Calling BS on Snake Oil Cables

[jliedeka]

I am willing to bet the reviewers for the most part believe what they are saying is true.

I work with a guy that is into high end audio and writes reviews. He has owned several pairs of overpriced cables and believes a lot of that malarkey. He also claims the cables need a break-in period to sound their best. If he claims to hear a difference, I can't really argue with that.

For me, if you can't show me the difference on a oscilloscope or something, I won't believe it.

 

[stratman]

You guys know that the best interconnects are snakes, that's right live snakes. I've used them for years, nothing sounds better, just grease them with pig lard and shove the tail in, the head.....well that's tricky, you need some duct tape and a piece of rawhide, once the critters are connected you'll swear your in music nirvana.

 

[MDS]

Hmmm...$7K for a pair of cables or get ceramic tile for my entire 2200 sq ft house. Decisions, decisions....

(I know which way I am leaning. )

 

[Seth=L]

You guys know that the best interconnects are snakes, that's right live snakes. I've used them for years, nothing sounds better, just grease them with pig lard and shove the tail in, the head.....well that's tricky, you need some duct tape and a piece of rawhide, once the critters are connected you'll swear your in music nirvana.

"Python Cables and Connectors" the only name in the game that comes close to what cables really stand for.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I work with a guy that is into high end audio and writes reviews. He has owned several pairs of overpriced cables and believes a lot of that malarkey. He also claims the cables need a break-in period to sound their best. If he claims to hear a difference, I can't really argue with that.

For me, if you can't show me the difference on a oscilloscope or something, I won't believe it.

I also know a person who did some reviews of this stuff. We argued of course. He told me why he didn't do a DBT when I suggested that I will perform one with him:
"What will I tell my readers if could not hear a difference?"
That tells it all.

 

[Alex2507]

I am willing to bet the reviewers for the most part believe what they are saying is true.

I'll take that bet. I'm willing to bet that for the most part they are full of stuff.
What's the definition of fraud? Lieing for monetary gain? That's a crime, right? Is anybody going to suggest that if I can stumble on to the truth of the matter that a "reviewer" can't?

I feel kind of strongly about this because when all this HT stuff started for me I bought what I could afford on eBay but wasted time reading about the grades over and above what I had. Lots of time.

What's odd is that sometimes this type of stuff makes me laugh. Other times it really pisses me off. I guess the difference is whether or not I've been duped personally.

 

[Briant73]

The new Organic Elemental Zyphron Cables are the best cables hands down. Cables so expensive that if you have to inquire about the price* you are thrown out of the store immediately. That's right you hand over a blank check and we fill the amount in. Why you might ask? Because our breakthrough technology allows us to custom design each cable for your particular system and based partly on your own DNA (patent pending). That's right we take your DNA and use it to encode the cables to suit your own listening preferences bases on your genetic makeup. We could go on and on about the other things that make our cables the best but they are so advanced and exotic we don't dare tell. After listening to our cables you will be reduced to a state of complete and utter amazement.

* Too anyone who feels they paid more than someone else, please note our DNA test also checks if your the type of person who feels something is only as good as it's price tag, so relax and know that your cable is better than theirs because it cost more.

 

[Alex2507]

LOL! That is brilliant!

 

[Seth=L]

LOL! That is brilliant!

Well Brian's Organic Elemental Zyphron Cables beat the crap out of my Python ones, for sure.

 

[stratman]

Well Brian's Organic Elemental Zyphron Cables beat the crap out of my Python ones, for sure.

No one beats Python cables, no one.

 

[Seth=L]

No one beats Python cables, no one.

OK, fine, don't start throwing rocks!

 

[pzaur]

You guys know that the best interconnects are snakes, that's right live snakes. I've used them for years, nothing sounds better...

Wouldn't this cause a 'hiss' through your speakers at all times?

-pat

 

[mtrycrafts]

Wouldn't this cause a 'hiss' through your speakers at all times?

-pat

No, only some parts and may be masked
Its the cleanup afterwards that is a mess.

 

[pzaur]

So...uh...do you get "Snake Skin Effect" with these?

-pat

 

[stratman]

No hiss, rawhide in mouth keeps critter quiet, skin effect eliminated with pig grease, best cables, period.

 

[Audiosouse]

Sarcasm - JJ

Wait, what?

I've been hanging out with the IT guy at work too long and he only speaks sarcasm.

 

[Audiosouse]

Single

Hmmm...$7K for a pair of cables or get ceramic tile for my entire 2200 sq ft house. Decisions, decisions....

(I know which way I am leaning. )

As a married man for 5 years, I don't understand how one justifies that purchase to their spouse. The last thing I'd feel is the cable around my neck and a hand reaching out of the white light smacking me for being stupid, then sending me back to face an eternity of spousal torture.

Buying $7,250 cables would guarantee one's partner the freedom to purchase anything they wanted at anytime with full reprieve.

 

[Audiosouse]

Couldn't agree more

...I feel kind of strongly about this because when all this HT stuff started for me I bought what I could afford on eBay but wasted time reading about the grades over and above what I had. Lots of time.

What's odd is that sometimes this type of stuff makes me laugh. Other times it really pisses me off. I guess the difference is whether or not I've been duped personally.

It's a sad reality that AV interest has turned into a pissing contest. Since I was unable to compete monetarily (someone always has something more expensive, but not necessarily better), "better" became an unhealthy obsession for me at the beginning as well. In fact, it turned me off the forums for about two years.

My only salvation was the rule of diminishing returns that goes something like 5 times the cost nets less than 1/5 the performance gain, which becomes blatantly obvious as prices get up around a relatively low $2,000 for almost any single component. I also learned that "value" is what really turned me on. I find getting the same "measurable" performance for a fraction of the audiophile price very satisfying.

We must also realize that most reviewers are nothing more than independent marketers with corporate sponsorship.

I know I've posted after myself a couple times like a loser but I kept remembering stuff after I'd post.

 

[Briant73]

Some of you may have heard that a certain snake is better than Organic Elemental Zyphron Cables , this folks is not so. Do you think a cable as awesome as the Organic Elemental Zyphron Cables would forget to take into account this snake cable. Our cables have patent pending RTT technology. To those unfamiliar to RTT, it stands for "Rikki Tikki Tavi", a technology proven to beat any snake. Studies at the world famous SterOheim clinic have shown our cables to be the most outstanding cabled to ever be created.

I'd also like to take this time to announce our new advertising campaing to educate and illuminate this technology. Look for commercials starring Sam L. Jackson showing you just how this technology does it's thing.

Also please note there is no substance to the rumours of a fatal accident taking place when filiming early versions of this commercial involving Ice Cube and the "snake" competition.

 

[Seth=L]

I'd also like to take this time to announce our new advertising campaing to educate and illuminate this technology. Look for commercials starring Sam L. Jackson showing you just how this technology does it's thing.

You can't have Samuel L. Jackson, he already has a contract with "Python Cables and Connectors" when he did a special for us with "Snake Oil on a Plane".