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Cheap Tweeks

Does anybody have any cheap tweeks to share with us to further our search for "affordable" sonic bliss? I have 3 for you to try that anyone can afford. 1) if your amp sets on the floor, try putting 4 tennis balls under it. you might want to place a piece of half inch plywood under the amp first. 2) If you need to isolate your components better, put a piece of plywood under them and then put the largest size bubble wrap that you can find uner them. These ideas work and are much cheeper than big buck isolation platform. 3)If you use "dynamic" speakers, put a quarter at the top front corners and a dime in the center. It must be the resonence of the change that does the trick. All I know is that it works.
slowhand
inscrutable
313 posts
 
1. speaker placement (including and beyond John_1's comment) 2. if you have a live room, play with area rug and heavy wall hanging placement. WAF may be a problem, and velvet Elvis only within 50 miles of Graceland, please! :-)
ramstl
342 posts
 
1)Room treatment. 2)Turn off the lights. 3)Trendy chemical amusement aids, "just kidding!
morasp10b3
38 posts
 
Granite remnants from a countertop supply company. I got four 1 1/4" thick pieces for $12.50 each. Use them under source, amps, and speakers, and in conjunction with cones etc. HUGE DIFFERENCE.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Beavis has a good idea; I am going to try something similar which should look better . If there is one of the company that sell concrete yard art close to you check them out. They have some heavy concrete stands which don't look bad and can be painted. The prices looked to be in the $25 to $50 range for a pair.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I forgot to mention one that costs nothing. Some amps , and preamps invert phase. Just wire your speakers in reverse phase to see if they sound better. That is , hot on amp to ground on speakers or vice versa. Not to be confused with out of phase , in which one is wired in on manner and the other in the opposite, The important thing is that they both be wired the same. There is a famous paper in audio called "The Wood Effect" which explanes the importance of Absolute Phase.
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