Black Gate Capacitors

[don.r]

My first ever transistor radio was made of wood with brass screws: http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/george_dobbs_trf_radio.html

To think, even as a nipper back in the 70s I was apparently an audiophile too!  Why yes, the radio did have a warm wood sound, like a prize cricket bat lovingly oiled for hours of linseed polishing to give warmer, more danceable timbre while the brass screws make for excellent pitch. 

Radio, meet bat.
Bat , widlarize radio.

(loosely based on that line uttered by danny devito when he introduces his new dobermann to his ex-wifes poodle. forgot the movie
Muffy, meet Adolf.
Adolf, eat Muffy !
)

Ruthless People?

[Neilm]

Black Gate Capacitors? Sounds like something from Lord of the Rings

[linux-works]

BG's are very well known to the audio DIY crowd.

some of us don't quite believe this hype.  I don't personally know anyone who does, but then again, those that believe in magic would not be ones I would hang out with, much

nichicon and pany, iirc, also have a line of 'audio grade' caps.  its not just fringe.  if they can sell to phools, they will, and laugh all the way to the bank.

[Kjelt]

It's basically a phoolery feedback loop.

+1 with a positive gain >1 

[c4757p]

nichicon and pany, iirc, also have a line of 'audio grade' caps.  its not just fringe.  if they can sell to phools, they will, and laugh all the way to the bank.

Yes, not uncommon. I just sampled one of those amazing Vishay bulk foil resistors to repair a voltage standard (hey -I didn't beg for a sample, they offered!  ) and the datasheet is full of audiophool crap. It's kind of amusing, as the thing is so damn good by the numbers that it ought to be able to stand by those alone...

[N2IXK]

But the hard-core audiophool community isn't swayed by numbers or objective measurements, due to a combination of such measurements proving what BS most audiophoolery is, or not even understanding the meaning of such measurements in the first place.

Much easier to rant on with subjective talk about "staging", "warmth", "transparency", "clarity", "crispness", "presence", "muddiness", etc., knowing that they can never be proved wrong when they aren't making objectively testable claims in the first place.  If you can't hear the "glaring" differences, you just don't have the required "golden ears", and therefore aren't qualified to comment anyway. Kind of like a religion (which it is in its own way). 

[lapm]

It's like the Emperor's New Clothes. No-one wants to admit they spend a large amount of money but can't hear any difference. No-one wants to admit that their hearing isn't "good enough".

Sounds like modern art. No-one understands what its supposed to present but anyone that just bought one cant admit they just wasted tons of money...

[don.r]

It's like the Emperor's New Clothes. No-one wants to admit they spend a large amount of money but can't hear any difference. No-one wants to admit that their hearing isn't "good enough".

Sounds like modern art. No-one understands what its supposed to present but anyone that just bought one cant admit they just wasted tons of money...

Its not a waste if they can convince a greater fool that its worth more than they paid for it.... then its an "investment"... I have seen some audio gear trade like this.

[SeanB]

Strange is that the audio chain almost surely originally was done with stuff sent through a chain of 741 opamps and recorded onto half inch tape which was lubricated with whale oil. This then is the best you can get, nothing further down the chain will make a difference.

[Macbeth]

Joking aside: I browsed through that book. Very nice. I would have loved to have had that kit as a boy.
All doable with a few simple tools from the toolshed

Yes, I even used my dads ancient hand drill from the back garden shed. It's all power drills now! I loved that project and going into town to buy all the mysterious parts. Later I got the "100 in 1" type of kit with spring contacts and inbuilt meters, lamps, LEDs, battery, etc.

One thing I never got to do was make a proper "cats whisker" using coke and a coiled wire (like in the book). However, in order to make an audiophool "discriminator" I think I will have to make my coke from elephants tusk or rhino horn, and use solid gold coiled wire and mount it on the finest mason sculpted marble.

[tsmith35]

However, in order to make an audiophool "discriminator" I think I will have to make my coke from elephants tusk or rhino horn, and use solid gold coiled wire and mount it on the finest mason sculpted marble.

Please note that you must not use any type of power tools or mass-produced tools during formation and assembly, as the fugitive magnetic emissions of such devices may negatively impact the naturally neutral state of the raw materials. It's recommended that all formation and assembly be done while nude, preferably far away from any "modern" dwellings. A natural cave that has not been exposed to any type of electrical device (flashlights are especially bad) makes the ideal assembly site, but they're getting harder to find these days.