This should prove interesting! I have to admit that I find most of SR stuff to be questionable. But, who knows. I will keep an eye out for Peter's findings.
We had a full day and night testing the Synergistic Research Atmosphere. The set and camera position is arranged so as to have the viewer looking over our shoulders as we go through the scenes. The Atmosphere has three basic "scenes", a scene being a preset algorithm that mixes the output of two RF generators within the device at differing frequencies and amplitudes. The device then broadcasts the RF "mix" into your listening room. Terry was present at the test and concurred that each scene and it's dropdowns did indeed affect the sound in the way the device setting advertised... 1) Intimate Acoustic, 2) Holographic and 3) Grand Canyon.
We then activated an additional set of scenes by taking the top mounted add-on ATM and by passing it under an ipad where the camera reads a "QR" code on the bottom of the approx. 1.5" diameter circular ATM. The ATM looks like a giant HFT with a concave indent. This unlocks four additional scenes... 1) In My Listening Room, 2) Expansive, 3) Amplified and 4) Ethereal. The video will answer any questions you may have. Here's a screen shot of a test scene... You will join us as we listen to multiple settings on the reference system. The video will be edited and produced next week.
And what, prey tell, does this gadget cost Peter? I was also wondering if there were any possible issues, either health or otherwise, introducing RFI like this into one's home.
This is where I go on record as saying that I am incredulous and this is not something I am posting causally.
I've been repairing, designing and building audio equipment since the 1960s, professionally I began my career in 1974, right out of high school. I've held a ham radio license and have a now rather outdated FCC license from back in the old days (when it still meant something- qualified to work on radio gear at a radio station). While I worked in the service industry I serviced televisions, VCRs, shortwave radios, RF transmitters, tape recorders of all types, turntables, amps and speakers. There is very little in the audio world to which I have not had some sort of exposure.
This is the first time I have heard of the idea that RF, when in the vicinity of other electronics, can actually enhance those other electronics. I'm not saying that something cannot be heard- RFI usually has very audible effects if it is present. Apparently though, I am going to have to experience one of these things to really be convinced- this so goes against all my training and experience that I simply cannot be convinced any other way. Even then, I think I would have to see what's inside, because if it really does work, the first thing I would think is that its not because it makes RF, its for a different reason.
It's hard to tell just what they mean by generating RFI. Being another retired broadcast engineer, I know that the FCC frowns on broadcasting Radio Frequency Interference. I also know the nasty things that can happen with some audio gear in Radio Frequency fields. The may be generating some EMI/EMF (ElectroMagnetic Interference/ElectroMagnetic Field). I'm sure the EMF hypersensitivity people will love that! This is the same problem stuff the audiophiles buy power conditioners to eliminate.
Auditioning SR tweaks involves the suspension of disbelief. Put aside your inbred disbelief in unicorns and tooth fairies and be wiling to look over the SR promoter's shoulder with a straight face and react accordingly with an incredulous slack jaw...priceless!
Well you can sure call be a skeptic, but in an effort to always keep an open mind, perhaps Peter can invite members of this forum who live in the Philadelphia area (and I know there are a few) to listen to this device engaged and turned off in Peter's room. I am sure Peter will have this device for a few weeks of evaluation to determine if there is any expectation bias or placebo type effect in using the device. Those members can then report on their findings with complete honestly and frankness. Just a thought.
Well you can sure call be a skeptic, but in an effort to always keep an open mind, perhaps Peter can invite members of this forum who live in the Philadelphia area (and I know there are a few) to listen to this device engaged and turned off in Peter's room. I am sure Peter will have this device for a few weeks of evaluation to determine if there is any expectation bias or placebo type effect in using the device. Those members can then report on their findings with complete honestly and frankness. Just a thought.
I had the opportunity to hear those SR dots on the wall at someone's home. The owner said do you hear the difference? I said, well, no. He couldn't believe I didn't hear what he did. So having an open mind does not mean being gullible or a sucker. I find it is much easier to not hear things that aren't there to begin with when you haven't spend the money for the product. When listening is free, I don't see the problem.
If you're invested financially you're more likely to hear what isn't there. Call me narrow minded but sticking sweet tarts on the wall will not impact sonics unless you have something to gain from hearing things..
What is the bandwidth? Although it usually assumed that RF is higher than 3 kHz, sometimes people refer frequencies as low as 3 Hz, as radio frequency - the extremely low frequency is used in submarine communications.
If you're invested financially you're more likely to hear what isn't there. Call me narrow minded but sticking sweet tarts on the wall will not impact sonics unless you have something to gain from hearing things..
IMHO the type of tweaks you are sensitive to will be different from the tweaks of people having small monitors in small rooms. You should remember that not everyone has the IRS series V in his room.
The lowest radio communication that I am aware of was the old US Navy submarine system at about 10 kHz with the land transmitter in Michigan. There is very little radio transmission below about maybe 50 kHz because of the challenges of construction huge transmitting antennas.
If it works imagine how easy it would be to add the transmitter to any particular audio device as a tweak. A pair of low power RF transmitter circuits would hardly cost even $5.00.
But then you would have a whole set of issues to deal with shipping to the EU, CE directives and all...