Do you mean quartz crystals? I have some in my old hippie neck pouch in a box of stuff someplace. How exactly would I use them in my system? Do I need to smoke any weed or light any incense to make the crystals more effective?
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Quartz crystal when properly sized and placed may have some benefits in reducing vibrations There are other crystals ... whose name's escape me at this moment ... that when heated will give off an Ion that is approximately equal in magnitude but opposite in phase with the RF smog surrounding your components .. because these Ions are 180 degrees out of phase with the RF they may cancel or dissipate some RF I believe this is what the Audio Magic Next Gen Plus does ... there is a small grid heater inside the box that heats the specific crystals which give off this dissipating Ion there by dissipating some RF that is present inside our components There are a number of crystal based devices on the audio market that may operate on this principle ... but one must ask themselves when looking at their cost ..,. "Is the Juice worth the Squeeze" Want more conspiracy theory ... Himalayan Salt lamps are purported to have a health benefit ... here million year old salt dating back to the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs roamed the planet is mined in the lower Himalayan mountains When heated the Ions given off by the salt in the lamp will help dissipate water .. dust and allergens in the surrounding air ...by removing these particulates it may also help by reducing the resistance they present when suspended in air to the sound wave propagating from your speakers ... possibly improving your systems sound I'm sure my post and this thread will generate plenty of ... "Negative Waves" ... but now we are dealing in Quantum Physics .. which I know nothing about ;-)
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Himalayan salt lamps like Tourmaline are pyroelectric, no it doesn't mean it's for pyromaniacs, it means they produce negative ions when heated, the salt lamp to a much less extent (I.e., so low it can’t be measured) than tourmaline; tourmaline is used in a number of audiophile products, including my Particle Accelerator ion gun. Of course many air purifiers operate by producing negative ions. So here’s a question for the group: what’s the deal with negative ions? Why are they good and positive ions bad? What's up with that? |
Particle Accelerator ion guns....personally I find phasers more effective when getting offensive in rush hour traffic...and less mess for the county to clean up...*smirk* Crystals....this smacks of putting razor blades under pyramids to sharpen them or keep them such. Ionizing a room doesn't strike me as terribly healthy either. Plasma speakers do just that, and although nifty to hear and conceptually interesting (point source, and all that...), I'd only do it in a very well ventilated room..... Ionized air in nature occurs around strong thunderstorms. I've had the privilege to be a witness and behold such, just before a bolt struck +/- 100 yards away. Granted, that was positive ions I felt. Negative ions do have noted better qualities, and follow such events. I chalked that up to not being struck.... Long term exposure to negative ions....eh, suggested by MD's for depression...might be useful if your current system depresses you. *L* That could lead one to think that such an application 'makes things sound better' if only between one's ears and not in reality.... Waterfalls generate negative ions, which may be a reason we humans find them delightful to be around. Not a practical thing to have in one's listening space however.... One could buy a NI generator....would it induce 'noise' into the AC current? Dunno...but you are messing with a high voltage widget, much like fluorescent or neon lamps... 'Ell, give it a go, let us know what happens.... The only other crystals beyond the benign ones (salts, diamonds, etc.) is crystal meth which should be avoided unless you'd like to avoid sleep, think you need to get a lot done, and want to thrash yourself in the process... |
People often cite the piezoelectric effect as the operating mechanism for crystals in audio applications. And that crystals improve the sound by absorbing or dissipating Radio Frequency Interference. But how can that be if RF is comprised of photons? Photons have no mass; so crystals cannot be squeezed (thus producing a voltage). So, there must be some other operating mechanism. |
Seems like some folks on AA have discovered some interesting things over the years with crystals. https://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/search.mpl?forum=tweaks&searchtext=crystals |
OK, so I got 'overamped', But...any effect crystals might have would be very localized, as in the crystals themselves. They won't act like a sponge in a larger volume. RF is an electron excitation....photons are light 'carriers'. If we could 'see' RF, right now you'd be in a very dense fog considering all the signals we humans create these days.... I'm a pretty diehard skeptic when it comes to when it comes to claims of 'this, that, and the other' made from or for various things touted to us as a interest group and in the general marketplace. 'Snake Oil' is still a popular product....it's just wrapped in a different package. It still is designed to transfer $ from one hand to another...;) ...and I'm still in the shallow end of my pool when it comes to being 'cranky' about 'things', and the claims about such.... |
These AA threads on crystals linked below go back even further than the ones Sabai posted. I came out with Brilliant Pebbles in 2003 at the London HiFi Show. They had already been around for a few years. A good time was had by all. Well, maybe not all. 😀 Hi-Fi News Show, London, Sept 2003 -- Audiopax/Ecosse/Meitner exhibit coordinator (Precious Music, Scotland): "Now, if I say that dozens of people said we had the best sound at show, many others said we had the best sound they had ever heard, many dealers, competitors and reviewers came round to check out the room and in particular the Audiopax Amp and Meitner dac...well you can imagine we felt pretty pleased with our efforts." (4 Brilliant Pebbles were used in this room -- one on each Audiopax speaker and two in room corners.) https://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/search.mpl?forum=tweaks&searchtext=Brilliant+Pebbles Geoff Kait Machina Dynamica Power to the Pebble |
I often use Krystals. Love 'em! I believe they do enhance as promised. Some of my favorites: http://http//krystal.com/menu/ |
asvjerry OK, so I got ’overamped’, But...any effect crystals might have would be very localized, as in the crystals themselves. They won’t act like a sponge in a larger volume. RF is an electron excitation....photons are light ’carriers’. If we could ’see’ RF, right now you’d be in a very dense fog.... Oh, you can see RF with the right goggles. Just like infrared light, you know, invisible light. Everything in the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including gamma rays, X -rays, and invisible light - and RF - is made of photons. They just have different wavelengths, that’s all. It’s got nothing to do with electrons. That’s why we now have infrared and X-Ray telescopes for observing objects in space, so they can "see" different wavelengths. Hel-loo! |
I have several crystals in my office. Mostly hippie-type stuff. Citrine, quartz, tourmaline, amethyst, etc. etc. I can detect no effect on sound, positive or negative. Some of them are pretty, so, I guess, if they help put me in any better mood or state of mind, then they probably positively affect the perception in some minor subconscious manner. |
It's interesting that a few years back I was experiencing with different crystals placed in baggies on various IEC's and such. Back then I thought they made a difference. Today, they are all gone and I don't even remember when they were removed. But, I wouldn't mind tweaking with the gal named Krystal. ozzy |
Come on, people, it’s not like you can just sit them down any old place. Their placement must be precise and specific to whatever issue you’re trying to address. It's easy to place crystals places where they hurt the sound. People sometimes ask me, "Hey, how come you charge so much for Brilliant Pebbles? They look like you got them out of an aquarium." I use a number of pure crystals, both semi precious and precious stones, of various types. Some of the crystals I use are sapphire from India, ruby from Burma, topaz, tourmaline and even diamond. |
*L* Well, we've obviously hit another of those 'MHO' walls... You're right, geo....with the right 'viewer', one can 'see' RF. UV, EMF, and on through the alphabet soup of contractions. If would be fascinating to set up a space to attempt to view the effect that crystals, brilliant or no, would have on audio wavefronts.... I'm just an annoying skeptic about claims made about 'things'....we live in an ad-verse world where claims are made about nearly anything that are intended to drive the product into our hands and the cash out of our pockets. This car, that hair product, our beer, your health or lack of it.... ".....I'm a nasty, narrow-minded jade...You think that I might smile at it, I'm not a weak-willed hypocrite....I'll say...I'm Bored." *L* Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, song by that name.... Not to belittle you, or anyone else about their perceptions about anything they hear regarding anything they're using to create such. I just may not notice it....due to bad ears, bad brain, bad attitude, or just drank the wrong Kool-Aid and didn't get religion.... Sorry...lets' go have a beer and discuss how damn annoying reality is. No one seems to get that right, either...IMHO...;) |
avsjerry *L* Well, we’ve obviously hit another of those ’MHO’ walls... >>>>>>It’s a wall of your own making. IMHO avsjerry You’re right, geo....with the right ’viewer’, one can ’see’ RF. UV, EMF, and on through the alphabet soup of contractions. If would be fascinating to set up a space to attempt to view the effect that crystals, brilliant or no, would have on audio wavefronts.... >>>>Or just use another sense. Like, say, hearing. avsjerry I’m just an annoying skeptic about claims made about ’things’....we live in an ad-verse world where claims are made about nearly anything that are intended to drive the product into our hands and the cash out of our pockets. This car, that hair product, our beer, your health or lack of it.... >>>>Uh, what claims? Besides, real skeptics investigate things. |
Randy - judgemental much lately? You know the education levels and subjects we’ve mastered? Plus I can’t even tell what you mean by your post. So get off your high 🏇 and see that a subject like this is going to become playful because it just seems silly. Now, once we shake our sillies out, we can have a real conversation about these. I personally am open to the possibility despite also seeing how absolutely silly this all seems from the outside. |
Koestler was the Author of Darkness at Noon (German: Sonnenfinsternis) is a novel by Hungarian-born British novelist Arthur Koestler, first published in 1940. His best known work, it is the tale of Rubashov, an Old Bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried for treason against the government that he had helped to create. Anyone not see the irony? |
Randy - I have no problem with your scepticism. I seek not to change your mind. But passing judgement on everyone's education was a bit much. As was the (not your) comment about God, suggesting that all beliefs are equal. I probably won't even mess with crystals.. I'm too busy and highly sceptical.. But I keep an open mind only because I've been sceptical in the past and have changed my mind after experimentation and research. I have learned from my past experience.. |
Yes, not my remark and all religious beliefs are not equal. For example, it is quite possible to believe that a deity has guided biological evolution (Teilhard de Chardin) or to own major astronomical observatories to peer back billions of years ot the early stages of the universe (as the Pope does). OTOH, "quick" creationists are simply wrong in their belief that the universe is just a few thousand years old, whether they attempt to adopt a mantle of science or not. Most do not understand what science is, or how it works. re: education - I stand by my statement. It is very difficult (maybe impossible) to be a well educated audiophile. You would need a thorough grounding analog and digital electronics, acoustics, biology, perceptual (cognitive) psychology, and statistics. I don't have all the above, but a typical liberal arts major is completely lost. Worse is the propensity of liberal arts majors (esp. from elite universities) to believe that they can evaluate all technical matters with expertise, and that notion can do real damage (outside of hobbies). One example was an anti-vaxer with an elite liberal arts degree who lived in Tiburon. She was also rich which may have contributed to her problems. IIRC, her child died. |
Randy - my main problem is your over generalizations. I personally have biochemistry and education degrees. And yet you seem to assume that I'm a wooly headed thinker who just believes what I want without evidence or theory. Or at least that's what your post seemed to imply. I'm not bothered, but it's better to use myself as an example.. My thought process, though, is not known to you, so you have no way of knowing if I'm uncritically jumping in to the crystal pool or if I'm suggesting we keep an open mind as this discussion unfolds. As rightfully critical as you are of blind acceptance of possibly dubious claims, you should also beware the calcification of joy that an overly objectivist and critical outlook can cause. |
I just could not find any constructive way to make any comments in this thread without controversy or creating animosity, even though it has fascinated me to no end!! However, as to Randy's audiophile assertion requirements...I double majored undergrad engineering and biology (with my senior thesis on nearfield and Fairfield sound underwater), got a masters and PhD in Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology( with Neru means lots and lots of electronics, computers, sensation analysis etc and a Doctoral thesis on psychoactive and autonomic effects of the Tetrohydrocannabinols), and a MD and residency with research training in Anesthesiology, so all boxes ticked, AND I still consider myself a very novice audiophile compared to many here who spend their lives in direct, daily, continuing contact with state of the art products, new processes and evolving mediums. I believe in most cases that is more important, given a at least a basic understanding of the science, rather than a deep understanding that I have, without daily immersion in audio. And I guess I do have to add to this thread there is a reason that most scientific studies involving humans and responses are double blinded! AND INCLUDE A PLACEBO TO ASCERTAIN THAT EFFECT.. BG... Thanks |