Believers VS. nonbelievers???? GEEzzzzz

I could not agree more Elizabeth. As I have stated in postings here, my system will never be finished. Once we close our minds to the possibility that something might bring improvement, and never even give it a try, we cease to progress. I think that most of the people that visit here are sincerely looking for knowledgable responses from members who have tested a particular item or idea, and can share that experience. Asking questions is never dumb, what is dumb is to loose the excitement of exploring and adventure that a child has. Age does not have to diminish this joy, sharing ideas helps keep your own mind open to discovery, and in this way, the reward works both ways.

if, indeed, there are strongly-held polar opinions of a product that may be expressed in a manner adherents of either end of the spectrum can understand, then that product is on the cusp of subjectivity. its being useful or harmful, worthy or scornful, valuable or worthless becomes, then, a matter of faith. wars have been fought over such beliefs. is it any wonder that something warlike occurs when our subjective views of beloved audio gear, tweaks, and very auditory accuity are challenged? i don't like it when this happens any more than elizabeth or others who have joined this thread. i also abhor my own failings that allow me to get sucked into these battles sometimes. none of us can change human nature, tho, which is why i think audiogon has attempted in a still flawed way to impose upon us a set of standards that reel in our tendancies to behave like savages. sadly, there will forever be jerks like 720... trying to entice us into stone throwing, no matter how many rules or rating systems are put in place. the best we can do is ignore them, as others have already said. the worst we can do is allow these interlopers to drive us away. this is a wierd and wonderful cyberspace village that is constantly being recreated. just remember that every village needs an idiot or two.

I completely agree. I know I've heard of many gadgets that seem like complete quack science to me, and many might be, but I thought the same thing about interconnects, the Quantum Symphony Pro, and power cords until I tried them.

Wow, congradulations to Sugarbrie, Estrnad, Dekay, Craig, Gallaine, Albert, Kelly and Phild. these are some very well thought out posts, maybe the best I've seen, Thank-you. And thank-you Elizabeth for the forum! J.D. (you each get +2,+2)

Well, speaking as a skeptic, I'd like to say that the lot of you are full of...oh, wait, that's not what you wanted to hear. Actually, I find Audiogon's discussions far more civil than those of, say, rec.audio.opinion. Indeed the most intemperate responses I have seen came from believers who took umbrage at someone daring to suggest that the laws of science ought to be presumed to govern audio. I don't care if you choose to believe something that lacks any scientific basis. What I do care about is the peddling of pseudoscience to justify that choice. It's a gross disservice to the less knowledgeable lurkers who are trying to learn something here.