Teaser

Careful Miller, you will end up incurring the wrath of all those who screech " SNAKE OIL!" 

Are you trying to steal Frank's crown btw?

Ban that person!

Hey Miller I just applied Silclear to every connection in my system even ac plugs a couple months back and I hear ya brother! My system has never sounded clearer. You are in the Seattle area aren’t you? I’m up here in Friday Harbor in the San Jaun Islands. I know what you mean about the rain! Listening to it now along with George Winston’s Autum on vinyl. Stunning!

Redmond, on Rose Hill, just a mile or so off 405. PM if you ever want to come by for a listen. Seriously. I'd appreciate it. Impartial witness. Let a few of these guys know I'm not blowing smoke.

I've only tried a dozen or so cleaner/enhancers over the years, and Silclear isn't one of them. Although it does look a lot like a very similar product QuickSilver that I did try a few years back. One of the better conditioners as I recall. But if so, and you like that (which yeah, it is pretty good) then you will be amazed how much better this stuff is.

I heard about TC quite a while ago but put off trying simply because of trying so many others. After a while it becomes clear there just isn't all that much difference between them. No way I am paying $300 for 1.5 ml of nano-goop when I can buy 7g pure silver, which at least makes some kind of sense how it would work. 

Well, all I can say is learn from my mistakes: Don't wait. Are you old enough to remember the best ad slogan of all time? Just Do It.

Miller that sounds like fun! I don't get down there that often will keep you in mind next tlme I do.
Yes I am and old enough to remember "Is it Live or is it Memorex" Haha!
Ya it seems hard to go wrong with basically liquid silver for perfect contact.

I see Mad Scientist Audio does a graphene contact enhancer for $25 2ml and $49 5ml. Any idea if it's as good?

Have you tried any of the industry available graphene products like sheets not marked up for audio?

Personally Silclear is the only one I have tried.

"I just applied Silclear to every connection in my system..."

Apologies for jacking this thread.

Are we referring to the Mapleshade Silclear?
I was always curious  about that stuff. There seems to be an equal amount of positive/negative experiences with it.

Mapleshade philosophy is yet another polarizing subject topic.

Mapleshade disciple
https://mapleshadestore.com/listeningroom.php

sonicjoy ...

"I’m up here in Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands."

Lucky you. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. How’s the Salmon fishing and the crabbing?
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Total Contact is an amazing product. I’d encourage those who have only treated their contacts, to branch out a little bit and start experimenting with surfaces like the inside of the duplex covers, the inside of the door leading into the circuit breaker box panel and the inside of your power conditioner. If you’ve only applied TC to your connections, there’s a whole lot more to be had from this product.

Frank

Wouldn't it be ironic if it turned out that snake oil actually improved fidelity?

I’ve oft opined snake oil is the lubricant for the wheels of progress that makes the audiophile choo choo train run faster and longer. All board! Toot, toot! 🚂 Don’t be a mossback, go ape!

I bet the Mapleshade room dude is like; "What have I done?"

Amongst my hobbies I include reptiles and snakes in particular.
At one time had near a hundred, now down to 25 or so.
I can tell you from years of experience it is damn hard to extract said snake oil without receiving several deep and bloody bites.

Have mercy on the providers of snake  oil!

🐍🐍🐍

website to purchase?

I’ve oft opined snake oil is the lubricant for......

Fill in the blanks yourself.

Too much information!  🤭

Are we referring to the Mapleshade Silclear?
I was always curious  about that stuff. There seems to be an equal amount of positive/negative experiences with it.

In the beginning like most I never cleaned and was surprised at the difference when I did. Then for several years it was a twice a year thing. Then once a year, then every few years.... well this all started 1990-something so a lot of time. I've tried probably about a dozen different things over the years. Not only audiophile stuff like XLO, Caig, etc but also stuff like Flitz gun cleaner and various silver polishes and solvent type cleaners. Sometimes cleaned to bare metal, sometimes then added a conditioner, sometimes just the conditioner. Again, its not like I have some obsession with this stuff. This is like doing it 20 or so times over 30 years.

After all that turns out if you haven't cleaned in 6-12 months (or ever) then just about anything will be an improvement. You could rub real good with plain old cotton and alcohol- or even cotton alone!- and notice an improvement. Mostly a nice improvement in top end extension, with a little less grain, less glare, and a little more detail. Not huge but worth the trouble.

Quicksilver and Silclear are colloidal silver. There's more stuff mixed in there of course. Not that it matters. What it is only matters when you're trying to copy or make your own. For us listeners the only thing that matters is how it sounds.

All the many different things I tried, they all are pretty much the same. Enough so I put them all in the same category. The silver stuff right in along with all the others. Its a lot of work tearing a system apart to do this. Which is why only one time did I try this back to back. Even then it wasn't the whole system but just speaker cables, power cords, and one interconnect. That was when I knew for sure the main benefit is just cleaning. Because there just isn't much (if any) difference between them. In other words when I say just plain alcohol or cotton, its because yeah, that really does work about as good as any of the cleaners/conditioners. Including, yes, the silvers.

Then when you allow for people who won't read directions, klutzes who can't apply correctly even if they do, and wanna bees who couldn't hear the difference even if there is one, which altogether we're talking a big chunk of people, its no surprise if there's "an equal amount of positive/negative". Remember- if you've cleaned, you've cleaned. Doesn't matter with what. So if you've cleaned and then try something like Silclear, of course you're gonna be disappointed. But if you haven't ever cleaned and try it of course you're gonna be impressed. The trick that comes with experience is realizing it wasn't the particular product, per se, it was the cleaning.

At least that's the way it was, and is, with everything other than Total Contact. TC is completely different. 

The best of the silver type contact enhancers was Quicksilver, which was later replaced by Quicksilver Gold, which contained silver and gold. This is all ancient history. I’ve tried them all over the years. I’d try rabbits if I could catch em. Graphene is good too. Nobody wants that pesky micro-arcing. 

For the most soothing sounds: https://www.etsy.com/listing/637434757/aceite-de-vibora-con-veneno-de-abeja?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-bath_and_beauty-skin_care-salves_and_balms&utm_custom1=7c2f2744-b593-4bb2-9536-08e9d9fec87b&utm_content=go_1843970614_78172216068_346364233590_pla-353901606611_c__637434757&gclid=CjwKCAiApOvwBRBUEiwAcZGdGEvHykxgM4HNC2y2HCU-PX1P-NAhl3D60pBO1W0XsEDlmhZ9wHLksxoC61wQAvD_BwE

Hi guys. Ya I think the main thing is just geting a good clean connection and keeping it. That's what silver and other enhancers do. Maintain conductivity and prevent corrosion. Kind of like soldering all your connections. That's all I'm looking for. And yes it is a pain to tear down my whole system to clean all the contacts. Want to minimize having to do that.
Just spent the last couple hours adding a second set of speaker cables. Trying the Schroeder method of doubling up cables. Been wanting to try that and just picked up a second set of matching cables. Of coures applied Silclear to them as well.

One thing I will add when using Silver and anything conductive you have to be very careful not to cause a short by being sloppy with the application.
Oh and yes Mapleshade sells it.

I will admit to being a Mapleshade fan. I love the sound of their recordings. I have their vibration control systems under all my main components. The maple platforms with brass feet and rubber and cork isoblocks. I cannot argue with their effectiveness. I also have given my MMF 7.3 turntable the full mapleshade treatment and it really took it to a new level of refinement. I was intrigued with Pierre's ideas so decided to give them a try. I'm very happy with the results so far and that's what matters right? I don't have the time energy or funds to try everything out there so I tend to pick one guru or mentor and follow their advice. Been working good for me so far.

Oregonpapa I’m not much of a fisherman so am not up on how the salmon fishing is this year but the crabing is good. Had a few over the summer. It is a beautiful place to live no doubt but right now not so much. Rain and wind and we are expecting an artic blast to blow in tonight for the next few days maybe some snow.
I guess I need to check out Total Contact. Thanks for the info.

I clear customs in Friday Hbr each fall on the way back from fishing British Columbia all summer. The San Juan’s are paradise! Enjoy :-)

Cool thanks Tomic601! I do enjoy it but right now the snow has just started. Huge flakes coming down! Burr! Good time to be inside enjoying some good music.