At $549 for four, I'm not sure that this even qualifies for "snake oil." I guess that it does, since it smells like total BS and it is one of those rare vials of snake oil that a reviewer from Stereophile didn't crap in his pants about. Now you know that if a reviewer doesn't fawn all over the latest trend in snake oil as the most magnificent thing you can buy for your system since the invention of electricity, there is a problem. But I think that I know what the problem is . . . The snake oil is TOO CHEAP! Had the cost of realigning those pesky eddy currents been in the snake oil "sweetspot" . . . say $2500 to $5000, no doubt the reviewer would have been "blown away" by the amazing increase in soundstage and "sparkle" now that his eddy currents were aligned.
That pretty much nailed it moto_man. You see, a glossy rag CAN'T rave about a product unless they are getting properly "fed". To properly "feed" the glossy rags takes a large amount of marketing and advertising dollars. Of course these dollars are then passed off to the end consumer in retail pricing.
So normally:
Great review = Overpriced
Luke Warm review = Priced about right
I'm sure the manufacturer will learn how to play the game, and will soon release the Signature, Ultimate, and Ultimate Reference version of these adapters that will be priced more accordingly pleasing to the glossy rags, and once properly fed, the rags will give their blessing of approval.
