all forces on wave energy is maybe in it's infancy, so for anyone to claim absolute is surly not a scientist, but rather an ill informed trouble maker. I believe the interaction of a number of physical phenomenon could play a part in how electrical charges behave and react with-in our components and should be a part in our discussions. I go back to my earlier posts, IS IT POSSIBLE...?
For us to look at the leading edge of physics and say none of these discoveries or theories have bearing on electronics is just simply silly. Do you think for one minute that Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Galileo Galilei, etc would accept the weak scientific stand that a few here have proposed? Of course not, but then they were not afraid to take a risk of being proven wrong in there theories. I hope the people on this site will learn to simply not respond to these folks until they show a true interest in learning, and that we can continue to talk through there static. (Oh yea, static is not possible, forgot)
I wish my passion was electronics rather than cosmology, then I'd have a damn leg to stand on. That's why I need your help out there. J.D.
Thank-you Jerie, and might I add that the products I've owned with separate power supplies all have had very different umbilical cord designs. Some extremely stuff and well insulated and others tightly wrapped. Every one has discussion in there manuals about these umbilical cords and there specific design criteria. (more of the great conspiracy I guess) Why don't manufacturers use high end cords out of the factory? Some do. Why don't all manufacturers us the best capacitors, transformers, etc. and why do some offer upgraded power supplies? I think the answer is a far away as the auto industry. Why don't all high performance sports cars come out with Shelby specs. or what ever. The after market in auto is huge! Does that make it snake oil too? (Oh by the way, Kennedy is not living on an island with Jim Morrison, that was just a theory)