Thanks for the info and the link. Looks like this may be my next tweak.
Frank
New Tweak --- Its Fantastic
^^^ fazee ... Tim told me that he has your order. Your's is the first one. More than likely, it will be in the mail today ... tomorrow at the latest. They are expecting two feet of snow, but Tim is only one block away from the post office. I know you'll be surprised at how good it is. Please post your results here. Thanks ... Frank |
Can I mention Luddites? How about Philistines? Anarchists? Norwegians? Somehow establishing rules for a specific topic to limit questioning to No Negative Nancies or Norberts or Newtonians and establishing some form of Mirth Control seems absolutely political, and there lies a paradox. If I was selected to test and then proceeded to shamelessly promote a product with claims of astonishing sonic benefits, I simply wouldn't be surprised that others may question the efficacy of the product, not to mention my motivation to hustle the item in a forum. It's human nature after all. Is "human" allowed? |
@tommylion I have been following your thread on the gutwire, which is excellent. Next on my project list. I am going to roll my own ground cables, and put together my own drain box. Like yourself, I was surprised at how important grounding points are. Last spring I put my new product on just the clamps on my grounding rods. It was amazing how those 3 points made such a huge impact. |
For fazee or anyone else with a limited audio vocabulary, words starting with A through L. Feel free to use your own words to describe what you hear. Please disregard typos, they are not your humble scribe’s. 😛 Accurate - The music is unaltered by the recording or playback equipment. Ideally, to sound identical to the original music. Aggressive - Forward and bright sonic character. Airy - Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz. Ambience - Impression of an acoustic space, such as the performing hall in which a recording was made. Analytical - Highly detailed. Articulate - Intelligibility of voice(s) and instruments and the interactions between them. Attack - The leading edge of a note and the ability of a system to reproduce the attack transients in music. Attack (2) - The time taken for a musical note to reach its peak amplitude eg. notes will tend to sound more defined rather than blended with other notes. Balance - essentially tonal balance, the degree to which one aspect of the sonic spectrum is emphasized above the rest. Also channel balance, the relative level of the left and right stereo channels. Bass - The audio frequencies between about 60Hz and 250Hz. Bassy - Emphasized Bass. Blanketed - Weak highs, as if a blanket were put over the speakers. Bloated - Excessive mid bass around 250 Hz. Poorly damped low frequencies, low frequency resonances. See tubby. Blurred - Poor transient response. Vague stereo imaging not focused. Body - Fullness of sound, with particular emphasis on upper bass; opposite of Thin. Boomy - Excessive bass around 125 Hz. Poorly damped low frequencies or low frequency resonances. Boxy - Having resonances as if the music were enclosed in a box. Sometimes an emphasis around 250 to 500 Hz. Breathy - Audible breath sounds in woodwinds and reeds such as flute or sax. Good response in the upper mids or highs. Bright - A sound that emphasizes the upper midrange/lower treble. Harmonics are strong relative to fundamentals. Brilliance - The 6kHz to 16kHz range controls the brilliance and clarity of sounds. Too much emphasis in this range can produce sibilance on the vocals. Chesty - The vocalist sounds like their chest is too big. A bump in the low frequency response around 125 to 250 Hz. Clear - See Transparent. Closed - A closed-in sound lacking in openness, delicacy, air, and fine detail usually caused by Roll-off above 10kHz; in contrast to Open. Congested- Smeared, confused, muddy, and flat; lacking transparency. Coloured - Having timbres that are not true to life. Non flat response; peaks or dips. Cool- Moderately deficient in body and warmth, due to progressive attenuation of frequencies below about 150Hz. Crisp - Extended high frequency response, especially with cymbals. Dark - A tonal balance that tilts downwards with increasing frequency. Opposite of bright. Weak high frequencies. Decay - The fadeout of a note, it follows the attack. Definition (or resolution) - The ability of a component to reveal the subtle information that is fundamental to high fidelity sound. Delicate - High frequencies extending to 15 or 20 kHz without peaks. Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments. Detail - The most delicate elements of the original sound and those which are the first to disappear with lesser equipment. Detailed - Easy to hear tiny details in the music; articulate. Adequate high frequency response, sharp transient response. Dry - Lack of reverberation or delay as produced by a damped environment. May comes across as fine grained and lean. Opposite of Wet. Dull - See Dark. Dynamic - The suggestion of energy and wide dynamic. Related to perceived speed as well as contrasts in volume both large and small. Edgy - Too much high frequency response. Trebly. Harmonics are too strong relative to the fundamentals. Distorted, having unwanted harmonics that add an edge or raspiness. Euphonic - An appealing form of distortion that generally enhances perceived fidelity, often ascribed to the harmonic elaborations of some valve amps. Fast - Good reproduction of rapid transients which increase the sense of realism and "snap". Fat - See Full and Warm. Or, spatially diffuse; a sound is panned to one channel, delayed, and then the delayed sound is panned to the other channel. Or, slightly distorted with analogue tape distortion or tube distortion. Focus - A strong, precise sense of image projection. Forward(ness) - Similar to an aggressive sound, a sense of image being projected in front of the speakers and of music being forced upon the listener. Compare "Laid-back". Full - Strong fundamentals relative to harmonics. Good low frequency response, not necessarily extended, but with adequate level around 100 to 300 Hz. Male voices are full around 125 Hz; female voices and violins are full around 250 Hz; sax is full around 250 to 400 Hz. Opposite of thin. Gentle - Opposite of edgy. The harmonics (of the highs and upper mids) are not exaggerated, or may even be weak. Grainy - A slightly raw, exposed sound which lacks finesse. Not liquid or fluid. Grip - A sense of control and sturdiness in the bass. Grungy - Lots of harmonic or I.M. (Intermodulation) distortion. Hard - Too much upper midrange, usually around 3 kHz. Or, good transient response, as if the sound is hitting you hard. Uncomfortable, forward, aggressive sound with a metallic tinge. Harsh - Grating, abrasive. Too much upper midrange. Peaks in the frequency response between 2 and 6 kHz. Or, excessive phase shift in a digital recorder’s low pass filter. Headstage - The perception of the Soundstage while listening to headphones. Highs - The audio frequencies above about 6000 Hz. High Midrange (High Mids, Upper Mids) - The audio frequencies between about 2kHz and 6kHz. Hollow - Recessed mids. Honky - Like cupping your hands around your mouth. A bump in the response around 500 to 700 Hz. Imaging - The sense that a voice or instrument is in a particular place in the room. Juicy - Sound that has joie de vivre, energy and life. Laid-back - Recessed, distant-sounding, having exaggerated depth, usually because of a dished midrange. Compare "Forward". Liquid - Textureless sound. Low Level Detail - The quietest sounds in a recording. Low Midrange (Low Mids) - The audio frequencies between about 250Hz and 2000Hz. Lush - Very Rich/Full. Lush (2) - A "lush" sound has a sense of warmth and fullness. Notes are more authoritative and have a sense of life about them. It is a sound free of any sibilance or brightness. It does not mean colored, however. It is an open and inviting sound enveloping the listener into its soundstage. (source: unkown headfier) |
Addendum, audio vocabulary words starting with letters M through W, Mellow - Reduced high frequencies, not Edgy. Midrange (Mids) - The audio frequencies between about 250 Hz and 6000 Hz. Muddy - Not clear. Weak harmonics, smeared time response, I.M. distortion. Muffled - Sounds like it is covered with a blanket. Weak highs or weak upper mids. Musical (or musicality) - A sense of cohesion and subjective "rightness" in the sound. Nasal - Honky, a bump in the response around 600 Hz. Naturalness - Realism. Opaque - Unclear, lacking Transparency. Open - Sound which has height and "air", relates to clean upper midrange and treble. Pace - Often assoc. with rhythm, a strong sense of timing and beat. Piercing - Strident, hard on the ears, screechy. Having sharp, narrow peaks in the response around 3 to 10 kHz. PRaT - Pace, Rhythm and Timing Presence Range - The presence range between 4kHz and 6kHz is responsible for the clarity and definition of voices and instruments. Increasing this range can make the music seem closer to the listener. Reducing the 5kHz content makes the sound more distant and transparent. Presence - A sense that the instrument in present in the listening room. Synonyms are edge, punch, detail, closeness and clarity. Adequate or emphasized response around 5 kHz for most instruments, or around 2 to 5 kHz for kick drum and bass. Puffy - A bump in the response around 500 Hz. Punchy - Good reproduction of dynamics. Good transient response, with strong impact. Sometimes a bump around 5 kHz or 200 Hz. Range - The distance between the lowest and highest tones. Resolution (or Resolving) - See Definition Rich - See Full. Also, having euphonic distortion made of even order harmonics. Roll-off (Rolloff) - The gradual attenuation that occurs at the lower or upper frequency range of a driver, network, or system. The roll-off frequency is usually defined as the frequency where response is reduced by 3 dB. Round - High frequency rolloff or dip. Not edgy. Rhythm - The controlled movement of sounds in time. Saturation - The point at which a magnetic tape is fully magnetized and will accept no more magnetization. Seismic - Very low bass that you feel rather than hear. Shrill - Strident, Steely. Sibilant (or Sibilance) - "Essy", exaggerated "s" or "sh" sounds in vocals. Sibilant sounds carry most of their energy through the 4Khz to 8Khz range, but can extend to 10kHz, depending on the individual. Sibilance is often heard on radio. Sizzly - See Sibilant. Also, too much highs on cymbals. Smeared - Lacking detail; poor transient response, too much leakage between microphones; poorly focused images. Smooth - Easy on the ears, not harsh. Flat frequency response, especially in the midrange. Lack of peaks and dips in the response. Snap - A system with good speed and transient response can deliver the immediacy or "snap" of live instruments. Soundstage - The area between two speakers that appears to the listener to be occupied by sonic images. Like a real stage, a soundstage should have width, depth, and height. Spacious - Conveying a sense of space, ambiance, or room around the instruments; stereo reverb; early reflections. Speed - A fast system with good pace gives the impression of being right on the money in its timing. Steely - Emphasized upper mids around 3 to 6 kHz. Peaky, non flat high frequency response. See Harsh, Edgy. Strident - See Harsh, Edgy. Sturdy - Solid, powerful, robust sound. Sub-Bass - The audio frequencies between about 20Hz and 80Hz. Sweet - Not strident or piercing. Delicate. Flat high frequency response, low distortion. Lack of peaks in the response. Highs are extended to 15 or 20 kHz, but they are not bumped up. Often used when referring to cymbals, percussion, strings, and sibilant sounds. Telephone Like - See Tinny. Texture - A perceptible pattern or structure in reproduced sound. Thick - A lack of articulation and clarity in the bass. Thin - Fundamentals are weak relative to harmonics; bass light. Tight - Good low frequency transient response and detail. Timbre - The tonal character of an instrument Timing - A sense of precision in tempo. Tinny - Narrowband, weak lows, peaky mids. The music sounds like it is coming through a telephone or tin can. Tone - The sound of definite pitch. Transient - The leading edge of a percussive sound. Good transient response makes the sound as a whole more live and realistic. Transparent - Easy to hear into the music, detailed, clear, not muddy. Wide flat frequency response, sharp time response, very low distortion and noise. A hear through quality that is akin to clarity and reveals all aspects of detail. Treble - The highest part of music and voice. See Highs. (Most often used when referring to the treble control on amplifiers). Tubby - Having low frequency resonances as if you're singing in a bathtub. See bloated. Upper Midrange (Upper Mids, High Mids) - The audio frequencies between 2 kHz and 6 kHz. Veiled - Like a silk veil is over the speakers. Slight noise or distortion or slightly weak high frequencies. Loss of detail due to limited transparency. Warm - Good bass, adequate low frequencies, adequate fundamentals relative to harmonics. Not thin. Also excessive bass or mid bass. Also, pleasantly spacious, with adequate reverberation at low frequencies. Also see Rich, Round. Warm highs means sweet highs. Wet - A reverberant sound, something with decay. Opposite of Dry. Weighty - Good low frequency response below about 50 Hz. A sense of substance and underpinning produced by deep, controlled bass. Suggesting an object of great weight or power, like a diesel locomotive. Woolly - Loose, ill-defined bass. |
We are waiting for the first people to start posting about their fantastic Systems treated with Total Contact. I will probably wait to order for at least a year. Polymer? That is something that I have been using on the hulls of my Ocean Kayaks. Don’t think that I want to use Polymer on my ICs and Speaker connections. I am definitely waiting. At least 9 weeks before we hear from fazee. In the meantime; I will stick to 99% alcohol and pro gold. |
The "Lives of Others" was quite simply one of my favorite films--foreign or domestic-- ever. Brilliant in every way. It won the academy award in 2007 as best foreign film beating out another fine film--"Pan’s Labyrinth". For those who have not seen it, "The Lives of Others" is a must. Frank posted a link to the blu-ray version available new on ebay. There is always too much to do and not enough time. But for any fan of fine films who has not seen this--you will thank Frank for the referral. Guaranteed. I’ve recommended it to a number of cinephiles all of whom have thanked me and shared my opinion. Good call Frank. There is hopefully a little room here for fine arts other than music or the reproduction thereof. |
perfectpathtech, My disposable audio income is depleted after getting a second Ultimate Ground, but Total Contact is next on my list. Yesterday, I was wondering what effect it would have applied to the UGs. I'm not too far from you in Burlington, VT, just a straight shot on I89. I'm thinking I might like to head down for a visit, when the weather gets warmer. |
@tommylion We would love to have you over, yes 120 miles,well worth the trip. Total Contact on the Ultimate Ground wire will multiply the effects a lot. In the meantime something that requires no disposable income. Have you ever tried replacing any of your equipment screws and bolts with solid brass ones? Theaudiotweak suggested I try it starting with the screws in my speakers. I have replaced about 150 so far, for the cost vs yield in performance, nothing comes close. |
Wow man...Brass screws…who knew? "Nothing comes close" including your contact goo? Hmmm... Although maybe the "disposable income" aspect is the key in the "150 brass screws" scenario. Are they "quantum" screws, and do small ones involve micro-screwing? Total Contact is one of the few (forgive me) "Snake Oil" products that resembles actual snake oil. |
If brass is such a great material how come brass cones are way down the list of cones? Oh, wait, did I disturb your concentration?! Let’s see, we got ceramic at the top, then what? High carbon steel. Then aluminum, then brass. The only thing worse than brass is carbon fiber. Do they make even ceramic screws? That’s what I’d like to know about. Do I see a new product on the horizon? 👀 |
Geoff, Brass is the only metal of music in your so called upper echelon of metals or materials. Some shapes you blow about are built of 2 or more materials while ours are made of only one material and hence one coherent shear velocity that is also closer to the velocity of sound in air.. than any solid you tout...Only ours have shape methods designed to reject shear waves from re-entering the area near the point tip from the boundary above or below. Those reflections thru solids that have a mutual boundary create that interfering energy that travels back and forth between those 2 solid material shapes up and down the leg or point thru the speaker or component and left to mastecise unrelieved. None of what you blow about takes these these factors into account certainly not a metal spring wrapped in a prophylactic material. Tom |
mapman Be sure to merely tighten the screws first and see what that alone does before going off the deep end there. Works much like resetting fuses with or without quantum goo. >>>So I take it you don’t buy into the whole magnetism theory of steel screws. Uh, oh, did I just go off the deep end? Quantum goo? So you figured as long as you wanna be on this thread you might as well act like the pseudo skeptic you are? Nice touch! |
Ferrous materials will alter the magnetic flux of moving coils. The fact that they are moving shows that the flux field not only is changed but varies as it moves in and around a stationary ferrous material. So get all that crap away from your tweeters at least... especially the fasteners that hold the dome to the magnetic assembly. More replacement the better. Same goes for power transformers bolts and fasteners.. circuit board standoffs and fasteners. Less interference and lower shear speed from the brass than the steel..Tom |
I’ve reached the 4 week point in application of TC to only my interconnects (it’ll be another 3 weeks for the rest of the system). All of a sudden there is an abundance of micro-details in the music, voices are more legible and the entire sound became more dynamic. My 5 way dynamic speakers remind me of when I had electrostats in terms of quiet detailed musical sounds (my wife hated the Monolith IIIs 20 years ago when we first met because of the limited soundstage, dynamics, beaming highs and limited bass at the time). With the addition of more details and air, there is a greater dynamic range which can be disconcerting. I set the volume for the loudest peak sound now rather than the quieter sounds because I got rudely blasted on two recordings by fortissimos. I also hear a lot more chatter by musicians in jazz recordings. The significantly increased legitability of singers has me concentrating and enjoying the lyrics more. This is my third post on the benefits of TC. It keeps getting more interesting and musically better. I have a suggestion. Buy it, use only enough to treat your main audio system (which should be under 10% of a syringe). If you don’t like it, clean your contacts off and resell the remaining 90% on audiogon or ebay for half price. You’ll only be out about $150, or have a friend try it, or try it on your video equipment. The only way to know how good it is in your audio system is to try it based on this forum’s positive experiences. Don’t post negative comments unless you’ve tried it. |
^^^ Thanks again gpgr4blu .... looking forward to getting the film. Like you, I’ve shown The Lives of Others" many times to friends and recommended it to anyone who will listen. Its an important film in view of today’s political climate in our own country where the NSA has the unconstitutional bureaucratic power to "ease drop" on every American citizen’s phone calls. George Orwell was right ... he just had the year wrong. Take care ... Frank PS: Here's a link for anyone interested: https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Lives-of-Others-Blu-ray-Disc-2007-BRAND-NEW-SEALED/331297692033?epid=61... |
^^^ dbarger ... Tim gives it six months ... but if you keep it in the freezer it will last longer. If you vacuum seal it and then keep it in the freezer it would be the best preservation method. This according to Tim Mrock the producer of the product. I still have the two original tubes that have product in them. I've just had them sitting on a shelf in the listening room. One has been there almost a year and its still fine. Frank |
Post removed |
Tommylion, am I supposed to give up my Campaign Against Audio Hyperbole when the preposterous claims keep piling up? No way man…example from an esteemed audio hat rack aficionado: Louder jazz musician background chatter is enhanced by contact goo, the effect of which, once smeared on the contact, causes (I'm assuming here since I have yet to save enough money from my paper route and Amway ponzi scheme to buy this stuff) electrons to simply continue on their way in the cable…or through the fuse…with altered tonal characteristics. Is that about right? |
@wolf_garcia You'd best get your order in fast before TC is on backorder!😆 Actually, I am also skeptical of the glowing claims made for TC. Sometimes things just sound too good to be true...although I have been pleasantly surprised in the past by how much a simple tweak adjustment to my system really did improve the sound. Honestly wolf, I'm not sure what to make of it. |
Post removed |
HIfiman5…Naturally I’ve also used tweaks to some benefit in my rig, but pretty much everything has had some logical (to me anyway) and reasonable justification…for example, I prefer de-coupling speakers from my wood floors, and I use a carefully controlled application of micro-arcing to dampen jazz musician background yammering and out of control classical fortissimos. I also recently dismantled a pencil and combined the graphite with a thimble of carbon scraped from the seat pod in my McLaren, mixed both with Vaseline, and pasted it on Donny McAslin’s forehead for a show I was mixing…his tone took on astonishing magical properties which was surprising since the goo was running into his eyes and he seemed uncomfortable. Hey…you do what you have to do, and I hope tommylion, a clear arbiter of manners, has appreciated this contribution to the conversation as, of course, inflammatory accusations are unsavory unless aimed at skeptics. |
Post removed |