Re: [Phys-l] Noise Harvester Ad & Physics 101

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

I disagree partially.    When I was a gofor at a High End shop we did 
experiments on amplifier loads and found some commercial ones were quite 
sensitive to capacitance -- to the extent that in a  custom installation 
twisted pair cables would cause supersonic oscillation.  So we used two 
separated cables.   This was, of course, w/ tube amps. (1955).  Now (or 
at least more recently) I understand ideal loads are in the 4 Ohm 
instead of 16 range, so conceivably cheap zip chord would introduce 
significant resistance justifying a monster cable.  BTW, another set of 
experiments involved purposely introducing resistance in the load.  This 
changed the damping and sometimes improved! the sound.  The owner was a 
retired engineer for Gray Research and the inventor of the viscous 
damped arm.   "Our" specialty was making triple amps feeding separate 
bass, mid, and tweeters.  He also made a system in which feedback 
included the speaker.  I think the detector was capacitance.  (the cone 
painted w/ conductive paint and a perforated metal plate.  It won the 
top award at the consumer electronics show that year.

bc, former Hi Fi nut.  Who despite deafness still has Revox tape 
recorders and a Sony PCM NTSC system.

p.s. "We" had a cutter and made disks for people.  One of my jobs was 
recording the Music Academy's concerts w/ an Ampex 350P.  Oh! the 
advances -- now anyone can record w/ better fidelity using a home DVD 
recorder.  The only expense is a good pair of michs. and a preamp.

Leigh Palmer wrote:

> One of my favorite topics!
>
> Glenn Malin writes:
>
>  
>
> > Devices marketed for audiophiles are often pricey and involve  
> > questionable physics.   I have just seen an ad for a gizmo called  
> > the Noise Harvester offered by PS Audio. It is claimed that it  
> > converts AC line noise into light thus satisfying "Physics 101."
> >
> > Without any more comment, I suggest that a visit to their web site  
> > might prove of interest.  Be sure to watch the video.
> >
> > http://www.psaudio.com/products/noiseharvester_overview.asp
> >
> > Glenn Malin
> > University HS
> > Irvine, CA
> >    
>
> No one doubts the qualitative validity of Barnum's conjecture, though  
> surely it must be adjusted by several orders of magnitude to bring it  
> up to date. In addition to the absurdities of Monster Cables and  
> green transparency markers to treat compact discs for their  
> objectionable digital sound, there are many other ways to dissipate  
> the suckers' (oops, I mean "audiophiles'") considerable disposable  
> wealth these days. See, for example:
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C>
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ACT_SIGN_D&Category_Code=CABLES&Product_Count=6 
> >
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RAM&Category_Code=SPEAKERS>
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RAM&Category_Code=AMPS>
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RCK_SLD_SIG&Category_Code=AMPS&Product_Count=1>
>
> <http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? 
> Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RCK_SLD_BATT&Category_Code=AMPS&Product_Count=3 
> >
>
>
>
> A good Fermi problem: Just how many of these items must one sell in  
> order to cover the cost of producing these web pages?
>
> It seems that audiophilia extrema (a social disease) provides the  
> physics teacher with many fine examples of unphysical claims with  
> which to attract student interest.
>
> Leigh
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>
>
>