Do we believe in Machina Dynamics?

So only things that we can't measure are snake oil, and things that we can measure are not. So, jitter, for instance, did not exist until it was measured, or perhaps had no basis in physics. All distortions presumably existed before our ability to measure them, if not, how could we build the measuring gear? Here is the crux of the technocentric view of evaluting audio gear.

Good question, Viridian, and a point well taken.

I will, however, hold firm to my belief that a Timex clock with an orange price sticker, and jars of rocks are audio snake oil. Someday, when the effects of these objects are measured, I'll sit quietly while someone says, "I told you so".

Tvad.. It is not just jars of rocks.. But they are "special" rocks worth plenty of money? that sends me into a spin.
Want rocks? get a peanut buter jar and fill it! total cost $0.00
Of course, we have folks whose time is claimed to be worth $1,000. an hour or such, and for them, buy the damn rocks.
I would opt for semi-precious stones myself... if I had a jar of rocks.. just think how kewl!!

Elizabeth, watch out for salmonella with those peanut butter jars!

Not that I've tried it Audioblazer, but that Shakti Hallograph thingy strikes me as classic snake oil too -- something I say based solely on having seen it pictured and read the ad copy, which looks and sounds like unmitigated BS along the lines of Shun Mook "Spatial Control" disks and stands. Not that I doubt that anything which is a resonator and/or physically large enough will affect the soundfield to *some* degree when placed in the listening environment (the Shun Mook disks qualify as neither of those as far as I can tell), but that's also true of most all of one's listening room furnishings. What I doubt is that this particular object could always make the sound somehow "better" and be worth what's charged for it (however I don't doubt that paying a significant amount for these types of things could in some cases be key to their "effectiveness"). Then again, I haven't tried liquid on my CDs or silver paste on my connectors either...