Does "everything" REALLY matter? (A No-Arguing Thread...)

[Zuman]

Nearly a year ago Ron R. started a thread asking Does Everything Really Make a Difference?, and listed numerous examples of frequently-controversial variables. The thread went on for more than 50 pages, but devolved into argument and posturing at times, as is natural for passionate and intelligent human beings when differences are discussed.
Just to get an idea of where people stand - and recognizing that a forum discussion is unlikely to change strongly-held positions - I'd like to ask the following:

With no commentary (rebuttal or support), name FIVE NON-MAINSTREAM TWEAKS, ENGINEERING IMPLEMENTATIONS, or AUDIOPHILE PRACTICES that you are convinced result in an improvement in reproduced music for a home listener. ALSO, name FIVE NON-MAINSTREAM TWEAKS, ENGINEERING IMPLEMENTATIONS, or AUDIOPHILE PRACTICES that you personally (through your personal experience, not just beliefs) HAVE NOT FOUND to make an improvement in reproduced music in your home. (By "non-mainstream," I mean practices that are not implemented as standard practice in the design, construction, and use of consumer-grade audio gear).

My picks:
Have found to make an improvement:
1. Audio-specific Ethernet cables
2. Purpose-built (audio-specific) music servers
3. NOS DACs
4. Carefully-chosen digital music reproduction software
5. Carefully-chosen rectifier tubes

Have not found to make an improvement:
1. Turning off/unplugging digital components while playing analog sources
2. LAN filters
3. Component power fuses
4. Record weights (other than with slightly-warped records)
5. Control devices (iPads, phones, etc.) for digital music

Ok, your turn!

 

[J007B]

Improvement
1. Clean Power
2. Cables
3. Synergy, Equipment/Room
4. Well recorded music
5. Money, the more you have equals greater the improvement...

 

[Gregm]

Improvements
DIgital: usb isolator / reclocker - regenerators / the first cables in the chain (excellent streamer - DAC are a given)

Analogue: (given - superior quality TT / arm) appropriate TT support / versatile riaa equaliser (cartridge-riaa "coherence")

Venue: basic understanding of room acoustics, room treatment

Regards

 

[unboxed]

Improvement:
1. Proper speaker selection and placement. I have seen too many systems that were never going to work well.
2. Acoustic treatment
3. Chassis electrical grounding in addition to that provided by power cords.
4. Vibration control (although not necessarily an improvement for all equipment)

 

[A-Line]

I believe in the "garbage in, garbage out" concept.

All too often on hifi forums I see individuals with superb amplification components yet their source components are mediocre at best.
If folks are happy with that sort of setup then so be it. I would suggest buying the best source components that one can find/afford then build a system from that point, but that's just me.


Order of importance to me:
1. Source components/ also includes media such as LP's, CD/SACD's, Tape, ect.
2. Preamp/integrated amp/receiver
3. Amplifier
4. Speakers
5. Interconnects
6. Speaker Cables
7. Power cords
8. Room treatments if necessary

Just my opinions.

Happy Listening

 

[TonyW]

Everything matters. Start with Signal to Noise. First, the room. The quieter the room, the more detail that can come through. The lower noise floor also lowers distortion- ie sound waves interfering with each other. S/N of the equipment comes next and S/N of the power cables and signal cables follow. EMI adds noise and distortion even if it is in the MHz range. That's where the better power cords, conditioners and signal cables make a difference, I found. The blackest background makes all the difference to hearing the smallest details that your mind says can't be possible, such as feeling the artists moving around in your room; eery and exciting but don't turn out the lights. The cleaner the power coming in the better. The lowest possible noise floor from ambient sounds to the power coming into the room matter. I have not yet tried ground boxes but many here have and they say it has had an amazing effect on their audio systems. The quieter the system, the more crisp and clear the sound.

Next is room acoustics. The better reflections are controlled, the better the sound and soundstage. Stiff walls and floors make a difference. A mix of absorption and diffraction is needed to control room reflections. An over damped room will make the music dull and lifeless but an underdamped room will sound like the music is in a barrel as well as muddying the bass, the detail and soundstage. One absorption tile in the right spot can make a difference. Imagine a high school band playing in a basketball gym- that's underdamped. And then the crowd noise in the background. I doubt you will hear the timber of the clarinet in that situation.

Mechanical isolation of all components, including cables. When the first two items- S/N and room acoustics are dialed in, the difference isolation of the speakers, amps and sources can make will cause you to fall out of your chair. Isolation from vibrations takes a top quality system, or any system to new heights. Another side to mechanical noise is the speakers themselves. The ideal speaker cabinet is inert. Vibrations from the cabinet muddies the sound and soundstage. Vibrations from the cabinet into the floor are sometimes good but most of the time not good. Isolating the speakers is usually an improvement.

Digital is not immune to these basic principles even if it seems to go against intuition. S/N of the ethernet from the router to the DAC makes a difference. The better ethernet cables and connectors as well as the better music servers and DACs all focus on S/N. Next is clocking. I might be wrong but I think reclocking has an effect on S/N in addition to jitter.

I guess over all, noise is the biggest enemy of audio. Be it mechanical or acoustic vibrations or electrical noise at 60 Hz (or 50 Hz) to RF ranges, it has an effect on the sound. The thing to remember is that everything responds to vibrations at their natural frequency when energy is available. That energy does not have to match the natural frequency of each component in your audio system. For example, if I hold the pedal down on a piano so that the piano strings are free- even by striking a drum, I can hear the strings on the piano vibrating- even if it is just barely audible it is there. If we play our audio system loud enough perhaps we are able to drown out most of the interferences in the room, but we also will drown out the smallest details in the music. And I know for some, detail doesn't matter. As for me, I'm hooked on it.

Of course, all of this is in addition to starting with the best quality audio gear we can afford.

 

[Carlosoptico]

The performance of an audio system is limited by the components with the least performance. Once they are replaced by others with better performance, the set can reach its maximum.
The most important thing, in order of importance, for me, is the power supply. If it is not in the power supply, no component can fix it.
The second thing is the quality of the AC and DC power and the cables that distribute it.
The third thing is the anti-vibration treatment in all the elements of the equipment (power supplies, electronics, cables and speakers).
The fourth thing is the interconnection cables (line, USB, RJ-45, speakers), with cable being preferable to Wi-Fi (for example in UPNP applications).
The fifth thing is the equipment. The best or most expensive equipment, if it does not have the first four premises at the maximum of its possibilities, will sound the same or worse than another one with half the value, but that meets the first four premises.
My last two adjustments were the ones that provided the greatest increase in SQ, not because they are more important, but because they replaced the weakest components and allowed the other components to perform at their best.

 

[Iamrael]

Everything! down to the brightness and temperature level of lights in the room.

 

[TonyW]

Everything! down to the brightness and temperature level of lights in the room.

I think the music sounds better when the room temperature is between 70-73 degrees.

 

[Kingrex]

Its hard to think of negatives. Everything is audible. The question is, do you like what you hear.

 

[PeterA]

What matters most is having a target and knowing how to reach it.

What matters least are the unsolicited opinions of those with less experience and knowledge.

 

[tima]

in no particular order ...

Have found to make an improvement:
- pre bar code records
- record cleaning
- a cat in the audio room
- 20 amp dedicated circuit electrical power
- loupe for stylus inspection

Have not found to make an improvement:
- cable risers
- a computer in the audio room
- autoformers

 

[mtemur]

- a cat in the audio room

I love cats—and really, all animals. Aren’t you worried, though, that a cat might jump onto the turntable while it’s playing or scratch the speaker drivers? I’ve had friends who’ve had that happen to them.

 

[tima]

I love cats—and really, all animals. Aren’t you worried, though, that a cat might jump onto the turntable while it’s playing or scratch the speaker drivers? I’ve had friends who’ve had that happen to them.

That's never happened here. My audio cat Finzi is past his jumping prime and he is so appreciative of being let into the music room that he behaves himself quite well.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

in no particular order ...

Have found to make an improvement:
- pre bar code records
- record cleaning
- a cat in the audio room
- 20 amp dedicated circuit electrical power
- loupe for stylus inspection

Have not found to make an improvement:
- cable risers
- a computer in the audio room
- autoformers

Cable risers make it easier for my cleaning lady to do my floors. Lord I love Blanca and she is so afraid of my small listening room...

 

[Ron Resnick]

Have found to make an improvement:
1. high-end audio Ethernet cable
2. high-end audio music streamer (versus iPad)
4. USB re-clocker
5. Uptone Audio EtherRegen device
6. Torus Power isolation transformer for digital
7. DS Audio ION-001 vinyl de-static device
8. alcohol
9. ASC Tube Traps
10. absorption panels

Have not found to make an improvement:
1. Shakti Stones (but I continue to use them anyway because maybe I will perceive a difference eventually, and because they have a simple method of operation which makes sense to me in theory and which should work in practice)
2. cable risers
3. sound-absorbing, self-propelled dog
4. Saraswati from deepest, darkest Indonesia (but I continue to keep her in the room anyway, because I think she may be choosing not to grace me with her sonic magic until she feels that I, and the system, are fully worthy of her charm)

PS: I appreciate Zuman's clear instructions in his opening post: 1) no commentary, 2) list of improvements, 3) list of no improvements. It's the kind of thing I might've written. Seven out of 12 respondents did not follow Zuman's simple instructions.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Have found to make an improvement:
1. high-end audio Ethernet cable
2. high-end audio music streamer (versus iPad)
4. USB re-clocker
5. Uptone Audio EtherRegen device
6. Torus Power isolation transformer for digital
7. DS Audio ION-001 vinyl de-static device
8. alcohol

Have not found to make an improvement:
1. Shakti Stones (but I continue to use them anyway because maybe I will perceive a difference eventually, and because they have a simple method of operation which makes sense to me in theory and which should work in practice)
2. cable risers
3. sound-absorbing, self-propelled dog

PS: I appreciate Zuman's clear instructions in his opening post: 1) no commentary, 2) list of improvements, 3) list of no improvements. It's the kind of thing I might've written.

Seven out of 12 respondents could not follow Zuman's simple instructions.

Jeez

 

[jeromelang]

Have found to make an improvement:
1. Ethernet cable directionality
2. ST Optical cable directionality, optical gel, aftermarket optical cables from Aural Symphonics
4. The right receptacle on a UK type AC duplex sounds better
5. Directionality of grounding cable (for turntable-to-phono purpose)
6. Directionality of grounding cable (for internal or external grounding CD player, pre-amp, power-amp)
7. Tap water as the final rinse on CDs, SACDs, and Vinyl Records
8. Contact-less Cleaning and Drying for CDs, SACDs, and Vinyl Records
9. Unplugging the Fridge in the house (or at least make sure the fridge door was never open/close during listening sessions)
10. Powering off Optical Disc Players before playing any CDs to clear residue playback memories
11. Certain types of belt drive turntables need to be powered off and on before playing another vinyl side

Have found to make sound worse:
1. Shakti Stones (but I continue to use them to treat CDs and SACDs)
2. Cable risers
3. Cat's fur brushing against audio cables' dielectric jackets
4. Human hand/skin touching audio cables' dielectric jackets while the whole system is powered up
5. Audio Racks made of Metallic Materials
6. Turntables' plinths, platters, and clamps made of Metallic Materials
7. Using a record brush on a vinyl record
8. Using a record brush over the vinyl record while it is spinning prior to playing the record
9. Stress and tension on audio cables and powercords
10. MOFI SACDs and Vinyl Records
11. Flac files

BTW, i love cats

 

[mtemur]

That's never happened here. My audio cat Finzi is past his jumping prime and he is so appreciative of being let into the music room that he behaves himself quite well.

Plus, I suppose Finzi makes a good acoustic absorber with all that fur, like most cats!

 

[PeterA]

Have found to make an improvement:
1. high-end audio Ethernet cable
2. high-end audio music streamer (versus iPad)
4. USB re-clocker
5. Uptone Audio EtherRegen device
6. Torus Power isolation transformer for digital
7. DS Audio ION-001 vinyl de-static device
8. alcohol
9. ASC Tube Traps
10. absorption panels

Have not found to make an improvement:
1. Shakti Stones (but I continue to use them anyway because maybe I will perceive a difference eventually, and because they have a simple method of operation which makes sense to me in theory and which should work in practice)
2. cable risers
3. sound-absorbing, self-propelled dog
4. Saraswati from deepest, darkest Indonesia (but I continue to keep her in the room anyway, because I think she may be choosing not to grace me with her sonic magic until she feels that I, and the system, are fully worthy of her charm)

PS: I appreciate Zuman's clear instructions in his opening post: 1) no commentary, 2) list of improvements, 3) list of no improvements. It's the kind of thing I might've written. Seven out of 12 respondents did not follow Zuman's simple instructions.

Read the OP again. You too failed to follow his simple instructions.