$1 million reward: prove these are the best speaker cables e

[darjama]

I don't know anything about this guy, but I think it's awesome that someone is trying to hold the audiophile companies accountable for their mullarkey:

http://www.randi.org/jr/2007-09/092807reply.html#i4

[???????]

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=48622

[Jim Williams]

Randi is full of it. Read the details. He selects the people, the gear, the enviroment and has so many loopholes to wiggle out of this guy is obviously a lawyer of the first degree.

It's all about promoting him, not a search for the truth.

Besides, why would I care what this guy thinks about my industry? I use expensive silver cable. I hear the difference and that's about all I need to know. He can keep his money.

[markitzero]

Randi is full of it. Read the details. He selects the people, the gear, the enviroment and has so many loopholes to wiggle out of this guy is obviously a lawyer of the first degree.

It's all about promoting him, not a search for the truth.

Besides, why would I care what this guy thinks about my industry? I use expensive silver cable. I hear the difference and that's about all I need to know. He can keep his money.

No offense Jim (I have two Aphex 651s that you modded, which rule) , but James Randi is a scientist and man of his word. He has been on a crusade against con artists for decades. He is responsible for the career implosion of famous conman Uri Gellar, among others. If you don't know who he is, do some research. Look him up on youtube and watch him debunk and own liars and cheats. If you do already know who he is, you probably wouldn't have referred to him as a lawyer.

He has had a similar challenge for people who claim to have paranormal abilities for decades. The person who applies for the challenge has FINAL SAY on how the test is to be conducted. To this day, no one has come close. Read the log of such applicants at http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=43 to see how the test parameters are agreed upon. This is more than fair.

I'd rather have 1,000 James Randi's on this earth than one John Edwards (piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead). This audiophile challenge isn't quite as serious... the only people getting conned here are the people with far to much money.

Keep in mind, he's not saying shitty Radio Shack cables are the same as high quality cables.... hes saying that people selling boutique cables for thousands of dollars are conmen and should be exposed as such. If they can prove that their product is in fact, superior, he has the check ready.

[Andy Peters]

I'd rather have 1,000 James Randi's (sic, apostrophe failure) on this earth than one John Edwards (piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead).

Don't confuse John Edward (no 's'), a.k.a. the Biggest Douche In The Universe, who certainly <i>is</i> a piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead, with John Edwards (with an 's'), who is a former Senator and current Democratic candidate for president.

[A-Barr]

I'd rather have 1,000 James Randi's on this earth than one John Edwards (piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead)

Well said! James Randi is the man(di)! And thank god that BS psychic show is finally off the air.

Wow, that was off-topic.

Anyway, I think that if I was filthy rich, calling people on their BS would be a good way to live out my days.

[Kindly Killer]

On one hand, I'm totally satisfied with the cheap spool of copper stranded 16AWG for speaker cables that I get at the local ghetto tool store, and I like relatively cheap, treble-sucking, high capacitance cable for passive guitars and basses.

On the other hand, you've got to admire the chutzpah of some of these hucksters. That's the kind of boldness celebrated in heist movies. I don't know where the cable pushers can go from here, tho - maybe cables made with celebrity biomatter?

My favorite is the audiophile power cable that you plug into your gear from god-knows-what wiring in your house/studio. That and HIFI wooden knobs. And the goo that you dab onto opamps - have you seen that one?

[markitzero]

I'd rather have 1,000 James Randi's (sic, apostrophe failure) on this earth than one John Edwards (piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead).

Don't confuse John Edward (no 's'), a.k.a. the Biggest Douche In The Universe, who certainly <i>is</i> a piece of con-artist trash that preys on grieving relatives by pretending to communicate with the dead, with John Edwards (with an 's'), who is a former Senator and current Democratic candidate for president.

I stand corrected.

[;ivlunsdystf]

I think it's sort of funny that Monster cables are presented as the "cheap" alternative ...

[kludge]

Expensive cables aren't about sound. They're about prestige, G.A.S., and money. I'm a firm believer that most G.A.S. is about insecurity, not the capabilities of your equipment. The annoying part isn't the cost, it's the distraction... people get so caught up in wondering whether silver-plated copper wire is wrecking their sound that they don't do cheap basics like room treatment - or gawd forbid, putting down the damned magazines and LISTENING for a while. (This also goes to other GAS-affected hobbies, like photography... lots of guys measurebate over the sharpness of their lenses, but don't actually go out and take pictures, or go seek out beautiful things in beautiful light to photograph).

But as for the dishonesty, I don't see how it's any worse than ads saying that if you chew our gum, beautiful women will want to kiss you. It does look pretty silly to those outside the hobby, but really, it's all just supply and demand. And a $5000 set of speaker cables is no more ludicrous than a $5000 painting.

As for Randi, he's just as much a con artist and scammer as those he busts. And he makes his living off the sense of smug intellectual superiority his audience feels when he unmasks some other con artist. Supply and demand, that's all.

[kludge]

Oh, and I should add that Randi's latest scam will in no way hold anyone in the hi-fi cable industry "responsible" for their marketing practices. They all stay safely within the false advertising laws, and they'll still manage to sell stuff whether or not Randi says they're full of crap. They'll advertise and it'll sell.

Hence, Randi is a con artist.

[Smitty]

And a $5000 set of speaker cables is no more ludicrous than a $5000 painting.

Wait, what? For real? Are you serious?

[Madguitrst]

And the goo that you dab onto opamps - have you seen that one?

Here it is:
http://www.altmann.haan.de/tubeolator/default.htm

[;ivlunsdystf]

What is G.A.S.?

[rhythm ranch]

What is G.A.S.?

Gear Acquisition Syndrome