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In Reply to: RE: That was good satire BUT ... posted by rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com on April 09, 2012 at 12:47:59
Bats, dogs, dolphins, etc. have good ears... humans, not so much...
You just have to look at the neuro anatomy to see how much of our brains go into visual processing vs. the little bit going into auditory processing (compare this further to the tiny bit going into olfactory processing). This isn't to say that sound isn't perceived reasonably well with compelling experiences, but human hearing is extremely limited by bandwidth (20-20kHz), dynamic range, and localization in the animal kingdom.
I don't know what kind of 'training' would help perceive the kind of imperfections good equipment is capable of these days. Furthermore, I don't consider hearing to be good enough to feel 'cursed' (LOL).
Follow Ups:
Not to other animals.
What difference could that make to the discussion?
I thought we were talking about human perception?
Combined with the fact that some audio systems are more revealing than others (sometimes MUCH more revealing), and the fact that some people have more open mind than others - gives you the reason for all this nonsensical "controversy".
Pretty good test, that I suggest everybody performs on themselves, to determine whether your system and hearing are up to snuff:
Flip the direction of a mains fuse in one of the components in your system.
If you can hear the difference in sound quality the flip makes - congratulations. If not - time to think about upgrading, and/or checking the hearing.
Cuz all the power plugs in my system have a ground so I can't willy-nilly flip polarity around.
Only the cheapest Sony boom box I have can do this.
N/T
...120VAC is a symmetrical, sinusoidal alternative waveform, right?
So... the fuse is seeing current flow in both directions irrespective of it's orientation in the fuse holder. The fuse itself may even have largely symmetrical construction.
Don't discount "power of the mind" when doing these tests.
Cheers,
Presto
... you could familiarize yourself with the subject, and the theories why fuse direction affects the sound.The fuse itself may even have largely symmetrical construction. - according to these theories, this is where you're wrong. I'm not a mechanical engineer, and not a specialist in metallurgy - but, apparently, it has to do with manufacturing process of the wire.
But more importantly - why don't you perform this very simple, and absolutely FREE, test, and let us know the results?
Edits: 04/11/12 04/11/12
Then it MUST be true!
Most fuse elements are symmetrical. Some are wound, and in one direction or another. This could represent small DC and AC inductances. However, the applied voltage in a power system is 120VAC, alternating. Each "direction" of the fuse sees current for 1/120th of a second - once in the positive going direction and once in the negative going direction. AC current does not "flow", it's a very messy migration of free electrons in one direction and then the other. Besides, if you look at any "coil" (or just a common spring) from each end, you'll find that it it "wound" in one direction or another, and that direction DOES NOT CHANGE when you flip the fuse/spring/coil around.
So, regardless of "fuse direction", the fuse element sees current in both directions.
Only fuses in a DC system could be said to have a "polarity", but even then it would be arguable that the fuse itself (as a node between two fuse clips) would be electrically identical regardless of orientation. This is barring, of course, theoretical arguments of "micro-diodic action" - in a metal with no semiconductor material in it.
These are people who change socks and hear differences. I am going to leave it at that. This is not the forum for it anyways.
If you like your fuses in a certain "direction" go for it.
So let me ask you this. If you have a double insulated component and there is no ground on the primary
Cheers,
Presto
The link below - fresh post by Unclestu on Tweakers - is as good of a start as anything.But more importantly - have you tried it yet?
Edits: 04/14/12
There are two potential kinds of symmetry and the presence of either one of these will make the other irrelevant. The asymmetry of the wire in the fuse is the first element. For signal wires, there will be obvious asymmetry in the audio signals (due to even harmonic distortion or other polarity effects) and that will provide the second element. Hence it is reasonable to assume that reversing a fuse that's in the signal path might have an effect on the waveform arriving at the speakers and ultimately one's ears.
A power supply fuse is not in the direct signal path and it is processing a nominally symmetric AC waveform. One would expect, therefore that the effect of power fuse polarity would be less than signal fuse polarity . The amount would also depend on the quality of one's AC power, including the time of day and what devices were nearby and connected (especially connected to the same circuit, breaker panel, or distribution transformer). There might also be an interaction with fuse polarity in the holder and AC plug polarity, when using products with two wire plugs and/or cheater plugs. The better the design of the power supply, the less the effect AC fuse polarity should have on the sound. Since the effect of power fuse polarity is likely to be system dependent and vary with the time of day and day of the week, the only way to know what the effect might be is to try it.
By the way, bypassing the fuses completely might further improve sound quality, but doing so could be foolish and might result in loss of the equipment, fire, or even death. It would void the component's warranty and in the event of a fire might void one's fire insurance. So, don't try this at home! Swapping fuse ends ought to be safe enough if done when the component is unplugged. And doing so might improve the sound even if polarity does not prove to be important as a new contact is a clean contact. One must keep this in mind when conducting tests of fuse polarity, otherwise one may confuse cleanliness with polarity.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
Sure... Will try next time there's a need to open something up.
.
"In this land right now, some are insane and they're in charge. To hell with poverty, we'll get drunk on cheap wine."
Agree.This is why I think those hung up on hardware minutiae are wrong.
Edits: 04/09/12
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