Best Super-Tweek You Possibly Ever Did


This post is to get those "Best Super-Tweeks" in here that made a significant improvement that many may enjoy knowing about.

The Issue: My speakers and SVS Ultra 13 didn't sound right crossed over at the THX recommended point of 80 Hz. Neither did they at 60,70, 90, or 100 Hz, either. What was up?

Correction Summary: First, perform true SLM readings on your MAINS in-home 2. Move sub up higher and closer to remove floor muddiness 3. Calibrate the sub last 4. Enjoy enjoy enjoy

Possibly My Best Tweek:

First, I used a SLM (analog sound level meter) and Set-Up Test CD to graph out my MAIN speakers frequency responses in my listening room. Forget company graphs. I wanted real in-home measurments of my Fronts. I was surprised they played nearly perfectly flat at my listening position from 50 Hz and up. A good subwoofer rule is to crossover at the lowest possible point that best compliments the mains.

Next, I placed the SVS sub on a table right at listening level about 8 feet just to the side and rear of the listening position.

Next, I changed the subs and all other speakers crossover to match 50 Hz with the MAIN's, including the center and surrounds. I tried a variety of crossover points on the center and surrounds separately, and that never sounded correct playing various reference disks.

Next, I set-up the Ultra's "Q" adjustment to flatten out a narrow hump centered at 80 Hz.

Last, I set all volume levels of all speakers in my processor for perfect dB balance using white noise and the SLM.

The results were like a magic wand waved over my system. Every reference disk sounded right from bottom to top and begged to be played.

That's possibly my best Tweek. It's been 3 months now and I have had no desire to adjust anything further. Before, it was ALWAYS something. No more. I hope others may have similiar results trying this very simple SET-UP method.
soundsbeyondspecs
Not sure if it is the best tweak but four PS Audio Noise Harvesters smoothed the sound of my system out quite a bit recently.
Since this is a Super-tweak, the best I ever did was converting my Supratek Chenin preamp from 6SN7 tubes to 2C22/7193 tubes, with a constant current source on the plates and Cree SiC Schottky diodes on the cathodes for bias. An unbelievable improvement. In fact I still shake my head sometimes at the stunning clarity and realism.
Tried a lot of things, agree about the svelte shelf. The best though, was Walker Audio HDL links. A Zobel circuit you put across the terminals of the speaker, outside spades. Very effective, outrageously expensive for material content, but they really work
I'm with Brewed on Bassbusters.
Bass EQ was the other half of the equation.

Marty
My home-brew speaker stand feet: squash balls cut in half (the American variety, not squishy softballs), filled with portland cement with a bolt set therein. Nothing and I mean nothing gets from the floor up to the speakers. Black as obsidian.
Solar Power? Does this mean all your gear is DC? Or do you use an inverter / battery setup?
If inverter / battery, what waveform does your inverter provide? I would be curious since most inverters are NOT true sine wave. How does some sensitive digital equipment sound with square or modified square wave current input?
Experimenting with speaker/speakerstand interface.
Tried different top plates and mounting pad material and configurations on some speaker stands. Notes significant spund quality changes. Come to the conclusion/opinion that the difference can make speaker "a" prefered in SQ to previously comparable speaker "b". Speaker "b" owner would do zero speaker/speakerstand interface experimentation.

Stereophile - The Sound of Surprise (the loudspeaker/stand interface)
http://www.stereophile.com/features/806/index.html
Lcouplin - thanks for chiming in about solar power- I always wondered what off the grid solar sounded like.

Since this is the speaker forum, The best tweek I ever did for speakers was put them on a Sistrum Stand. So much more focus and bass extension.
You put a PB 13 Ultra on a table? Must be one helluva table. That's a 120 lb. sub right?

I have the PB Ultra 13 cylinder sub. The best tweak wasn't really a tweak. It was $500 worth of bass traps in the corners of the room.

A nice tweak was putting sorbothane pucks that I already owned under that sucker. That snapped the bass to attention and it blends well with my "vintage" Martin Logans.
Replaced my direct view television between the speakers with a front projection setup and wall mounted screen.
Speaker placement and judiciously positioned room treatments. The speaker placement is essentially a free tweak that just takes a good amount of time and patiance. Room treatments do not have to be expensive, but if you can hang them without wifely concerns there is little that can match the improvements that they will generate.
Adding a Monarchy DIP Classic after the Wadia 170i to reduce jitter and amplify the digital signal voltage made a staggering difference to the audio quality. Lower noise floor and dramatically increased dynamics. I rarely listen to my CD player anymore!
solar power. Quieter background, insane dynamics, creating electricity from the source of all energy in our solar system. Unbelievable difference, quieter than the 2:00AM listening sessions.
Placed my sub on a 3 inch thick maple block with sorbothane pad between. Now I hear bass notes clearly instead of a subwoofer booming out low frequencies.
i find materials placed under components can make an audible difference. i found the sound fusion sound boosters to be appropriate for most of my components.
I'm not sure what things you would include in a "super-tweek" but when I added the Grand Prix Audio shelves to my system it went up a couple of notches.