Himalayan Salt Lamps as HiFi tweak - Snake-oil or Not?

Tuckers

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I am being too snarky on this topic though. IMHO The Greenwave can be a good place to begin, but I find that its bandwidth is not that wide, and the area it covers are the areas that good audio equipment does a pretty good job of filtering already.
 

Tuckers

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I've heard salt crystals in a system before, but they were ones that had been there a long time, I didn't hear a difference in those listening sessions. My experience was definitely not enough for me to determine either way (however I do hear difference in many tweaks that are in the same camp). What I'd love to see is someone who has long term success with them (with crystals installed for 6 months or more) try removing them for a period to determine if they might have stopped being as effective.

My comments about salt crystals potentially getting used up and becoming less effective over time also apply IMHO to Shungite. Shungite's action is also attributed to producing negative ions. I've tried Shungite and heard a difference sonically when placed on top of equipment. Though I didn't determine if it was an improvement, it was just different. I ceased to hear a difference after it had been working in a system for a week or so when swapping it in and out.
 
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henrich3

Active Member
Jun 7, 2022
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So, as I understand this....you have ZERO experience with salt lamps, yet you are spewing your thoughts?
Please tell me that this not the case.
Tom
No need for the attitude Tom.

A salt lamp is a light bulb enclosed in a hollowed out block of salt. What is the plausible mechanism by which somthing of that construction could have a positive effect on an audio system? What is the non-anecdotal evidence for it? It was stated early on that the lamp absorbed moisture, and somehow that made the sound waves more accurate. After I challenged that claim another member said that it wasn't the lamp's supposed dehumidification properties, but rather that it emitted negative ions which somehow lowered EMI-sourced noise in any audio equipment that was near it. That also sounded implausible to me so I asked if that member had any evidence to support his claim. None was forthcoming. I then decided to buy a Himalayan salt lamp & measure it with my EMI meter. That test will happen after Christmas when the lamp is available for testing.

If you have information to add that supports the claims made for these lamps, I'd be interested to hear it.

Cheers.
 

treitz3

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Dec 25, 2011
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Sir, I have no "attitude". I am just wondering why you are commenting on something you have no experience with.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Tom
 

henrich3

Active Member
Jun 7, 2022
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Scottsdale, AZ
Sir, I have no "attitude". I am just wondering why you are commenting on something you have no experience with.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Tom
Your statement "you have ZERO experience with salt lamps, yet you are spewing your thoughts" was more than just "wondering". It was hostile. You don't speak that way to other folks who comment on things that they have no experience with. Just sayin'...

That said, the claims being made in this thread for Himalayan salt lamps sounded (to me) like snake oil. I thought that I'd inject a little rationality into the conversation. If you'd rather not have an objectivist participating on your forum, let me know & I'll take my leave of WBF.
 

treitz3

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There is nothing "hostile" in my post. Don't play the victim, when you are claiming something "other" than what others have observed. I have no dog in this fight personally. I am, however, paying attention but keeping quiet for the moment.....as, I DO have experience. With a salt lamp within the big rig room.

Your "rational" holds no weight because you have zero experience.

Tom
 
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henrich3

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There is nothing "hostile" in my post. Don't play the victim, when you are claiming something "other" than what others have observed. I have no dog in this fight personally. I am, however, paying attention but keeping quiet for the moment.....as, I DO have experience. with a salt lamp within the big rig room.
Your "rational" holds no weight because you have zero experience.
Tom
You seem to forget that my posts asked members to provide evidence for the implausible claims that were being made for these lamps. No evidence was forthcoming, including from you. I don't necessarily need to have personal experience with something to be able to rightly claim with a high degree of certainty that the claim is false. If someone brings a dead cat into their listening room and then claims that an orchestral passage had more substantial bass output, for example, I don't need have personal experience with that or do a Google search for studies on "dead cats" and "bass" to know that the claim is false. Some things are just obvious. To me anyway...
 
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treitz3

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Been wincing at this exchange. IMHO it isn’t the best look for a WBF moderator to engage in testy exchanges to prove their point, regardless of its merits
Hello and good evening to you. I have no point to prove in this thread, other than to point out that a certain member of the WBF is speaking about and commenting on something consistently that they have zero experience with.

Basic manners, as I was taught when I was a child. "Speak not of which you know nothing about".

Everyone should be fine with differing views/opinions. No one should be fine with opinions, along with toxic and confronting commentary, in which there is zero experience from the member within said topic.

Tom
 

henrich3

Active Member
Jun 7, 2022
139
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Scottsdale, AZ
Hello and good evening to you. I have no point to prove in this thread, other than to point out that a certain member of the WBF is speaking about and commenting on something consistently that they have zero experience with.

Basic manners, as I was taught when I was a child. "Speak not of which you know nothing about".

Everyone should be fine with differing views/opinions. No one should be fine with opinions, along with toxic and confronting commentary, in which there is zero experience from the member within said topic.

Tom
Tom, if you were an ordinary WBF member I would just ignore your posts & move on. Given that you're a mod however, that makes it different. I have the impression that you just don't like objectivists coming in and challenging any of the claims that are made here. Better that WBF just be a subjectivist echo chamber, yes? (Sounds good to me! Sounds good to me too!)

I'm going to take my leave of WBF. That should make things less stressful for both of us, I think.

Happy holidays to all!
 

the sound of Tao

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Jul 18, 2014
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It won’t be long before some obscure company releases a Quantum version of 50x the price.
It’d be good if they did a middle path DIY version of a quantum salt lamp where you put the sticker on it yourself… for only 10 times the price.
 

Republicoftexas69

Well-Known Member
Tom, if you were an ordinary WBF member I would just ignore your posts & move on. Given that you're a mod however, that makes it different. I have the impression that you just don't like objectivists coming in and challenging any of the claims that are made here. Better that WBF just be a subjectivist echo chamber, yes? (Sounds good to me! Sounds good to me too!)

I'm going to take my leave of WBF. That should make things less stressful for both of us, I think.

Happy holidays to all!
Playing the victim card. so typical when one cannot refute these claims either.
 

wil

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Jul 22, 2015
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Sir, I have no "attitude". I am just wondering why you are commenting on something you have no experience with.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Tom
The subject of the thread is Himalayan Salt Lamps as a HiFi Tweak.

Are you saying that the discussion of the thread subject should be confined exclusively to those people with first hand experience of Himalayan Salt Lamps as a HiFi Tweak?
 
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wil

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Jul 22, 2015
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There is nothing "hostile" in my post. Don't play the victim, when you are claiming something "other" than what others have observed. I have no dog in this fight personally. I am, however, paying attention but keeping quiet for the moment.....as, I DO have experience. With a salt lamp within the big rig room.

Your "rational" holds no weight because you have zero experience.

Tom
Clearly hostile in my view from the peanut gallery. Interesting coming from a Moderator...
 

thedudeabides

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Jan 16, 2011
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Salty moisture when not on? If true, I do not think that this is beneficial to any metal. A match made in heaven. 94 posts on this thread? Never tried and have no desire to do so.
 

Nemal1

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Dec 9, 2018
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Quick note of warning. If they are exposed to moisture or condensation they will begin to corrode and dissolve. Please make sure they are nowhere near any electrical connections.
 

Iving

Member
Aug 22, 2022
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This thread moved me to buy a couple!



I couldn't possibly remark on SQ effect, not least because a) there were room treatment and other changes simultaneously and b) I have sufficient residual sanity not to try to hear whether change with them on/off. But I prefer them on! To my eyes they look great and add ambience - especially after dark - naturally enough. They do not get hot - or emit anything obnoxious. Thanks to the OP!
 

rwwear

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Dec 4, 2018
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Word of caution--I have these lamps and the damn things leave a mess of caked salt on and around the bases so place in receptacles/saucer/etc. Be warned;)

They do look nice on though :)

BruceD
You need to leave them on all of the time and only use incandescent bulbs.
 
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