Hi Owl. Nice answer!

Absolutely, and I agree. A little scepticism is healthy. The problem for me is when scepticism turns into cynicism. This state of mind is often the result of years of dismissing everything that fails to meet the approval of the sceptic's mindet. This I feel is an unhealthy state of affairs. It gets to the stage where the sceptic often loses out on things that are beneficial as a result of constantly being 'on the defensive'.

Yes that undoubtedly happens, but there is also a significant amount of stuff that's bought that genuinely works. I can only comment from my own experience in that regard and also others that I know.

Undoubtedly people's buying decisions are influenced by advertising material, and I also believe in the placebo effect you mention. Where I feel the danger here is, is that the "sceptics" have made their mind up that EVERYTHING is snake oil, and that it is always the case that the big bad dealers or manufacturers are out to get you. For sure that happens, it may even be the case most of the time, but thinking that you're being 'ripped off' all the time sets a dangerous precedent that can lead to people missing out on things that make genuine improvements, and that is where I think the hi-fi enthusiast can potentially be the loser.

My sentiments precisely. I think in hi-fi there's sometimes too much emphasis placed on WHY something does a particular thing. At the end of the day if your ears tell you there is an improvement and this leads to greater enjoyment of you system and your music, then why should you give a toss?

In circumstances like that presenting a sceptical/scientific approach to others works and is beneficial.

Totally agree. And it's that sort of stuff that gives the genuine manufacturers and hi-fi dealers a bad name, and it is also what tends to breed chaps like your good self

Again, totally agree. That totally devalues real science, which has a place in hi-fi, just maybe not as all-important a place as some people like to think. My view is that as an entity hi-fi and listening to music is subjective and therefore ultimately all that matters is what an individual hears, not what science 'proves'.

Exactly correct. Too many people poo-poo things without having any relevant direct exprience of the item they are poo-pooing! And often because according to science something or other is not 'possible', therefore they dismiss it out of hand without even trying it. This to me is a perfect example of a 'closed mind'.

If that's the case then it's fine with me. I know that I can both hear a difference when the cables are connected the 'right' way round, and that there was a difference (distinct improvement) over the cheapo patch leads I used before I got the Chords, and that's all that matters to me.

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Paul