What is the most bizarre piece of HiFi you've come across?

[Al ears]

Shouldn't be allowed.
(Instead of ordering bits of plastic on amp cases, the EU should be banning sales of all such frivolity for the good of mankind).

You mean you've never coveted a portable Bluetooth record player?......

 

[Gray]

You mean you've never coveted a portable Bluetooth record player?......

Funnily enough, no.
(Only a Crosley TT).

 

[AJM1981]

In a modern sense… the Kef Ls60

I am not a fan of floorstanders in the first place but if you need to place more drivers in array it makes sense. But these display almost a full empty plastic surface. Would go for a pair of LS50s with a sub instead.

 

[SR-91]

An example of a bonkers accessory :-

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator now at Analogue Seduction.

www.analogueseduction.net

 

[Friesiansam]

An example of a bonkers accessory :-

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator now at Analogue Seduction.

www.analogueseduction.net

Put one or two radio transmitters in your room and, the soundstage will be transformed...

What the eff! Do you have to balance one on your nose, if you are using headphones?

 

[Dom]

What the hell is an Atmosphere Acoustic Field Generator.

 

[Clarkey_71]

This must have gadget helps to centre your records.

DS Audio DS 001 Eccentricity Detection/Correction Device - The Absolute Sound

DS Audio DS 001 Eccentricity Detection/Correction Device - Fans of recordings that are pressed to vinyl or shellac have lived with the negative effects that mis-centering has had on pitch, timbre, and imaging since the dawn of the record player. Comes now an ingenious device—invented by DS...

www.theabsolutesound.com

A snip at $6k...........

 

[Gray]

An example of a bonkers accessory :-

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator

Synergistic Research Atmosphere Infinity Acoustic Field Generator now at Analogue Seduction.

www.analogueseduction.net

Another classic.
No mention of how or what it actually does, other than to suggest that it makes you feel as if you're at the venue.

They say you can daisy-chain them - which is good to know.

 

[12th Monkey]

And here is a back to the future style "hover board" for your hi-fi !

eSseCi Relaxa 750 Floating Isolation Platform

eSseCi Relaxa 750 Floating Isolation Platform now at Analogue Seduction

www.analogueseduction.net

If your speakers and gear live in closer proximity than is ideal and you like high volumes (both of which are true for me), isolation is a good idea. But not at that price...

 

[Friesiansam]

This must have gadget helps to centre your records.

DS Audio DS 001 Eccentricity Detection/Correction Device - The Absolute Sound

DS Audio DS 001 Eccentricity Detection/Correction Device - Fans of recordings that are pressed to vinyl or shellac have lived with the negative effects that mis-centering has had on pitch, timbre, and imaging since the dawn of the record player. Comes now an ingenious device—invented by DS...

www.theabsolutesound.com

A snip at $6k...........

A quote from the above: "This said, there is no question that the ES-001 is a brilliant and successful bit of engineering. It does exactly what it is intended to do; it is easy to use (once you get the hang of it); and it unquestionably removes blur from and increases the neutrality and completeness of every LP I’ve used it with. If lifelike pitch and timbre, improved image focus, clarified soundstaging, and higher resolution are prime considerations—and how could they not be?—an LP lover could not put $6000 to better use than by purchasing an ES-001. It is not just a work of genius; it is a step change in analog playback and, quite appropriately, one of 2022’s TAS Products of the Year. (For vinyl fans, I’d have to say it is the Product of the Year—or Century.)"

"Product of the year"? More like what an old friend of mine used to call, "a bag of w*nk."

 

[Friesiansam]

This reviewer, seems to understand the snake-oil business:

Solid Snake-Oil Storage: This SSD Is Aimed at Audiophiles

This SSD purportedly makes your audio sound better.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[Rodolfo]

This was my personal streaming solution for a few to several years:

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

I stubbornly, romantically hung on to my original Cyrus One integrated as my main system. I connected/dangled this from one of my inputs and fed whatever through it with a Surface Pro 2, with which I'm still satisfactorily stubbornly streaming. I finally gave up on the Cyrus mostly because I got much older -and a little wiser, and that unit never had a remote control. It actually worked ok. I had a second adapter connected to a Nakamichi SoundSpace 8.

Now I only have to get up to play side B on my turntable.

 

[Gray]

More like what an old friend of mine use to call, "a bag of w*nk."

I've heard talk of a 'pile' but never a 'bag' of it before 😆

 

[Jasonovich]

And here is a back to the future style "hover board" for your hi-fi !

eSseCi Relaxa 750 Floating Isolation Platform

eSseCi Relaxa 750 Floating Isolation Platform now at Analogue Seduction

www.analogueseduction.net

A lot of money for bathroom scales!

 

[Jasonovich]

This reviewer, seems to understand the snake-oil business:

Solid Snake-Oil Storage: This SSD Is Aimed at Audiophiles

This SSD purportedly makes your audio sound better.

www.tomshardware.com

I don't disagree with the concept only the insane price.
You have a few beefy capacitors, an external power supply, that's just common sense.
Not sure how much, if only negligible, it will improve the sound?
If only some manufacturer can put this on the market, say £20 - £30 above the standard Nvme m2 price and we the consumer can decide if the additional outlay was worth the costs.

 

[Friesiansam]

Not sure how much, if only negligible, it will improve the sound?

It won't make any difference at all, not even slight. SSDs don't somehow store data better, or read it better, because they have a totally unnecessary power connector and a pair of big capacitors. It's as simple as that. The extras, compared to all other NVME SSDs, are pointless and, serve only to "justify" an over-inflated price.

 

[Jasonovich]

It won't make any difference at all, not even slight. SSDs don't somehow store data better, or read it better, because they have a totally unnecessary power connector and a pair of big capacitors. It's as simple as that. The extras, compared to all other NVME SSDs, are pointless and, serve only to "justify" an over-inflated price.

I suspect you're right, merely intrigued by the idea. I never boo hoo something until it is properly tried and tested but this is academic, neither you nor I, will ever purchase one, we both know it's nuts.

 

[Dom]

The Atmosphere Acoustic Field Generator uses radio waves to improve sound quality by interacting with the air molecules in the room. The specific range of radio waves used is in the X band, which has a wavelength of about 3 centimeters. This wavelength is long enough to interact with the air molecules, but short enough to be able to penetrate through walls and other objects.

When the radio waves interact with the air molecules, they create a field of energy that enhances the sound waves. This field of energy helps to reduce reflections and diffraction, which can improve the soundstage and imaging. It can also help to reduce listening fatigue.

More research is needed to fully understand how it works.

Note : It may not be noticeable to everyone: Some people may not be able to hear the difference that the Atmosphere makes.
🤪

 

[Gray]

Note : It may not be noticeable to everyone: Some people may not be able to hear the difference that the Atmosphere makes.
🤪

Yes, you've just bought it.
You got £5 change out of £4000.
But you may not be able to tell whether you've got it switched on or not 🤡

 

[Dom]

Yes, you've just bought it.
You got £5 change out of £4000.
But you may not be able to tell whether you've got it switched on or not 🤡

Its just insane that you would lay down £4k for something that might not make any difference, your either very rich and bored or just plain stupid.
Not to mention the space it takes up and the ugliness of them, some rich people think that having more boxes make music sound better.

For example :-


I know you own Cyrus equipment so no offence was meant to you, its just to high-light the craziness people go to, to attain mythical sound quality.

 

[12th Monkey]

I've never seen a better example of hifi not fitting surroundings than that one! Minimal/modern surrounded by old and tatty.

 

[daytona600]

Rega Naiad f £29,999 each.
To this date, Rega has now made and sold more than 30 Naiad
.

 

[Friesiansam]

Yes, you've just bought it.
You got £5 change out of £4000.
But you may not be able to tell whether you've got it switched on or not 🤡

Maybe it has a light on the front...

 

[Jasonovich]

Its just insane that you would lay down £4k for something that might not make any difference, your either very rich and bored or just plain stupid.
Not to mention the space it takes up and the ugliness of them, some rich people think that having more boxes make music sound better.

For example :-
View attachment 5123

I know you own Cyrus equipment so no offence was meant to you, its just to high-light the craziness people go to, to attain mythical sound quality.

I wonder if this is HiFi equivalent of Virtual Signalling?

 

[Jasonovich]

Rega Naiad f £29,999 each.
To this date, Rega has now made and sold more than 30 Naiad
.
View attachment 5125

Just looking at the photo, I think many flat-liners may have reached their climax!