Any tweaks I'm missing?

Have continued with tweaks/mods/updates

 

A second set of Black Ravioli Big Pads

SR Purple fuses

Akiko Audio USB Tuning Stick

Fo.Q Tape on equipment

Akiko Audio Tuning Chip

Meicord Opal Ethernet cables

M2Tech HiFace Evo 2/Clock/Supply

Mad Scientist 'Black Magic' USB Cable

Black Cat Silverstar coax cables

Linear Power Supplies for modem/router and M2Tech Hiface Evo

Amplifier recapped.

 

Replaced MacBook with streamer.

Replaced Dac.

 

 

Wow! My post was removed, what's Audiogon coming to??

I haven't been here for quite awhile, so wasn't me.

George and his ilk did my head in.

Taking a break from here is very therapeutic!

No tweaks for 8 months.
Been enjoying the music, as Millercarbon suggested.

But, can I get a little more from my system?

Have ordered some thin fo.q tape.
Also some Black Ravioli Big Pads for my amp.

Thinking of upgrading the power supply to my Macbook Pro.
And upgrading caps on my Perreaux.
Then will add the graphene contact fluid I have.

I have speaker cables in the walls. Put them in when I extended the house. Merlin Scorpion. Was a good idea at the time. However, now unable to upgrade. Hmm. Will have to wait until I move...

Vinyl and tubes

I don't list my system, because I then open myself to attack from the caustic members on this site. 

I like the reasonable replies from the reasonable people. 

kudelka8
You didn’t list a hospital grade wall out let. Run out and get one. Huge difference, ,that can make. .Furutech and wattgate make excellent ones.

Unfortunately I'm not in North America or Europe. There is nothing available where I am. Contacted Furutech who had mentioned an audio wall outlet, but was not a viable commercial proposition for them.

millercarbon
I'd go BDR Cones over Vibrapod, try em if you want more a more dynamic presentation.

I have Black Ravioli Pads on top of the vibrapods. The BR Pads were a huge revelation. 

Some I noticed the effect immediately.
Others, have been underwhelming. 

Another tweak I will do over the summer break is to have my ears cleaned out. No joke.

Georgeifi

What does it matter to you?
Your opinion is of more value than mine?
You’ve stated your opinion. Leave it that.
I’m really not interested in anything you say.

I'm looking for other deluded people such as myself for their tweaks.

Those I have, have already made a huge difference to my music enjoyment.

Leave me alone George.
I expressly asked that posts such as this are not placed.
I have no need for your opinions.

beernut
Seems like you are putting band-aids on without understanding why....

A fool and his money...
Yeh, could be me.
But, I no longer drink, don’t gamble, not a drug dealer, not into cars. My vice then is sound. Harmless - or if harmful, only harming my bank balance.

I haven’t got the desire to replace my amp for anything in the vicinity of $10+ thousand.

I’ve been wanting to get my system to a point where if I suddenly keeled over, I’d be satisfied with it.
Replacing my speakers with ATC SCM19 v2 was one of the first changes, and a huge step forward. (With a ’visual’ wife, the system has to be hidden, no cables, no ugly...)

My music has never sounded better, and I’m looking forward to summer; lounge doors open in the day, or the evenings.

Macbook Pro to Halide Bridge to heavily modded Dac to Audience AU24SX interconnects to Perreaux integrated amp to ATC SCM 19v2 speakers.

Turntable is in the attic. With all my LPs.
Not able to set it up in present situation.
Will wait until I retire/move to a more suitable place, to bring it out again.

Not being North American, I don't understand the reference to J.C. Whitney...

I'm secure in what I know, from what I've heard.
You feel threatened by me, and my observations.

So, keep on dismissing the things I have heard.
Keep on with the belittlement.
Keep on questioning my sanity.
In the end, it reveals way more of your character than mine.

I asked reasonable people for their reasonable responses.

And MG, thanks. I will end up pulling things out, to find what works best.
I've had pocket money to experiment as I have, after reasonable advice from others.

I'm on summer holiday from Tuesday, and the annoyances will be far from my consciousness.

And currently happily listening to a range of music.
Yes, listening to the music, not the system.

Dear George

You say what you say, and continue to do so.
The people who believe you, already know what you believe.

I say what I say, and no amount of berating from you as to my experiences or intelligence will change my views.
I hear what I hear, and ask others what they’ve experienced.
Because you have not listened to any of these things, it would be most respectful for you not to comment. 
I like my stickers. They look cool.

I suggest this. Go listen to you music, system, audio buddies.
Enjoy it. We have similar pleasures.
And I won’t criticise your choices.

There is a place for scepticism. However, you are trying to belittle me, my system, my additions. And honestly, I care nothing for your opinions.

It comes down to this...
He aha i te mea nui o te Ao?
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
People

Except for you. It’s your opinions, and shouting the loudest so everyone believes you.

So who do you end up believing?

George-pullanythingtopiecesevenifhehasnodirectexperiencewithit-hifi

Or those who have tried things, and have noticed a change?

BTW, I like the Akiko Tuning Chip.

Notes on installation
"Bass notes are so easy to follow. Better instrument separation."
The following day:
"I have kept the Akiko Fuse Box Tuning Chip on for the power switchboard. I like what it does, especially to the base.
Tonight: Nobody's Business by Lou Reed from Coney Island Baby - heard it in a way never before, especially the heavy use of cymbals.
Really well presented - even delivery, from treble to bass."

People seem determined to dismiss my observations.
It does not detract from what I have heard.

You've made me very happy...

George

I’m seeking the experience of others, of which you have none on the items mentioned.
Single minded, one experience, which then elevates you to expert status.

Assumptions are the mother of all stuff ups (ex Steven Seagal).
I’ve not dismissed some comments as you wrongly think.
Will remove some items when I have the space.
And to be sure, I won’t listen to a thing you ’tell me.’

I do apologise to all for commenting so often on George's thread.
I've mistakenly been trying to stand on his soapbox.

I will show restraint from here on in...

Mahgister/Geoff

My system is certainly modest, at best.
But it has a clarity, quietness, smoothness, precision that belies its original cost. This correlates to additions.

I agree with a number of you that some I will indeed need to remove and evaluate the effect.

I agree Frank

I'm loving my SR Orange fuses!

Tony T1

Kia ora e hoa
The room is indeed something I need to investigate, as first mentioned by Millercarbon. Have to find a way to do this, where the results are aesthetically acceptable. 

At first listen, the Omega+ Emat is very, very promising.
Will get to that this weekend.

Nāku noa nā

That will change the industry Michael.

I had tried many amps with my eldest daughter.
A couple of A&R Cambridge A60s, a couple of my Plinius pre/power amps, Perreaux, Arcam. Over the years, she managed to blow all of them...

A couple of months ago we settled on a NuForce DDA-100. What a pleasant surprise. Coupled them with my oldish Quad 11L speakers and an SMSL B1 Bluetooth receiver, and she's never been this happy. 

George

I take umbrage at your suggestion that I am shilling.
I know none of the people with whom I have bought products.

Defamation or even the hint of it is unbecoming (in the guise of being clever or knowledgable).

And you have now questioned my intent, honesty, sanity, experiences and intelligence.
There's little left for you. Politics, faith and sexuality perhaps?

Georgewhyfi
...you deserved it for being so gullible to believe those shillers.

You are so right; I have got what I deserve.
A system whose sound has improved immensely.
And that is due to reviews, reports, advice and discussions.
And for that I am grateful.
This forum has very many good people.

I'm a tolerant person.
And you have taught me so much George, way beyond anything you could imagine.

Just went and stacked some firewood.
An early Clash song came on; so appropriate...

George

Why do you continue to be rude? I don’t get it.
Is this your crude attempt at humour?
Forgive me if your keyboard bully tactics are not having the desired effect.
I'm sometimes not the quickest in figuring out what others are expecting in response.

You have preached. Everyone gets your point of view.
A zealot indeed. Be damned, any who disagree with you. I hide in fear of your scorn.

You are surely an educated, clever man; no denying.
I am no match for your intellect.
Your arguments are reasoned, balanced, witty.
Although your comprehension skills are perhaps at times a little wayward.

And until this, never considered the digital conversion at the end of the audio chain.

Gorgehifi
"Just don’t get off on voodooist and snake oilers telling others to do what they do, that’s all, and I consider what I do against it to be a balanced counter measure to the BS"

I’m not telling anyone what to do. I think you are delusional if that is your perception. I really struggle with your lack of rational thought. You are the one who is telling others what to do.
Your way: "don’t do this. My way is the only truth. Only listen to me!"
My way: "tell me what tweaks you’ve tried; I’m interested."

Do you see the difference. Mine is open and inquisitive. Yours is closed.
Your inability to look at this in an even handed way is disconcerting.

I have an idea. You start a thread on what is the truth for audio reproduction, and I promise I will leave it alone. That then is a perfect balance.

thecarpathian
jerryb, your wife has an excellent way of getting her point across...!

Indeed she has. My stuff can't be ugly. And she doesn't like cables.
I tried to get one of my Schumann Resonators on the wall today.
Not a hope in hell.
So one is behind a couch, and the other behind the tv...

Fleschler
A tweak which I rely on ... are Shakti Hallographs which aid my speakers dispersion characteristics. 

I just showed the Shakti Hallographs to my wife. She said
"I think that's what single people get."

No comment on you at all. I'm solely looking at me, and one of the barriers to my continued pursuit of this hobby.  

I just want to make sure I understand the naysayers.

My tweaks have been:

1. Cleaning up the power

Are the negative Norman's saying this is not worthwhile?

2. Equipment isolation.

How about that?

3. Jitter control, and USB-S/PDIF converter, reclocking.

Hogwash?

4. Improved cabling

A waste of money?

5. The slightly less easy to explain tweaks.

Is it all of this that I should throw in the bin? What if I've noticed an improvement in the delivery and retrieval of music?

And in previous posts, you said that everything I had added was tantamount to quackery, and I should think myself foolish.

You did not do due diligence here George, and waded straight into your tirade unprepared, criticising all of my additions.
So now you backtrack a little? I’ll take that as a crude attempt to apologise. Accepted.
And thank you. I can feel a little more sanity returning, and some acceptance.

I’m sorry that maths is not be your strength; over ten is a little more than a couple.

Get off your horse doesn’t make sense in any context.
I think you find the term is ’get off your High horse.’

And if I’m gullible? That’s my prerogative (means that’s my right).

I’m not forcing anything on others. But you are.
Unfortunately, you cannot see that you are doing exactly what you are accusing me of doing; forcing your opinions onto others.

You are a charlatan George.
It is something you should be proud of (once you've looked up what it means).

Thanks nonoise

Will ignore the unrefined from now on.

What he doesn't realise is that he is losing custom by doing this.
Who the heck wants to buy anything from a narrow minded, dull, abusive person?

A captive audience? The guy appears to have limited brain function.

And he's Australian. Far removed in location and temperament from the Mad Scientist.

I’m full of favourite movie quotes. My family gets them, but not others.
"It’s the vibe" is a favourite from The Castle.
At a meeting on Thursday, I tried "Give it to Bloody Gordon" from ’There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble’ to explain a point. That one crashed and burned.

Now, to my point.

Millercarbon
...what if there are people who really don’t care all that much for the whole listening to music aspect of it?

I’ve been in the upgrade/mod/tweak mode for 18 months or so. And all my listening has been to hear/evaluate changes for much of that time. I’m listening to the system, rather than the music. Flicking through songs, not waiting for tracks to finish.

There’s a scene in Grosse Point Blank.

Debi: You know what you need?
Marty: What?
Debi: Shakubuku.
Marty: You wanna tell me what that means?
Debi: It’s a swift, spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever.

So, Millercarbon, time for me to listen. And thanks. Simple.

Leonard Cohen Live in London, is sounding pretty damn good...

Has anyone used fo.Q tape?

I have a turntable mat, but don't use my turntable at present.
Doesn't suit the house currently. But in the future...

@allears4u 

Placebo is then part of my audio path. I'm neck deep in snake soil.

 

Progressively tricking myself into a better sounding system. 

My latest purchase has been a modified network switch from AudioPhool.

Perhaps a little expensive for a tweak but the Sorcer X4 is outstanding!
ozzy

Yeh, is a little beyond my budget, space and need ozzy.

6 weeks on, have bought another grounding box.

Updated fuses on new linear power supplies, plus two DC cables for them.

And a Supra Cat 8 ethernet cable.

@daledeee1 

Small steps when added together can make listening to music even more pleasurable.

I'm also interested in an ENO. May have to settle for an Acoustic Revive in the meantime though.

This secret guy doesn't know much for such a big head.

Next purchase?

Either:

- LAN isolator (ENO, SOtM or Acoustic Revive)

- No Noise Ultra SE+ mains purifier

- Fidelizer Airstream wifi router

@thecarpathian 

What do you think about the PPT Omega+ mat?

I had to read back my impressions

"Like the increased layering already. Easier to hear into the music."

"Smooth. Depth. Sublime...
Yeh, for Omega+ Emat on the breaker box."

@wmcmiller 

I find Black Ravioli Pads and Big Pads excellent under equipment.