Do you believe in Magic?

I honestly don't know if I'm a Believer or a Skeptic.

Hi Bryon,

That is a good thing, as I see it, because IMO the positions at both ends of the ideological spectrum are fundamentally flawed in numerous ways (that I won’t belabor here), and go hand-in-hand with dogmatism and closed-mindedness. If I may make a somewhat presumptuous comment, your intellectual sincerity and open-mindedness are both refreshing and commendable.

No, I do not believe in magic (although I do like the John Sebastian song :-)).

But my background in electronic design (unrelated to audio) has taught me that many things can occur in a system that are subtle, counter-intuitive, and inherently unpredictable.

Coupling of electrical noise between circuits that are ostensibly unrelated is a leading example. EMI/RFI effects are another example. While those kinds of effects can often be explained in a general sense, once the design has been implemented they can only be addressed by experimentation and trial-and-error. I don’t see anything that is technically implausible, btw, in the experience you described with the particular tweak.

Concerning the broader philosophical questions you raise, my feeling is that each issue and each tweak should be considered on an individual basis, and broad latitude should be allowed for the possibility that subtle and counter-intuitive phenomena may be at play. But that latitude should remain WITHIN FINITE BOUNDS OF PLAUSIBILITY!! A technical understanding of how the elements of a system work and how they interact, and of the theory behind a specific tweak, if applied with a reasonably open mind, can help assure that perceived effects are being attributed to the correct variable, and to better distinguish between the plausible and the implausible, the reasonable and the outlandish, and between pointless overkill and the possibility of significant benefit.

Rather than a believer or a skeptic, I guess you could call me a pragmatist with a technical background.

Best,
--Al

Possibly by minimizing RFI it lowers the noise floor which enables you to hear more deeply into the music? I've always wondered myself, what is going on here but I'm sure there is something that could be explained if we knew exactly what. I have been using ERS Fabric covering the small transformers and impedence converters in my amplifier, a Berning zh270 and a small piece on top of various components for years. I've also tried on top of the speakers to no effect at all. The things you notice are in my experience real but it is important to note as Chadeffect does, a little goes a long way. Judicious use can make a difference/improvement or can just as well not if taken too far.

01-22-12: Tmsorosk
The big test comes in the following days when you forgot about the tweak, and walk threw your music room and get stopped in your tracks , hearing something that wasn't there before, then recall making a change.

I agree with this. Although A/B testing has its place, long term unreflective listening is the most informative way to evaluate sound quality, IME.

01-22-12: Chadeffect
It isn't magic, all you did was put some shielding around your Pre.

The use of the word 'Magic' is of course ironic. I understand that ERS fabric is designed to, in the words of Stillpoints, "absorb, diffuse, and reflect EMI/RFI energy."

What is puzzling to me is how ERS fabric accomplishes this, given its materials and design. Again, in the words of Stillpoints... "The core of ERS is made of a blend of carbon fibers of various lengths and sizes... these fibers are coated with metals, such as nickel." I am no EE, but how that design can absorb, diffuse, and reflect EMI/RFI energy is a mystery.

Incidentally, according to Stillpoints... "ERS does not operate under the same principles as a shield." Just what principles it DOES operate under are left unspecified. I assume it's Magic principles.

01-22-12: Almarg
...my feeling is that each issue and each tweak should be considered on an individual basis, and broad latitude should be allowed for the possibility that subtle and counter-intuitive phenomena may be at play. But that latitude should remain WITHIN FINITE BOUNDS OF PLAUSIBILITY!! A technical understanding of how the elements of a system work and how they interact, and of the theory behind a specific tweak, if applied with a reasonably open mind, can help assure that perceived effects are being attributed to the correct variable, and to better distinguish between the plausible and the implausible, the reasonable and the outlandish, and between pointless overkill and the possibility of significant benefit.

Eminently reasonable words from an eminently reasonable man. You are an EE, Al. Can you conjure an explanation for how this Magic Cloth works?

Bryon

A friend had this stuff inside his Meridian 808.2. His application was labor intensive, but yielded high rewards across the board.

Check out magic powers of ERS fabric layed on the dinner table, say magic word "FEED ME" and close your eyes for 1min. You should see the random meal dishes served.

There are also Harry Potter upgrades available to be able to specify menu and using magic words "FEED ME WITH dish1, dish2..."

THANKS.