I had to post a link to this review of gel pads for isolation. I went through a gamut of emotions while reading this. My first reaction was to laugh, especially when I read that he put these gel pads under his speaker wires to isolate for vibration. Then I nearly vomited from disgust when I read how he established a reference by removing all isolation equipment before using the pads and found that “one of the more engaging jazz releases in my collection suddenly became rather univolving”. GIVE ME A BREAK! He’s using some of the most expensive audio gear available (not that price = quality), including the highly regarded Wilson Audio WATT/PUPPY 7’s. He also describes his test CD Flamingos [hatOLOGY 609] as being an excellent recording from one of his favorite labels. Is he trying to make readers believe that his system sucks when his components are sitting on regular shelves, and his speaker wires are sitting on the floor? I find audio reviews such as this are a farce, and it upsets me as a readier and audio lover that reviewers write such non-sense.
My question is, do reviewers who publish reviews such as this really believe the things they right? I would be willing to bet my house that if he did a double-blind A/B he would not be able to hear a difference between speaker wires on the floor, and speaker wires raised by 4 gel pads! Nor would he be able to differentiate between his cd player on the shelf, and his cd player under the gel pads, unless the vibration is so great that the player skips when not isolated.
I should have seen it coming though, with a website entitled Ultraaudio.
End Rant.

Note: I did my best to not use ... () and base!

Well Dan - I could NOT agree with you more. How gullible do they think the average HT person is?

Now - had they done a review on the isolation pads that use the pastel green colored gel, THEN they would have my full attention and an order!

I agree, the high end audio jounalists frequently seem to be slathered in snake oil. I give little credence to any of these subjectly judged articles. It seems to be little more than the hokum venders in partnership with the industry writers they support.

"I believe virtually everything I read, and I think that is what makes me more of a selective human, than someone who doesn’t believe anything"

--- David St. Hubbins

What a joke.

I get so flabberghasted at this stuff. I try to not buy products from retailers who shill this stuff, be they $1000 isolation shelves, $800 a/c cords, $30,000 turntables, or what have you. They may have other worthwhile products, but that they would sell such stuff irritates me to no end. Part of me can't blame them - there's a market for it! That's capitalism! But another part of me thinks that part of good customer service is not letting your customers waste thousands of dollars on such useless garbage.

Spinal Tap , jejeje

Oh, mercy... here's a new one on me!

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

:|

the name of the company is RAM. ill just leave it at that.

Well, if you're going to spend $9,050 for an amplifier and $2,100 on an external battery kit for the amp, you may as well go all the way and send an extra $485 on knobs! That's a new low!

I think "Dieter" has been sniffing too much of his C37 lacquer.

In reply to:

---

*Does your train of thought have a caboose?*

---

My train of thought is always in the caboose.

I hope it has a flared end.

Geeezzz!
Now I have to go downstairs and get the windex to clean the coffee off of my monitor!
TjB

Anyone who buys those will be subject to incessant mocking from me. That's one of the dumbest things I've ever read.

I read the offering as a spoof, not a real product. Then again, I'm not a real hard-core audiophile so maybe it was meant to be serious... and everything ELSE they sold looked like real audiophile stuff. Cult resistors, matched capacitors, speaker wire hand-rolled by virgins... the usual stuff.

I REALLY don't think it's a joke. That site is scawy.

The Review: Indeed quite a farce, but keep in mind, not ALL reviews are bad, hometheaterhifi.com has some excellent stuff, and Audioholics can be quite nice.... Thank god we have Alan on our side

RAM: Now assuming we're talking about the same company, they do make some nice stuff apparently, as they've been approved as a AV Science Affiliate and that's not an easy list to get on.

Cheers,

- D

It may not be an easy list to get on, but wooden knobs on a volume control and an amp (that cost $6000!!!) do not good science make.

Sure it does. It answers the question "How big can you make your wallet when all you have is .75 cents worth of wood, a lathe, and 15 minutes of free time."

I suppose all you need is one sucker a week to make a good living....