Demagnetization or magnets. What to do? I'm so confused. But seriously magnets can be good it all comes down to location, location, location. Some magnetic fields such as those produced by transformers and self inflicted by cables carrying current are not too good. I use magnets in at least one product now that I think about it.
Using Magnets
I imagine there are at least a few audiophiles out there who use magnets in their systems. Would you like to share your experiences? I should preface my remarks by saying that magnets alone will not create an audio silk purse. I have over 40 room treatment devices of various kinds that work synergistically with the dozens of magnets in my system. It has taken a lot of time and effort to integrate the magnets with all of these devices and the system's components.
First off, for those who have not experimented using magnets, the rewards can be astonishing. I have been using magnets in my system for years. I have also made cables with magnets. I introduced Grover Huffman to the idea of using magnets and other important elements. We were partnered in 2013 in a project that never came to fruition.
Anyone can experiment with N50 or N40 neodymium magnets for 50 cents apiece for the 1/8" x 1/2" discs. All you need to do is put some Blu Tack on the back of a few magnets with the attracting side bare. Then go around your system and place the magnets on the ends of various cords and wires. If you do this methodically you may find an amazing improvement in SQ. Too many magnets may choke the sound. So, you will need to go back and forth with this trial and error method to find out what works and what does not work for you.
For power cords, you can fit cylindrical neodymium magnets inside IECs and plugs on your power cords. This gives excellent results in many cases. The cumulative effect of all these system changes can be an amazing transformation in SQ. My system has been transformed by the use of magnets. If you get similar results you may wonder if highly-touted and extremely expensive brand name cords and wires that use magnets are really worth the price.
I prefaced my remarks by saying there are more than a few audiophiles out there experimenting with magnets. Unfortunate, I believe there are too few who dare to go it alone to try to optimize their systems with magnets. The tendency is to defer to those who have been producing cables for a living and who have garnered a reputation. Those who do dare to step outside the audio box may find the rewards exceed their expectations, for a very reasonable cost. This has been is my personal experience.
First off, for those who have not experimented using magnets, the rewards can be astonishing. I have been using magnets in my system for years. I have also made cables with magnets. I introduced Grover Huffman to the idea of using magnets and other important elements. We were partnered in 2013 in a project that never came to fruition.
Anyone can experiment with N50 or N40 neodymium magnets for 50 cents apiece for the 1/8" x 1/2" discs. All you need to do is put some Blu Tack on the back of a few magnets with the attracting side bare. Then go around your system and place the magnets on the ends of various cords and wires. If you do this methodically you may find an amazing improvement in SQ. Too many magnets may choke the sound. So, you will need to go back and forth with this trial and error method to find out what works and what does not work for you.
For power cords, you can fit cylindrical neodymium magnets inside IECs and plugs on your power cords. This gives excellent results in many cases. The cumulative effect of all these system changes can be an amazing transformation in SQ. My system has been transformed by the use of magnets. If you get similar results you may wonder if highly-touted and extremely expensive brand name cords and wires that use magnets are really worth the price.
I prefaced my remarks by saying there are more than a few audiophiles out there experimenting with magnets. Unfortunate, I believe there are too few who dare to go it alone to try to optimize their systems with magnets. The tendency is to defer to those who have been producing cables for a living and who have garnered a reputation. Those who do dare to step outside the audio box may find the rewards exceed their expectations, for a very reasonable cost. This has been is my personal experience.
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I use neodymium magnets rings in interconnects and power cords with good results. Background is darker, high is smoother and overall sound spectrum is more detail. Over use it can reduce harmonics and fast rolls off. I don't know if I hear less coloration or what? It synergizes with my system anyway. Sam |
Geoffkait, I have dreamed of some of these places. I use magnets on power cord plugs and windows. I also make my own "tweaks" that incorporate magnets. The results are stunning -- so stunning that I have been thinking about trying to commercialize my prototype. Once I test them in some systems in Singapore later this year I will know more. |
Sabai, wouldn't it be nice if everything was nice and simple and just attaching magnets to just about everything solved all the woes of audiophiles? The problem is that things are never that simple. In fact, would you believe that the color of the magnet is important. Yes, you can get results with plain old magnets, and they don't have to be powerful magnets, they can be be ordinary mildly magnetic ceramic magnets. But the color is key to best results. Here is the basic color key: blue for steel and circuit boards, red for power cord plugs and aluminum and green for glass, and any or all colors for wood. |
Hey, just saw these snap together cylinder magnets.. I bought a few and will be trying them on my power cords. Will report back! https://supermagnetman.com/search?q=M5051_N52 |
I use magnetic appliqués on the front and back of my Clever Little Clock, the appliqués used to be orange, now they’re holographic foil "blocks." By the way Mr. Clock is in its fourth version and celebrating its 15th anniversary. Thus, I submit magnetism and time must be related in some way. I’ll leave the explanation to the student. As I mentioned previously somewhere plain vanilla ceramic or neodymium magnets are most powerful - wherever you use them - if they are painted the color that corresponds to the particular application. For example steel corresponds to blue, aluminum to red, glass to green, etc. |
I got some Japanese filters for both speaker wires and power cords. I thought that they had magnets in them but it might be empty space as I could tell no difference. Memory damage keeps me from naming them but they are from that Japanese Co with weird and very expensive acceries. These were around $50 or so so I tried them. I still have them somewhere so I will post them on here if and when I find them! |
The most wonderful things happen once you realize that (1) magnets improve the sound when placed on any and all wood items, (2) magnets should be placed on windows and sliding glass doors, (3) magnets should be placed on all aluminum and steel chassis as well as all metal things and (very important) (4) the sound is sometimes influenced by things not directly or even indirectly connected to the audio signal(!). The next most wonderful thing that happens is when you color the magnets according to material, as I already described earlier in the thread. The humble and ubiquitous 3/4 round disc ceramic magnets lend themselves to such projects and can be spray painted white, then spray painted color of choice. This gives nice bright true color. Allow for dry times. The magnets don’t have to be super strong, the relatively weak ceramic jobs are terrific. |
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Magnets on windows, bookcases, et al.....I suspect its not the magnetism of the magnet, but the mass that's changing the resonant frequency. I have a very large listening room with high ceilings ( a bear for proper listening), but I have some stones, and other junk in corners, etc. which work for that very purpose. |
stringreen Magnets on windows, bookcases, et al.....I suspect its not the magnetism of the magnet, but the mass that’s changing the resonant frequency. I have a very large listening room with high ceilings ( a bear for proper listening), but I have some stones, and other junk in corners, etc. which work for that very purpose. >>>>Of course the theory that it’s the mass, not the magnetism, can be easily disproved by careful experimentation. It should be obvious in the case of a wood bookcase filled with books, for example. (Books are also wood products, by the way, and should also be treated with magnets.) The mass of a small thin ceramic magnet is what, a millionth of the total mass of the bookcase? Same holds true for a large wood table or sofa with a wood frame. If it doesn’t make sense it’s not (rpt not) true. To be thorough, one could substitute an equal mass of some non-magnetic material for the magnet just to test the theory. This logic holds for large glass windows and sliding glass doors as well: the mass of the small thin ceramic magnet is insignificant compared to the mass of the glass. This is not (rpt not) to say that some low mass devices can affect the sound, things like Marigo constrained layer VTS dots. And my own Flying Saucers for Windows that weigh almost nothing! Furthermore, placing magnets, especially COLORED MAGNETS, on objects in OTHER ROOMS - even rooms not (rpt not) close to the listing room - improves the sound in the listening room. Since the rooms are some distance away the possibility that resonance is involved is slim to nil. So, to summarize for the case of using small light magnets on things like wood and glass, it’s not (rpt not) resonance control and it’s not (rpt not) affecting the audio signal. Then what in the wide world of sports is going on?! geoff kait machina dynamica |