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Fantastic Tweak for Ethernet input
#11
(14-Jun-2014, 10:33)f1eng Wrote: Interesting mention of the placebo effect.
I have no explanation why people are cured whilst taking a placebo pill rather than medication. Equally how this can work even when the subject -knows- that the pill is a placebo. Also I have no explanation why a placebo pill works better if it is more expensive.
It does appear though that some people (around 50%) get better without having a cure, which makes it entirely possible that 50% of people genuinely hear a difference between components even when there is none.
And particularly so if the item is expensive.

I believe this is the only technically believable explanation, personally.

The placebo effect is easely countered by blind testing.
Any change in my system is first tested with the wife during a blind test to see if there is any improvement.
As with the debate on cables it's better to try it for yourself before simply discarding it
Devialet 440 pro CI, Shunyata Research Sigma S/PDIF RCA link, In-Akustik Referenz LS-4004 Air , B&W 802 Diamond.
Aurender N10, SR Sigma AES/EBU 
2x Paul Pang OCXO dual switch, SR Sigma Ethernet, Acousense GISO GB Lan Isolator
Rega RP8, Rega Apheta 2
SR Denali 6000/S V2, SR Alpha NR PL C19, Naim PL C15
IsoAcoustics Gaia I, Orea Bronze & Indigo
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#12
Blind testing is talked about often but validated rarely. I cannot recall, for example, HiFi News or HiFi+ or HiFi Critic conducting any robust double blind testing with statistically significant discrimination results for things like cables, supports, mains and other tweaks, in the last 20 years.

I'm quite happy that some of my purchases are placebos and so a logical waste, but not an emotional waste, of money. So much of this keeps the high end and accessories industries going.
Innuos Statement 2TB SSD with Next-Gen PSU (with Roon lifetime)
MacBook Pro (with Air)
Draytek Vigor 2860v-Plus/Devialet Original d'Atelier CI Nos. 54A&B/Magico M3 pair
Shunyata cables (digital/interconnect/loudspeaker/power)/Shunyata power units (Triton/Typhon)

 Dialog/Phantom Gold/Tree pair
Missing Link cables (power)
England
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#13
(14-Jun-2014, 13:07)Hermanh Wrote: The placebo effect is easely countered by blind testing.
Any change in my system is first tested with the wife during a blind test to see if there is any improvement.
As with the debate on cables it's better to try it for yourself before simply discarding it

Over the last 45 years I have improved my ability to evaluate kit before buying it. Most things have a long term home evaluation before I commit to buying them. I learned this after finding 2 amps which logically should sound the same did not, this was in around 1974 or 5.
I did a huge test of different cables, mainly speaker but a few interconnects too, where I listened, my daughter changed cables. This was probably the early to mid 90s.
The only cables which sounded different had some sort of filter in line (MIT, Transparent, Goldmund) which presumably -did- alter the audio signal. All other cables, from a freebie interconnect which came with a cassette recorder to the most expensive sounded the same, as long as the sound level was not changed.
On most cable demos at shops they turn the sound up a bit for the expensive ones.

I admit to potential expectation bias, I am an engineer after all and am quite dismayed by some of the complete bollox peddled to the unknowledgeable, but I satisfied myself then that very expensive cables fitted into the "never give a sucker an even break" category of business.
The laws of physics and the approach of the cable business has not changed since then.
I see no reason to waste another few days repeating what I can did then when there no logical reason why the result would change.

I do not doubt that people can hear a non-existent difference, the placebo effect is well known evidence of this effect.
I am just urging people to be a little bit more sceptical of what they read.

Having said that, I did buy an Astell & Kern 240 without an audition, mainly because it plays all file types and I liked the way it is made. It sounds great too, but I haven't tested it level matched with anything else, it would be too difficult (unlike cables).
Devialet Original d'Atelier 44 Core, Job Pre/225, Goldmund PH2, Goldmund Reference/T3f /Ortofon A90, Goldmund Mimesis 36+ & Chord Blu, iMac/Air, Lynx Theta, Tune Audio Anima, Goldmund Epilog 1&2, REL Studio. Dialog, Silver Phantoms, Branch stands, copper cables (mainly).
Oxfordshire

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#14
Chaps I think this is going way off topic... fantastic tweak for ethernet input anyone?

Frank: I think many of us are already familiar with your strong views on cables. Smile

Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research

220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD

UK
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#15
Here is some strange, and may be fantastic, input from me... and yes, on the ethernet topic.

And I am sure I will attract all the thunder with this one but bear with me...

Last week I got hold of some cleaning fluid called Stabilant 22. It has been around for a couple of decades now and does not have many hifi references, other than a couple of reviews, and apart from the fact that HighFidelityCables is delivering their cables' connectors treated with this...

It has references from electronics manufacturing, used mainly in sockets of chips and other connectors in circuits to eliminate intermittent problems.

Sold by amazon...You can read a lot of application notes from their archaic looking website...

I tried it in various connections, one by one, listening for any improvements... WARNING: It is NOT recommended to be used on 220V contacts.

To my disbelief, the biggest plus I received is when I applied it to the two ends of Vodka ethernet cable, connecting Devialet and my Laptop. And on Phono leads, and cables leaving my tonearm...

Go figure...

Not cheap but not expensive either. All I needed was 2-3 drops to apply it to all connections in my system. The level in the container has barely changed...

Effect on speaker cables and interconnect (non Devialet phono stage to Devialet) is also good, but needed time to stabilise. On the digital ethernet and small signal, it was immediate, and quite impressive.

With more positive results on HDMI connections of my video setup, I think this thing requires a strong recommendation.

And no, it is not a cleaner (I have another means of properly cleaning connections, by a cheap commercial ultrasonic jewelry cleaner), it is an "enhancer", and is very different than Caig, VDH, etc, all of which I have tried.

Cheers...
Kii Three, dCS Network Bridge, Roon Nucleus, Kuzma (Stabi S, 4Point), Soundsmith StrainGauge, Stromtank, Echole Cables 
Istanbul, Turkey
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#16
This looks interesting. I am going to buy some.
If this improves a rubbing contact to solder like conductivity it will be a boon.
Devialet Original d'Atelier 44 Core, Job Pre/225, Goldmund PH2, Goldmund Reference/T3f /Ortofon A90, Goldmund Mimesis 36+ & Chord Blu, iMac/Air, Lynx Theta, Tune Audio Anima, Goldmund Epilog 1&2, REL Studio. Dialog, Silver Phantoms, Branch stands, copper cables (mainly).
Oxfordshire

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#17
This does look very interesting!

Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research

220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD

UK
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#18
(17-Jun-2014, 14:47)GuillaumeB Wrote: This does look very interesting!

Guillaume
Especially if you use the Fluid with ethernet cables you should only perform this tweak at 2.04 AM on the first new moon after Christmas -Smile

Even with AIR using a UDP stream it has some error checking and retransmit mechanism within the protocol Layer,
Bricasti M1 SE DAC -> Pass labs XP30 & XP25 phono -> Bryston B28sst2 -> Sonus Faber Amati Futura  -> JRiver MC 21 -> Synology NAS / Quboz  - Denon DP 7000 SME 5012
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#19
(17-Jun-2014, 16:38)Mka Wrote:
(17-Jun-2014, 14:47)GuillaumeB Wrote: This does look very interesting!

Guillaume
Especially if you use the Fluid with ethernet cables you should only perform this tweak at 2.04 AM on the first new moon after Christmas -Smile

Even with AIR using a UDP stream it has some error checking and retransmit mechanism within the protocol Layer,

Do not underestimate the power of the Moon, it moves oceans! Big GrinBig GrinBig Grin

Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research

220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD

UK
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#20
I recived the magic potion (stabilant 22) today.
I won't wait till christmas moon though Smile
Devialet 440 pro CI, Shunyata Research Sigma S/PDIF RCA link, In-Akustik Referenz LS-4004 Air , B&W 802 Diamond.
Aurender N10, SR Sigma AES/EBU 
2x Paul Pang OCXO dual switch, SR Sigma Ethernet, Acousense GISO GB Lan Isolator
Rega RP8, Rega Apheta 2
SR Denali 6000/S V2, SR Alpha NR PL C19, Naim PL C15
IsoAcoustics Gaia I, Orea Bronze & Indigo
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