Fas42’s Stereo ‘Magic’

[pkane2001]

5 hours ago, Rexp said:

Agree, I chop and change my Tidal setting from CD quality to AAC when listening via the PC as CD quality gets fatiguing, however on my phone I always prefer the CD setting. Would be great if our objectivist friends could measure and identify whats causing the fatigue eh @pkane2001

 

Fatigue has varied causes. Not having any formal medical training, I wouldn't be able to diagnose it for you. Less stress, less obsessing over minute sound quality differences, less worrying about what some other piece of equipment or audio encoding may sound better, etc. might all help alleviate the symptoms. But that's just common sense and not a medical advice  I'm kidding (mostly) but you did ask!

 

In my BIAS thread, there's an interesting article where a test was constructed to determine if one piece of equipment was more or less fatiguing than another. A bit extreme, but seems to be one, mostly objective, way to measure "fatigue" related to a piece of equipment or a specific encoding.

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

I will repeat, the claims you have made are indeed grandiose and if not of a delusional nature, it suggests the aim is to offend. I do not think you are delusional but I may be wrong, which leaves the alternative. Your smug insistence on your 'method' is IMO either narcissistic or duplicitous, but either way I believe it to be intentionally offensive. As said, in essence it is a put down which is why I think people find it so objectionable beyond just some nutty ideas.

 

How are many of the claims often made here, on AS, different than what Frank is doing? How's a specialty DC wire or an audiophile fuse or an AC cord with special geometry any better? The process to arrive at their utility is exactly the same: make a change, listen, and decide for yourself if the change is beneficial. Frank is doing exactly this and simply reporting on his findings, just like every other audiophile here.

 

You don't think his findings are valid? They are just as valid in his mind, as that beeswax fuse or a shakti stone or a gas-filled AC cord or grounding box full of rocks are in the minds of those who hear the differences they cause. 

 

I know why I disagree with Frank's method and findings, but I certainly doubt that will be your reason. So, why do you, David, insist on attacking Frank and not all those others who are doing exactly the same thing? Seems like a double-standard. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

 

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

Others that talk about "validity" and "double standard" with regards other "tweakers" miss the point but it's not worth labouring through this. I will say, going off on a tangent, it is unusual to see anti-audiophile sentiment coming from such a uniquely subjective point of view. In and of itself this is not necessarily a bad thing, just saying it's quite an accomplishment to disenfranchise both sides of the great audio divide. Whatever the case, I really don't like any kind of arrogant put down

 

The role reversal demonstrated by subjectivists in attacking Frank and his approach is hilarious, even if you don't see it 🤪

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Summit said:

 

There is an obvious difference IMHO. Regardless of what you or I think about audiophile fuse, audio grade AC cord or grounding box full of rocks, we can get them if we want and try if they work or not. When it comes to Frank's magic tweaks, we cannot even find out what he actually does that miraculously makes his devices suddenly sound much better than 99% of all hifi systems. And when we have the discussions about how unimportant it is to set up the speakers properly and that there is no bad records, except audiophile records 🙃. So instead of debating “Frank’s magic” in multiple threads we try to keep the debate in this special thread/container.  

And yet, magical thinking pervades this site, well outside this thread, especially now that Chris banished all objective thinking folks.
 

I get the frustration with Frank, I’ve gone a few rounds with him myself  Whatever you think of him or his posts or his methods, he doesn’t deserve to be singled out and personally attacked in a way exhibited here lately.
 

Interesting things can happen when you engage Frank in a civil conversation unrelated to his ‘magic’: he has a depth of knowledge and understanding of audio that may really surprise you. 

[pkane2001]

3 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

You have that backwards.

No, I got it straight. Personal attacks are against the TOS here, by the way.

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Summit said:

 

When you say that magical thinking pervades this site and that Chris has banished all objective thinking folks you make it clear what you think about me and most other people on this cite. Seriously, I have no desire to discuss anything with someone that believes the above to be true. Yes Frank have much to share and have told him so before. I just can’t get what is his tweaks is and what they are supposed to do (and am not alone).

 

I have not seen anyone forcing anyone to get audiophile fuse, audio grade AC cord or grounding box full of rocks. I have only seen people sharing their own experience (or theory) with these, nothing more. I use audio grade power cords as well as IC and USB and think that they “sound” better than the generic ones. I can’t understand people that can’t hear the difference between good and bad cables in a good sorted audio system. Which cable that fit the good and the bad is of course it's up to everyone to decide.

I try to state what I think in an unambiguous way, so if you’ve read anything I posted before, you should not be surprised by what I think.
 

Chris banished all objective posts to a sub forum. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. As the result a large number of objectivists either left under protest or were banned. Also a fact. 

Frank isn’t forcing anyone to solder interconnects. So he repeats his mantra way too often. But recently that’s been confined to just a few threads. Why is it that you can state that you hear differences between AC cords, while Frank can’t state that he hears differences between soldered Interconnects and RCA connectors or bypassed volume pots?
 

[pkane2001]

8 hours ago, Summit said:

 

I've never said or suggested that Frank can't say what he hears. I have done the opposite and asked him over and over again to explain what he has done to make his budget equipment sound much better than 99% of all hi-fi systems.

 

As I said in my last post, I have no desire to discuss with anyone who tries to ridicule my choices of devices and who distorts what I write.

 

I don't think I've ridiculed your device choices in this thread at all. Other than Frank, I don't think I named anyone, so I don't get your statement that I "ridicule your choice of devices". You can be certain that I don't believe AC cords make an audible difference worth discussing, having tested and measured a number of them, and having a background in electronics. But that wasn't my point at all and not what I said. Yet, you still decided to get offended and argue the point that I didn't make. 

[pkane2001]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

The killer when the SQ gets good enough is static behaviour. Electrical charge builds up, or creates some type of noise background which disturbs operation enough to be audible. And it occurs in the weirdest ways, which just do not make sense. Of course, this will drive objectivists crazy, but something as nonsensical as a single bit of plastic touching another bit of plastic can disrupt SQ - checking for this is part of the process of getting best sound.

 

Even a beginner engineer would suspect improper grounding, Frank. Nothing to get crazy about. I'm sure that long extension cords dragged through living areas isn't helping much with static build-up.

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, fas42 said:

That is, if the recording sounds better, it must be distortion ... why? Because, a system built of components that measure brilliantly don't make it sound so good - and obviously measurements don't lie 🙄 ; an "accurate system" must be telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, 🤣.

 

What sounds pleasant isn't necessarily the truth. Ice cream tastes good, but it's not providing proper nutrition.

[pkane2001]

6 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

If the amplifier is presenting a performance closer to the original performance than most other amplifiers, then the measurements that some believe are the be-all, end-all,  are not capable of revealing why. 😋

 

Or maybe the listener has a vivid imagination... like Frank?

[pkane2001]

6 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

It depends on how you define nourishment🙄

besides the point is I want a carrot to taste like a carrot and I want broccoli to taste like broccoli. I want chocolate ice cream to taste like chocolate ice cream. How do I determine this? I taste them🙄 you can measure them if you like😁

So if it tastes like beef, you’ll eat regardless of its chemical composition?

[pkane2001]

4 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

The best way to judge if beef tastes like beef is to taste it.

 

Analysing the chemical composition can tell you other useful things but it cannot tell you what it tastes like, it tells you the chemical composition from which you might more or less accurately infer a taste sensation.

But we’re not talking about what it tastes like. Frank was claiming that what it tastes like is the truth, even if beef you taste is not made out of beef at all. Personally, I prefer to know the truth, but if you just want something that tastes good, that’s your choice.

[pkane2001]

3 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 Or perhaps yourself , that current measurements, including your own currently promoted ones, backed up by "Objective" A.S.R. user reports, are of course all that is needed to explain that ALL Subjective reports are the results of vivid imaginations  .?

I’ve not seen any beef measurements on ASR, but perhaps you read it much more than I do and I missed it

[pkane2001]

1 minute ago, sandyk said:

 

 Music is supposed to be for enjoyment, not analysis .

 Perhaps your measurements can save me the trouble of checking out J.D's new corrections using my ears ?

 Perhaps they can tell me whether the soundstage is improved along with low level ambience and instruments sound real, and whether voice sibilance is normal or not  ?,

I enjoy music on my iPhone and on my car stereo. But hifi equipment is supposed to be about faithful music reproduction. We are still talking about equipment here, correct?

[pkane2001]

1 minute ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

The truth is I want something that tastes good, that's how I know it's the truth. I will sit down to dinner tonight and taste my food. If you want to measure your dinner that's your choice and your flavor of the truth 😁

you go ahead and eat what tastes good. I’ll eat what I know is the real thing... by checking ingredients.

[pkane2001]

2 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

I thought we were talking about ice cream?

Beef

[pkane2001]

1 minute ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

you want ice cream to taste like beef? This is what happens when you get your measurements mixed up🤣

You’re losing sight of key concepts here. Keep up please! Artificial beef that tastes like ice cream is neither true ice cream nor true beef. That’s the truth!

[pkane2001]

3 minutes ago, sandyk said:

Perhaps many people need amplifiers like Pass to make up for the typical shortcomings of most digital reproduction , which is often cold and clinical sounding without any natural warmth? (source S/W as well as H/W)

Perhaps that also helps to explain the resurgence in Vacuum Tube amplifiers and Vinyl as well ?

So you find that Pass amplifiers taste better than the real beef. Personally, I find vacuum tubes a bit too crunchy for my taste.

[pkane2001]

2 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

I trust you measured the pass amplifier before you ate it ?! You wouldn't want to eat a fake pass amplifier !😁

I always do.

[pkane2001]

7 hours ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

Just as well, I would hate to learn that "rigourous scientific testing" revealed all beef tastes the same🤣!

Or that some has insecticide or antibiotics added, or that wonderful pink sludge.

[pkane2001]

24 minutes ago, botrytis said:

I built a pair of those amps. Were they the end all and be all? No, but they were 288 USD or so. These were designed to help people build amp and learn how to do it. I think they succeeded well. 

 

I agree. These were never marketed as high-end or state of the art. As a do-it-yourself kit, these are awesome. It's still interesting to see how they perform relative to competition. Nelson Pass has not been shy about stating that he thinks some distortion is preferred, even in his high-end, expensive amps. Interestingly, that's also what Archimago found in his internet THD blind test -- some level of distortion was preferred to none. A little sugar added to the mix makes everything taste better

[pkane2001]

3 hours ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

Signal jockeys can never understand this simple truth.

 

I'm sure none of them even like music, never listen to it or enjoy it in their own systems.  How sad...

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Abtr said:

I don't think it's possible to be an audiophile per definition and not pay attention to sound quality. Do you think it's possible for some to not like music and still be an audiophile and pay attention to sound quality?

 

Sorry. Probably not obvious, but that was sarcasm in response to the quote from AN.

[pkane2001]

9 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

At this point, you've done so much ducking and weaving that I starting to believe, like others, that this is all some elaborate prank.

 

 

Aww, you guys are just jealous of Frank’s superpower to extract amazing sound from boomboxes and laptop speakers. Next thing you’ll be questioning is if Superman can fly.

[pkane2001]

3 hours ago, SoundAndMotion said:

Frank is Frank. Live and let live.

Where's the fun in that??? 😄