Snake Oil to the max...

[Unregistered]

Just couldn't resist posting this here after the little bit about snake oil in the Headphones thread below :

This is an optional mod performed by some outfit on the Philips 963 dvd/sacd players :

*****
C37 Lacquer Treatment to all IC's-
We coat a special violin lacquer substance called C37 to all Integrated
Circuit chips. This created more of a "natural dampening". C37 is a
natural property that react with our ears, its a very complicated idea to
understand so please visit http://www.ennemoser.com/c37theory.html
for more information. The sonic results are much more delicacy, detail
and naturalness. It really does work, it takes awhile to palmerize so
results could happen within 1-2 month to a year.

Add $40 (installed) to order.
*****
The original link is :
http://www.asi-audio.com/PhilipsDVD963SAoptions.html

I'm frankly surprised that they don't claim to be using material discovered in some basement in Cremona italy and charging a few grand for this.

 

[Unregistered]

And then there is this ...

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C&Category_Code=VOLUME&Product_Count=2

Silver Rock Signature Knob
Quantity in Basket:none
Available:
Code: NOB_C37_C
Price: $485.00
Shipping Weight: 0.50 pounds
Quantity:

Good vibrations, Bad vibrations it’s all about vibrations!! RAM would like to introduce a new signature level knob developed for the mighty Silver Rock potentiometer. The standard bakelite knob is certainly the best sounding compromise... but now Audio Consulting has taken this aspect of the Silver Rock much further. The new knobs are custom made with beech wood and bronze where the bronze is used as the insert to mount to the stem of the volume pot. The beech wood is coated several times with C37 lacquer for best sound as pointed out by Dieter Ennemoser. How can this make a difference??? Well, hearing is believing as we always say. The sound becomes much more open and free flowing with a nice improvement in resolution. Dynamics are better and overall naturalness is improved. Here is a test for all you Silver Rock owners. Try removing the bakelite knobs and listen. You will be shocked by this! The signature knobs will have an even greater effect…really amazing! The point here is the micro vibrations created by the volume pots and knobs find their way into the delicate signal path and cause degradation (Bad vibrations equal bad sound). With the signature knobs micro vibrations from the C37 concept of wood, bronze and the lacquer itself compensate for the volume pots and provide (Good Vibrations) our ear/brain combination like to hear…way better sound!!

Knobs can easily be installed on all versions of the Silver Rock potentiometer.

 

[toquemon]

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. This thing costs half of what my receiver cost me. Somebody should sue them.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. This thing costs half of what my receiver cost me. Somebody should sue them.

No, we should all go into this business
But then I would die early, coundn't sleep any.

 

[mtrycrafts]

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C&Category_Code=VOLUME&Product_Count=2

Silver Rock Signature Knob
Quantity in Basket:none
Available:
Code: NOB_C37_C
Price: $485.00
Shipping Weight: 0.50 pounds
Quantity:

Good vibrations, Bad vibrations it’s all about vibrations!! RAM would like to introduce a new signature level knob developed for the mighty Silver Rock potentiometer. The standard bakelite knob is certainly the best sounding compromise... but now Audio Consulting has taken this aspect of the Silver Rock much further. The new knobs are custom made with beech wood and bronze where the bronze is used as the insert to mount to the stem of the volume pot. The beech wood is coated several times with C37 lacquer for best sound as pointed out by Dieter Ennemoser. How can this make a difference??? Well, hearing is believing as we always say. The sound becomes much more open and free flowing with a nice improvement in resolution. Dynamics are better and overall naturalness is improved. Here is a test for all you Silver Rock owners. Try removing the bakelite knobs and listen. You will be shocked by this! The signature knobs will have an even greater effect…really amazing! The point here is the micro vibrations created by the volume pots and knobs find their way into the delicate signal path and cause degradation (Bad vibrations equal bad sound). With the signature knobs micro vibrations from the C37 concept of wood, bronze and the lacquer itself compensate for the volume pots and provide (Good Vibrations) our ear/brain combination like to hear…way better sound!!

Knobs can easily be installed on all versions of the Silver Rock potentiometer.

And a poster elsewhere on the board asked how can these companies sell this if they were snake oil claims, it must work

The picture looks great. They must carve it to order?

 

[Polkfan]

Geesh. Is that gold laced wood?

 

[keenan]

Just couldn't resist posting this here after the little bit about snake oil in the Headphones thread below :

This is an optional mod performed by some outfit on the Philips 963 dvd/sacd players :

*****
C37 Lacquer Treatment to all IC's-
We coat a special violin lacquer substance called C37 to all Integrated
Circuit chips. This created more of a "natural dampening". C37 is a
natural property that react with our ears, its a very complicated idea to
understand so please visit http://www.ennemoser.com/c37theory.html
for more information. The sonic results are much more delicacy, detail
and naturalness. It really does work, it takes awhile to palmerize so
results could happen within 1-2 month to a year.

Add $40 (installed) to order.
*****
The original link is :
http://www.asi-audio.com/PhilipsDVD963SAoptions.html

I'm frankly surprised that they don't claim to be using material discovered in some basement in Cremona italy and charging a few grand for this.

This is one of the stupidest things I've every seen. Coating all those chips with lacquer essentially seals in and prevents any heat dispersion.

Do they have different colors?

Jim

 

[Unregistered]

I really wish these people can hear themselves lampoon this quoted ad for a claim that hasn't been tested, nor needs to be tested. I really couldn't care less if their claim is truthful or not. We live in a free market society where any ad or claim can be be verified by your own personal bout with such a product. It's no different from those diet pills that claim you can lose 30lbs in a week. Or those lengthening contraptions that can increase the girth and length of your penis. Or those balms promising the bald to grow hair. Whether these are mere placebos is beside the point. IF they work for some people and not for you, who are you to denigrate them? If some people can hear sonic differences using some exotic contraption, whether real or imagined, then that's their personal assessment. Not necessarily right for everybody. If they believe in those ads and can afford them, then who are you to tell them not to? If such wierd contraptions give them personal satisfaction in this HOBBY, what's your problem? If you find these ads silly, from your own personal value judgement, education, experience, etc., nobody is forcing you to patronize their products.

Now it would be an entirely differnt matter if there was a governing regulatory body somewhere in the government or in Mount Olympus who can dictate what can and what should not be offered in the market for this hobby. Is there?

 

[TjMV3]

Oh give me a break.

It's nonsense products like this, and people like you who give this HOBBY a bad name.

Sure, anyone could throw together any old piece of garbage, make ridiculous claims and statements for the effectiveness of their garbage (product), and try to sell it.

But it doesn't mean it's legitimate.

We the consumer also have the RIGHT to call them out on it, and to criticize their garbage (product); if one feels their claims and statements regarding their garbage (product) are deceptive, misleading, or downright inaccurate.

The consumer has the right to discuss, criticize or even spread the word to other consumers, if they feel there's a potential for other consumers to get duped or scammed on a particular product.

The manufactor has their rights, the consumers also have their rights.


They say there's a sucker born every minute. What they forgot to mention is, there's also a cynical, harsh, untrusting critic/evaluator born right along with that sucker.....every minute.

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Heh, heh, I've seen this one before!

Let's see: a benchtop lathe and some turning chisels from Sears, a coupla quarts of lacquer, some kiln-dried hardwood...at those selling prices I've made my "investment" back from the first couple of knobs and the rest is pure gravy! Heck, that's probably a better return than Shakti stones.

Why didn't I think of this? No wonder I'm not rich!

And then if I repackage some already terminated cables from the Far East and mark them up umpteen hundred percent....oh, wait, someone tried that already...

 

[Rob Babcock]

I'm not sure if it's the same knobs, but one of the kooks that sells them justifies the price by claiming the lacquer he uses is $1000 per liter or something like that. Hey, if someone wants to spend the money, god bless em. It looks like a pretty high "P.T. Barnum Factor," but it's a semi-free country after all.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Geesh. Is that gold laced wood?

Maybe it has still to be discovered rare elements woth a fortune? Or at least $495?

 

[Unregistered]

Oh give me a break.

It's nonsense products like this, and people like you who give this HOBBY a bad name.

Sure, anyone could throw together any old piece of garbage, make ridiculous claims and statements for the effectiveness of their garbage (product), and try to sell it.

But it doesn't mean it's legitimate.

We the consumer also have the RIGHT to call them out on it, and to criticize their garbage (product); if one feels their claims and statements regarding their garbage (product) are deceptive, misleading, or downright inaccurate.

The consumer has the right to discuss, criticize or even spread the word to other consumers, if they feel there's a potential for other consumers to get duped or scammed on a particular product.

The manufactor has their rights, the consumers also have their rights.


They say there's a sucker born every minute. What they forgot to mention is, there's also a cynical, harsh, untrusting critic/evaluator born right along with that sucker.....every minute.

You're right, feel free to criticize a claim that might dupe customers. Critiic on their claim. So far, I haven't seen any. All I see are snide remarks, insults and lampoons.

 

[Mudcat]

You're right, feel free to criticize a claim that might dupe customers. Critiic on their claim. So far, I haven't seen any. All I see are snide remarks, insults and lampoons.

So you believe that a knob made from a seriously depleted natural resource with a brass insert will improve the sound of your electronics?


psst. I got a bridge for sale. No, not in New York, over the Deleware, near a town called Intercourse PA.

 

[Unregistered]

So you believe that a knob made from a seriously depleted natural resource with a brass insert will improve the sound of you electrionics?


psst. I got a bridge for sale. No, not in New York, over the Deleware, near a town called Intercourse PA.

Whether I believe or not is immaterial. That's entirely my own personal affair in this hobby. But when you start to criticize, you better be armed with soimething more than mere snide remaks, calumnies and innuendos.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Great- now the anonymous trolls show up with an attitude and a thesaurus.

Of course, they also leave a record of their ISP behind...

 

[Mudcat]

............you better be armed with soimething more than mere snide remaks, calumnies and innuendos.

We are, it is called common sense, and science.

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Here is a commentary on the C-37 lacquer from the estimable Rod Elliot. It contains both technical criticism AND entertaining insults, snide remarks, lampoons and calumny. Something for everyone!

 

[JohnA]

Try this

$23,000 for a pair of 8' speaker cables

http://gallery.consumerreview.com/audio/gallery/files/opus-mm.asp

A nice side add-on to the wood knobs, the $100,000 speakers, and the solid gold toilet http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSWeirdNews0102/23_toilet-ap.html

 

[mtrycrafts]

Whether I believe or not is immaterial. That's entirely my own personal affair in this hobby. But when you start to criticize, you better be armed with soimething more than mere snide remaks, calumnies and innuendos.

Immaterial until you start making testable claims, right?

The C37 has not been proven by the claimant, the maker. He insinuates everything, demonstrates or proves nothing. And, if you equate it to diet pills, well then, why should I even bother with it? snake oil from the start. Same for the knob. Zero evidence. Zero theory, just zero.