Know of a "Dirt Cheap" tweak?

Glass microspheres are GREAT! I just used some to create a reflective area at the step coming up to the front door of my house. Also good for creating your own reflective street signs.

Yours Aye

 
sabai

geoffkait,

Is there an explanation for this improvement related to storage?

- Not that on aware of.

What kind of improvement can be expected?

- Should be sufficient to make you start mumbling to yourself.

Sabai wrote,

I have no experience with your resonators so I cannot comment on their effectiveness nor can I compare them to resonators made by other makers -- or my own DIY version. But may I respectfully note that you earlier mentioned that you "... started designing and selling acoustic resonators before acoustic resonators were even a gleam in Franck Tchang’s eye ...". But in a more recent post I note that you refer to your resonators being around for 4 or 5 years. Franck Tchang's resonators came out in 2004.

I wasn't referring to my tiny little bowls. I was referring to my Brilliant Pebbles which are also resonators and which debuted at the HiFi show in London in 2003.

cheers

Sabai

geoffkait,

I just checked your own placement diagram on your site. I see you are using some of the same placements as Franck Tchang.

If you had read further you would have seen my diagram is meant to be only a guide. And that I recommend an SPL meter for best results. Hel-loo! Which is why I provide several lengths of silk string and a large tack with my tiny little bowls. You know, so one can easily move the resonator around to find the BEST LOCATION if you wish to play trial and error. What I write is on that page is,

"...and several different lengths of white silk thread that provide flexibility in locating the best location on the wall without moving the tack around too much. (In BOLD) (See paragraph below for use of SPL meter and test tone in finding optimum locations.) The resonator is first placed 6 feet above the floor on a given wall using the shortest length thread; then, the two longer lengths of thread can be tried to see if lowering the height of the resonator improves the sound. It is recommended that the resonators be used in pairs for reasons of symmetry. Suggested number of resonators per room is 2-6.

All diagrams look similar because the general locations of high pressure peaks are well known, in the general sense, you know, but not in an exact sense - I.e., near room corners, between box type speakers on the wall behind them, on the wall behind the listener, etc. so, the diagram would actually look different for electrostatic or other panel speakers. You know, since the radiation patterns are entirely different.

Hi Sabai/geoffkait,

Can I possibly use brass cones/end caps instead of copper as my DIY resonators?

Quick interrupt! If I’m not mistaken the tiny little bowls work for headphones, too. Bigger sound, more energy, more dynamics, subjectively louder, much better and more powerful bass. What the ding dong?! I just installed twenty copper tube caps, half were 1/2" diameter, the rest 1". Almost all were placed in upper corners of the main room and other rooms throughout the place, you know, just to see what would happen. Whoa!!

addendum: I use glue dots to stick the tiny bowls directly to the wall or ceiling surface. One foot out from the actual corner. One one or more of the three surfaces per corner. Use only Super Strength/ Ultra Thin Glue Dots brand.

geoffkait,

Since you seem to have experience with horizontal storage can you be a bit more specific other than your reference to mumbling?

jkbtn,

I use copper beading cones inserted in copper caps. I have no idea if brass will work as well. Never used brass. Give it a go and let us know how this works out. According to Franck Tchang, different metals give different results. Hence his use of various metals in his resonators. Although you may get good results with brass, of course you would need to A/B test in order to ascertain the difference between brass and other metals.

Sabai, the sound will be more transparent and more coherent compared to the case when they're stored horizontally. 

geoffkait,

Thanks for this interesting information.

sabai,

Could you post some photos that we can look at? I'd like to know how those copper beading cones are inserted in copper caps.

I have found that applying  black permanent marker ink to the outer edge of a CD improves the overall sonic quality (better than the blue-green Stoplight).
 

jpmeurer2
I have found that applying black permanent marker ink to the outer edge of a CD improves the overall sonic quality (better than the blue-green Stoplight).

While I have to admit that’s it’s quite counter-intuitive, black is actually not the best choice for the outer edge and should never be used for the label itself. I think this use of the color black on the outer edge might possibly be an excellent example of expectation bias. On the other hand black should always be used for the inner lip of the CD. Green or blue green is the best all around color for the outer edge but there can be exceptions since the color of the CD influences the sound as well. Blue green happens to be the complementary color of red so one suspects it absorbs red scattered light. But wait! The CD laser is 780 nm - which is invisible! Whaaaaa? Then there’s the color purple, which is also an effective color for the outer edge, who knows why? I might as well mention a notable exception - the Mercury Living Presence classical CDs released in the 90s with those iconic black and white labels. Those CDs should get red ink on the outer edge. 

Ever experimented with double sided Scotch tape?

With clean hands, try a piece on the underside of a component, so that it is also in contact with the vibration control device.  Or between the original feet, and the shelf.  If you have removed the feet, place the tape
between the shelf and the bottom of the vibration control device.

Try this anywhere two pieces meet where electric current is not
present... supporting components, wall treatments, HFTs,
securing cd mats to cd platters...

I think the tape comes in different widths, and is usually available
at craft stores or online.

I would simply note that Audio Desk System recommends the application of BLACK to the outer edge of CDs. I have done blind listening comparisons with fellow audio enthusiasts utilizing a highly revealing system  (Meridian 808.6, ARC Ref40/250SE, Magnepan20.7) with a clear consensus for black over blue/green. 

"I would simply note that Audio Desk System recommends the application of BLACK to the outer edge of CDs. I have done blind listening comparisons with fellow audio enthusiasts utilizing a highly revealing system (Meridian 808.6, ARC Ref40/250SE, Magnepan20.7) with a clear consensus for black over blue/green."

I’m aware. They’re wrong IMHO. As I recall the CD treatment that’s been around forever - Auric Illuminator I and II - also recommends BLACK. I think they even give you free one. They’re wrong too. Now that you mention it, I’m not a big fan of blind listening tests. They don’t prove anything. Again IMHO. As I already pointed out the CD laser nominal wavelength is invisible at 780 nm. I know what you’re thinking - but BLACK absorbs ALL colors AND infrared light. 😀

Thank you for your opinion.

Exactly the point!

jpmeurer2
Exactly the point!

What are you referring to?

The birefringence of the plastic in CDs.

And?

...and let people listen for themselves and decide.