The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube • Hacker News Board

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#51

Post by mikeash » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:21 PM UTC

louthy wrote: post #34

tmuir wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gold plated cables actually serve a purpose, although the average consumer does not have a need for them. In a studio environment, where cables are frequently plugged and unplugged, the gold plating protects the contacting surfaces, extending their lives.

I'm not an expert, and absolutely willing to be proven incorrect here. But I thought that gold was a better conductor, and that's why they're better for audio cables (less resistance). Surely the fact that gold is a soft metal would be a reason to not use it for reasons of 'extending lives'?

Gold has more resistance than metals like copper. Its usefulness in electronics comes from the fact that it doesn't corrode or oxidize.

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#52

Post by taternuts » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:21 PM UTC

habosa wrote: post #18

The joke is that for very nice liquor (whiskey especially) you should definitely not be adding ice, no matter how "deserving" the ice is. If you want the drink cold, chill the liquor itself or even the glass. In hindsight, fuck it. There is no point in dissecting this, it is what it is. It's ice for people who want to spend money just to spend it.

It is true you should probably enjoy a nice whiskey at room temperature with no ice/water (especially if someone offers it to you), though sometimes it's nice to throw in a splash of water to cut down on the bite a little and let the flavor shine through.

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#53

Post by jacquesm » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:21 PM UTC

tmuir wrote: post #25

danohuiginn wrote: post #15

This is, of course, ridiculous. Still, there's logic to it: find some mass-market component that is used in a luxury service, and provide a high-end alternative. The kind of idio^H^H^H^Hcustomers who want luxury certainly don't want it contaminiated by something from Walmart, regardless of the actual quality. It's the same reason as for those gold-plated cables for audiophiles.

Gold plated cables actually serve a purpose, although the average consumer does not have a need for them. In a studio environment, where cables are frequently plugged and unplugged, the gold plating protects the contacting surfaces, extending their lives.

Zinc plating is just as effective, and much cheaper!

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#54

Post by alexmayyasi » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:21 PM UTC

dbrian wrote: post #35

habosa wrote: post #18

The joke is that for very nice liquor (whiskey especially) you should definitely not be adding ice, no matter how "deserving" the ice is. If you want the drink cold, chill the liquor itself or even the glass. In hindsight, fuck it. There is no point in dissecting this, it is what it is. It's ice for people who want to spend money just to spend it.

Adding a bit of water brings out flavors you don't experience neat. It's a personal preference. http://youtu.be/ajqd62fE73E?t=6m23s

Seconded! Always fire back at people who try to look down at having a drink on the rocks!

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#55

Post by hershel » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

sharkweek wrote: post #20

While perhaps there is some form of utility here for those more familiar with high end cocktails (I'm more of a dollar beer kind of guy, sometimes I'll splurge on a 22oz), this reminds me a lot of that "wealth badge [1]" or whatever it was - "Yeah, I've got money, I spend $8 on ice cubes" [1] http://www.vocativ.com/money/business/size-quarter-made-meta...

True ,it could be a wealth badge. But how many such badges does a person needs ? is there any additional value to the new ones?

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#56

Post by mikeash » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

throwaway5752 wrote: post #3

If you put ice in Macallan 18, you suck. Sorry for the light epithet, but it deserves worse. and as I read more: "Gläce states that the cubes are ideal for high-end cocktails -- those that employ splashes of $38,000-per-bottle liquors, and must not be diluted or contaminated by mere tap ice." ... ICE NUMBS YOUR TASTE BUDS. Fancy water or not. edit: Downvoted to -1? I'll double down. If you are going to drink a nice s…

How can ice in your drink numb your taste buds any more than chilling your drink to the same temperature in another way?

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#57

Post by q3k » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

louthy wrote: post #34

tmuir wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gold plated cables actually serve a purpose, although the average consumer does not have a need for them. In a studio environment, where cables are frequently plugged and unplugged, the gold plating protects the contacting surfaces, extending their lives.

I'm not an expert, and absolutely willing to be proven incorrect here. But I thought that gold was a better conductor, and that's why they're better for audio cables (less resistance). Surely the fact that gold is a soft metal would be a reason to not use it for reasons of 'extending lives'?

Copper is 1.68×10−8 Ω·m [1], while gold is 2.44×10−8 Ω·m [2].

[1] - Douglas Giancoli (2009) [1984]. "25. Electric Currents and Resistance". In Jocelyn Phillips. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. p. 658. ISBN 0-13-149508-9.

[2] - Raymond A. Serway (1998). Principles of Physics (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, Texas; London: Saunders College Pub. p. 602. ISBN 0-03-020457-7.

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#58

Post by lightblade » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

I don't think this is ridiculous. I remember watching this one scene in Star Trek Into Darkness where Kirk was sitting in a bar enjoying a drink. The drink that he was enjoying had this perfect spherical ice in it. I remember talking to myself at that moment that this is a very nice business idea.

Retail price aside, I do believe premium ice is a viable business.

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#59

Post by madengr » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

louthy wrote: post #34

tmuir wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gold plated cables actually serve a purpose, although the average consumer does not have a need for them. In a studio environment, where cables are frequently plugged and unplugged, the gold plating protects the contacting surfaces, extending their lives.

I'm not an expert, and absolutely willing to be proven incorrect here. But I thought that gold was a better conductor, and that's why they're better for audio cables (less resistance). Surely the fact that gold is a soft metal would be a reason to not use it for reasons of 'extending lives'?

Gold isn't the best conductor. Silver is better, followed by copper, but they oxidize, and gold does not. It's the oxide that forms the insulator. There are both hard and soft gold platings is electronics. Hard gold is for wearing contact surfaces such as connectors and relays. Soft gold for solderable and wire bondable surfaces.

Re: The Rise of the $8 Ice Cube

#60

Post by jacquesm » Fri, May 30, 2014, 8:22 PM UTC

louthy wrote: post #34

tmuir wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gold plated cables actually serve a purpose, although the average consumer does not have a need for them. In a studio environment, where cables are frequently plugged and unplugged, the gold plating protects the contacting surfaces, extending their lives.

I'm not an expert, and absolutely willing to be proven incorrect here. But I thought that gold was a better conductor, and that's why they're better for audio cables (less resistance). Surely the fact that gold is a soft metal would be a reason to not use it for reasons of 'extending lives'?

Copper and silver are better conductors. Golds main advantage is that it does not corrode. Zinc has that advantage too and is much cheaper, conduction is a non-issue because the surface is fairly large and the amount of material to traverse microscopically thin.