Years ago, when Harry Weisfeld was running VPI and probably before son Matt was yet born, there was the Magic Brick.
The Magic Brick isn’t all that complicated. Essentially a transformer without windings. Underneath the wood exterior are steel laminations like those in a transformer. The idea is to redirect and focus magnetic fields in an amplifier or preamplifier away from sensitive internal components.
The Brick was the first tweak I refused to even consider auditioning. At the time, its innards were a mystery, its name used the word “magic”, and it was offered without any explanation as to its workings other than, “I don’t know what it does, but dang! it works!”
A mystery cube. That was enough to make me not want to try it.
What were my fears? Aside from feeling like I was perhaps being made a fool, I was more worried about it actually working. Magic bricks placed atop high-end audio equipment that somehow improved sonics was a frightening prospect.
Unanswered mysteries.
I did finally give in because of Harry Weisfeld—the guy is so genuine how could I not?
Fortunately, it worked and my reward was finally learning its structure and why it worked.
Seems making sense goes a long way towards acceptance.
