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VooDoo Sites - Buyer Beware |
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Every time I come across a web site that is perpetuating myths and/or selling products that can in no way perform in the manner that they suggest and/or have no testing data to back up their claims, I will post a link and explain why their claims are myths and/or misleading. Some sites post outright lies and B...s..t. Now just because a site is listed here doesn't mean that the equipment or products they are selling are useless. Let's not go throwing out the baby with the bath water.... I'm just pointing to the 'poo-poo' in the water that you don't want to touch & much less, eat. --Be careful out there, Use common sense, and 'Question Everything'. 
If you run across a site that is selling superstition or making bogus claims, please send me an email (john@jhbrandt.net or jhbrandt@yahoo.com) with the link and I'll check it out. Please note that some sites will make this list only because they are misleading, whether it is intentional or unintentional, people should be aware of the facts and not be taken in by marketing hype. JPS Labs - judge for yourself. Here is one of their claims for a $1500 power cord. -- Hey! It's only a power cord! ok?
I'd really like to see some independent accredited comparison testing with data. From my personal experience in the Pro-Audio field for nearly 40 years, I have never seen any data for claims of this sort. - Remember what your mother told you? "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't." FACT: The quality of the built-in power supply in any piece of audio equipment will have 1000 times more impact on the sonics of that unit, rather than the wire used. Power Supply Recommendations for DVD Receivers Power Supply Considerations for A/V Receivers I have many more 'proof' documents and technical papers, if you want. It's a sucker trap.http://www.soundprooffoam.com/ The name is an oxymoron. Foam does not sound proof. Their products, however, are 'ok'. But they don't tell you that you will get better performance per dollar if you just use gypsum board rather than their heavy limp vinyl. If you have a look at their 'sound-proofing' page, and you will see foam, vinyl mats, carpet pad, ceiling tiles. Nope. Sorry, it's misleading. A sucker trap. SOUNDPROOFING & More Soundproofing! Super Soundproofing Co. Again, in their own words - I don't know how they have proven that acoustic absorption is sound proofing. ~shrug~ It's misleading at the least. What, pray tell, are 'noise and sound isolation foams'? Isn't that like Frog's hair??? The thing that convinced me to put this site on my VooDoo list is the following line from their SOundCLips page, "TIP: If you decide to not use soundclips or resilient channel, at least do the “Poor Mans” soundproofing by padding the surface of the studs/joists with special soft tape before installing your drywall panels." Not true, it does not work. Fact. Listen folks, a "Poor Mans" sound-proofing would be an additional layer of drywall or gypsum board. Simple. Cheap. If you need decoupling, build an isolated stud wall or buy resilient channel or clips that have independent testing data. There are a few varieties out there and some out-perform others. -- Like Scotty was always telling Jim, ".. 'ye canno' change the laws 'o physics!" Sucker trap. Barry Diament Audio - Articles Basically Barry is under what I would term 'Audiophile Delusion' and subscription to many unsupported Myths. These myths abound on the internet, especially among audiophile circles. Some of the more persistent and ridiculous are: "These seismic vibrations (the ones very low in frequency and amplitude, so tiny we don't even normally feel them) are creating spurious signals within the sensitive circuitry of your components. These spurious signals mix with the real music and video signals to distort them, hardening the treble, thinning the bass, muddying the soundstage and annihilating dynamics. Seismic vibrations add grain to video pictures, ruin color purity and contrast and soften focus." Quoted from Barry's 'Vibration control for better performance' page. So, shaking a transistor will change it's sound, huh? How about shaking a resistor? I'd love to see the testing data on that one... It is true that vibration can affect tube circuitry, but this is ridiculous. again: "The performance gains in every parameter I can think of are clear, consistent and repeatable." --- Where is the data please?? "We need to float the gear both vertically and horizontally." He's talking about gear! not speakers. - Now, isolating speakers and preventing their movement will definately improve performance and eliminate the 'doppler effect' in the mid range due to LF movement. But floating your gear is, again, ridiculous. He continues to: "So what I learned from that experience is that "dirty" AC and improper cable routing can obscure even the great benefits provided by vibration isolation. Only when there is clean AC and proper cable routing has been attended to will the benefits of vibration isolation be evident." - Obviously, taken in by all the bullshit about better wire in the AC cord making things sound better. I don't think anyone who has purchased a $300 IEC power cord has thought about how 'shitty' the lines are in their house, or where it comes from... again, NO TESTING DATA. Only subjective opinions and reviews... Now from his 'Setting up your monitoring environment' page; "Every room stores bass energy." False. - He does have a couple of good ponts - "The solution is to use bass traps." This is true. The problem here is giving advice when you haven't researched the facts well enough. - Let me point you in a good direction. Here is a link to some VERY GOOD and correct information which is backed up with volumes of proven data. Ethan Winer has written several objective articles backed by physics and facts. Audiophoolery and Why We BelieveWow, this list keeps growing - Here's another: Cheap Attractrive Insulating Soundproofing -- It's Free! -- I'm speechless. Really. -- except for; This is utter bullshit. Styrofoam is useless for anything acoustic except for reflecting upper midrange sound which makes it a candidate for diffusor parts. I don't know who this person, D Vernon Doss, is. There are no links to give him credibitlity. NOTE: this is important. Credibility. Anyone can have a website. I mean, anybody can say, "Hey, I'm an expert!" "I'm a professional, do what I say..." Get references, my friend, and be skeptical. It's an old marketing 'Jedi mind trick' to use the Authority Figure to get you to buy stuff or do stuff. FOAMBYMAIL.COM - The page title says, "Sound proofing and deadening foam products..." This is not only misleading, it is false. (That's lying so they can sell you stuff) This site doesn't deserve much discussion. And, yes, it made my VooDoo list and here it is!! "This is especially useful in studios without proper acoustic treatment..." "The sound waves then hit a layer of Aluminium foil which helps dissipate energy and break up the lower frequency wave-forms,..." Wow, is this new data? or just bullshit? So a 2ft. by 2ft. piece of aluminum foil will dissipate and break up low frequency? This is amazing... I'm calling this bullshit and challenge the bullshitters to supply independent testing data on this 'new discovery'. - I'd be happy to 'eat my words'... so, go ahead... make my day. The celebrity endorsements seem likely to be subjective opinions. I believe that these people are excellent marketers and most likely know nothing of what they sell. They even call one of their microphone series, "The Voodoo Ribbons". I don't know. These might work fine, but I do not believe that deceiving your clients is the best way to sell gear. They should correct their erroneous statements. "What do I need to stop sound from traveling through a wall (or walls)? FALSE. - and I actually think they know this. More to come... Hey, if you see your site listed here... Fix it bro!I really hate to do this, but there must be truth in marketing. If you think that you have been falsely accused, send me the accredited testing data from an independent lab that verifies your claims and I will be more than happy to print a retraction PLUS send letters to everyone on my mailing list.
Build Your Own Home Studio - Get my book for only $14.95 and DIY your own studio Please use the link below to purchase. Once the transaction is complete, I will receive an email from paypal and then I will send you the download link. Please be patient. If you have any questions and/or comments, feel free to write to me. john@jhbrandt.net Thank you. Sincerely, - John H. Brandt |
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Contact me: Send an email to john@jhbrandt.net Jl. Niaga 1, Blok F, #7 | Kemang Pratama 1 | Bekasi, Indonesia TEL.(home/ofc) 62.021.822.5088 | HP.(my cell) 62.08588.115.3071 |
