Studies On Residential Power Line Noise - Part 8: Audio Grade Fuses For Home Theater

unc2701

tcrossma wrote: »

This is from a completely layman's point of view, because I have absolutely no background of this type of thing from an EE standpoint, but...

Might it not be possible that all fuses introduce noise, and these "high-end" fuses introduce less noise than stock fuses, thus reducing the overall noise in the system? So while not actually "filtering" noise, the end result is the same?

Simple question, and I have absolutely no idea if the idea holds water, so please just politely correct me if it doesn't work that way.

That's exactly the point I'm trying to make. We have BZ saying that it's impossible for a fuse to remove existing noise and DK saying that noise is reduced. These are not necessarily conflicting opinions.

Now, Bybee claims to remove noise with a series device, however he also claims that it's unmeasurable in terms of EMI and RFI (or any other means apart from your own senses), which I believe would conflict with some of DK's findings (measurable decreases in noise).

However, DK's findings could be due to a better design not introducing NEW noise.

DarqueKnight

hearingimpared wrote: »

Why do you have to be so antagonistic?

Because trolls are miserable and misery loves company. Miserable people hate to see other people enjoying themselves. Therefore, wherever they go, they try to inject as much misery and unhappiness into the lives of others as possible.

If you are discussing how something sounds, they want to argue about how it works.

If you are discussing how something works, they want to know if you have the proper scientific credentials to participate in such a discussion.

If you are minding your own business and just having a friendly discussion, they will pop in with insults, personal attacks and antagonistic comments to get your mind off the thing you enjoy talking about and on to them and their miserable life.

Sad to have to go through life that way.

Ignoring trolls robs them of their energy and effectiveness, hence the way they whine and complain whenever one of us ignores them.;) However, some of them are just so entertaining that it is hard to resist engaging them. We'll eventually mature to the point that, when a troll pops up and blurts out some of their foolishness, we'll just completely ignore them. Some more stringently moderated forums delete offensive and off topic posts as they appear. It's a little more "free fall" over here and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

DarqueKnight

unc2701 wrote: »

Now, Bybee claims to remove noise with a series device, however he also claims that it's unmeasurable in terms of EMI and RFI (or any other means apart from your own senses), which I believe would conflict with some of DK's findings (measurable decreases in noise).

However, DK's findings could be due to a better design not introducing NEW noise.

We should also note that Bybee wasn't the only scientist working in this field, he was the pioneer and is the most well known.

The noise that I measured was in the 60 Hz neighborhood and nowhere near radio frequencies. Of course, RFI and EMI can add noise energy to the power signal and distort it, even though they are way above the power signal's frequency. The distortion results are seen in the plots I presented rather than any actual RFI and EMI waveforms from the environment.

I sent my oscilloscope plots to HiFi Tuning and Isoclean and they both refused to comment. They would neither confirm nor deny that some type of noise filtering material is used in their fuses. When I went to the HiFi Tuning website, I did see that they were using materials-based noise filtering techniques in some of their products...so I began making some inferences. I will send some of my plots to Jack Bybee and ask his input.

bikezappa

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Because trolls are miserable and misery loves company. Miserable people hate to see other people enjoying themselves. Therefore, wherever they go, they try to inject as much misery and unhappiness into the lives of others as possible.

If you are discussing how something sounds, they want to argue about how it works.

If you are discussing how something works, they want to know if you have the proper scientific credentials to participate in such a discussion.

If you are minding your own business and just having a friendly discussion, they will pop in with insults, personal attacks and antagonistic comments to get your mind off the thing you enjoy talking about and on to them and their miserable life.

Sad to have to go through life that way.

Ignoring trolls robs them of their energy and effectiveness, hence the way they whine and complain whenever one of us ignores them.;) However, some of them are just so entertaining that it is hard to resist engaging them. We'll eventually mature to the point that, when a troll pops up and blurts out some of their foolishness, we'll just completely ignore them. Some more stringently moderated forums delete offensive and off topic posts as they appear. It's a little more "free fall" over here and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

DK is still pulling the forums leg with junk science and laughing.

Is DK now a therapist? Does he have a degree in that or did he get it from the back of a match book? How would yDK make such general comments about me and also have me on your ignore list? Where did you get this data on me because you have me on you ignore list? He must read my comments after all. My day is made. Gone for the rest of the day DK. No more trees today.

He still refuses to address my simple technical questions that others have asked. I won't ask them anymore, I promise.

madmax

bikezappa wrote: »

These effects are true but the change in resistance between two metals in a fuse and it's holder is in the order of 0.000001 Ohms. The codes require the holder and fuse to be made with metals that are compatable with current. That's why I think Al wire sucks and can't be used anymore in the house wiring. Al forms an oxide layer that is resistive.

True all metals can be antennas and induce a signal but the signal would be in the order of 0.000001 volts and the ratio between 120Volts and 0,000001 is essentially zero and inaudable. FM antennas, large metal structures, induce voltages in the 0.0001 range, I think, and input wire is shielded because the voltage is small. In this case the wire connection to antenna is critical for a good clean noise free signal. The weather and the small antenna signal make the wire contact very important. Low resistance is impostant here. But this issue doesn't apply the 120V and fuses.

This is exactly what my comment about certain fellow engineers I've worked with was all about. Even given some facts and things to look into they can't seem to pry their mind away from some very basic formula that explains one single issue when many issues come into play.
madmax

bikezappa

madmax wrote: »

This is exactly what my comment about certain fellow engineers I've worked with was all about. Even given some facts and things to look into they can't seem to pry their mind away from some very basic formula that explains one single issue when many issues come into play.
madmax

I don't understand your comment.

bobman1235

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Because trolls are miserable and misery loves company. Miserable people hate to see other people enjoying themselves. Therefore, wherever they go, they try to inject as much misery and unhappiness into the lives of others as possible.

So, not only a physicist on your planet, but also a psychiatrist!

Ignore the men with butterfly nets outside your door, they're just there to help.

madmax

bikezappa wrote: »

I don't understand your comment.

I Know.
madmax

megasat16

madmax wrote: »

I Know.
madmax

I know that you know of what he doesn't know of what you knew!

bikezappa

madmax wrote: »

I Know.
madmax

Well do you walk to work or carry your lunch?

DarqueKnight

tcrossma wrote: »

Might it not be possible that all fuses introduce noise, and these "high-end" fuses introduce less noise than stock fuses, thus reducing the overall noise in the system? So while not actually "filtering" noise, the end result is the same?

Sure, that's possible. I don't know of anyone who has taken one of these fuses apart to analyze what they are made of, and the manufacturers aren't talking, so all we can do is speculate.

As I pointed out in Noise Study 7, I was very skeptical of these "fuses", moreso for their cost rather than their performance claims...$25 to $45 bucks for a "fuse"? Seemed a little crazy, but this is a crazy hobby.

Prior to purchasing some, I asked the dealers and then the manufacturers (HiFi Tuning and Isoclean) why the fuses needed to be oriented in a specific direction. The dealers didn't know and the manufacturers refused to answer. Everyone who has heard them, including me, say they sound better oriented in one direction rather than the other. Moreover, I measured less noise with the fuse oriented in one direction rather than the other.

To summarize my experiences:

1. There is evidently something inside the fuse case that causes a reduction in power line noise.

2. There is evidently something inside the fuse case that causes it to be oriented in one direction.

3. The fuses work better for some classes of audio components than others, i.e. little to no effect on speakers, large effect on preamps.

4. It would be better if the "fuses" were called something else because the term "fuse" is not a totally accurate description of what they do and the term is a stumbling block to many, particularly the concept of a "directional fuse". The terms directional noise filter or directional noise gate would probably be more appropriate.

5. I realized a greater benefit with the fuses after other power infrastructure improvements were made (dedicated AC circuits, in-wall passive power conditioners, AC regenerators, etc.)

6. On the same AC line, the Isoclean fuses showed less noise on an oscilloscope than the HiFi Tuning fuses. Both the HFT and Iso fuses showed less noise than their corresponding stock counterparts. I have not compared the same value HFT and Iso fuse in the same component. Others who have report that the Iso fuses sounded better.

bikezappa

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Sure, that's possible. I don't know of anyone who has taken one of these fuses apart to analyze what they are made of, and the manufacturers aren't talking, so all we can do is speculate.

As I pointed out in Noise Study 7, I was very skeptical of these "fuses", moreso for their cost rather than their performance claims...$25 to $45 bucks for a "fuse"? Seemed a little crazy, but this is a crazy hobby.

Prior to purchasing some, I asked the dealers and then the manufacturers (HiFi Tuning and Isoclean) why the fuses needed to be oriented in a specific direction. The dealers didn't know and the manufacturers refused to answer. Everyone who has heard them, including me, say they sound better oriented in one direction rather than the other. Moreover, I measured less noise with the fuse oriented in one direction rather than the other.

To summarize my experiences:

1. There is evidently something inside the fuse case that causes a reduction in power line noise.

2. There is evidently something inside the fuse case that causes it to be oriented in one direction.

3. The fuses work better for some classes of audio components than others, i.e. little to no effect on speakers, large effect on preamps.

4. It would be better if the "fuses" were called something else because the term "fuse" is not a totally accurate description of what they do and the term is a stumbling block to many, particularly the concept of a "directional fuse". The terms directional noise filter or directional noise gate would probably be more appropriate.

5. I realized a greater benefit with the fuses after other power infrastructure improvements were made (dedicated AC circuits, in-wall passive power conditioners, AC regenerators, etc.)

6. On the same AC line, the Isoclean fuses showed less noise on an oscilloscope than the HiFi Tuning fuses. Both the HFT and Iso fuses showed less noise than their corresponding stock counterparts. I have not compared the same value HFT and Iso fuse in the same component. Others who have report that the Iso fuses sounded better.

The AC voltage changes polarity and direction every 1/60 of a second. How can the fuse effect be dirctional?

I saw NO difference in oscilloscope traces in your Noise Sudy 7.

megasat16

$25-$45 for these kind of fuse worth every dime to try! It's not something you have to buy every month or every year!

250V Small - 5 X 20mm (.75") Pure silver wire. Pure Silver end-caps with intermediate copper plating layer, finished with pure Gold plating, and cryogenically treated

500V Large - 6 X 32mm (1.25") Pure silver wire. Brass end-caps, with intermediate pure Silver plating, followed by Copper plating layer, and finished with pure Gold plating, and cryogenically treated.

DarqueKnight

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

Raife's Music Rig is something I would love to hear. The only suggestion I might have for him is to dump the Roman shades, maybe something tropical.

Ted,

You have a standing invitation to drop by should you find yourself in my area. I certainly would love to get my ears on those Soundlabs. Who knows...I might even switch.

---

I can't believe you thought, let alone said that!

Calm down. I listen to other speakers all the time. I just never invite you along because you don't know how to act.~DK

slack56

I can't believe this pissing contest isn't over LOL

I was a little put off by bike and now I'm even more put off by DK. If DK took the high road this whole episode would have been over but both sides slinging mud?

On to more important things

G

madmax

DK posts a lot of useful info in his threads and the information is always very down to earth. I don't know why anyone would dispute his topics.
madmax

TECHNOKID

slack56 wrote: »

I can't believe this pissing contest isn't over LOL

I was a little put off by bike and now I'm even more put off by DK. If DK took the high road this whole episode would have been over but both sides slinging mud?

On to more important things

G

madmax wrote: »

DK posts a lot of useful info in his threads and the information is always very down to earth. I don't know why anyone would dispute his topics.
madmax

Everybody knows I am not much into high end cables and neither power cleaning gadgets however, I have lots of respect for DK's reviews and therefore stay away from annoyance posting in threads I don't exactly believe in (however, I enjoy the reading). Simple respect, if people don't agree with the review I figure they should simply post their own thread with their evidence against such and such modifications instead of turning a positive thread into negative bashing. People should have respect and consideration for others passion and devotion for the hobby and stop the bashing and the "who's right or wrong contest". We should all be adult enough to agree to disagree! This is my .02 cent!

DK, keep up the good work!

TK

DarqueKnight

madmax wrote: »

DK posts a lot of useful info in his threads and the information is always very down to earth. I don't know why anyone would dispute his topics.
madmax

I don't think there is anything wrong with dispute and respectful, honest debate.

I do think it is wrong to treadcrap and to participate in a discussion when your only intent is to offer personal criticism and when you ridicule a position yet offer no real experiential or theoretical support for your position.

TECHNOKID wrote: »

Simple respect, if people don't agree with the review I figure they should simply post their own thread with their evidence against such and such modifications instead of turning a positive thread into negative bashing.

I definitely don't mind if someone posts a contrary opinion, reasonable questions, or other pertinent discussion in one of my threads. I expect and encourage such. We all benefit when all aspects of a topic are considered. Instead of coming in with emotionalism, why not just state your opposing opinion and the technical basis for it?

slack56

I don't dispute any of the information anyone has on this site for the most part. I have learned tons, even how to wire my replacement tweeters in my 10A's (Black wire White wire?). It was just the tone of the conversation on this thread I did not like.
If someone has nothing else to do to improve his sound system and you have the money, change your fuses, it can't hurt. My system is way to modest to worry about the fuses.

G

DarqueKnight

My email to Jack Bybee:

Mr. Bybee,

I have had some success in using Isoclean and HiFi Tuning audio grade fuses in my home audio and home theater systems. When I used an oscilloscope to compare the noise spectrums of these fuses to their stock counterparts, I noticed that the audio grade fuses exhibited lower noise amplitude and lower noise density. When I sent pictures of my oscilloscope plots to Isoclean and HiFi Tuning, they refused to explain what was in the fuses that was causing the improved noise characteristics and they also would not explain why the fuses needed to be oriented in one direction for best sound.

I noticed that HiFi Tuning's website lists several products that use materials-based noise reduction technology and I was familiar with your work in materials based noise reduction. My reason for writing you is to ask if you are aware of your noise reduction technology or a similar technology being used in audio grade fuses.

Mr. Bybee's response:


Dear Dr. Smith,

Your quest to figure out why premium fuses sound better is worthy, but I'm afraid I can't be of much help. I can say that there is no chance that my product technology is being used in fuses. Beyond that, I would conjecture that simply eliminating the steel end caps of ordinary fuses in favor of noble metal contacts could have a sonically beneficial result. But I have done no formal work in that area.

Best regards,
Jack Bybee

---

Noble metals would have some beneficial effect on noise reduction, but the use of noble metals, nor can I, explain the need for the fuses to be oriented in one direction for best sound. I may never find out why these fuses sound better than stock fuses. However, I don't need to know how something works in order to enjoy it.

bikezappa

madmax wrote: »

DK posts a lot of useful info in his threads and the information is always very down to earth. I don't know why anyone would dispute his topics.
madmax

Because they contradic basic EE circuit theory.

And he will not respond to questions.

TECHNOKID

bikezappa wrote: »

The AC voltage changes polarity and direction every 1/60 of a second. How can the fuse effect be dirctional?

I saw NO difference in oscilloscope traces in your Noise Sudy 7.

bikezappa, while like you I am somewhat reluctant to see a fuse rectifying noise problem I am still open mind enough to realize that there are various type of fuse that are made for different tasks.

IE:

* There are fuses designed specifically for motor control...
* There are fast blow fuses to protect fragile circuitry...
* There are slow blow fuses for specific circuit which has variable/surge in current...
* There are ceramic fuses which are a must in microwave oven for example and they are also a must on some other type gear...
* There are resistor fuses which for example are widely used in TVs...
* There are thermal fuses, IE: coffeee makers don't have fuses but the thermistor while controlling the temperature also acts as a fuse if current/temperature rises above the desired level.

Know, since we agree that there are vairus designs in fuses for different tasks, shouldn't we agree of the possibility of specially designed fuses that could filter noise, be biased? Personnally I'd say yes as I know that with the smallest circuit integration of today allows you to do so. You could easily have microscopic diode brigging in a fuse today, you could easily have microscopic capacitance Integrated Circuitry. You don't have to agree with the discussion as a whole but shouldn't you agree with the possibility (openess to it)? Just being open to the possibility should be enough to close any negative debate on this subject... right?

Cheers!
TK

bikezappa

DarqueKnight wrote: »

I don't think there is anything wrong with dispute and respectful, honest debate.

I do think it is wrong to treadcrap and to participate in a discussion when your only intent is to offer personal criticism and when you ridicule a position yet offer no real experiential or theoretical support for your position.



I definitely don't mind if someone posts a contrary opinion, reasonable questions, or other pertinent discussion in one of my threads. I expect and encourage such. We all benefit when all aspects of a topic are considered. Instead of coming in with emotionalism, why not just state your opposing opinion and the technical basis for it?

I have asked you many technical circuit questions many times and you have not answered.

I have also complimented you on your many old SDA modification threads in the past.

You have called me names and I have responded back in a similar manner.

My response was childish and I will not do so in the future.

You can't push rope.

bikezappa

TECHNOKID wrote: »

bikezappa, while like you I am somewhat reluctant to see a fuse rectifying noise problem I am still open mind enough to realize that there are various type of fuse that are made for different tasks.

IE:

* There are fuses designed specifically for motor control...
* There are fast blow fuses to protect fragile circuitry...
* There are slow blow fuses for specific circuit which has variable/surge in current...
* There are ceramic fuses which are a must in microwave oven for example and they are also a must on some other type gear...
* There are resistor fuses which for example are widely used in TVs...
* There are thermal fuses, IE: coffeee makers don't have fuses but the thermistor while controlling the temperature also acts as a fuse if current/temperature rises above the desired level.

Know, since we agree that there are vairus designs in fuses for different tasks, shouldn't we agree of the possibility of specially designed fuses that could filter noise, be biased? Personnally I'd say yes as I know that with the smallest circuit integration of today allows you to do so. You could easily have microscopic diode brigging in a fuse today, you could easily have microscopic capacitance Integrated Circuitry. You don't have to agree with the discussion as a whole but shouldn't you agree with the possibility (openess to it)? Just being open to the possibility should be enough to close any negative debate on this subject... right?

Cheers!
TK

I agree with everything you say. My definition of a fuse has no capacitance or inductance to do any real filtering of noise. I define a fuse as pure resistance. The fuses in question could be measured for inductance and capacitance. I doubt but could wrong that you can find any measurable capacitance or inductance.

TECHNOKID

Good points and DK is a apparently a great fiction writer, but some of us still object to the perpetuation of myths as fact based on questionable science, "ear witness" anecdotal evaluations, and just outright hogwash.

As I pointed out, I am too reluctant to believe or get into all the so called cables and power filtering tweeks however, I feel that if someone is to arguee the veracity of such tweeks he/she at least should be able to provide proof of his claim. I am not too keen about the expression "fiction writer", as I pointed out before you can throw such comment you must be able to prove your point. Why would someone involve good money from own pocket along with time to **** other people???

Being in the industry (audio and video) I know quite well of the noise generated right at the source and if ignored or not corrected at the pre-out level, that unwanted noise is simply being amplified along with the audio and will definitely affect the O/P. In the industry for example, the noise has to be over-ridden by the audio at the mixing console/board in order to avoid that the noise be amplified in a significant way before attaining pre-out and amplification. Of course, while noise is and will always be present, proper filtering is desired. Power supplies always been a cause for headaches since the noise is usually generated at that point and unfortunatley bleeds through the audio path. The better the filtering and isolation the smaller the ripple voltage/current riding on the actual audio signal. We should all agree that this is a reality but we should be able to agree to disagree on the method to achieve the best filtering. Is DK's approach to rectify the problem the best one? Well, maybe not for you, me, bike or bob but that is his and is shared by many on this board.

However, education should be what everyone would like to post on this board so it can be used by people that are searching for the truth. Fact is, we all have different truths and reviews are the tool to express one's specific truth. If one has a different truth, the best way is to start a specific thread which elaborates the facts and evidence of that truth and then the reader can play back and forth between the different opinions and make his own mind instead of going through a positive thread that has turned into flame or a "who's right or wrong" contest. Now, discussion/debating threads are also a good thing but personnally this one is a review not a debate and should be respected in that way.

Cheers!
TK

DarqueKnight

TECHNOKID wrote: »

bikezappa, while like you I am somewhat reluctant to see a fuse rectifying noise problem I am still open mind enough to realize that there are various type of fuse that are made for different tasks.

You don't have to agree with the discussion as a whole but shouldn't you agree with the possibility (openess to it)? Just being open to the possibility should be enough to close any negative debate on this subject... right?

TK,

Your line of reasoning is what I would expect from someone who actually has some technical training and understanding. I myself said that I was skeptical of these fuses, but I kept an open mind and decided to try them for myself.

BZ has gone all over this forum telling everyone about his physics degree and ten journal articles, yet he is on an audio forum every day begging someone to explain the most elementary, most rudimentary circuit and electrical phenomena concepts that were covered in a second semester physics course. For example, the question you quoted from him about AC direction is analogous to an auto mechanic asking why do you need to periodically change the oil in a car's engine or put air in the tires. I just expect a physicist to know such things.

Any competent physicist knows that AC does not actually reverse "direction". When you plug a television into an AC socket does the energy flow back and forth between the TV and the wall? Of course not. How would any electricity get to the TV if it was constantly jumping back and forth, or "reversing direction" between the wall and the TV? The voltage, or the force that pushes the current, swings between a maximum and a minimum value, but the net flow of energy (electrical current) is forward from the wall to the TV.

For the non technical reader, imagine this: A surfer (who represents electric current) is riding sinusoidally shaped ocean waves (voltage). At a distance not affected by the waves, an observer on a ship matching the surfer's speed sees the surfer riding over the peaks and valleys of the waves, but the surfer's net motion is in a forward direction.

Now imagine a helicopter above the surfer and matching his speed. An observer watching from the helicopter sees what? The surfer appears to move toward the helicopter as he approaches the top of a wave, then the surfer reverses direction and moves away from the helicopter as he slides down toward the valley part of the wave. From the helicopter observer's point of view the surfer is constantly moving toward and then away from the helicopter, yet the surfer's net motion is in a forward motion.

I don't expect a non technical person to get much out of my oscilloscope plots. I do expect a physicist to be able to read oscilloscope plots and to be able to discern differences in noise amplitude and noise density. A technically trained person might forget, but they would also know the appropriate book to refer to for review. I mean, if 10 years passed by without me handling an oscilloscope, I am going to need to review some things before I go back into the lab. An electronics text and an oscilloscope manual would serve well as review tools.

I am not saying this to be disparaging, just making an observation: I wonder if BZ got his physics degree from a mail order diploma mill. He has questioned the formal education of others, yet when he was asked to provide evidence of his education and journal publications, he refused. He constantly begs others to "explain" the most elementary technical concepts to him, then whines and complains when they refuse. Yet, when he is asked to technically justify his position, he just quotes ohm's law, as if every electrical phenomenon can be explained by that law, or he refuses to address the question. This would be offensive if it wasn't so laughable.

DarqueKnight

TECHNOKID wrote: »

Now, discussion/debating threads are also a good thing but personnally this one is a review not a debate and should be respected in that way.

Thanks, but this concept is seemingly impossible to grasp by those who only come around to argue about electrical theory, rather than share what did or did not work for them in facilitating their enjoyment of music.

I read about a device that seemed interesting, I tried it, I liked it, and I reported my results. If they didn't work, I could have sent them back. I had nothing to risk but time and a few dollars in shipping.

I had been seeing the ads for these fuses for years and was never intrigued. I probably would have never considered them unless someone else had shared their positive experiences. Likewise, I shared my experiences, not prove a point, not to argue, but to provide information to those who might be interested. I realize that some find the concept of sharing experiential information offensive. They should take William Shatner's advice and get a life.

Flash21

A few random thoughts:

I suspect these audiophile fuses are constructed differently than a simple wire that melts when heated by current . The "filtering" characteristic observed by DK might be caused by design features other than would be found in a simple resistive fuse. (This is speculation as the casings on all that I have seen are opaque.)

I wonder if measuring basic electrical parameters addresses everything that needs to be measured, i.e., are we measuring the right stuff?

Alternatively, I wonder if sonic character is determined by very small changes in basic electrical parameters, i.e., is the resolution of our measurements sufficient to resolve the differences? After all, the list of variables that some audiophiles claim to affect sound quality is staggering, even if you restrict it to purely electrical issues.

Power cables
Power outlets
Power conditioning
Power cable placement
Contact enhancer
Interconnects
Speaker cables
Speaker cable placement (on/off floor)
"Synergy" for all of the above

To name a few off the top of my head, keeping in mind that each of the above list could have a sublist of variables as well.

I suspect bikezappa and his ilk are simply undergoing the same reaction I have when I hear someone say they hear a different in sound based on the species of wood block they put under the feet of their preamp or whatever...I simply refuse to go there.

DarqueKnight

Proper skepticism is a good thing.

Ridiculing a concept and ridiculing the people who embrace that concept just because you don't understand it is not a good thing.

This does nothing to improve understanding and actually diminishes the stature and credibility of the detractor.

For example, I would not go down to the car audio section of our forum and say:

"You guys are stupid for putting those 3000 watt, 20 inch subwoofers in your cars. Don't you know you are damaging your hearing?"

Instead, if I had some genuine interest in "saving" someone else's hearing I would start a conversation this way:

"I'm interested in high performance car audio subwoofers, but I also want to protect my hearing. How do you guys protect your ears from the high sound levels?" Then, we could go from there.

Face

On another board, a McIntosh engineer admitted that aftermarket fuses can change the sound of their products. Whether for the good or bad, that's up to you.