New Tweak --- Its Fantastic


THE NEW TWEAK

Over the good part of this past year I’ve been beta testing a new tweak, the name of which is "Total Contact." Its a hi-bred graphene contact enhancer that is different from all other contact enhancers that have come and gone for one reason or another. I’m not new to these contact enhancers, having had quite a bit of experience with a product developed by the late Brian Kyle and his "Quick Silver" contact enhancer. The "Total Contact" is different ... a LOT different.

"Total Contact" is graphene based and is not a vibration control. It eliminates micro-arching between two contacts. Micro-arching, much like Micro-vibration smears the sound in our stereo systems. Its the type of distortion that we don’t know is there .... until we eliminate it. There is no break-in as we know it. The sound is improved right off the bat, but what you hear is only a smidgen of what’s to come.

I tested three generations of "TC," each of which was an improvement over the previous incarnation. The final mix was cryogenitically treated and made for a more effective, much smoother application. It comes in a large hypodermic needle type plunger containing 1.5 ml of product and includes a instructional DVD and an application brush.

The application should be applied with a very thin coat to all of your electrical connections .... from your cartridge pins to your power cords. I did my entire system, including the ends of my fuses.

Upon initial application, you will notice an improvement in clarity, correctness of tonal balance and a more overall organic sound. But ... that is just scratching the surface of what this magic paste does. As it cures, the improvements become more apparent. Much more!

There are two real break-through events that happen almost to the day with "Total Contact," one at four weeks and another at eight weeks . At four weeks, you’ll get a real jump in clarity and overall improvement. That’s only a taste though of what’s to come at eight weeks. At eight weeks your system’s focus will make a jump in SQ that is so real - its surreal.

After 40 years in the hobby, and a total tweak nut, I have never heard anything that does what this graphene paste does. The see-through clarity at eight weeks becomes simply amazing. The "paste" eventually cures into a kind of polymer plastic and it seems that the sound improves with each listening session. So, its important that you leave your contacts alone for the duration. If you’re the type of person that continually switches wires in and out, you’ll have to re paste until enough time has elapsed to get "the cure."

The only problem I had was with the first batch and that had to do with shorting out a tube pin in the line stage. Use the "TC" very sparingly on tube pins, if at all. I only had problems with the line stage tube pins. The Amp, CD Player and Phono Stage has had no tube pin problems at all.

Tim Mrock, one of our fellow A’goners, is the developer of the product. Its taken Tim 15 years and several patents to get it right. Tim has "pasted" every electrical contact he can find in his audio system, all of the switches in his circuit breaker box, every contact in his car ... and has used it in commercial applications such as hospital circuit breakers, surgical lights ... and other places where efficiency and long life of electrical components are deemed important.

This product is highly recommended to anyone who truly wants to get the most out of his/her audio systems. There’s enough product in each tube to do at least two audio systems as it just takes a very thin coat on each application to be effective. The last tube was enough to do my system twice and then a friend’s system this past weekend.


Frank

PS: There were a couple of other A’goner beta testers of this product as well. Hopefully, they will chime in here with their experiences for comparison. I "pasted" both of Steve Fleschler’s systems a few days ago, perhaps he will comment on his results too. We forgot to paste Steve’s power cords though, so there’s a lot more to be had from Steve’s two fantastic systems.

Frank
128x128oregonpapa

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1.5ml..? All I'm thinking is, how much will it soak into to the brush..Lol. how many pairs of IC can you apply on to With just 1.5ml?  
Wow...some people must have hours tied up in this thread. War of word. Interesting.
Thanks tommyion. Man, That's lots of work grannyring....lol. And I really hate taking drivers off......someday. lol. Start with the cables.
Do you paste all of 3 prongs of the power cable ? All the way from tip to the base or is it better to paste just half of the length and let it paste itself when plug it in?

 
I hope red pill doesn't cause diarrhea. My matrix...my reality. Maybe, I should have taken blue pill. 



@grannyring 

It's your time, money and will. Nobody can tell you how to spend those. Thanks for lettng  me know you are getting a good result. It seems TC has a lots of way to use it. I should be able to do my system this weekend. Fun time..lol.
Just thinking....If I paste all the pins of power tubes, would heat from tube and power amp itself will make paste runny or would it maintain It’s consistency and still cure in time? Who has done power tube pins?

How about a pin on the interconnects? Why not do the positive (pin) side of the RCA? 
Received TC yesterday and spent almost 4 hours pasting 10 power cables, 5 pairs ICs, 1 digital coaxial cable and 1 umbilecord power cord. And 8 small tubes and 16 el34 powé tube pins. I didn’t wanted to do some and wait for weeks, so I did them all at once.

I’m writing down few notes here for myself and for boys and gals here who has interest in TC. And see if that 4th and 8th wèek magic will happen for me or not.

My stuff.

Tyler Acoustics D2 Speakers
VPI Classic 1 turntable with Lyra Delos
Zesto Andros 1.2 ( 4 12ax7 tubes treated )
Bluesound Node2
Sony XA5400es
Bryston BDA 3
Magnum Dynalab FT 101 tuner
Custom 2 chassisTube Pre Amp ( 1 12ax7, 4 6922 in main box ) ( 2 6v6, 1 5ar4 in power supply box ). Tubes are NOT treated.
Custom Tube Mono. ( 1 12ax7, 1 12bh7 and 8 EL34 in each channel ) All tubes are treated.

Clear Day double shotgun speaker cable ( treated each end of bananas )
DIY solid core silver ICs made by friend. Replaced Morrow 3 IC ( I paste 1/8 of tip of the pin )
Signal Power Cables ( treated )
All tubes are vintage tubes

All of the outside of the female RCA Jack was treated.

I will write down what’s going on with my system’s SQ as time goes on.

Day 1 ( March 21).. Done pasting. Turn my stuffs on. Nothing shorted out. For first half and hour...It sounded little nasaly and congested but it started to open up nicely after 30 minutes. I listened for 2 more hours but in between nodding off and yawning, I can’t comment on SQ. Time for bed.

Day 2 4 more hours of listening today. SQ was just a bit different. Not better nor worst. High is just bit more noticeable but mid (mostly voice) is slightly recessed. But I was impressed with the bass. There is definitely more bass and goes deeper than before. Again it doesn’t mean It’s better but different. You might think it’s better. YMMV. Soundstage hasn’t got bigger or smaller but has a slightly more airy feel to it. Nothing too dramatic.

That’s for now. I will report back in few days or if there is a big change in SQ.... good or bad.

Just to let you know, I ’m just average hard working blue collar worker. Not a smarty pants, so Don’t expect audiophile terms to describe SQ. Lol. I will just say like I would to my wife. I Don’t BS and will tell you like I hear it.



Forgot about Equi=Tech 1.5Q balanced power conditioner and VPI SDS . Everything is plugged into equi=tech, except sds.
Just a quick note.

I just pasted all the pins of tubes in my pre amp. So, all of my tubes are treated as of today.

I pulled one el34 off and checked out the paste and it looks good and it seems heat is helping it cure faster. It didn’t run down the pins at all. Good thing.

2 things I should mention.

1...TC is really really easy to use. It paste on smoothly and very evenly.

2.. Just tiny bit goes long long way. I would squeeze out 1mm at a time. 1mm should be enough for simple system. Like interated amp with couple of inputs.

@geoffkait

I totally get you. I leave my mind open. For everything. Lol.
Day 7

On day 4, I pasted pins on the cartridge. Again, SQ went slight downhill but recovered after playing about 10 LP. Yeah, it took it’s sweet time. Other stuff took only about an hour and opened up nicely but not the cartridge.

In last couple of days sound of my system did changed. I will try to break it down.

First, like others said.....noise floor is DOWN. I am not dreaming. How..?? I Don’t know. Ask Tim. Considering how many tubes I have in my system, it is more silent for sure. And I think because of lower noise, music is cleaner, clear more transparent. Not by much compared to pre TC.....but it is bit more transparent.

HF is effected by lower noise the most I think, I hear more of it. That’s all I can explain it. Not harsh or bright. Same smoothness as pre TC. Is lower noise=more air? There seems more air(space) to me.

Mid (mostly voice) was little recessed right after but got better within an hour and continued to improved. Now, voice of the singer is back to where it should be. Also, whole mid range has more meat now. It never sounded lean before but little fatter now. Again It’s not a day and night difference. Just a bit more.

Bass...is great. This is what I notice the most. Not boomy or loose or too much. How can I say this......It doesn’t go lower as I first thought but pumps out more of lowest frequency limit of my speaker can go, about 30hz. It is tight, fast and musical bass.

My soundstage also has changed. Before, stage started from little bit behind the speakers and expand to front and outside of the speakers. Now, it floats further front the speakers now. Like, whole stage has moved forward a foot. Stage is not any bigger though but just, I feel, the soundstage is more between the speakers and myself than between the speakers. And you know what..? I like it and hope it stays that way


If I went away for a week or 2 and my friend pasted all my stuff with the TC and never told me, I may not be able to tell you I hear something different. Least not right away. It is not like I’m listening to totally different system. It’s more like , how your system sound like 3am compare to 3pm.

As of today, I like the changes TC made to my system. Nothing big but I think It’s heading right direction. Also, I Don’t think TC has done anything to degrade the SQ at this time. I think that is just as important as positive impacts.

I know this isn’t much but That’s for now. My apology I didn’t go into great details but there isn’t whole lot to say...lol. Again, It’s been only a week since TC took over.

Hummm.....I think soundstage is getting bigger............




I got some on my fingers and I wiped off on my jean and ate pizza afterward without washing my hands. I was hungry. 
Day 12

Just little tiny update

At first I wasn't sure but last couple of days, I thought SQ got little bit dull. Hmmm....and listening more carefully with songs I know and came to conclusion that it did lost some bite on upper frequency. 

You see, I pasted the small amount on tip of the pin (positive) on the RCA interconnects. I wasn't sure if it would help or hurt the sound, so why not try it. If I Don't like it, remove it. And I didn't liked it, so I wiped off all TC from the pins and touched up outside of the Jack. With that, upper frequency is back and sounds wonderful again. Go figure.

If anyone else used TC on the RCA pins, I wouldn't mind hearing what you think. Maybe It's just me and my system but I wouldn't use it on the interconnect pins. I will just use it on female (negetive) side.

Over and out. 
Day 14

Maybe it's the weather or my ears or my dog or my damn beautiful neighbour....I don't know what it is but would you beilive me if I tell you my system's sound is different now? I really don't know why or how but damn me, it sounds good today. I came home and power everything on and warmed them up for 15 minutes (tubes...you know)

But first...I Don't know Tim and sure heck don't know Frank. And I paid full $299 + shipping. I was curious about  the TC and was sitting on the fence for few days thinking....would it ??...does it.??...can it..??...should I..??....whf...why not try it. If it doesn't do what OP said it does, than I will just toss it in the "spare bin". I have paid more for a pair of ICs. And that IC is in the spare bin. And I'll be the sucker born this minute. So, does it work? Does it improve the SQ? Is it a Miracle in the syringe? Yes, Yes and No. And what if you don't believe me?....That's totally ok but don't bash me without trying the TC on your system first. Ok? 

My system is all tube based and it is not neutral. It is on rich side, if you know what I mean. EL34 rich and I love it. Can't get enough of that fat, syrupy  midrange. But I tell you, bass is not the best. It is not a krell for sure. But I'm telling you....no BS....bass (LF) got better in terms of quantity and quality. There is just more and much better controlld bass. Tighter bass. I like it tight. Is this a TC's doing? I have to say yes. I'm into 7th year now with them mono amps and I know how it sounds. And now, it changed. Especially last 2 days. I said to my wife...whf???...bass kick ass. And It's not like a bass in the back seat of a civic. It's very articulated and natual sounding bass. I love it even though it doesn't move my hair. I have no hair.

There is a improvement everywhere else too. Openness, decay, transparentcy, soundstage.....yes..the soundstage...they all got better, cleaner and bigger.  I'm just going to say "it got better and I like it" for today. I was going to wait for that 4th week mark but I just have to make a note today because improvement is noticeable. And I guess I still have long ways to go. Let's see where TC will take me.

And that damn bass.....................kick ass.

Over and out.


I am confused and confused. I don't understand why, what or how TC do what it does. Me no smart boy but I can hear and It's not same as pre TC. I know there can be lots reasons why it can sound different day to day, week to week, cold to hot..whatever...so I will continue to enjoy my system for 2 more weeks and I will make a note here. That would be at 4th week and something suppose to lift SQ up. Will see. Only an honest opinion from normal guy with average system.