Home Tweakers' Asylum

Tweaks for systems, rooms and Do It Yourself (DIY) help. FAQ.

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Tweakers' Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ] [ Edit ] [ Delete ]

Re:Vending Machine

12.86.0.141

Dear Larry -

Assuming you're not "giggin'" me, the "vending" machines are located at the front of most American grocery stores or drugstores. But, failing that, I've found 'em bagged five to a pack for about three bucks in toy stores. I tend to like the "clear" ones with minimal "inclusions". Once you haunt the domain of children's super balls, you'll quickly see what I'm talking about. The "opaque" ones, especially the "glow in the dark" ones, seem to be "stiffer". The ones that are mostly clear seem to work the best.

This conversation would seem so stupid to anybody but a bona fide psychotic or an audiophile - whoops, is there a difference? Really, the clear ones are the best. Also, avoid those with embedded "sparkles". Now, this is really getting stupid. But ain't we havin' such fun that even "druggies" can't figure it out . . .:-)

But, in terms of so-called superballs, let me share some history. I'm near 47 years old so I remember the very first and TRUE super balls. These dark gray suckers did damn near defy physics and the rules of the cosmos. If you dropped one from 30 feet, it would bounce to damn near 29. Almost a perpetual motion machine. But the story is almost legion among industry.

It goes back to "Wham-O". That wonderful man of child vision who brought us the hoola-hoop and the "Frisbee". Remember that the original hoola-hoop came from "whamo" observing south pacific islander children enjoying hoops of bamboo. His first were made of garden hose taped together with electrical tape. The "Frisbee" came from him observing urban America children tossing trash can and coffee can lids around. Small sidebar: The Navy engaged "whamo" in interest once he "discovered" a very flyable disc made of plastic - the "Frisbee". They actually thought it a viable vehicle for transferring messages and, believe it or not, explosive ordnance!

But the superball came from much different origins. Good ol' "wham-o" was touring an industrial site and here sat a great big pile of refuse. He picked up a chunk, played with it, then dropped it. When it fell to the ground and damn near bounced back at him, he got the idea. So, not only did he contract to take this refuse that was a bit of a disposal problem, he was actually PAID to take it! He soon found out it could be heated and reformed into balls. The origin of the original superball. Now, if you have one in its original package, it is worth around $1500. Remember, Whamo was the master of pricing things at 99 cents - psychologically less than a dollar. But, the original "formula" for the superball was just a pile of refuse and was never successfully replicated at a cost-effective price. Years after the original "handball-sized" and quite dense superball disappeared, came others who had figured out similar characteristics in various polymers. So comes the "modern" superball.

The modern-day "superballs" ain't the "magic" of those incredibly dense, somewhat fragile, coal-black balls of almost unbelievable performance from yesteryear. But the modern "balls" do still have much of the same characteristics. They absorb and dissipate impact and vibrational energy. They tend to "displace" this energy in orthogonal angles relative to the incidence. That is, they turn things 90 degrees in layman's terms. That works really great for audiophiles.

Not to be silly, I prefer as "pure" a superball as I can get. I like the clear ones with minimal "inclusions" of sparkle or whatever. I'm not a chemist or a material engineer (though, my brother is and he likes 'em, too).

So, where to find 'em? Toys R Us, Walgreens, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, almost any department or grocery store that has vending machines out front. I found packages of five, as I mentioned, at a Walgreens. When you try these and find out how good they work, then compare to stupid-ass marketed "tweaks" costing twenty bucks a "foot", you will find yourself laughing your ass off. I use 'em all the time in my microscope business. I buy mine at a local Albertson's Grocery Store. When that source dries up I'll be lookin' elsewhere.

Enjoy, folks. Really, this is so butt-silly-assed cheap you just have to try it. You WILL be amazed!!!!!

- Mark


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Sonic Craft  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
You can not post to an archived thread.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]