[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] The ideal audiophile accessory

[Julf]

Remember the old adage of how the ideal audio component is like a piece
of wire - doesn't add anything, doesn't subtract anything? Well, seems
Synergistic Research (yes, them again) have managed to produce exactly
that.

The latest Audioxpress magazine has an article about making audio
measurements, and one of the things they use as an example is an unnamed
device described as 'a 0.25" stereo phone jack and plug situated on
opposite ends of a plastic tube', and the manufacturer seems to make
claims about 'maximizing your enjoyment with increased resolution and
smoothness in the worlds most holographic headphone experience'. That
search string leads to the 'Synergistic Research HT Carbon Headphone
Transducer'
(http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/show-newport-2015-synergistic-research-ht-carbon-headphone-transducer).


The static measurements show that it is just connecting straight
through, and measurements of frequency response (with simulated
headphone load), inter-channel crosstalk, harmonic and intermodulation
distortion and noise all show absolutely no difference with or without
the device. So if you have $300 extra, and want to 'maximize the
enjoyment' your headphone listening, safely knowing that it won't worsen
sound quality, there you go...

Any conclusions about the ethics of the high-end industry left to the
reader...



"To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this
fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt
edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953
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[Jeff07971]

Post by Julf
Remember the old adage of how the ideal audio component is like a piece
of wire - doesn't add anything, doesn't subtract anything? Well, seems
Synergistic Research (yes, them again) have managed to produce exactly
that.
The latest Audioxpress magazine has an article about making audio
measurements, and one of the things they use as an example is an unnamed
device described as 'a 0.25" stereo phone jack and plug situated on
opposite ends of a plastic tube', and the manufacturer seems to make
claims about 'maximizing your enjoyment with increased resolution and
smoothness in the worlds most holographic headphone experience'. That
search string leads to the 'Synergistic Research HT Carbon Headphone
Transducer'
(http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/show-newport-2015-synergistic-research-ht-carbon-headphone-transducer).
The static measurements show that it is just connecting straight
through, and measurements of frequency response (with simulated
headphone load), inter-channel crosstalk, harmonic and intermodulation
distortion and noise all show absolutely no difference with or without
the device. So if you have $300 extra, and want to 'maximize the
enjoyment' your headphone listening, safely knowing that it won't worsen
sound quality, there you go...
Any conclusions about the ethics of the high-end industry left to the
reader...

I'll have two, surely two in series will do double nothing, I wonder if
three will be even better ‽



*Players:* SliMP3,Squeezebox3 x3, Squeezebox Receiver, SqueezePlayer,
PiCorePlayer/RPi2/Hifiberry DAC+ x2,PiCorePlayer/RPi2/Hifiberry
DAC+Pro,Wandboard SOA
*Server:* Logitech Media Server Version: 7.9.0 - 1444881383 on Centos 7
VM
*Plugins:* AutoRescan/BBCiPlayer/PowerSave/PowerSwitchIII/Squeezecloud
*Remotes:* iPeng8/Orangesqueeze/PC/Jivelite
*Music:* 383GB,1269 albums 17756 songs 4381 artists mostly FLACs

*Want a webapp ?* See
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?104305-Webapp-for-LMS
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[Mnyb]

More alarming is the linked inner fidelity article , the author is
really wanting to be fooled . " open mind " what would it really take to
make people like this to really see this for what it is .

Why not volcanic glass from a lava field on Iceland .

But some sand actually are Quartz :)

I think some one is in need of one of these (it genuin you could by this
in the 20's or something ).


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Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x
MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3
sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4
Misc use: Radio (with battery)
iPad1 with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server HP proliant micro server N36L with ClearOS Linux

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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[Fahzz]

Don't know about the other item, but don't buy the suppositories. They
clog up your ears.



Living Room: Duet (Wired), Pioneer Elite VSX 80, KEF Q100's, Energy
Encore center, subwoofer, surrounds
Dining Room: Paradigm Atom Monitor v.5
Anywhere Else As Needed: Boom
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[ralphpnj]

Post by Jeff07971
I'll have two, surely two in series will do double nothing, I wonder if
three will be even better ‽
In the article theres link to one being disassembled
http://www.head-fi.org/t/741043/some-hot-science-from-synergistic-research/15#post_11036526
You would have thought that they would at least used quartz instead of
sand to get the new-agers in !

The poster for the above linked post on Head-fi.org, "Bigshot", is just
about the most hardcore objectivitist I've ever encountered. My guess is
that he would fit right in with the merry band of debunkers that
frequent this forum section.



Living Rm: Transporter-SimAudio pre/power amps-Vandersteen 3A Sign. &
sub
Home Theater: Touch-Marantz HTR-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Linn sub
Computer Rm: Touch-Headroom Desktop w/DAC-Aragon amp-Energy Veritas 2.1
& Energy sub
Bedroom: Touch-HR Desktop w/DAC-Audio Refinement amp-Energy Veritas 2.0
Guest Rm: Duet-Sony soundbar
Garage: SB3-JVC compact system
Controls: iPeng; SB Controller; Moose & Muso
Server: SBS on dedicated windows 7 computer w/2 Drobos
'Last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/jazzfann/)
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[arnyk]

Post by ralphpnj
The poster for the above linked post on Head-fi.org, "Bigshot", is just
about the most hardcore objectivitist I've ever encountered. My guess is
that he would fit right in with the merry band of debunkers that
frequent this forum section.

That poster is AKA Steve Eddy, who I admire quite a bit.


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[Archimago]

The gross amount of reporting on Synergistic "Research" products over
the years is amazing! Seriously, how much of their stuff actually -*can
*-make a difference!?

And the fact that they are "reviewed" or mentioned so often in the
mainstream audiophile press like Stereophile (and website affiliates),
Hifi+, Absolute Sound in a way where these "journalists" demonstrate
ZERO ability to report with any demonstrable ability to engage in
reality testing and insight is mind-blowing.

A demonstration of the collective worthlessness of this crowd in their
ability to actually assess sound quality (beyond the hype and their own
subjective biases).

I suspect the general public isn't this gullible in any case... Hence
their lament at the "death" of "high-end" audio.



Archimago's Musings: (archimago.blogspot.com) A 'more objective'
audiophile blog.
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[ralphpnj]

Post by arnyk
That poster is AKA Steve Eddy, who I admire quite a bit.

Thanks Arny, I did not know that. Bigshot is quite knowledgeable about
big band and swing jazz.



Living Rm: Transporter-SimAudio pre/power amps-Vandersteen 3A Sign. &
sub
Home Theater: Touch-Marantz HTR-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Linn sub
Computer Rm: Touch-Headroom Desktop w/DAC-Aragon amp-Energy Veritas 2.1
& Energy sub
Bedroom: Touch-HR Desktop w/DAC-Audio Refinement amp-Energy Veritas 2.0
Guest Rm: Duet-Sony soundbar
Garage: SB3-JVC compact system
Controls: iPeng; SB Controller; Moose & Muso
Server: SBS on dedicated windows 7 computer w/2 Drobos
'Last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/jazzfann/)
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