2. misc-audio
  3. 1327190169

Do you believe in Magic?

Audio Magic, that is.

Let's say that Magic is any effect not explainable by known physical laws. Every audiophile is familiar with debates about Audio Magic, as evidenced by endless threads about power cables.

I recently had an experience that made me question my long held skepticism about Magic. On a whim, I bought some Stillpoints ERS Fabric. I installed it in my preamp (which is filled with noisy digital circuitry) and a reclocker (also noisy) and...

Something happened. I don't know what exactly, but something. Two things in particular seemed to change... the decay of notes, and instrument timbres. Both changed for the better. But where did this change occur? In my listening room? Or in my mind?

If the change was in my listening room, then Magic exists. If the change was in my mind, then Magic does not exist.

One of the great Ideological Divides in audio is the divide between Believers and Skeptics. I honestly don't know if I'm a Believer or a Skeptic.

Do you believe in Magic?

Bryon
bryoncunningham
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
"So I plan on doing the A/B'ing in a friend's system, which should be sufficiently resolving to either confirm or disconfirm what I experienced in my system. I will also ask him to help me blind A/B. I will report back with the results."

B C. - would you say your friend's system is as resolving as your system when you first tried the ERS paper? Or perhaps as resolving as your system after you got your system to the point where you heard the ERS paper hurt the sound. And if the blind test is negative what will your conclusion be, pray tell?
bryoncunningham OP
888 posts
 
Geoff -- Yes, I would say that my friend's system is at least as resolving as mine is currently, and possibly more so. If I cannot discriminate the presence/absence of the grounding pigtails in his system, I will conclude that Al may have been right when he suggested that what I heard the day I put in the pigtails might be attributable to some other variable.

From your use of "pray tell," I gather that you are going to say that I cannot conclude anything of the sort, because the pigtails may have some effect in my system but not in his, due to differences in equipment, ac power, acoustics, barometric pressure, solar flares, the state of my electrolytes, etc. etc.

Maybe you were implying something else. It's hard to know when you don't finish your thoughts.

bc
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
You finished my thoughts quite well, actually. IMO it can be rather difficult getting to the nitty gritty truth of these rather bizarre tweaks and glad to see someone is trying to do so.
pipedream's avatar
pipedream
29 posts
 
Perception is a poor choice of words. We know what we hear. We do not perceive what we hear.
Granted there are many factors that have an influence on what we hear. Mood being the most critical.
I believe an ABA test is the true test. Most are very familiar with the sonics of their system. Any change should be evident in opnes system. The term "Magic" may be just the wrong word to use. There is something going on. If it cannot be measured with the conventional means we have today then what is happening ? Only our own ears with our own system can we make any kind of judgement of such.
It is a personal thing. One size does not fit all. How can one say another is wrong ? It is their perception and frankly that is all that matters. If I believe such is happening then by golly it is. How we arrive at that conclusion is what is moot. Perception is in the eye of the beholder. Chew on that.
pipedream's avatar
pipedream
29 posts
 
Hmmmm may be so however our perception is our only tool. What I perceive to be so is so. Ya know Mr Tennis just like a say all 6H30 applications suck. Not to my ears but maybe to yours.
More to discover