What annoys me today in marketing and media that too often today then talking on hi-fi, science is replaced by bizarre belief structures and marketing fluff, leading to a decades-long stagnation of the audiophile domain. Science makes progress, pseudo-science doesn’t. Hi-fi world is filled by pseudoscience, dogma and fruitloopery to the extent that it resembles a fundamentalist religion. Loudspeaker performance hasn’t tangibly improved in forty years and vast sums are spent addressing the wrong problems.
Business for Engineers: Marketers Lie article points tout that marketing tells lies — falsehoods — things that serve to convey a false impression. Marketing’s purpose is to determining how the product will be branded, positioned, and sold. It seems that there too many snake oil rubbish products marketed in the name of hifi. It is irritating to watch the stupid people in the world be fooled.
In EEVblog #29 – Audiophile Audiophoolery video David L. Jones (from EEVBlog) cuts loose on the Golden Ear Audiophiles and all their Audiophoolery snake oil rubbish. The information presented in Dave’s unique non-scripted overly enthusiastic style! He’s an enthusiastic chap, but couldn’t agree more with many of the opinions he expressed: Directional cables, thousand dollar IEC power cables, and all that rubbish. Monster Cable gets mostered. Note what he says right at the end: “If you pay ridiculous money for these cable you will hear a difference, but don’t expect your friends to”. If you want to believe, you will.
My points on hifi-nonsense:
One of the tenets of audiophile systems is that they are assembled from components, allegedly so that the user can “choose” the best combination. This is pretty largely a myth. The main advantage of component systems is that the dealer can sell ridiculously expensive cables, hand-knitted by Peruvian virgins and soaked in snake oil, to connect it all up. Say goodbye to the noughties: Yesterday’s hi-fi biz is BUSTED, bro article asks are the days of floorstanders and separates numbered? If traditional two-channel audio does have a future, then it could be as the preserve of high resolution audio. Sony has taken the industry lead in High-Res Audio.
HIFI Cable Humbug and Snake oil etc. blog posting rightly points out that there is too much emphasis placed on spending huge sums of money on HIFI cables. Most of what is written about this subject is complete tripe. HIFI magazines promote myths about the benefits of all sorts of equipment. I am as amazed as the writer that that so called audiophiles and HIFI journalists can be fooled into thinking that very expensive speaker cables etc. improve performance. I generally agree – most of this expensive interconnect cable stuff is just plain overpriced.
I can agree that in analogue interconnect cables there are few cases where better cables can really result in cleaner sound, but usually getting any noticeable difference needs that the one you compare with was very bad yo start with (clearly too thin speaker wires with resistance, interconnect that picks interference etc..) or the equipment in the systems are so that they are overly-sensitive to cable characteristics (generally bad equipment designs can make for example cable capacitance affect 100 times or more than it should). Definitely too much snake oil. Good solid engineering is all that is required (like keep LCR low, Teflon or other good insulation, shielding if required, proper gauge for application and the distance traveled). Geometry is a factor but not in the same sense these yahoos preach and deceive.
In digital interconnect cables story is different than on those analogue interconnect cables. Generally in digital interconnect cables the communication either works, does not work or sometimes work unreliably. The digital cable either gets the bits to the other end or not, it does not magically alter the sound that goes through the cable. You need to have active electronics like digital signal processor to change the tone of the audio signal traveling on the digital cable, cable will just not do that.
But this digital interconnect cables characteristics has not stopped hifi marketers to make very expensive cable products that are marketed with unbelievable claims. Ethernet has come to audio world, so there are hifi Ethernet cables. How about 500 dollar Ethernet cable? That’s ridiculous. And it’s only 1.5 meters. Then how about $10,000 audiophile ethernet cable? Bias your dielectrics with the Dielectric-Bias ethernet cable from AudioQuest: “When insulation is unbiased, it slows down parts of the signal differently, a big problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio.” I see this as complete marketing crap speak. It seems that they’re made for gullible idiots. No professional would EVER waste money on those cables. Audioquest even produces iPhone sync cables in similar price ranges.
HIFI Cable insulators/supports (expensive blocks that keep cables few centimeters off the floor) are a product category I don’t get. They typically claim to offer incredible performance as well as appealing appearance. Conventional cable isolation theory holds that optimal cable performance can be achieved by elevating cables from the floor in an attempt to control vibrations and manage static fields. Typical cable elevators are made from electrically insulating materials such as wood, glass, plastic or ceramics. Most of these products claim superior performance based upon the materials or methods of elevation. I don’t get those claims.
Along with green magic markers on CDs and audio bricks is another item called the wire conditioner. The claim is that unused wires do not sound the same as wires that have been used for a period of time. I don’t get this product category. And I don’t believe claims in the line like “Natural Quartz crystals along with proprietary materials cause a molecular restructuring of the media, which reduces stress, and significantly improves its mechanical, acoustic, electric, and optical characteristics.” All sounds like just pure marketing with no real benefits.
CD no evil, hear no evil. But the key thing about the CD was that it represented an obvious leap from earlier recording media that simply weren’t good enough for delivery of post-produced material to the consumer to one that was. Once you have made that leap, there is no requirement to go further. The 16 bits of CD were effectively extended to 18 bits by the development of noise shaping, which allows over 100dB signal to noise ratio. That falls a bit short of the 140dB maximum range of human hearing, but that has never been a real goal. If you improve the digital media, the sound quality limiting problem became the transducers; the headphones and the speakers.
We need to talk about SPEAKERS: Soz, ‘audiophiles’, only IT will break the sound barrier article says that today’s loudspeakers are nowhere near as good as they could be, due in no small measure to the presence of “traditional” audiophile products. that today’s loudspeakers are nowhere near as good as they could be, due in no small measure to the presence of “traditional” audiophile products. I can agree with this. Loudspeaker performance hasn’t tangibly improved in forty years and vast sums are spent addressing the wrong problems.
We need to talk about SPEAKERS: Soz, ‘audiophiles’, only IT will break the sound barrier article makes good points on design, DSPs and the debunking of traditional hi-fi. Science makes progress, pseudo-science doesn’t. Legacy loudspeakers are omni-directional at low frequencies, but as frequency rises, the radiation becomes more directional until at the highest frequencies the sound only emerges directly forwards. Thus to enjoy the full frequency range, the listener has to sit in the so-called sweet spot. As a result legacy loudspeakers with sweet spots need extensive room treatment to soak up the deficient off-axis sound. New tools that can change speaker system designs in the future are omni-directional speakers and DSP-based room correction. It’s a scenario ripe for “disruption”.
Computers have become an integrated part of many audio setups. Back in the day integrated audio solutions in PCs had trouble earning respect. Ode To Sound Blaster: Are Discrete Audio Cards Still Worth the Investment? posting tells that it’s been 25 years since the first Sound Blaster card was introduced (a pretty remarkable feat considering the diminished reliance on discrete audio in PCs) and many enthusiasts still consider a sound card an essential piece to the PC building puzzle. It seems that in general onboard sound is finally “Good Enough”, and has been “Good Enough” for a long time now. For most users it is hard to justify the high price of special sound card on PC anymore. There are still some PCs with bad sound hardware on motherboard and buttload of cheap USB adapters with very poor performance. However, what if you want the best sound possible, the lowest noise possible, and don’t really game or use the various audio enhancements? You just want a plain-vanilla sound card, but with the highest quality audio (products typically made for music makers). You can find some really good USB solutions that will blow on-board audio out of the water for about $100 or so.
Although solid-state technology overwhelmingly dominates today’s world of electronics, vacuum tubes are holding out in two small but vibrant areas. Some people like the sound of tubes. The Cool Sound of Tubes article says that a commercially viable number of people find that they prefer the sound produced by tubed equipment in three areas: musical-instrument (MI) amplifiers (mainly guitar amps), some processing devices used in recording studios, and a small but growing percentage of high-fidelity equipment at the high end of the audiophile market. Keep those filaments lit, Design your own Vacuum Tube Audio Equipment article claims that vacuum tubes do sound better than transistors (before you hate in the comments check out this scholarly article on the topic). The difficulty is cost; tube gear is very expensive because it uses lots of copper, iron, often point-to-point wired by hand, and requires a heavy metal chassis to support all of these parts. With this high cost and relative simplicity of circuitry (compared to modern electronics) comes good justification for building your own gear. Maybe this is one of the last frontiers of do-it-yourself that is actually worth doing.
1,687 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.enjoythemusic.com/HIGH_END_2018/part5.htm?fbclid=IwY2xjawIIH6VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHb_0an8HbdyRmEMYfkGLrK7nUkpuSZbj6ykXCaPanX833GfSNBjODburzA_aem_Nprko8yM64hgcxBn_Va9Lw
Tomi Engdahl says:
“resulting in a cleaner, more dynamic sound, with improved resolution and depth!” unless you are able to provide numerical evidence for that in physical units, which can be verified by others, your claims are bullshit.
Since the best thing a digital cable can do is providing a stable data transfer, the only way it can be better is when the other cables are causing bit errors. Which means a digital protocol that is in use by billions of users worldwide all the time has a fatal design flaw, which only you did solve and no one else did notice when transferring legal texts, images, videos, multichannel professional audio recordings, DNA sequencing, scientific data processing etc. Yeah, sure.
Tomi Engdahl says:
I don’t trust a company that claims their digital cables or even most analog cables can provide improvements to the fidelity beyond removing noise and interference.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A fool and his money were lucky to have gotten together in the first place.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.monoandstereo.com/bowers-wilkins-nautilus-insights/
https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-gb/blog/products/history-of-nautilus.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Homebrew Foil And Oil Caps Change Your Guitar’s Tone
https://hackaday.com/2025/02/04/homebrew-foil-and-oil-caps-change-your-guitars-tone/
How any string instrument sounds depends on hundreds of factors; even the tiniest details matter. Seemingly inconsequential things like whether the tree that the wood came from grew on the north slope or south slope of a particular valley make a difference, at least to the trained ear. Add electronics into the mix, as with electric guitars, and that’s a whole other level of choices that directly influence the sound.
To experiment with that, [Mark Gutierrez] tried rolling some home-brew capacitors for his electric guitar. The cap in question is part of the guitar’s tone circuit, which along with a potentiometer forms a variable low-pass filter. A rich folklore has developed over the years around these circuits and the best way to implement them, and there are any number of commercially available capacitors with the appropriate mojo you can use, for a price.
[Mark]’s take on the tone cap is made with two narrow strips of regular aluminum foil separated by two wider strips of tissue paper, the kind that finds its way into shirt boxes at Christmas. Each of the foil strips gets wrapped around and crimped to a wire lead before the paper is sandwiched between. The whole thing is rolled up into a loose cylinder and soaked in mineral oil, which serves as a dielectric.
The video below shows the build process as well as tests of the homebrew cap against a $28 commercial equivalent. There’s a clear difference in tone compared to switching the cap out of the circuit, as well as an audible difference in tone between the two caps. We’ll leave the discussion of which sounds better to those with more qualified ears; fools rush in, after all.
I Built a Paper-In-Oil Cap for My Guitar – Here’s How It Sounds!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6SxKZDqpVI
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s not just your imagination. Science proves bigger audio files do not automatically guarantee better sound quality: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/320kbps-mp3s-sound-better-hi-res-files/
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Warmth” is an audio term that needs to die
Tomi Engdahl says:
analog warmth is a silly concept. Analog is just another form of data processing compared to digital. Instead of 0 or 1, it’s 0 to 1. Analog computing is a thing after all
Tomi Engdahl says:
I don’t listen to records for analog warmth. I like the experience. The big gatefold jackets, the flipping over the side, the placing of the needle, listening from beginning to end, sorting and indexing them, rifling through them in the bin. It’s just an experience I enjoy. Also, enjoyment and experience are eq I guess
Analog warmth is just electric circuitry coping with the audio signals passing through, therefore coping is EQ.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B9kfpKLdB/
Tomi Engdahl says:
here’s a link for you.
https://pmamagazine.org/golden-ears-anonymous-a-12-step-program-for-recovering-audiophiles/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMABhZGlkAasWtoDWf8kBHWbf22fAiJodXbNwaUShdEz4e4EIuOeEA4i7qgsbYQJRpl5CvirNRkNGzw_aem_gfZtD4dXrvuy832SztX0Jw&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=fb&utm_id=120214788148450121&utm_content=120214788148620121&utm_term=120214788148580121&utm_campaign=120214788148450121
Tomi Engdahl says:
“getting all SMPS off the circuit your system is on absolutely does make a difference”
Getting rid of SMPS can make a difference or no noticeable difference. It depends on the quality of SMPS and equipment.
If it is a noisy non EMC compliant cheap Chinese SMPS and poorly EMC designed esoteric hifi, it can have huge difference. If it is well built SMPS and professional audio equipment, there might be no change to notice.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AJ9X8uMTk/
For the best sound quality, an elliptical stylus is generally considered the best type, as it provides a more refined shape that allows for better tracing of the record grooves, resulting in improved detail and clarity across the sound spectrum, particularly in higher frequencies.
Key points about elliptical styli:
Better tracking
Due to its elliptical shape, it makes more contact with the groove walls, leading to more precise tracking of the record.
Enhanced detail
This precise contact allows for better reproduction of fine details in the music.
Widely available
Elliptical styli are commonly found on most mid-range and higher-end turntables.
Other stylus types and their characteristics
Conical:
A basic stylus shape, good for older or damaged records as it has less contact with the grooves, but can lack detail in the sound.
Shibata/Line contact
Offers even better tracking than elliptical, with a more complex shape that can extract even more detail from the record, but is usually more expensive.
Microline/SAS
Considered the highest quality stylus with a very precise tip that closely matches the cutting stylus used to create the record.
What is your preferred cart/stylus?
#turntable #stylus #elliptical #ortofon #dj #djswopshop
Tomi Engdahl says:
The ‘Analog Warmth’ of Vinyl Has Been Mostly Digital Since the ’80s, Says Sound Engineer
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/vinyl-records-gone-digital-process/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fundamentals of Residential AC Wiring to Improve High-End Audio System Performance
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/fundamentals-of-residential-ac-wiring-to-improve-high-end-audio-system-performance/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/fuse-box-swiss-digital
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/hifi-tuning-diamond-fuses/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The audiophile hobby has had some pretty ridiculous beliefs.
Full list: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/crazy-audiophile-myths-people-swore/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Most vinyl is digital
https://youtu.be/IM7sI7GZPbk?si=_hhaKslT0OXxfbh7
Tomi Engdahl says:
7 Crazy Audiophile Myths People Once Swore By (And Possibly Still Do)
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/crazy-audiophile-myths-people-swore/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIcWb9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbVB9eGA0LtSDq-8Ys4xhULPD15w7_vNs8vq7YUX8RwlC-iJTKXCgadbpA_aem_4Q4DkbyUKUnog63cXV8Egw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Recent data shows that most audiophiles are old dudes arguing over gear no one else wants. And that’s worrying.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/09/audiophiles-gone-soon/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Monty claims that high-res audio is a gimmick. But it’s up to you to believe it (or not).
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/05/modern-dacs-worth-audio-expert/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cassettes, whilst lower quality than many things can have an incredibly good frequency response played on a good deck (yes I use a nak!) And can be surprising good.
If you like vinyl, that’s great. Like what you like, but don’t become a vinyl snob. “Oh it’s far superior to anything else” I can tell you now, if you want to hear the closest sound to a mastertape, listen to an uncompressed digital file (of at least CD sample rate). Any analogue format will colur the sound and add imperfections – hiss an dropouts on tape. Clicks crackle and rumble on vinyl. Yes vinyl can sound great IF you have very deep pockets. Anybody who thinks that just because it’s vinyl it will sound great on a Crossley is deluding themselves. A well mastered CD is more robust and easier and cheaper to get a great sound from. It’s why vinyl took a nose dive in the 80″s. Streaming and MP3 (and similar) compression is one thing that has pushed people into thinking digital is a bad thing. As you can probably tell, I’m not a vinyl fan – I spend too much time trying to remove imperfections to want them added back. But if you like it, great. Just don’t think you are somehow superior!
Tomi Engdahl says:
i think many people don’t realise the mastering that is done to get it on a vinyl then the sound of vinyl itself …
Tomi Engdahl says:
1. RIAA curve is undefined above 20khz.
2. You need to cut a master at half speed to get substantially over 20khz without overheating stuff. This is expensive and rarely ever done. Consequently, 99.9999% of all vinyl masters are cut off at or below 20khz.
3. pretty much all serious cassette heads get over 16khz, only entry-level ones don’t. Really good ones get 18khz from a type 1 tape, and over 20khz from a type II or IV tape.
With all due respect, no amount of experience makes up for the basic factual and technical errors in what you wrote.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Adrian Gregg not strictly true though.. depends on the cassette tape and the heads. A Nakamichi can get between 16Hz and 22kHz.
Plus the bias frequency is anything up to 150kHz, so….
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cassette heads only read up to 15khz or so unless it’s a high end seperates recorder. Most reasonable vinyl turntable will do up to 20khz if the needle and cartridge are in good order. However both vinyl and tapes have strengths/weaknesses so it’s all down to preference
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audio specific network gear is the most nonsense there is in hifi-world. I can maybe rather understand some glimpse of logic having nonsense in analog cabling and even in usb where error correction is rather basic. But something where audio is transferred in packets of multiple samples and has have most likely minimum of three different layers of error detection (L2, L3 and L4) and retransmission possibility I just think it is culmination of foolery.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.theverge.com/2016/2/29/11133078/bugatti-chiron-diamond-speaker-tweeters-geneva-motor-show-2016
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/11/memes-call-out-cd-vinyl-collectors/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/01/50-headphone-memes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
HIGH END
BULLSHIT GENERATOR for AUDIOPHILE MAGAZINE WRITERS
https://web.archive.org/web/20160313101246/http://tech-diy.com/audio_bs.htm
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/sound-description-glossary/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://gearspace.com/board/new-product-alert/1442863-triton-audio-releases-kompressor.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/01/32-bit-384-khz-dacs-make-little-sense/
Tomi Engdahl says:
There is a little crosstalk in every snake. If you run mic inputs and speaker output in the same snake, the unwanted crosstalk can create feedback and a high frequency oscillation that you won’t hear but will burn out the tweeters and the amp in a few seconds. Ask me how I know this.