How do you tell snake oil from “truth” in audio gear?

Sounds like a great idea. I will give it a try.

Well I did give ChatGPT a try and here is a review of the Focal Bathys headphones generated by ChatGPT. The review reads like a perfect combination of a press release and a very lazy review. In other words, a perfect review!!!

The Focal Bathys headphones are a high-end set of headphones that deliver exceptional sound quality. They are designed with audiophiles in mind and feature large, 53mm dynamic drivers that produce rich, clear audio with tight bass and sparkling highs. The soundstage is wide and spacious, making it easy to pick out individual instruments and vocals in even the most complex recordings.
One of the standout features of the Bathys is their build quality. They are made with premium materials and feature an ergonomic design that is comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. The ear cups are made of a soft, supple material that conforms to the shape of your head, and the headband is adjustable for a snug, customized fit.
Another thing to love about the Bathys is their versatility. They can be used for a wide range of listening activities, from critical music listening to gaming, to watching movies or TV. They also come with a detachable cable that can be swapped out for a longer or shorter one, depending on your needs, and they fold up for easy storage.
One potential downside of the Bathys is that they are relatively heavy, which can cause some discomfort during extended wear. However, this weight is due to the high-quality materials used in construction, and it is a trade-off that many audiophiles are willing to make in order to get the best sound quality possible.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a set of headphones that deliver top-notch sound quality and are built to last, the Focal Bathys are definitely worth considering. They are an excellent choice for serious music listeners and audiophiles who demand the very best in sound reproduction.<<

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I have little faith in anything he writes or TAS publishes. About 12 years ago they were publishing a special 4 part series on digital and one of their major conclusions was that sound quality dropped when copying a track file from one HDD to another.

I remember that ridiculous series which claimed that different storage media sounded different. Their insane findings were presented in a quasi-scientific manner to have one believe that it wasn’t pure garbage. Come on doesn’t everyone if the findings are put into a spreadsheet then they must be true!!

Someone must be selling really expensive audiophile drives out there.

This one’s a pretty eye-watering price for 3 TB :slight_smile:

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Melco’s Highly Stable Storage System securely holds the drive

So I’m guessing that means a couple of torx screws rather than mere flat or philips head screws:

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Those boutique companies are so glad they found a tweak that they ask the price an audiophile would pay for the small sonic benefit (thousands of dollars).
A large tech company would just implement it and add 10 cents for the screws.

Gets you nowhere though.

This crazy-expensive server must be mated to Wadax’s equally crazy-expensive ($225,000) Reference DAC to realize both products’ performance potentials

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Gets you nowhere though.
I’m holding back on my purchase and waiting for wadax’s speakers to come out.

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As I understand it, Elon Musk has been considering buying some Wadax equipment and so will be selling another 25% of his Tesla stock to help finance the purchase. :rofl:

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Smart! No half measures, looking forward to your review when they finally get around to releasing! :wink:

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