Remember the Silver Rock Beech Knob, claimed to improve the sound quality of high-end stereo equipment? A simply-lathed chunk of wood, it was pitched at audiophiles who should know better, but don’t. The product page went 404 a while ago, for whatever reason. But worry not, listeners! Pure Music Group offers an “Acoustic System Phase Corrector,” a maple block that appears to operate on similar principles. Best of all, it costs only $150.
The Acoustic System Phase Corrector may look like a simple instrument grade maple block but its inner workings are more complex. When you walk around your listening room you will notice pockets of greater energy density. One of these energy pockets occurs between the loudspeakers and is concentrated at the interface between the floor and the front wall. From the listening position the result is a blurring of the phase coherency. The phase corrector, as its name suggests, attempts to correct this phenomenon by disrupting the energy pocket near the floor/front wall interface through a combination of resonance and diffusion. The degree of resonance can be altered by varying the distance between the phase corrector and the front wall.
Clever prank? You decide. And they’re just getting warmed up:
What you see above is the Acoustic System Room Package, comprising at least 10 resonators and one diffuser, which together apply the same revolutionary technology to all four walls. On the front center wall, one places a resonator near the floor, a “Special Gold” resonator slightly above tweeter level, and so on. As a result, “the front wall tends to disappear.” Similar executions on other walls provide bass definition, widen the sound stage, remove blinkers, and clean up the overall image.
You may purchase the two grand package in stages, “as budget allows.” Be sure to give the resonators 4 days to reach their maximum potential.
Stocking stuffer! For only $45, one may grab a single Acoustic System Diffusor (right), whose effect is akin to “the sound holes on a stringed musical instrument.” Place it on window panes or A/C units to reduce their undesirable sonic impact. Note that the orientation of the woodgrain in the diffusor itself can influence the sound.
There is much else to love at Pure Music Group’s website. Don’t miss the $172 CD stabilizer, made from isostatically molded graphite.
Product Page [Pure Music Group]
I have to admit, I admire their audacity and the phase coherence of their pseudo-scientific bloviations.
a fool and his money are soon parted.
You are correct for the most part! However, I got my first job (at 16) working for Harry Pearson at The Absolute Sound. This man coined the phrase “high end audio” and literally formulated the language audiophiles use to describe things sonic. After working my way up from answering phones to equipment manager and set-up I then went to work for Arif Mardin at Atlantic Records, to learn about the production side of the audio/hifi/music equation. I have been blessed in both fields, and the battle between the snake oil salesman and the true pioneers continues EVERYDAY. This is true in every market that caters to hobbyists.
I use the Shakti stones, and they work! I have also found MANY expensive things that don’t.
Regarding people who buy this stuff and work in the industry, well: Bob Ludwig, mastering genius and founder of Gateway Mastering, is a big fan of Harry’s and of TAS, and a subscriber. He also owns some serious playback equipment, very expensive.
Regarding Acoustic Systems Resonators, the joke is on all of you people who feel qualified to comment on “gadgets” you’ve had no experience with. Not only did Acoustic Systems receive a patent from the French government for their resonator technology, the inventor Franck Tschang is in great demand, having been hired to outfit concert halls, recording studios and non-audio venues around the world with these devices (they improve acoustics, not just music). Anyone open to learning about them should read the extensive coverage based on actual experience at Six Moons.com. They are by the way selling very well, and are a common fixture now at high end audio shows. I replaced my RPG absorber and diffusor panels with just four of them and was flabergasted at the improvement.
C. Bernardino, Washington, DC
Silly things like this notwithstanding, that site actually sells real products, albeit extremely overpriced. Does anyone remember the name of the audiophile company with the *really* stupid products, like the magic pebble you place anywhere in the room that completely changes your audio quality?
When your “New Intelligent Chip” looses it’s magic mojo, I’ll sell you the link to my special GIF image. Just display it on your computer screen (CRT or LCD), hold the chip against the image, wait 30 seconds, and your chip will recharge with up to TWICE it’s original CD fixing ability.
Note, each image only works once, so you can’t just copy it and try re-using it.
Only $20 per image, and it will recharge enough to treat 40 disks, EVEN BLU-RAY! Guaranteed to work at least as well as the original. Order now!
Machina Dynamica and it’s BS Pebbles. I mean Brilliant Pebbles.
It’s amazing what people will sell.
Y’all are thinking of http://www.machinadynamica.com/index.html
I did read their explanation of the “New Intelligent Chip” and find nothing intelligible therein.
On the other hand, there’s this: http://www.shakti-innovations.com/audiovideo.htm
This latter is covered by US Patent 5,814,761. It is a “passive electromagnetic interference dissipation apparatus” (ie. it is supposed to get rid of EMI that might cause distortion).
I found the patent somewhat fascinating and clever, and the concept is intriguing. It’s quite possible that some EMI will in fact be absorbed or reflected. The Thousand-Dollar Question is whether the frequencies that are being dissipated have a noticeable effect on audio/video equipment. Alas, it looks a little too complicated to DIY.
I think I speak for many when I say “–tha hell?”
No, no, no!! The point is to UN-blur your phase coherency! Don’t you know anything? Geez.
The good news is that you can buy them in fractions; I ordered .001 of them for only 17 cents!
Wonder what would happen if you completed the order.. They send you a 3.5 nanometer disk, which will be difficult to package, slipping between the atoms of the box.*
*I do not know what the average spacing of atoms in the universe are, so don’t take my word on this.
Whoops.. I was referring to the Puremusic CD stabilizer. Must have slipped between the atoms of my mind.
What? No “Special Platinum”? Sorry not interested.
P.S. I just use pieces of scrap 2×4 to “blur my phase coherency” ;{)
I’ve always wondered what the hell these folks listen to on their jillion-dollar hi-fi sets. BTW, the comment thread on the Wired Snake Oil Gadgets list is overflowing with credulous dowsers. Well, if all those people are convinced, then it must not be a crock o’shit!
Hmm… “Acoustic System Phase Corrector”…
and “blurring of the phase coherency”…
Sounds a little like telling someone they’ve got to change the fluid in their muffler bearing…
I read it a few times. I have no idea what the hell they’re talking about.
I’m more impressed by their $1,500 MDF “danceable”, uh, shelving…
http://www.puremusicgroup.com/cart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=74
I mean….really. Really.
You’re not the only one who had to go back several times to comprehend what I just read. And yes, still don’t know what it is “suppose to do”
I’m sure if they had an adamantium one. It would make perfect sense to me.
Cool, they give some stuff away for free!
http://www.puremusicgroup.com/cart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=180
Is there an official Snake Oil day on BB Gadgets?
*really* stupid products, like the magic pebble you place anywhere in the room that completely changes your audio quality?
You’re probably thinking of Shun Mook Mpingo Disks . They’re made from ebony root from Gabon, actually, not pebbles. No, that’s probably not it because Mpingo Disks have to be placed very precisely, not just anywhere in the room. I’l lwork on that and get back to you.
I love audiophile vendors. They’re trolls of the most distinguished variety – they spin just enough flack to convince their customers and get ridiculous amounts of money for a two dollar piece of wood or plastic.
Normally I don’t like to like trolls, but there’s just something about raising it into a near art form and being successful that deserves recognition.
Always loved how audiophiles are willing to spend $2000 on the cables between amp and speaker to listen to a song recorded with a $100 mic running through a $25 cable.
Ever notice how the people who buy this shit never work in the audio industry? You’d think they would be naturals if they knew as much as they think they do.