Objectivists? Scientists? You will love this!

[firedog]

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-van-den-hul-the-extender/

[firedog]

45 minutes ago, Shadders said:

The article states it is a Scalar Wave - which is still an electromagnetic wave.

Apparently scientific consensus is that there is no such thing.

[firedog]

1 hour ago, rn701 said:

If you pay $5000 for a black box (or brown) without any explanation of what it does, of course you are going to love the sound.

 

Wonder why it needs the signal cable? Shouldn't it have some kind of sensors or something to make it wireless?

It  works even better with a $5000 power cord,

[firedog]

9 hours ago, fas42 said:

The device is doing something, in the areas that count - the reference to a sense of ease while listening, when it's operating, is the giveaway. Scalar waves? When you don't really know what's happening, throw in a BS explanation to keep those people who like that sort of thing happy ...

 

What is happening is that the effective level of residual distortion has been reduced - this is what optimising a setup does in a straighforward, technical way; here one knows what the factors are, largely, and 'rational' approaches are used to improve behaviour.

 

When obvious distortion is absent, then the type of 'colouring' which interferes with the "sense of ease in listening" needs to be addressed - nearly all the weirdo stuff operates in this territory, but more matter of fact methods are probably to be preferred.

How do you know it is doing something? 

[firedog]

11 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

Maybe real wood veneer has some effect on scalar waves..  Taking into account the $5k price range accusing vdH of trying to make some extra bucks by using vinyl finish would be immoral!

 

BTW: cheaper and with better documented influence on SQ:

http://www.shunmook.com/

I'd believe that some kind of reflector in a room has influence (good or bad) on SQ before I'd believe that the "mystery box" does. 

[firedog]

3 hours ago, Indydan said:

 

It sells for $5000 US dollars. Even if it does work, that money could be put to better use upgrading the speakers or amplifier, with more than likely much better results. 

You can do a hell of a lot of physical and/or DSP room optimization for $5K. And we know that that can work and is measurable.

[firedog]

5 hours ago, JoeWhip said:

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that scaler waves are a fact. Has anyone done any testing on them to see if long term exposure to them is safe?

You can't assume it b/c they aren't. No one actually knows what they are. It's a vague concept that has never been properly defined. No one can find one to measure, so they can't be tested. 

[firedog]

1 hour ago, fas42 said:

 

As I said, the giveaway is that it improves the sense of ease while listening - call this, "reducing non-obvious distortion, or the subjective impact of such" if you like. I've been working in those areas for decades, and I am well aware of how the darnedest things can matter, and how peculiar alterations to setups can impact perceived sound.

 

It's the difference between only being able to stomach a 'difficult' recording at elevated volumes for a short time - versus, wanting to turn up the level even more, to immerse yourself deeper into the soundscape. How you "measure" this? By the type of recordings you're happy to listen to, and the SPLs you're enjoying listening to them at.

Nope. Without knowing what's in the box and what it does, you know nothing. How do you know the box isn't filled with sawdust and it's  all a placebo effect? 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

That was irony..

yes, I got that. I still think the wood reflector thing is more believable. 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

Pretty easy ... just disconnect it while in place, or if one is obsessed about "expection bias" have someone else do it on the sly. Over the years many of my tweaks have gone faulty at times, because they were roughly done, or something knocked the bits out of alignment - I start getting irritated, "something's wrong, something's wrong" - and I have to spend time tracking down the cause. And there always is a cause - it's like having a single fluorescent tube in a room filled with these lights start to slightly flicker - it stands out like "a sore thumb".

Good for you,  but the reviewer didn't do that. No unsighted or "on the sly" testing. So for all we know it does have sawdust in inside the box. 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, vmartell22 said:

 

 

Are we sure is not a parody or satire?... has to be...

 

v

In audiophilia? 

[firedog]

44 minutes ago, pkane2001 said:

 

Awesome find! Not only does it heal, but it also fixes your audio problems. What could be better? And it even has a break-in period!

 

“These rings go a long way helping patients recovering from whiplash injuries. More specifically its psychological consequences in the form of mental block. 

Over the past seven years, since first was introduced, the Health Ring has had a very positive reaction from patients. We’re proud to help these people to be happy again.” 

 

Basically, he admits he is selling a placebo effect inducer.