Mo' crystals

[magiccarpetride]

I've attended the fabulous Vancouver Folk Festival this weekend. Part of the lure and the magic of the festival are the vendors selling all kinds of new age shit. One incredibly nice lady was selling loads of crystals, so me and my wife went overboard and bought a boatload of her merch.

OK, so after the fest I loaded my audio components with this new batch of crystals, and, ahem, I'm just head over heels with the new quality of sound I'm now getting. Is this the case of 'the more the better'? I thought too much of a good stuff is supposed to spoil the sound, but not in this case. The sound is now seductively sweet, all the rough edges seem to have been polished, and I'm left with the sound that feels like dripping honey. Not even a trace of digital harshness and grain. It's all silk and honey in the air.

Anyway, just sayin'...

[hifi_dave]

In the interests of helping you reach 1K..

Where did you put that shedload of crystals..:scratch:

[HighFidelityGuy]

:worthless:

Photos would be much appreciated. Also, what type of crystals are they?

Cheers.

[HighFidelityGuy]

Also, do you think the crystals need to be "raw" or can they be shaped into pyramids or balls etc?

[magiccarpetride]

:worthless:

Photos would be much appreciated. Also, what type of crystals are they?

Cheers.

Will see if I can get photos. I'm using three types of crystals: rose quartz, amethyst, and one more whose name escapes me.

[magiccarpetride]

Also, do you think the crystals need to be "raw" or can they be shaped into pyramids or balls etc?

Good question. Theories vary on this subject. Some people claim that it's better to mix and match various sizes. I'd say it's okay if they're not polished, as all the ones I'm using are raw and rough at the edges.

[Thing Fish]

Pics please...:popcorn:

[HighFidelityGuy]

Will see if I can get photos. I'm using three types of crystals: rose quartz, amethyst, and one more whose name escapes me.

Thanks. Pics would be very helpful to allow us to get an idea of crystal size and placement. :)


Good question. Theories vary on this subject. Some people claim that it's better to mix and match various sizes. I'd say it's okay if they're not polished, as all the ones I'm using are raw and rough at the edges.

Ok, so varying sizes as long as they are raw, rough, natural crystal shapes. :thumbsup:

I'll be honest and say that I'm rather sceptical about all this. Especially when I read some of the stuff that the different crystals are supposed to do. However I'm trying very hard to keep an open mind and not judge this before I've tried it. So with that in mind I'll embrace the idea and give it a go. I quite like the look of crystals anyway and they seem quite cheap on ebay. :)

On the subject of ebay; I was browsing through the crystals and mainly just reading about the ones I thought looked nice when I stumbled upon Selenite (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200-Gr-SELENITE-WANDS-ENOUGH-PROTECT-YOUR-HOME-/250560264686?pt=UK_Collectables_RocksFossils_Miner als_EH&hash=item3a568e39ee). From what it says this crystal should have quite a strong effect. What do you think? :scratch:

[John]

how regulary do u clense your crystals do you have a blessing or smuging cermony as well

[Werner Berghofer]

John,


do you have a blessing or smuging cermony

good question, but in my opinion much more important: What’s the average burn-in time required for a crystal?

Werner.

[John]

Also try a few herbs this can make a huge difference to perception/reality but they might cause having the munchies

[HighFidelityGuy]

Also try a few herbs this can make a huge difference to perception/reality but they might cause having the munchies

Come on John, you can do better than that. I'm trying to be sensible and on topic but even I thought of mentioning Crystal Meth. ;) :lolsign:

[John]

lol

[magiccarpetride]

good question, but in my opinion much more important: What’s the average burn-in time required for a crystal?

Well, we should be careful not to paint everything with too broad a brush. You see, when it comes to audio, crystals are a different kind of a beast. Whilst all the other audio componentry and accessory require burn-in, crystals require burn-out.

[magiccarpetride]

I'll be honest and say that I'm rather sceptical about all this. Especially when I read some of the stuff that the different crystals are supposed to do. However I'm trying very hard to keep an open mind and not judge this before I've tried it. So with that in mind I'll embrace the idea and give it a go. I quite like the look of crystals anyway and they seem quite cheap on ebay. :)

Part of me is convinced that it's just placebo. It is obvious that perception changes once you introduce these crystals, but why does it change?

We're dealing with electricity here. Just because we have encased electricity in a few boxes that have brand names plastered on them and thus look tame and civilized, doesn't mean that we have tamed and civilized this electrical power for real. We can't fool mother nature. Crystals too are the product of mother nature, so I'm assuming that somehow these two unruly, wild and wooly phenomena interplay in a certain way. In the end, they seem to influence each other and whatnot. The problem for me is that crystal's influence always seems to result in improved sound, and I wasn't able to make it produce a worsening in the sound quality.

The other problem is that many people report how crystals improve the soundstage, however in my case I mostly perceive how they produce a more pleasing overall sound. What used to sound a bit harsh and digitized is now transformed into a more liquid, silky, analog-like sound.

[HighFidelityGuy]

Well I don't like to knock things until I've tried them, so I've ordered 200g of Selenite crystals. They're the ones I linked to earlier. So where do you recommend I try placing them?

[magiccarpetride]

Well I don't like to knock things until I've tried them, so I've ordered 200g of Selenite crystals. They're the ones I linked to earlier. So where do you recommend I try placing them?

I haven't tried Selenite yet, so I'm not sure what their effect will be (if any). I am getting pretty nice results from placing rose quartz and amethyst in places where power cables, interconnects and speaker cables are entering or leaving electronic components. Also, on top of transformers, as in the two transformers I have in my power amplifier.

Anywhere where electrical current gets regulated, such as in the volume knob, transformers of course, fuses etc.

This may be of interest to some of you: my two transformers in the power amp used to produce a bit of hum. Placing a few ultra light amethyst and rose quartz crystals on top of the chassis right above the transformers completely eliminated any traces of hum! How's that for creepy?

[magiccarpetride]

:worthless:

Photos would be much appreciated. Also, what type of crystals are they?

Cheers.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7438755/Crystals%2001.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7438755/Crystals%2002.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7438755/Crystals%2003.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7438755/Crystals%2004.jpg

[The Grand Wazoo]

Bugger the crystals, I want to know where you got your best possible dust?

[Werner Berghofer]

Set photos from “Alien” franchise’s last sequel?

Werner.

[Alex_UK]

No wonder your poor old DPA looks a little worse for wear - I'd probably put them in some old socks before I tried this as I wouldn't want to scratch my kit - do you think "bagging" them would have an affect on their effect?

[HighFidelityGuy]

No wonder your poor old DPA looks a little worse for wear - I'd probably put them in some old socks before I tried this as I wouldn't want to scratch my kit - do you think "bagging" them would have an affect on their effect?

That was my thought too. I'd probably want to put something like a thin sheet of foam under the crystals to protect the cases. So will that stop the crystals from working?

BTW, thanks for the photos. :)

[HighFidelityGuy]

I've got 700g of rose quartz on the way too. So that's 700g of crystals all together for about £15. That's the most I'm prepared to pay at this point.

One thing I thought of when I saw the photos was that one possible explanation for the perceived effect could just be the result of the extra mass that the crystals are adding to the components. This could be having an effect on dampening/coupling of the components and their support. So I think that this possibility should be explored and if possible ruled out. This could be done by exchanging the crystals with other objects of a similar size and weight that aren't made of crystal. That's something I'm hoping to try out. Have you tried anything like that magiccarpetride? What's your real name BTW and could you put it in your signature or something? Cheers. :)

[Yoga]

No wonder your poor old DPA looks a little worse for wear - I'd probably put them in some old socks before I tried this as I wouldn't want to scratch my kit - do you think "bagging" them would have an affect on their effect?

No, crystals hold, and offer, a resonance/frequency. A thin plastic will layer will not effect that.

[steveinfrance]

Bearing in mind that sand is crystalline silica I poured a cupful onto one of my mint wideband Decca SXLs. It didn't improve the sound noticeably.

[Welder]

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/f2df27f61216813244236c542168907c2g.jpg (http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=si49pq02m1qqx9u&thumb=5)

[magiccarpetride]

Bugger the crystals, I want to know where you got your best possible dust?

Direct import from Austria.

[magiccarpetride]

No wonder your poor old DPA looks a little worse for wear - I'd probably put them in some old socks before I tried this as I wouldn't want to scratch my kit - do you think "bagging" them would have an affect on their effect?

I'm proud of the battle scars my aging gear is showing.

Bagging is actually supposed to improve the effect. Some even advocate coating crystals with thin film of silicone oil and then bagging them. The reason I'm not doing that is because it would spoil the audiophile bling effect. Remember, perception is gestalt, and in the world of audio, it resides as much in the eyes as it does in the ears.

[magiccarpetride]

I've got 700g of rose quartz on the way too. So that's 700g of crystals all together for about £15. That's the most I'm prepared to pay at this point.

Trust me, you'll be paying more down the road...


One thing I thought of when I saw the photos was that one possible explanation for the perceived effect could just be the result of the extra mass that the crystals are adding to the components. This could be having an effect on dampening/coupling of the components and their support. So I think that this possibility should be explored and if possible ruled out. This could be done by exchanging the crystals with other objects of a similar size and weight that aren't made of crystal. That's something I'm hoping to try out. Have you tried anything like that magiccarpetride? What's your real name BTW and could you put it in your signature or something? Cheers. :)

My real name is Alex, and I tend to agree with you on this one.

To my mind, it pretty much all boils down to mind. Mind is playful, and likes to get engaged with various shiny objects. What's better in that regard than crystals? I think it's mostly visual, and because I happen to have heightened visual sensibility, these crystals hypnotize me into relaxing and opening my mind some more. As a result, I'm suddenly hearing more.

Epistemology is an important aspect of the human condition. Yes, even top loading electronic components will cause some of us to suddenly discover more music that was buried inside the digital grooves. You could replace crystals on top of your gear with butt ugly yellow phone books, and you'll probably still hear some difference. But I personally prefer the shiny, glittering, seductive crystals.

Last night I was listening to Stevie Wonder's "He's Misstra Know It All". I've known that song since it was released in the '70s, and it's one of my favorites in Stevie's catalog. It was only last night, after fitting all these extra crystals, that I've heard, for the first time in my life, in the right speaker how Stevie is quietly repeating some of the lines he's singing. It was an amazing experience, so vivid, it made me literally jump out of my chair.

Such is the magic power of suggestion and self-hypnosis. They call it 'psycho acoustics'?

[steveinfrance]

Alex,
I completely agree re psycho-acoustics. We know in our hearts that mumbo-jumbo doesn't really work Special mains cables, one-way interconnects, solid silver wiring etc. etc. are all bunk. Of course mechanical transducers are subject to improvement by modification although probably the results are marginal. I spent a lot of money on a custom CD transport based on the Philips CD pro with a Buffalo DAC and God knows how many low impedance power supplies etc. etc. My £200 Marantz CD6003 outperforms it probably because Marantz spent a million getting VFM.
When I'm in a grumpy mood I hear the imperfections. In my rare mellow moments I don't. If your crystals make you think the music sounds better then good for you. Who cares how it works.

[Alex_UK]

We know in our hearts that mumbo-jumbo doesn't really work Special mains cables, one-way interconnects, solid silver wiring etc. etc. are all bunk.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::sofa::popcorn:

[steveinfrance]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::sofa::popcorn:

Oh God! I suppose with this and Cillit Bang I'll be asked to take my (totally correct) HiFonoclastic opinions elsewhere.

[Alex_UK]

I think if you said "some" then you might have got away with it! ;) But don't worry, you don't get banned for not believing cables etc. can make a difference, we just have circular arguments until you're brainwashed into believing it... (JOKE - for the avoidance of doubt! :lol:) I don't think they have as big an impact as some would believe, certainly not with the sort of modest system I have - but anyway, we're talking about crystals - and I'm now wondering about an interconnect range with plugs pre-fitted with them... Hmmmm....

[HighFidelityGuy]

Neutrik beat you to it ;):

http://www.neutrik.com/client/neutrik/media/products/view/210_t2_566376446.jpg

They're Swarovski crystals though which I think are man made. So maybe that makes a difference. :confused:

[steveinfrance]

I think if you said "some" then you might have got away with it! ;) But don't worry, you don't get banned for not believing cables etc. can make a difference, we just have circular arguments until you're brainwashed into believing it... (JOKE - for the avoidance of doubt! :lol:) I don't think they have as big an impact as some would believe, certainly not with the sort of modest system I have - but anyway, we're talking about crystals - and I'm now wondering about an interconnect range with plugs pre-fitted with them... Hmmmm....
Here you go....
Difficult to get the resonant frequency into the audible range but I suppose that doesn't matter.
Like your setup BTW - had similar TT/arm/speakers in the 70's but gave them away.......
How do I get rid of this pesky smiley? Worse than the bloody paperclip!!

[magiccarpetride]

Alex,
I completely agree re psycho-acoustics. We know in our hearts that mumbo-jumbo doesn't really work Special mains cables, one-way interconnects, solid silver wiring etc. etc. are all bunk. Of course mechanical transducers are subject to improvement by modification although probably the results are marginal. I spent a lot of money on a custom CD transport based on the Philips CD pro with a Buffalo DAC and God knows how many low impedance power supplies etc. etc. My £200 Marantz CD6003 outperforms it probably because Marantz spent a million getting VFM.
When I'm in a grumpy mood I hear the imperfections. In my rare mellow moments I don't. If your crystals make you think the music sounds better then good for you. Who cares how it works.

What's difficult to ascertain is whether all the information is already there, only we're not able to perceive it unless we sufficiently relax. Say you're listening to a familiar tune, and you know it by heart, and you figure you have plumbed all the depths it has to offer. Then you go out and buy a new amplifier, and by god, you now hear details in that song that you've never heard before! The question is: are you hearing new details because your new purchase made you more receptive, more relaxed to listen attentively, or is it really due to the fact that the new amp does indeed offer heightened resolution?

[steveinfrance]

Alex,
I believe it is because you actually listen. I'm listening to old crappy worn out vinyls from EBay and can filter out all the Rice Crispies but still hear wonderful things - a worn out Decca SXL 6220 Gottterdammerung - Fischer Diskau is incredible. Even an ancient Pathé Marconi mono of Edith Piaff (FS 1065) knocks your socks off. All the gloss and plastic of CDs goes and you hear real life stuff, warts and all.
Obviously if you've just paid megabucks for some bit of kit it is going to sound good but I really believe once you get a system that's significantly better than the average clock radio it's what's between your ears that makes the difference, not anything to do with what goes on in the air.

[roob]

Has anyone tried Dilithium crystals?

[Welder]

Nope, but caustic soda crystals work feckin miracles with getting the sound waves to bounce cleanly off the walls. :lolsign:

[Marco]

Yes, but I find that this only works on a Wednesday.

Marco.

[roob]

The music will move at warp speed.

[HighFidelityGuy]

My crystals arrived this week and I spent some time tonight trying some out. I listened to the first minute of a track I know well and then put a bunch of rose quartz crystals on my valve amp and played the same track again. I positioned the crystals so that they were on top of the transformers, the choke and the IEC power entry. I couldn't tell any difference. I also tried putting one directly on top of the gator board in my Caiman and I couldn't hear any difference.

I guess I should try putting them all over my system to see if that produces a bigger effect but I decided that because it would take several minutes to distribute the crystals, the amount of time between tests would be too great and would lead to errors. So I gave up. Also, the selenite crystals I got were very crumbly and too messy to use near expensive equipment without sealing them in something. So if might try them once I've resolved that issue but I'm not expecting much. Apparently selenite is a very powerful crystal and I've bought enough to protect my entire house. Although I'm I'm not sure what from. :scratch: Maybe subsidence, or perhaps phone hacking.

Does anyone want some sparkly crystals? They look really groovy. :peace:

[May Belt]

Part of me is convinced that it's just placebo. It is obvious that perception changes once you introduce these crystals, but why does it change?

We're dealing with electricity here. Just because we have encased electricity in a few boxes that have brand names plastered on them and thus look tame and civilized, doesn't mean that we have tamed and civilized this electrical power for real. We can't fool mother nature. Crystals too are the product of mother nature, so I'm assuming that somehow these two unruly, wild and wooly phenomena interplay in a certain way.

>> “What's difficult to ascertain is whether all the information is already there, only we're not able to perceive it" <<

Why can’t it be exactly as you (and quite a few others) have observed and described – i.e that you ARE hearing more - that you ARE resolving more of the musical information after fitting the crystals ?

Regards,
May Belt.

[DSJR]

It's probably the fact that you feel happier with them there, not that you're actually improving the system. If you feel better, the sound is better and if your listening area is more relaxing, of course it'll sound better - I think :lolsign:

[magiccarpetride]

It's probably the fact that you feel happier with them there, not that you're actually improving the system. If you feel better, the sound is better and if your listening area is more relaxing, of course it'll sound better - I think :lolsign:

I would happily embrace your explanation, but I have plenty of experiences pointing to the contrary. Like, I'd upgrade my system with a component/accessory that I'm really happy with and excited about, which should put me in a more 'receptive' frame of mind, but then, more often than not, I end up brutally disappointed. Either I can't hear ANY difference, or the difference I hear is for the worse.

It is very rarely that an upgrade/tweak results in me being elated, such as I was recently elated with crystals/teflon tape/changing the threading priorities on my Touch. But in general, and more likely than not, I get deeply disappointed whenever I make a change to my system.

[magiccarpetride]

>> “What's difficult to ascertain is whether all the information is already there, only we're not able to perceive it" <<

Why can’t it be exactly as you (and quite a few others) have observed and described – i.e that you ARE hearing more - that you ARE resolving more of the musical information after fitting the crystals ?

Yes, without a trace of a doubt, it really is that I am hearing more. What we're trying to establish in this discussion is whether I'm hearing more due to some psycho-acoustic phenomenon, or due to some phenomenon that does not depend on the subject.

[Thing Fish]

I find a well positioned bottle of red improves the sound no end. Hic...

[magiccarpetride]

I find a well positioned bottle of red improves the sound no end. Hic...

I have an alcoholic fish to fry.

[Reid Malenfant]

I have an alcoholic fish to fry.
Sounds like fish i'd like to eat :lol: Food & drink in one, sounds like nirvana :)

Just 5 posts Alex, you'll get there m8 ;)

[magiccarpetride]

Sounds like fish i'd like to eat :lol: Food & drink in one, sounds like nirvana :)

Just 5 posts Alex, you'll get there m8 ;)

Can't post... anymore... hungry... starving... must... eat...

[May Belt]

Yes, without a trace of a doubt, it really is that I am hearing more. What we're trying to establish in this discussion is whether I'm hearing more due to some psycho-acoustic phenomenon, or due to some phenomenon that does not depend on the subject.

Yes, I am fully aware of the ongoing debate. This is a debate I personally have been involved in over the past 30 years.

When the sound is reported to have changed, the usual argument centres around – it must be ‘something having an effect on the audio signal travelling through the audio system’, or it must be ‘something having an effect on the room acoustics’.

Yes, obviously, some things which people do which change the sound CAN be explained under those headings, but our experiences and subsequent discoveries have shown that it can also be the human being (the listener) reacting to changes taking place in their listening environment. I am meaning here actual physical changes in the environment which trigger actual physiological (not psychological) changes in the human being (such as more tension or less tension) which can then, in turn, affect our correct resolving of all the complexities of the music.

• One event, some 28 years ago, which led Peter and I along a particular path was described in 1999 to Greg Weaver (a reviewer for the Internet audio magazine SoundStage) and in his review

• Greg Weaver's April 1999 Rainbow Foil review
• http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize041999.htm

Greg printed the majority of the description I sent to him.

I think your experiences with various crystals changing your sound might come within that area of thinking.

I.e That we (human beings) are struggling to cope in the modern environment as it is nowadays and in coping we react by going under tension (producing stress chemicals). By the things we introduce into the modern environment we can make matters worse (more tension, more stress chemicals = worse sound) or make things better (less tension, reduction of stress chemicals = better sound). In other words. With a reduction of stress chemicals possibly having an effect on the musical information being conveyed (by electro-chemicals) along the auditory nerve, more of the complex musical information can therefore reach the working memory which is then able to present a better ‘sound picture’ to the brain !!

This hypothesis would fit with your own experiences with certain crystals. That by introducing specific crystals into your listening environment they had, in turn, created conditions where your reaction was to be under less tension, therefore allowing you to resolve more of the musical information than you had been doing previously. This would also explain those instances (which you – and others - have described) when you had introduced something (or done a particular technique) and made the sound worse !!

On the different sections of Audio Asylum (Tweaks, General and Isolation Ward) variations of this argument has been discussed (argued !!) over quite a number of years. You may be aware of a few of these discussions.

Regards,
May

[Alex_UK]

Certainly a very interesting theory, and after all, I think most would agree that music sounds better when you are less stressed and relaxed. Most would also agree a drink or two improves the sound, which is a similar effect, I imagine - more relaxed and less inhibited.

[May Belt]

Certainly a very interesting theory, and after all, I think most would agree that music sounds better when you are less stressed and relaxed. Most would also agree a drink or two improves the sound, which is a similar effect, I imagine - more relaxed and less inhibited.


Of course that can be one aspect but that aspect is still not answering the question WHY were/are the specific crystals used by magiccarpetride (and SO many others – see the many discussions on Audio Asylum site) allowing him (and them) to hear more of the information in the music ? More information than they had been hearing before positioning the crystals.

Something is happening in the environment.

You see, when the crystals are removed, however relaxed the person had been, the person is no longer hearing that additional information they had just been experiencing.

The whole subject is far more involved than the simplistic explanations usually put forward
i.e. It must be auto-suggestion at work.
It must be the placebo effect.
It must be bias.
It must be imagination.
It must be audio faith healing.
It must be effective marketing - and so on.

Regards,
May

[aquapiranha]

It must be effective marketing

Regards,
May

Effective marketing always has an effect...

http://www.independent.co.uk/money/insurance/married-drivers-are-risking-their-noclaims-discount-1920608.html?action=Popup

[magiccarpetride]

Of course that can be one aspect but that aspect is still not answering the question WHY were/are the specific crystals used by magiccarpetride (and SO many others – see the many discussions on Audio Asylum site) allowing him (and them) to hear more of the information in the music ? More information than they had been hearing before positioning the crystals.

Something is happening in the environment.

You see, when the crystals are removed, however relaxed the person had been, the person is no longer hearing that additional information they had just been experiencing.

The whole subject is far more involved than the simplistic explanations usually put forward
i.e. It must be auto-suggestion at work.
It must be the placebo effect.
It must be bias.
It must be imagination.
It must be audio faith healing.
It must be effective marketing - and so on.

Regards,
May

Another interesting question is: why am I hearing improvements when I apply teflon tape to the three-pronged AC power cables? I don't think that introducing teflon tape into my environment would have a 'relaxing' effect (or maybe it could?)

[May Belt]

Another interesting question is: why am I hearing improvements when I apply teflon tape to the three-pronged AC power cables? I don't think that introducing teflon tape into my environment would have a 'relaxing' effect (or maybe it could?)

It is difficult to condense 30 years of discussing this subject into a few sentences. You have to – initially - stop looking at the audio equipment and switch to looking at the human being and how the human being is having to cope in an increasingly adverse environment and, in that adverse environment, is trying to resolve complex musical information. THEN, when you begin to realise just what the human being is having to do, you can go back and consider the listening environment and look at what is going on in that environment.

I know you have been posting on Audio Asylum site but have you completely missed the discussions on crystals also taking place over many months on the Isolation Ward section ?

Within that section I gave examples of my concepts under the subject heading :

“some observations ( and a request for Elizabeth)” On Isolation Ward section.

You might find, after reading what I put forward in those discussions, that maybe, quite possibly, applying Teflon tape to the prongs of the AC power cables can be reducing the adverse effect of the AC power in our environment – which in turn – would have you reacting less and therefore under less tension, and therefore able to correctly resolve more of the musical information !!!!

I always refer to any effects on us (human beings) as ‘once removed’ – not a DIRECT effect on us. Meaning that such as electromagnetism, RF etc, present in the environment, is not beaming directly into or through our heads but is merely actively present in the environment – preventing us from signing off our environment as ‘safe’. And Nature (evolution) dictates that if we cannot ‘sign off our environment as safe’, then we must remain under tension until such time as we can.

Regards,
May

[magiccarpetride]

It is difficult to condense 30 years of discussing this subject into a few sentences. You have to – initially - stop looking at the audio equipment and switch to looking at the human being and how the human being is having to cope in an increasingly adverse environment and, in that adverse environment, is trying to resolve complex musical information. THEN, when you begin to realise just what the human being is having to do, you can go back and consider the listening environment and look at what is going on in that environment.

I know you have been posting on Audio Asylum site but have you completely missed the discussions on crystals also taking place over many months on the Isolation Ward section ?

Within that section I gave examples of my concepts under the subject heading :

“some observations ( and a request for Elizabeth)” On Isolation Ward section.

You might find, after reading what I put forward in those discussions, that maybe, quite possibly, applying Teflon tape to the prongs of the AC power cables can be reducing the adverse effect of the AC power in our environment – which in turn – would have you reacting less and therefore under less tension, and therefore able to correctly resolve more of the musical information !!!!

I always refer to any effects on us (human beings) as ‘once removed’ – not a DIRECT effect on us. Meaning that such as electromagnetism, RF etc, present in the environment, is not beaming directly into or through our heads but is merely actively present in the environment – preventing us from signing off our environment as ‘safe’. And Nature (evolution) dictates that if we cannot ‘sign off our environment as safe’, then we must remain under tension until such time as we can.

Regards,
May

I actually love your explanation. Any other suggestions on how to transform our increasingly artificial environments (which are conditioning us to 'tense up') into a more 'safe' organic-like ones? (which are allowing us to 'ease up')

[May Belt]

I actually love your explanation. Any other suggestions on how to transform our increasingly artificial environments (which are conditioning us to 'tense up') into a more 'safe' organic-like ones? (which are allowing us to 'ease up')


To keep within my own guidelines for ‘posting’ as a member of the audio industry on various Internet audio chat forums, it is difficult for me to give full suggestions (because they would obviously be about some of our own products).

You are obviously now further along the path of understanding regarding the concept of living in an adverse environment and having to deal with what is in that environment so, basically, I would have to exaggerate here and say “Regard everything as creating adverse conditions” and to then look at how one can superimpose, on everything, ‘reassuring’ energy patterns. Just as Nature has used different techniques (and different chemicals) to provide energy patterns which convey the message “Watch out, there is danger about”, so Nature has used other techniques (and different chemicals) to provide energy patterns which convey the message “It’s OK, you can relax, the danger has gone away”.

One ‘freebie’ technique you can use is with your domestic deep freezer.

Below I have given links of two articles which describe the effect of using the freezing/slow defrost technique.

• Greg Weaver's December 1999 article on Freezing
• http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize199912.htm
and

• If you would like to read an article by Carol Clark on ‘freezing’ technique (Issue 10 ) audioMUSINGS Please go to the link below:-
• Issue 10 audioMUSINGS
• http://www.positive-feedback.com/ambackissues/Belt.htm

Our freezing/slow defrosting technique was described much earlier (In the late 1980s) in some UK audio magazines but this was before the Internet was in general use and are therefore not available to read on the Internet.

Start with CDs. Quite often people have two identical CDs. Especially in the late 1980s and 1990s, in the UK, various audio magazines would have a free CD on their front cover, so it was easy then to get two identical CDs very cheaply. Keep one of the CDs as the control and put the other CD in a plain plastic bag and place it in the deep freezer, certainly for a minimum of 24 hours. When you remove it from the deep freezer, allow it to return to room temperature VERY, VERY slowly – usually by placing it in a towel or a blanket. Then, listen to the ‘treated’ CD. Get used to that sound and then change over to the identical (but untreated) CD and see if you can listen to that untreated one with the same pleasure.

If you don’t have two identical CDs, then to be sure you will have somewhere a CD which, after purchasing it, you were disappointed with how it sounded and therefore now never play it. Hunt it out, check that you are still disappointed with it (soundwise – not musical content wise), then put it through the freezing/slow defrost procedure. I think you will find that it is now listenable to !!!!

If you have success with the freezing/slow defrost technique with CDs, you can progress on to interconnects.

Quite often people have spare interconnects (which may have been supplied originally with a piece of equipment) but where they are now using newer, replacement interconnects. Find a previous one in a cupboard or drawer, listen to it and see if it is still not sounding as good as the one which replaced it, then put that interconnect through the freezing/slow defrost procedure. Then, when you listen to it again, I think you will be pleasantly surprised !!

Then, if you have been having success, another article to read is :-

• Greg Weaver's July 1999 Cream Electret review
• http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize071999.htm

I think you might be able to understand even further if you can ‘throw an intellectual switch’ and look at it from a different angle. i.e Not as creating an improvement but as adverse conditions being reduced – even though it ends up by the sound being described as having ‘improved’.

Imagine a room full of beautiful antique furniture and paintings. i.e a wealth of information available. But, when you enter the room, all you can see is the furniture just in front of you because the rest of the room is full of smog – coming from (say) 100 different outlets.

But as you (or someone) gradually blocks off those outlets, one by one, you become aware of more of the beautiful antique furniture and paintings in the room. i.e you become aware of more information – but, this is the crucial point – THAT information had been there, available – in the room all the time !!

This is the concept that more and more reviewers are having to seriously consider.

As exemplified by Russell Lichter in his review of the Less Loss Blackbody device in the July 2010 issue of the Stereo Times magazine :-.

>> “Our living rooms are no exception. If we could actually see these wavelengths, we'd be claustrophobic……………. By now many of us are comfortable with phenomena that can only be theorized about, not measured. Perhaps some of us use Shakti Stones or use one or more of Peter Belt's unique applications. And theories as we've seen can fall by the wayside with the discovery of new data and new explanations. But for sure something's going on when a Blackbody is placed in proximity to my equipment, and whatever it is, it is audible…………………” <<

and as exemplified by the many reviewers of such as the Schumann Resonance device and the Stein Music device.

Even John Atkinson, editor of Stereophile (and former editor of Hi Fi News) in a lengthy discussion on the ART Synergistic devices ends up suggesting ‘that it might be the actual listener who is doing the reacting – and not the room acoustic being affected’ !!!

Phew !! You did ask magiccarpetride.

Regards,
May

[Themis]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7438755/Crystals%2004.jpg

To me, it's ugly ! I'll never put this into my living room !!! :lol:

[aquapiranha]

Madness. Utter tosh. Of course, you are all going to now say 'have you tried it? well no, but I am not that gullible. :)

[magiccarpetride]

To me, it's ugly ! I'll never put this into my living room !!! :lol:

Crystals are ugly to you? How about flowers? Do you find them ugly too?

What has mother nature done to you to find her ugly?

[AlexM]

Hi All,

An interesting debate. I have to say that I am somthing of a sceptic, but I do believe that state of mind has a major influence on our perception of sound. I would certainly perceive sound differently if I have a headache compared to when I am in a 'medidative' state.

My main difficulty with these techniques is that one is always aware that one has changed something, and that introduces the possibility of placebo effect/confirmation bias or other mechanisms that effect psychoacoustic perception. Accepting that these theories aren't objectively provable or measurable in a conventional sense, how can one be certain of anything if a 'product' has a consistent beneficial effect even for individuals, much less across a population?.

I am quite comfortable with the idea that performing HiFI rituals has an effect on perception, but so does relaxation training and so do drugs of all sorts. I am just not convinced that the theories of Peter Belt et al are anything other than an attempt at rationalising a common-place experience and creating a belief system that bleads to self-affirmation of beneficial effects.

Having said all of that, I don't have any axe to grind here and certainly have no issue with people doi ng whatever they believe works for them.

Regards,
Alex