Gee, it’s almost like folks around these parts haven’t quite figured out how the internet works. When it comes to Audio Forums and those pesky little naysayer scamps, everything always starts with the very best of intentions, very idealistic like, but pretty soon the General Rule is, Build it and they will Come. 😀 Once they get a foothold in your house it’s almost impossible to get rid of them. 😛
Snake oil and tweaks that work!
This is in no way intended to bring out argument but discussion of tweaks people have tried and have found success with. I know there are at least 50% of you out there that think everything in audio is snake oil, and you are initialed to those opinions. Please don't make this your battle field! If you want to start an opposing thread calling us nuts and getting in arguments please do, it might be fun to have both going. I want this one to be an informational for people who want to try things. I for one have tried a lot of the recommendations in Stereophile each month, most don't work for me, but I have found a few things that do work. #1 tweak: Speaker location. Even a 1/16" can make all the difference. I try to play with this about every six months. A dedicated circuit from the panel with 10ga. wire had a very noticeable improvement. Cables and wires matter, some have been good for my system, some real bad. We have plenty of threads covering this so lets no go there. The "Bedini Ultra Clarifier" works amazingly well for me, I know it's crazy but it works! The Cardas caps I got for X-mas really worked, they produced a more quite background, go figure. Black Diamond Racing "the Puck and the Shelf " have been great improvements, all the different cones I've tried change the sound, I haven't found one I would recommend. The Audio Prism Quiteline filters work great, but power conditioners and RFI/EMI ferrets did nothing. The last thing that has helped me is furniture location, I find if I move something only an inch it can help or hurt. I look forward to hearing others experiences.
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hifiman5 To me, at least, "snake oil" is a pejorative for tweaking.I am inclined to agree. There are a few posters here that seem poised to pounce on subjective evaluations, chiming in with demands for level-matched double blind testing, for example. When contributors here decline, they are taunted with claims of "snake oil" or the other canard: "Confirmation bias." |
@cleeds "Confirmation Bias" is indeed the other attack. I had a neat experience the other evening. I decided to spin Elgar's Enigma Variations on reissued RCA Living Presence LP. I bought the album years ago when a great sale was being run, having read numerous times that it, as a composition, is considered to be a part of what should be in any orchestral music lover's collection. I remember playing it and not enjoying it at all. Playing lots of vinyl lately as I just got a new phono stage. Played it the other night and put down my laptop. It really caught my attention. I was liking the music this time. In fact, I was so surprised by my new reaction to this piece that I played both sides twice. Liked it both times. My "confirmation bias" would work against me liking that LP. If "confirmation bias" played such a great role in my perceptions as some here claim then I should not have enjoyed the Elgar piece. |
Two controversial (at least to those who’ve never tried them) tweaks that have made substantial improvements in my system are: Synergistic Research Quantum Blue Fuses (Yes, they are directional.) Bybee iQSEs (internal Quantum Signal Enhancers) On the less controversial side, the GutWire Ultimate Ground Cable may be the single best tweak I've tried, so far. |
My favs over the past 25 years or so, including ones I never actually tried. Is that wrong? Selected for their perception as Oil of the Snake 🐍 by newbies they’re listed in no particular order, The Icons of Snake Oil Shun Mook Mpingo disc Schumann frequency generator Green Pen Brian Kyle’s Quicksilver Gold Nordost Anti Static spray for CDs, LPs and interconnects Original Intelligent Chip Franck Tchang’s tiny little bowl resonators Brian Kyle’s Liquid Resolution CD treatment Tice Clock PWB Red X Pen PWB Silver Rainbow Foil Pavane Crystal bracelet for CD player Brian Kyle’s Tourmaline Gun WA Quantum Chips Low Fequency High Permeability Mu Metal for big transformers |
jaybe, Yes, I would say the effects are similar. They both lower the noise floor, and work well together. I found the iQSEs work best when placed close to a power transformer. Inside the chassis, if possible/practical, but they still work well placed on the outside. I currently have 6 in my system. I added them one by one, and heard further improvements each time, so be prepared, if you go down that road 😉 |
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Thanks, for the explanation E. I get the picture. Had wondered what the impact on temperature might be (which you addressed). Found some sheets of the black stuff on Amazon. Not very expensive, either. In addition to your usages, I am wondering about using it to help with static buildup on LPs. Fix a small piece to the turntable plinth and have this in light contact with the side of the turntable platter itself. Stick a drain wire in it connected to TT ground. Thanks again. |
