In defense of quantum products.

I don't see how "quantum" models relate to audio sound quality in any meaningful way.

A quantum model to me would infer mostly a different and inherently nebulous way to market a product. A different way to tell the same story in the end essentially that makes a product seem more revolutionary or innovative than it really is.

I proceed with caution with any products marketed based on such a model. It's almost certainly a marketing ploy based on principles whose application to the task at hand are nebulous at best and done most likely merely to increase the perceived value of the product.

Sabai,

I never said products advertised as "quantum" cannot work to improve or even just make a difference in sound quality. In fact, I suspect many can and do. I know for a fact that Nordost products are capable of sounding fabulous. I have read some good things from Synergistic research that I like.

But I would question the value proposition of these kinds of products in general perhaps because along with the R&D and innovation (assuming legit) typically comes a price tag.

These products tend to be pretty expensive usually from what I have seen, right?

I wonder if similar results might have been achieved with more traditional smarts using other products that may not be as flashy or expensive (in general) but apply solid, proven, and well understood principles of design properly otherwise.

If its "quantum" forged, affordable, and the value proposition is there, and it sounds good, then I would find little to criticize, although personally I seldom buy a product at any cost based on nebulous principles the application of which to the task at hand I cannot understand. But that's just me.

High end audio is a natural playing field for marketing technological innovations that "push the edge" to potential customers that are willing to pay for "the best". I am naturally skeptical of "innovative" and expensive technologies that rely solely on high end audio consumers for their existence.

I searched and read a few thing on the Nordost and Synergistic sites as some homework in response to this thread.

The word quantum comes up many times when you run a search on the word, but I did not see a concise explanation of exactly what it meant in the context of the site ( I thought I did see some clear things that made some sense a while back on the Synergistic site when some of their power related products caught my interest but not this time). The term appears to be used mainly as a principle and/or tool in testing as part of their R&D process as best I could tell and is mentioned in the context of many products. I could have missed some things. SInce it was so frequently used but an explanation not obvious I did not spend too much time digging. I gathered that they are applying a technique that originated in the medical field back in the 90's but a quick Google search turned up nothing on other sites explaining further.

Whatever. I have no doubt these products sound good or they would not be in business for long. If the customers are happy with the products that's all that matters. I could easily live with them I am sure but doubt I would be willing to make the investment required.

I expect all expensive audio products to "sound really really good" though of course we all will tend to like some more than others. I can count on one hand probably the expensive audio gear I have heard around that did not sound good at all to me and I suspect that was because of problems with specific units and/or the setup.

I agree in the end that customer satisfaction is all that matters.

"quantum (kwntm)
Plural quanta
A discrete, indivisible manifestation of a physical property, such as a force or angular momentum. Some quanta take the form of elementary particles; for example, the quantum of electromagnetic radiation is the photon, while the quanta of the weak force are the W and Z particles. See also quantum state.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.'"

Quantum is a useful concept or paradigm applied in many scenarios from the common to the more esoteric in many disciplines.

But I would be weary of its use specifically as a marketing device to make a home audio product appear more sophisticated or effective than perhaps it really is. Impressive sounding technical terms can easily be used to obfuscate the facts as a means of justifying a higher price/profit.

Accordingly, I would be suspicious of the value proposition for most any home audio product that heavily uses the term in its marketing literature. It may work or it may not. The value proposition is what matters. Its a common trick in marketing in general to overstate the value of a new or unique product based on some proprietary "gimmick". Nothing new or unique to home audio there!

Yawn...