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Re: A not very responsive answer.

Posted by Posy Rorer (A) on April 3, 2007 at 15:53:56

In Reply to: A not very responsive answer. posted by Pat D on April 3, 2007 at 11:09:48:

PatD wrote:

>>>PR
"advanced audio products (aka "controversial tweaks" as they are known around these parts)"<<<

>>Well, controversial tweaks such as the Intelligent Chip certainly exist. But there doesn't seem to be any evidence the IC works beyond affecting perception through the biases inherent in knowing they are being used. <<

Where are you getting this from? Do your research. There is no shortage of empirical evidence the IC works, including from one of the biggest, fattest anti-tweak blowhards the conservative audio establishment ever coughed up. (I don't wanna name names, but his initials are "KK").

This article explains how a dozen listeners could consistently hear the effects of the chip without having been told what it was they were listening to:

http://www.stereophile.com/images/newsletter/605stph.html

>>Where's the proof they make the sound any different? What do they actually do besides cost money and just sit there?<<

Don't ask me how the IC works, I'm sure I don't know more than you. I'm a little rusty on my "artifical atoms" theories. I believe Geoff has a white paper on his site which would go a lot further to answering your question. But the question you should ask is, "Can it work?". And there's only one real way to answer that for yourself.

>>>PR
"Great, so investigate the phenomenon."<<<

>>Why should he, unless he's selling them or claiming they affect audio signal in a significant way?<<

Sorry, I thought it was -obvious-. I'm starting to get the impression that nothing here is. Since he asked about the phenomenon, I presumed it meant he was interested in understanding more about it. And since it hasn't been scrutinized by a peer-reviewed panel, as far as I know, the only real way to learn more about it is to investigate yourself.

>>As a sensible consumer, I simply don't want to spend money or time on unproven tweaks. <<

I take it you bought your system on special at Circuit City then? Because that's the mindset of every mass consumer of electronics, who purchases their little "stereos" at places like Best Buy and Radio Shack. Which is why you won't find such products in such stores. If that's the case with you and you will not take the time to investigate good audio, then as an audiophile, I'm sorry I can not explain what all the fuss over advanced audio products is about on a web page. Reviews in science journals is not going to explain it either.

>>All my equipment has known functions and performs them quite well. My CDP plays CDs, my amplifier amplifies the line level signals input, my speakers transduce the amplifier signal into sound waves. <<

At one time, ALL of your audio equipment was unproven science. What do you want to do, wait until its approved by Peter Aczel before ever considering moving in that direction, as an audiophile? Because trust me, you will be -dead- by then, many times over. Avante-garde technology as conceptualized in the GSIC is some of the most exciting things happening in audio today. But, it's not for the spineless, that I will admit.

>>What does the Intelligent Chip do?<<

Elaphino. You might do better asking Wellfed, or someone who has experience with it, because I've never tried the IC. I'm a Beltist, and the GSIC, well, it's just a little too conventional for my tastes. Just the fact that it actually has a white paper explaining it in technical detail is a mark against it, for me. Takes the whole fun out of audio, when you have even a suggestion as to how it might work.

>>This raises the question of just what phenomenon there is to be investigated. Each case must be taken individually, of course, but the same considerations apply.<<

That's a good question. Here's how I would answer that. If one person I didn't know from Adam said "Try puking on your loudspeakers, it'll really firm up the bass", I would probably be safe to ignore that. But if one person I trust says "I tried puking on my loudspeakers, it DID firm up the bass!", well I would probably ignore that too. Not because two confirmed believers isn't enough to pass my "do I test it? threshold" but because, quite frankly, I don't want puke on my loudspeakers. I don't care how good that makes it sound.

However, if Ken Kessler, one of the world's biggest anti-tweak blowhards (see above), reluctantly admits that he heard the effects of the IC and so did several of his colleagues, repeatedly at that, that would be enough to indicate the IC is worth checking out. The GSIC-10 is not even that expensive a device, as I understand it. But as with any audio product, I would want some means of testing it out without gambling away the cost. That means either a dealer dem, or a refund if not satisfied. Responsive enough for you?

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