Acoustic Revive continues to receive accolade after accolade:
Jeff Day's Acoustic Revive Chronicles Part 6
 
        
 
La Revue Du Son bestows their highest 'RECOMMANDE' award (5-Stars)
upon the SPC-PA speaker cable
 
 
PranaWire Review
 
 
"...there was a panoramic airy soundstage with seemingly limitless depth. It was spectacular! I have rarely if ever heard such a combination of musicality and resolution. String tone was perfect. The entire presentation was perhaps the most realistic portrayal of an orchestral performance I have ever enjoyed. "
 
Stephen Marsh reviewing the PranaWire Nataraja Speaker Cable at 6moons.com
 
 "The excursion of the ear drum at the threshold of hearing is around 10−9 m(4×10−7 in)
(Kinsler et al., 1982). Most atoms have dimensions of 1 to 2 angstroms (10−10 meters) so the
ear drum travels a distance of less than 10 atomic diameters at the threshold of hearing. Were
our ears only slightly more sensitive, we would hear the constant background noise due to
Brownian movement, molecules set into motion by thermal excitation."
             Marshall Long - 'Architectural Acoustics'                        
                 
 
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Dear
 
JoePhoto
The above quotation..
 
...struck me so powerfully, that I have placed it at the top of the PranaWire home page.  The implications are huge and humbling.
 
While at the face of it it is the perfect argument supporting the empirical approach to hi fi, it points far beyond the pastime of comparing accessories and cables and leads me to ponder the evolution and function of hearing on a deeper level.
 
It does seem to put to rest the argument that "if it can't be measured, it doesn't exist".  I have said all along that the most powerful measuring tool at our disposal is our hearing.  Somehow many (not all) with a strong engineering bent tend to dismiss the ears as being less scientific, less elegant and less accurate a tool than measuring equipment.  Clearly we beg to differ.
 
I wonder, though, if we are one step removed from hearing Brownian movement (music of the spheres?), if our hearing is really put to best use in front of a hi fi system, or should we be listening for something beyond?
 
 
 
Perspective 
 
 
vs
 
 
 
In what context should we view and understand cost/value and cost/performance ratios? What mechanism is at play when we make the determination that one expensive item represents a solid value and another does not?  Are we sometimes too quick to dismiss the merit of a product 1.) because the item may be out of reach for our pocketbook, and therefore is easy to classify in the "anybody who spends that kind of money must be a fool" category or 2.) because we are trying to apply set of standards that (unwittingly) may not be appropriate for the item being judged? The example of the two items shown above is intended as food for thought:  Both items make use of Permendur in their magnet structure.  One is a cartridge costing $15,000 the other is a pair of drivers costing $34,000.  Is the cartridge overpriced because it uses so much less material?  Are the drivers overpriced because they may not require quite the microscopic finesse that the cartridge assembly requires? 
 
I think you can see that it is really kind of ridiculous to compare such totally different items.  Each has to be considered on its own merits.  If a $15,000 cartridge delivers you to your favorite seat at the symphony or jazz club, and you have the wherewithal to purchase it, you may seriously consider it as a desirable next step in the evolution of your system, especially if everything else you've tried falls short.  If a pair of drivers costing $34,000 provides you with a new level of intimacy and a direct, primal connection with the music that you have never before experienced, you may consider them a bargain.  
 
 
How do you view uber high end items?  Where do they fit in your pantheon? Do you consider them a necessity, a working tool, or do you consider them a wasteful, self indulgent and unnecessary luxury especially in light of the current economic climate?  Do you lust after them even though they are forever out of reach or aspire to own them, or do you dismiss them out of hand?  What is your thought process when confronted with high priced items?  Finally, how do you determine whether an item represents a real value, and is there a price threshold beyond which any given product can no longer be considered of value? I would really like to hear your thoughts on this subject.  Please feel free to email me, and I will post some of your responses in an upcoming newsletter.
 
 
 
Dan Hicks had his CD/LP release party at Yoshi's Jazz Club in San Francisco Saturday evening.  Even though the gig was never advertised in the paper, both the 8pm and 10 pm shows were sold out! David Grisman was a guest artist.  If you've never seen Dan perform it is truly a treat, made all the better since my wife, Daria, is one of the Lickettes.  Do yourself a favor and click on the photo for a link to Dan's site, and check out their tour schedule.  If you go, stop by at the meet and greet after the show and say hello.  As a bonus, the LP comes with a CD attached on the inside, so you get the best of both worlds - available at Amazon and everywhere.
 
 
 
 Please stay tuned for further Lotus Group news!

 
All best regards, 

 
 

Joe Cohen

The Lotus Group