Tweaking spend

[Rodney Gold]

I reckon that tweaks from the absurd to the really useful , do well sales wise because of price
Compared to a major gear purchases they are normally "pocket money" buys.
(yes, I know , some stuff costs a gazillion $)
I have often bought or implemented tweaks with the attitude "well why not..if it works , cool , if not, I haven't lost the farm"

 

[the sound of Tao]

I've always liked tima's reference to this area of exploration as system infrastructure (from memory so soz tima if this is not exactly what you meant) rather than the trad tweaking thing. We started with cones and spikes and some funky cables back in the 80's and tweaking seemed appropriate.

But system optimisation through infrastructure is such a developed technology these days maybe we should elevate it beyond the tweak. It's also big business and at its best highly refined engineering. A substantial focus on system infrastructure can easily result in greater than equivalent component upgrades for less outlay in my experience. Especially sota power and resonance control.

But also you do have to be discerning as the kind of significant shifts and changes that you can get from the highest levels of resonance control and electrical isolation can just as equally involve outcomes that are not always absolutely beneficial... chasing resolution can be a double edged sword if an unhelpful system imbalance is created.

This is why it us critical to get as much experience with this gear and evaluate it in terms its value to the listening experience. That genuine holistic subjective evaluation skills are so critical and certainly that these skills become more keen with more diverse experience. Especially if referenced against your understanding of how music is experienced in terms of both the context of the sound being tonally natural and the experience of inherent emotive and physical connection to the art and the artists in the best of musical performances.True music can always abduct us utterly and stop us from questioning anything.

 

[jeromelang]

I'm cheapskate.

My tweaks are usually free, or very very low costs.



Let's see.... The free stuff:

- remove extraneous metallic objects from the proximity of my audio system.

- space out distances between each audio components.

- place source and pre-amp away from power amp.

- throw away the refrigerator.

- remove wired telephone from the house.

- shut down and unplug wireless router when listening.

- remove clocks and watches from listening rooms.

- stop wearing watches and metallic ornaments on the body.

- remove the 13-amp fuses from any power cords using the uk standards AC plug.

- all household appliances unplugged

- all AC outlets with on/off switch that are not in use to be switched on.

- ground the chassis of my audio components internally (making sure the earth wire is correctly oriented in the right directionality).

- short the plus and minus terminals of unused speakers if they happen to be in the same room.

- hydrate the room regularly either by opening the windows, or by placing cup of water in the room.

- refresh the motor of turntable before playing every side of the vinyl record.

- refresh the cd transport and DAC before playing every cd.


The tweaks that cost money:

- leave the vinyl or the cd on the shakti stones for a couple of days.
(Shakti stone is kept far far away from audio components)

- spray vinyl records with tap water and spin dry.

- if encounter any issue of imaging skew left, run the cd disc under tap water and drab dry with tissue paper.

 

[fas42]

But system optimisation through infrastructure is such a developed technology these days maybe we should elevate it beyond the tweak. It's also big business and at its best highly refined engineering. A substantial focus on system infrastructure can easily result in greater than equivalent component upgrades for less outlay in my experience. Especially sota power and resonance control.

But also you do have to be discerning as the kind of significant shifts and changes that you can get from the highest levels of resonance control and electrical isolation can just as equally involve outcomes that are not always absolutely beneficial... chasing resolution can be a double edged sword if an unhelpful system imbalance is created.

This is why it us critical to get as much experience with this gear and evaluate it in terms its value to the listening experience. That genuine holistic subjective evaluation skills are so critical and certainly that these skills become more keen with more diverse experience. Especially if referenced against your understanding of how music is experienced in terms of both the context of the sound being tonally natural and the experience of inherent emotive and physical connection to the art and the artists in the best of musical performances.True music can always abduct us utterly and stop us from questioning anything.

This has been my way for decades - it's now a very refined art for me; "true music" is always the goal, and the remarkable thing is that even very non-ambitious combinations of gear can deliver a remarkable performance if the "right way" is used ... the downside is that the imbalance can so easily be triggered; "knowledge" is having the understanding of what just happened, what caused the "downer", and being able to reverse that effect intelligently.

 

[the sound of Tao]

This has been my way for decades - it's now a very refined art for me; "true music" is always the goal, and the remarkable thing is that even very non-ambitious combinations of gear can deliver a remarkable performance if the "right way" is used ... the downside is that the imbalance can so easily be triggered; "knowledge" is having the understanding of what just happened, what caused the "downer", and being able to reverse that effect intelligently.

True music is always the goal... These are words to live by Frank... Great words for sure.

 

[spazmatron]

imo you have to be mindful of the overall balance of your hifi when using any tweak regardless of cost. you can buy something, like a ac socket and end up shifting the tone too much. just because its more expensive dont mean it will fit with what your trying to do.

 

[Purite Audio]

imo you have to be mindful of the overall balance of your hifi when using any tweak regardless of cost. you can buy something, like a ac socket and end up shifting the tone too much. just because its more expensive dont mean it will fit with what your trying to do.

How could an A/C socket possibly shift the tone of anything?
Keith
Edit, wait is this the new forum where you can say whatever you like ,no matter how foolish without challenge.

 

[bonzo75]

How could an A/C socket possibly shift the tone of anything?
Keith
Edit, wait is this the new forum where you can say whatever you like ,no matter how foolish without challenge.

For you, Keith, you can say whatever foolish stuff you like on any forum

 

[spazmatron]

How could an A/C socket possibly shift the tone of anything?
Keith
Edit, wait is this the new forum where you can say whatever you like ,no matter how foolish without challenge.

dont know keith but it seems too... ask Davec he may know why. it all seems to be in the HF area, the changes...

anyone agree? or is this just another reason why i should commit myself.

i think your funny keith, you crack me up often. i dont mind you opposing my thoughts, i welcome it in fact. you can take the mick too if you like god knows plenty seem to do this at your expense feel free to use me to get your own back. i often laugh at myself so will be nice for some one to join in!

 

[Purite Audio]

For you, Keith, you can say whatever foolish stuff you like on any forum

Maybe you could bring your Shum Mucks around again, I don't think we orientated them properly to the local ley lines.
Keith.

 

[spazmatron]

Maybe you could bring your Shum Mucks around again, I don't think we orientated them properly to the local ley lines.
Keith.

you need to use these to orientate them,

 

[Audiophile Bill]

you need to use these to orientate them,
View attachment 25930

Shun mook make their own dowsing product

I want one

 

[fas42]

Of course, using "silly stuff" might be a bit of fun, but at least some of these things do make some type of audible change happen - the smart thing is to first decide whether that change is actually a genuine improvement, and then - the hard bit - try and understand what's going on. With real "knowledge" a far better value for money approach can be used - proper engineering climbs on board ...

 

[jeromelang]

How could an A/C socket possibly shift the tone of anything?
Keith
Edit, wait is this the new forum where you can say whatever you like ,no matter how foolish without challenge.

Yes, it can.

I've tried it.

Some might like the effect, some might not.

 

[BlueFox]

How could an A/C socket possibly shift the tone of anything?
Keith
Edit, wait is this the new forum where you can say whatever you like ,no matter how foolish without challenge.

You should take that to the measurement forum and quit polluting the rest of the site with rhetorical nonsense questions.

 

[Purite Audio]

You should take that to the measurement forum and quit polluting the rest of the site with rhetorical nonsense questions.

You purport to be an engineer can you suggest some mechanism why a socket would change the sound?
Keith.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I'm cheapskate.

My tweaks are usually free, or very very low costs.



Let's see.... The free stuff:

- remove extraneous metallic objects from the proximity of my audio system.

- space out distances between each audio components.

- place source and pre-amp away from power amp.

- throw away the refrigerator.

- remove wired telephone from the house.

- shut down and unplug wireless router when listening.

- remove clocks and watches from listening rooms.

- stop wearing watches and metallic ornaments on the body.

- remove the 13-amp fuses from any power cords using the uk standards AC plug.

- all household appliances unplugged

- all AC outlets with on/off switch that are not in use to be switched on.

- ground the chassis of my audio components internally (making sure the earth wire is correctly oriented in the right directionality).

- short the plus and minus terminals of unused speakers if they happen to be in the same room.

- hydrate the room regularly either by opening the windows, or by placing cup of water in the room.

- refresh the motor of turntable before playing every side of the vinyl record.

- refresh the cd transport and DAC before playing every cd.


The tweaks that cost money:

- leave the vinyl or the cd on the shakti stones for a couple of days.
(Shakti stone is kept far far away from audio components)

- spray vinyl records with tap water and spin dry.

- if encounter any issue of imaging skew left, run the cd disc under tap water and drab dry with tissue paper.

You'll get a much deeper, more detailed vertical sound stage if you use filtered water. Actually, sparkling water is best, but then the discs need to be burned in again (just one play should do) to eliminate the fizz.

Tim

 

[spazmatron]

i find sea water treatment on your power cables works a treat.. must be the piezoelectric properties

so i think your wrong tim

oh washing up liquid on your CD's, spread it on with finger and run under the hot tap, then dab dry with kitchen roll. ( dont wipe!) this makes them sound loads better, more detail.. more analog

oh and dont forget the outer and inner rings.. rub it all over.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

i find sea water treatment on your power cables works a treat.. must be the piezoelectric properties

so i think your wrong tim

oh washing up liquid on your CD's, spread it on with finger and run under the hot tap, then dab dry with kitchen roll. ( dont wipe!) this makes them sound loads better, more detail.. more analog

oh and dont forget the outer and inner rings.. rub it all over.

OK, but since the separation, I'm not as familiar with that.

Tim

 

[jeromelang]

Cold or warmed tap water has different sound