Tbg,
Did your SR Qauntum fuse sound good immediately or was there a break-in period? I got some recently and in my case they definitely improved with additional hours.I wonder how much this varies with different components and systems.
Regards, |
The Synergistic Research Quantum fuses have dampening in the center but still benefit from the Quantum Chips. I also use tape to hold them on but some equipment with IEC fuse trays hold the fuse so tightly that this is impossible. I have found you can attach the Chip after the fuse is in the tray. |
I have just put one of these on my Zyx Universe cartridge and it took a couple of hours until it was in full song: the increase in field depth and clarity is astounding, indeed |
I have just put one of these on my Zyx Universe cartridge and it took a couple of hours until it was in full song: the increase in field depth and clarity is astounding, indeed |
Thanks for the tip, Chuck. That's exactly how I did it, too!
I do have a question for those with the Hi Fi Supreme fuses: did you put them on the metal end (not on the end itself, but the metal part of the fuse that covers the end, or did you keep it entirely on the body part with the text on it? |
Gbmcleod,
I hold the fuse chips in place with just enough cellophane tape to wrap around the fuse once.
Chuck |
Tbg:
Thanks for the insight. My chips arrived today: both the fuse and speaker "chips."
I agree with Lacee that the directionality of fuses is more obvious with the chips. I have the HiFi Supremes and I most definitely heard the difference in directionality of the fuses with the WA Quantum chips on them. I could hear it even before placing the chips on them (they sure don't stick easily!), but it was more obvious WITH the chips on them.
I also agree with Ozzy point #6: "The speaker chips work pretty well, but the placement on your speakers matters." I put them vertically and horizontally, and, listening to Renee Fleming's Handel recording, her voice flattened out and lost subtle dynamic shadings when I placed the chip on the top half of my speaker horizontally. I was non-plussed and removed it, and her voice came back to life. Then I looked at where I placed it (more like, slapped it on) on the other speaker and duplicated its placement. This worked better. I also noticed that when I let it sit for a few minutes and played the same cut again, the woodwinds were more vivid.
I have to say, I like the fuse chips the best. The speaker chips, I will, as Tbg suggested, give time to see how they sound tomorrow (if there's any power tomorrow: this is the night of the "Storm of the Century" in the Northeast (MAN, is that snow high: I can't see the wheels of my van!). Actually, I'll listen to them a little later, but they clearly DO sound better, even if played just a few minutes later. Interesting. I saw on another site (or maybe it was this one on another thread) that the perception was that the sound got louder, as though one had turned up the volume controls. Yup. No question about it: about half a decibel, I'd guess, or maybe even a full decibel, but it unquestionably sounds louder. And there IS more weight to instruments, although that may simply be the sense that there's more "push" behind the instruments towards the listening seat (as in jet-propelled, although not quite that dramatic, but you get the idea). Still, "weight" is a good way to describe it.
My only concern is moving the speaker chips around the cabinet of a floorstander. That's a lot of space to cover to find the optimum spot, but vertical placement (on my speakers only) seems preferable to horizontal. I've no idea why that would be, but Fleming's voice was disparagingly deadened - and the voice flattened out, as in a balloon fully inflated, and one half-deflated - when the speaker chip was in the "wrong" spot and horizontally placed. I'll have to play around with it some more).
If I were recommending them, I'd go for the fuse chips, simply because they're cheap. Also, for the snake-oil crowd, empirical evidence beats speculation every time. If a person can spend $11 on popcorn/soda or even just the price of a ticket at a theatre, it would seem to me that spending $7.95 for something that lasts longer, and could actually benefit one's system is a no-brainer (and one doesn't gain weight from the fuse chips, so think of it as dietary supplement).
I can see how a body could miss its effects, though. |
Gbmcleod, don't be too quick in your judgment as they "break in." Wait at least over night. Strangely, I think, they seem to breakin only once. |
These chips remind me of the Combak Resonance Devices that were featured back in TAS in Issue 75/76. I bought them at the time, and put them on my JVC XLZ-1010TN player. What a change in the sonics! It seemed to clear up fuzziness from the sound and allowed rhythms, especially prevalent in jazz music, to set the system on fire, figuratively speaking.
It seems that these chips do the same things, only on different components. Has anyone tried them on a CD player yet?
As for the Shakti online stabilizers, I wondered how they could work. The irony is that I've had The Shakti Stones since 1996 and didn't hear what they did back then. Maybe my ears got better as I got older (nope, just a joke. Really, a real joke: I had my hearing tested and my lower treble range is down a bit). Anyway, perhaps it's that I'm better -- much, much better - at setups, because when I finally bought them (I put them on interconnects and my Shunyata speaker cables across the "=" and "-" leads and I can EASily hear their effect, especially instruments in the back of the soundstage.
I'm no longer surprised by any of the so-called tweaks, but a caveat: placing them is not so easy as to simply put them on a component and think that that's the best place. Tube traps are like that: exceedingly small movements, like nudging them along the wall to the right or left, so small you can barely see that you moved them, has effects completely out of proportion to the "nudge." I aver it is the same with anything that affects resonances. My Finite Elemente Spider Rack's rubber dampers position under a preamp is the difference between hearing the sound a flute creates and hearing the body/instrument itself. and these movements are infinitesimal. Anyone moving a tube trap 1/2" is in Tube Trap 101. 1/60" would be more likely and the ones on top of it can be moved in other directions equally small and will shock you that such tiny increments do what they do (and it's NOT all good, to go against the current slang).
I'm impatiently awaiting my Quantum chips (thought they had arrived tonight, but it was the Otterbox for my Droid. Great, but once I saw what it was, I was bummed).
Waiting, waiting, waiting....but I've no doubt they'll bring more magic to the music than I already have. |
Mg8. I have placed various chips on my Hard drive but I din't notice any change. |
This is an impressive tweak thread - lots of experimentation. Has anyone tried these on a Mac Mini or an external HDD? If so, which chip and where did you put it. I noticed that VHAudio has a "semiconductor" chip but didn't see any mention of it here. |
Tbg , that may be true, but I did not like the sound and a moved them to the Circuit breaker box.
I have a power chip at the top left of the first row of breakers. Across from that on the right, I have a Cable chip at the top row of breakers.
At the bottom of the breakers on the left I placed a Cable chip and on the bottom right another power chip.
I must say I am thus far pretty impressed with this combo and placement.
I actually think my LED TV picture quality that is located outside of the Audio room actually looks better.
I wonder if other appliances throughout the house will benefit with this configuration. Perhaps better energy efficiency? With my luck though they will probable suck more juice and my electric bills will go up... |
Ozzy, in my experience Chips take several days to settle down. |
Well, I placed the new Power chip on my other Audience aR2p-TO unit that my preamp and Amp are plugged into and I think it was too much.
Hard to describe, but the music doesn't seem as relaxed. I also removed the power chip from my other Audience unit that powers my Digital equipment.
I think these chips are too close to the equipment.
Next, I will probably try them at the circuit breaker box. |
I just ordered another power chip for another one of my Audience units. |
Ozzy, I have yet to stick the Power Chip to my HB Cable Designs PowerSlave. Rather it is just sitting on top the PowerSlave. I would not worry about the adhesive on the Power Chips. It is hard to peal some of these Chips off, but they do pull all the adhesive off.
I have added two Transformer Chips on the torodials in my LSA Statement Plus amp with a very great improvement. All of my electronic components have Transformer Chips. I am on hold right now as my listening room is in use as a bedroom for my granddaughters. |
Well, I actually have 3 of the Audience aR2p-TO units.
But yes, apply it before it goes into the Audience unit. Perhaps even on the Audience unit itself would also be ok but I was a little concerned about attaching something stickey to it. |
Ozzy... Where-in you say you "placed the power chip on the iEC just before my Audience Conditioner"... are you saying you placed the power chip on the PowerCon conector? |
Rja, I have a fuse chip on my each of my 3 dedicated circuit outlets, works great there.
For sure the fuse chips are a great starter chip, then I would say the power chip, followed by the large cap chips (if your amp has some large caps). |
Several questions:
1. Has anyone tried a chip on the side of an outlet either in the wall or in a power strip?
2. If one were to try 2 or 3 chips only, which would be most advantageous? |
Ozzy, hmm, serendipity at work. What I actually said was that I put a Power Chip on my power strip at the point that the power cord attaches. My system is out of service for a while as it is my grand daughters' bedroom and will be for seven days.
On a related matter, I finally found a spot on my power panel where the second Power Chip gives an improvement. Since my two dedicated lines were installed last, they are at the bottom of my panel. I scotch taped the Power Chip where the breakers are. |
Following Tbg suggestion, I placed the power chip on the iEC just before my Audience Conditioner.
Bingo! Great powerful music. |
What a great hobby! One guy does back flips over
something that yields little or no improvement for someone else!
I started with one Power Chip on a Furutech strip,
and really liked it. Adding another Chip to the
breaker box, and another to the cable from the main power box leading into the house, dramatically improved the sound.
I have not found that the Power Chips are very sensitive to placement changes. I have not experienced any break in period. Being in Maryland, where we can get 30+ days of 90 degree weather, I have simply turned the Chip "upside down"
on the outside cable (western exposure), so that it is somewhat shielded from the elements, and faces the ground. I have not noticed any difference in the sound under different weather conditions, like rain.
Then, there is the question, "What to add, or subtract?"
If you are adding a tweak that is making an improvement, is it worthwhile to subtract or take away other things that have been in place, and have been working well? Conversely, if you are adding something and not really experiencing a positive result, does it make sense to remove the tweaks that are already in place?
At least with friends or family members at a holiday gathering, you might have an idea of who mixes well with others. (And who doesn't!) In the audio world, an open
mind, and open ears, are your best allies... agreed? |
Tbg, thanks for the response. I have found that 2 Cable chips on my Circuit breaker seem to add more dynamics, but I couldn't discern any change with just the Power chip.
Perhaps, I need to experiment further with its placement. |
Davidpritchard, your experience with instruments means that it is vibrations that are being effected not electrons. I had an experience in NM that suggests otherwise. I had put one of the ic Chips on and enjoyed the improvement. Later that evening while still enjoying the sound, I noticed that the chip on one ic was just hanging from one corner. As the sound was not affected, I assume this meant some non-vibration impact. But on speakers I have found that scotch tape is inadequate for attachment. The Chip needs to be directly attached. Finally, the new Power Chip just sitting on my HB power strip has a big effect. I have yet to directly attach the Chip.
Sgordon, I am going to try you outside use of the Power Chip. How do you protect yours from the weather? |
Ozzy, I have two Power Chips. One has been outstanding on my new HB Cable Designs PowerSlave power strip at the IEC plug. I have tried three positions on my power panel without being at all satisfied. Mine in inserted into the wall. I have tried inside on the top, on the particular breakers, and under them in the unused area. I have also tried it on the wall outlet.
The one on the power strip is so musical, real, dynamic, and sweet that I am most satisfied to just use it. This maybe the most effective Chip. Of course, I have not removed the others, so it maybe just the final brick in the wall.
I have continually found these WAQuantum Chips breakin. Initially the bass is boomy and ill defined and the top end is just not there. Three hours later they are much better and two days later, divine. |
Well I placed the "Power chip" on the side of the Main Power Breaker.
Is that The best place?
I wonder if it needs to be touching metal such as on the circuit breaker box...
Those of you with the power chip, your advise is appreciated. |
Placing a WA fuse chip on top of one end of a standard fuse did make an audible improvement.
I took out a pair of Supremme fuses I was using in my Acoustat servo amps and re-inserted the two stock fuses without the chips.
The sound was less focused and a bit shrill.
Adding the WA chips to the stock fuses improved the sound,and made the stock fuse sound more like the sound the amps had with the Supreme fuses.
Sounds too good to be true doesn't it?
I then took the chips off one amp only and listened.
The sound of the amp without the chips again sounded more grainy, less smooth than the amp with the chips.
I was about to try the Nano fuses,but I think I'll quit where I am at and enjoy the sound as it is.
This has to be the cheapest ,most effective tweak I've ever experienced. |
Just ordered a Power chip, $99 bucks! Is the best place on the main circuit breaker? |
Sgordon, your TVs is clearer too.
Agree the powerful is influential on my system. Have another 4 on order. I'm going to try the too many approach but not take em out. Will balance out the sound by using other types of chips.
3 on my line breaker was very dramatic but closed in the sound. A byproduct of more focussed sound?
I got a quartzcrystal and some silk absorber on the mains coming into the house. Misteriously they have vanished!
I guess the meterman was wondering what the crap and removed them. Unknown the powerchip is to costly to risk that. |
I have placed a Power Chip on the rigid hose-like cable that runs from the electic meter/box to the wall of the house. IMO, this is the best chip value, and most influential location. Picture available on request...
What else can you do to do your system, OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE OR OFFICE, and before the music hits your ears, that so favorably impacts what you will be hearing? |
The WA web site states there is an audible change with pianos. I would put it on the piano's soundboard. Professional drummer Drew Hubbard just tried the chip on his drum set- tom-tom an audible change, the kick drum -no change.
Also interesting is the effect of Synergistic Research's Quantum Tunneling. There is a significant change to the sound of acoustic instruments when their strings are treated. I have heard the change on cello strings, viola strings, and Fender Strarocaster electric guitar strings.. |
"How would you reckon the chip will work on say a grand piano with such size? Stick the instrument chip on the body, external, internal, on some keys. seems to complex to grasp where it would have its effect."
Take something relatively simple, say a flute. How does the chip affect the sound? I.e., what is the operating mechanism? Or a bass drum - what would be the operating mechanism? |
thats fasinating! How would you reckon the chip will work on say a grand piano with such size.
stick the instrument chip on the body, external, internal, on some keys. seems to complex to grasp where it would have its effect. |
Wa Quantum Chips and Musical Instrument Effects.
I have previously posted my results for the Quantum Chips at Audio Assylum-Tweeks forum. In summary on my two audio systems (1)speaker and (2) headphone, there was a significant change but not one that I cared for long term.
I also ordered an instrument chip and here are the results.
With the help of noted professional musician Jason Reed of the rock group the "Liars", the chip was placed on an acoustic guitar. Immediate and noticeable change. "The good gualities of this guitar's tone are made better with the chip attached". The chip was taken off the next day and placed on a second guitar and then the original test guitar. A decrease in effect was heard (which puzzled all listeners) with both guitars, but a lesser effect was still present.
Next the same chip was placed on the viola of Ron Smith of the El Paso Texas Symphony. A decrease in lower vibrations (bass) was heard but note decay was prolonged. He felt the chip might be useful for a soloist but would make a group player's instrument stand out.
For the past two weeks the chip has been on my son's viola (high school player). The viola's sound is shifted upward with a prolongation of note decay. He feels the effect the last few days has become stronger.
These chips are fascinating to say the least.
David Pritchard |
Agreed that power chip is the very effective but characteristic may make it sound more closed in i.e result of more focus. this may result in other chips tto come to play to open and smoothen the sound.
it soynd clearly more ballsy and full sounding than the other types of chips. thats way im going to have spare chips to fine tune may be the way to go. again system dependent. imo power chip may sound hard and harsh in a system that sound on the raw side already. |
From dealer for the WA Quantum Chip:
"Chips that have been cut or otherwise opened up to expose the interior treated material are explicitly excluded from this Guarantee."
It would appear that cutting or otherwise exposing the interior quantum material exposes the material to light, which would change the nature of the quantum material over time, just as the number if treatments of the original Intelligent Chip was limited due to repeated bombardment by the CD laser. The WA Chip sandwich material is almost certainly some sort of polycarbonate film or similar IR blocker that protects the quantum material inside the sandwich from exposure to sunlight, room lighting and laser light.
Cutting the WA Chip allows light to enter through the edge of the chip, changing it's functional characteristic. It's also possible the sandwich material is not 100% lightproof so that a sufficient amount of light permeates the film over a period of time - especially in proximity to a CD laser - to change the functional characteristics of the quantum material. |
Ok, makes sense.
So, you are using some of the chips with the Qol? I had the Transformer and Cap chips on it for a while but I have recently removed them but I don't recall hearimg any hiss. |
Very happy with the Power Chip on the inside of my circuit breaker box panel. I have fuse, cable, and transformer chips, and the Power Chip
has proven to be the best, IMO. I had experimented with moving the chips around, and trying them in different applications (cable chip on a transformer, for example), and was not happy with the results.
Maybe I will try a Power Chip outside the house, like where the
utility lines come in? |
Sorry, I meant it's as if i added another QOL.
Love what the QOL it does but the hiss does annoy me. The hiss has become clearer now that the chips are installed. |
Justubes2, Are you saying you added another Qol unit? |
Ozzy,
Its as i have added another qol, more there with greater refinement.
The darn background hiss seems clearer and more appearent.
Did you encounter this as well. |
Hey, i just done my last order of chips in 10's of the various kinds.
imo, dont, different chips sound different. I experienced the same problem from the cable chips on the wrong cable, details, yes, smooth but lacks dynamic.
I cut a large cap chip into quarters hoping to save some, didnt work-i may may messed that chip up. It just sounds different and lost the impact.
like i mentioned try the new power chip, it gives the sound a pronounced kick and yes i just placed them on top of the power connector. Way different from a cable chip. Go figure.
I am now just going take my time to experiment i have enough chips and will have some extras to tweak, dont bet on returning them. Ill just see where to fit them slowly . im sure they will fall in place.
An extra $200 worth of chip when i'm done (i guess) will be just to do fine tuning. I really don't need any more, it's already overkill with the number of chips i have now. Well, any of my footer cost that already. The best part is that when they work in the right place, they improve in a direction that doesn't mess up the sound as much as a wrong footer , cable etc.
I think the bigger the chip is better. I was short of 1 transformer chip and tried a capacitor chip on the same location on my other speaker. Didn't work for me.
I would recommend a mix of all various chips since they all sound different and now im talking about a correct mix of all of the various chips that brings synergy.
I encountered at each step, when an extra one starts seemly wrong (though still a having a very noticeable difference), adding a different chip elsewhere solves it (rebalances the sonics) and leave the sound at a new higher level.
I'm now looking into the Nordost Quantum QV2 /Kemp QA plug, im totally impressed with this nano / quantum suff. Freakly Amazin'.
I've retired a whole bunch of Oyaide plugs taken now, they just seem to make a too huge a difference and sometimes in the wrong sonic direction. The effects of these chips are pronounced but to me improves in the right or linear magnitude. It's just such a nice icing on the cake.
I guess these chips work fantastically as a final step when the sound of ones system is correctly done. These chips make taking the guesswork and headaches out of adding tweaks which may or may not make a nice difference and end taking wild stabs in the quest of perfection.
Just my 2 cents! |
Now that my 2 channel system is satisfied and set with the chips, I now have turned to my home theater equipment.
My Denon Reciever has 6 fuses. I only have the small capacitor chips left, do you think they can take the place of the fuse chips? They really look physically the same. |
Ozzy, its good that you have not given up on the chips.
Baffling stuff, knowing they work, i still cant imagime how it will work on a piano.
There are 2 new chips, the power and semiconductor chips.
I have used both, together with a no risk trial of the whole range of these "stickers".
So far, negatives need rebalancing of the sound with other types of chips or tweaks. Keep an open mind and tweak on.
The ic chips in my palyers shows no ill effects as described by yourself. But agree that too many same chips in a system requires a rebalance of the Sound by tweaking elsewhere or using a different chip.
What is that i found each chip doesnt have a different characteristic. The flattening of the sound imho, the cable chips which are easiest to use can sound flat and overly smooth once you have a good number in the system.
With one cable chil on each cable didnt work for me, the last interconnect beside having them on all pc's flattened the sound.
Heres where the lower chip comes in, it sound more bombastic and fleshed out. Now when i reintroduce the last ic with the cable chip, brilliant!
Adding another power chip improved it further. Now came the 3rd and last power chip i had. It added further to the solidity, but now the staging sounds more closed in and vocal show some grain and hardness. Here where i add another cable chip to the ic and this smooths out the sound again.
In regards to speakerchips, specifically adding a capacitor chip on the woofers cap gave it better lows and shifting it where the midrange cap is located, the midbass improve, likewise a transformer chip at the location of the woofers inductor was nice as well. These were place outside the speaker know the specific location of the parts.
I didnt experiment much with the fuse chips, besides the cdp, they just went in and i didnt notice anything detrimental. Their effect is nice but smaller compared to the larger chip. Size does matter! Maybe 2 or 3 chips per fuse brings more benefits.
Now, how many more capacitor abd inductor chips to i need. Its crazy so far. I just keep ordering, the total on each order makes me think again as the price add up so quickly. |
Ok, I have had plenty of time playing with these chips in various configurations and now I am able to conclude that;
1. The fuse chips were a positive on every component that they were placed.
2. Chips at the circuit breaker are a plus. I use a cable chip on the main circuit breaker and 3 fuse chips on the dedicated breakers to my Audio system.
3. Large solid state Power Amps and perhaps Preamps benefit with Transformer and Large Capacitor chips.
4. The chips of any kind on digital equipment (except the fuse chips) suck the life out of the music.
5. On my system with my HIDiamond cables the cables chips were too over powering and flattened the image.
6. The speaker chips work pretty well, but the placement on your speakers matters.
7. Too many chips in the whole system can degrade the sound by flattening the images.
This is how the chips performed in my system, and I hope it helps anyone else interested in these chips to aid as a starting point for their system. |
|
Raytheprinter wrote,
"Does the fact that these artificial atoms have a ,,,empty hole where a nucleus is in a real atom as opposed a real nucleus make a difference?
The artificial atoms emit coherent light, unlike real atoms. It's a quantum confinement thing, I.e., Broglie wavelength. Like a CD laser (as I said before).
"Geoff, What is the name of this big company you work with?"
That's between me and my hairdresser. |
Does the fact that these artificial atoms have a ,,,empty hole where a nucleus is in a real atom as opposed a real nucleus make a difference? Geoff,What is the name of this big company you work with ? |
Geoffkait,
I have totally given up on them thanks. |
