The Clever Little Sharp


After following the clever little clock thread to its current uselessness, I had come the conclusion that the whole concept was total nonsense. The fact that this product’s effect can’t be explained in literature and is, in fact, almost secretive leaves me suspicious. But like many curious audiophiles, I just couldn’t resist doing an experiment.

Before I go further, I must say that I was willing to chalk my findings up to a small personal victory not meant for publication. This is primarily because I didn’t want the negative responses pointing at the fact that I was either crazy or was hearing things that were self-induced.

Over lunch last week, I decided to go to the local discount store and purchase a battery operated clock. I proceeded to the clock counter and proceeded to make a $9.95 cent purchase into a major buying decision. Battery operated w/cord?, LCD or LED display?, black or silver case?, atomic auto setting?, etc. etc. There were probably more than 15 models between $7.99 and $14.99. I ended up with the Sharp LCD atomic clock w/day & date for $9.95. I have no idea whether any of these features are detrimental to the end result, and I doubt if I will ever buy 12 different battery clocks to find out.

I waited for the clock to automatically set itself and set it on a computer table in the room. While I played a few selections waiting for the system to totally warm-up, I thought I noticed a more palatable nature to the sound – actually more musical and warm. There you go, I thought, hearing a change because you want to. I left the room and took the clock outside and laid it on the concrete patio behind my home. About ten minutes later, I returned to listening and darn if something wasn’t missing. This is beyond crazy. I put the experiment on hold.

Later that evening, my son came over for a visit. He is no audiophile, but has the virtue of having 26 year old ears. He has called changes in my system in the past with relative ease and I consider his hearing above par. I asked him to sit in the sweet spot and evaluate if there was a change. I played a selection from Dan Siegel’s Inside Out CD for a reference and then brought the clock in and hid it behind the computer monitor. I requested that he keep his eyes closed and did not let on to what, if anything, I was doing. Midway through the same selection, he smiled and asked “what did you do?” I asked “Why, what are you hearing?” He went on to say that the midrange opened up and is more airy and the bass is more defined, tighter and deeper. I must admit that I thought I was hearing the same thing. I laughed at this point and said to wait until we do this a couple more times. After running back between the patio and listening room a few more times, I finally showed him what I was bringing into the room. His reaction was NOooo! NO WAY!

Even after this, I though that there is no chance that I will post this to Audiogon. It’s like seeing a UFO (not that I have) and trying to convince someone who hasn’t that it is real. Must be a blimp, right?

I decided to enlist my long-time audio friend Jim J. to see if my son and I were both crazy. Now, his ears are variety 1945 (or so – he won’t admit his age) but they are golden by audiophile standards. I proceeded to pull the same trick on him, not letting on to what if anything I did. I will tell you from past experience, he will call the session exactly like he hears it. This means that he will also not say that there is an improvement or any change if it simply is not there. He is as close to the perfect candidate that I would find or trust.

A similar thing happened, but rather than a smile, it was a sinister grin. “What are you doing?” He said. “What is that thing you went and got? It isn’t radio-active is it” he joked. “Well it is atomic” I said as I laughed. COME ON, what is the deal with this? I joking replied that it was top secret, but admitted I really have no idea. What did you hear? He replied that the overall openness and air around each instrument had improved as well as a cleaner, more defined presentation.

I’m sure that many will think we are all crazy, but I thought the open-minded would appreciate the information. I have no idea why it works, nor what the difference is with the supposedly modified clever little clock. I do know that for $9.95, a stock Sharp will enhance your listening. And if it doesn’t, return it to Walmart.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
128x128tgun5
Really folks, do you mean to tell me that you did not have a digital clock within 100 feet of your system prior to being infected by the CLS bug and taking a trip to Walmart? Do you mean to say that the clocks in your microwave, convection oven, stove, toaster, fridge, security system, VCR, DVD clock radio, alarm clock on your night stand, pocket alarm in your brief case, your watch, your better half digital watch, your kid's watches, your computer clocks, your car/SUV/minivan clock. . . are somehow all differently ineffective and you need to take a trip to Walmart to find one at random that will for sure improve your system? The notion is just so bizarre to leave me speechless!
Back in the early 80's Enid Lumely a writer for the Absolute Sound wrote an article or two that anything digital in the listening room even if it was not wired to the system had a negative effect on the music.Those beliefs were hotly debated at that time, and that writer fell from the bookshelf. So skip ahead to the present where most everything has something digital inside. Certainly our rooms are filled with a digital brew of Rf backfed and forcefed and a similar controversy over something digital in ones environment is taking its place again in the present time.Tom
Guidocorona, speechless but yours is just an alternative hypothesis nevertheless.
Guidocorona, very well put. To Theaudiotweak's point we are bathed in electromagnetic fields, although I think the digital point is irrelevant. Electromagnetic fields are simply electromagnetic fields.

Tbg, you sound like those people who pooh-pooh evolution as "just a theory".

My neighbors just installed a Grohe Ladylux (stainless steel) kitchen faucet last week. My system now sounds slightly more liquid. Not having to posit let alone demonstrate a plausible causal link opens the door to pure nonsense. After all, doesn't you system sound worse when Mars and Venus are in in conjunction? Mine does! Well at least I believe it does.
I suspect that the difference between those that believe in these 'irrational' tweaks and those that don't, is probably the same as those folks who can be hypnotized and those that can't. The effect is 'real' for the hypnotized person and good for them! For me, however, knowing that a person can be hypnotized, is not useful information, since I am of the 'non-hypnotized' type and the 'hypnotizable' persons' experiences are not relevant nor repeatable with me. I do envy, however, those who are 'hypnotizable' since the seem to have more experiences, real or not! :)
Bob P.