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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
mapman's avatar
mapman
15,679 posts
 
"My use of the word "magic" isn't meant to imply that the audible effects we've been discussing have no basis in physical laws. It's simply meant to refer to audible effects that are difficult to explain."

"Magic" may or may not be a suitable term for something that cannot be explained in that "supernatural" influences are often cited as being responsible for observed magic.


I'm just not sure I'd want to provide an opportunity for the supernatural to be cited as a cause regarding how things sound.

Albeit typically elusive, with home audio, there is always a reason or reasons why something sounds exactly the way it does.

But at some point, one practically just has to punt rather than worry too much about establishing cause and effect to great detail, as I'm sure you well know from experience.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
Sounds to me like those ascribing the supernatural to implausible tweaks are a little like the natives on a godforsaken island somewhere who believe cameras are supernatural and that having a picture taken of them will steal their souls. The problem with many tweaks that can't be explained or have difficult to swallow explanations is that knowledge or expertise in the sciences of electronics and acoustics is no longer sufficient to judge them. These days the well rounded über skeptic must be well-versed in biology, neurological science, evolution and others. Question for the non technical naysayers: Is it still fashionable to report that you told a PhD friend about some preposterous tweak and he laughed so hard milk squirted out of his nose?
whart's avatar
whart
1,930 posts
 
didn't peter belt have a whole thing about putting a photo of yourself into the freezer? that's not far removed, geoff. when you said you were a 'beltist,' i assumed that had nothing to do with the thing that holds your pants up, and everything to do with the fringe audio tweak guy in the UK.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
Whart wrote,

"didn't peter belt have a whole thing about putting a photo of yourself into the freezer? that's not far removed, geoff. when you said you were a 'beltist,' i assumed that had nothing to do with the thing that holds your pants up, and everything to do with the fringe audio tweak guy in the UK."

Uh, oh, looks like the cat is out of the bag. I'm getting a bad feeling.

:-)
mapman's avatar
mapman
15,679 posts
 
"The problem with many tweaks that can't be explained or have difficult to swallow explanations is that knowledge or expertise in the sciences of electronics and acoustics is no longer sufficient to judge them."

Yep, that sure is the problem.

When one does not know, the double whammy then is one may not be able to determine who to trust when another claims they do.

Luckily, most of the really important core principles of home audio are fairly well understood by many, so that is less of a problem practically.
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