Buddha
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How about a "Where are they now?" list of tweaks...
mjalazard
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Cable lifters, cryogenics, and quarters glued to woofer cones...oh my!

papaned
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I use three of your listed tweaks to great advantage, and these are still sold nationally;

Mpingo discs on my walls-I have had lots of fun watching people's reactions to A/B comparisons. These have transformed my 12X18 sound room.

Green pens and CD demagnetizers-I treat all my CD's with these two after careful listening tests years ago.

ludwigvan968
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I remember the quaters on the speakers, the LP Zapper, the CD cutter, 12gauge monster cable, the X-10 Tube Stage, those things you would put on the back of a speaker u could order from audio advisor, all those gooks they sold to put on your systems connections...

well that is my contribution:)

papaned
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You can't possibly be referring to the Musical Fidelity X-10v3 output tube interface in your list of [useless] tweaks, are you ?

res0goan
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double that.....

ludwigvan968
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Well I was refering to the original, but also the current one as well, though it may make a "difference" the idea of adding a tube buffer stage as a upgrade is more of a band aid then something that is suppose to make your system sound more musical. Instead of buying a buffer stage get the right CD player in the first place!

You might argue that a good CD player with a buffer stage will sounds better then X CD player that cost X more, however that doesn't make the CD player plus tube stage better then a properly designed CD player. For example lots of people said the marantz CD 63 SE player with the original X-10 was better then many 1500-2000 dollar CD players, however I would argue that a Rega Planet is better then many 1500-2000 and can keep the tune and rhythm better then the said X-10 combo!

papaned
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Are you opining from personal experience by auditioning the X-10v3 in your system or are you just hypothesizing ? I find your statements incredible !

ludwigvan968
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I am hypothesizing from hearing many tube stages on CD players. People like them because they add the "tube" sound to their system, however this has nothing to do with your hifi playing music better, it just has an effect of adding "space, depth and warmth" to your hifi. I have found in general that tubes lack the ability to play the tune and keep the rhythm. My problem with the X-10 and products like it is that it is adding things to the signal that weren't originally there. It is like adding a plate glass in between two other planes, yes it might have a cool "effect", but shouldn't the first two planes be proper so you do not need an "effect"?

papaned
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I don't know what you have heard but I couldn't disagree with you more.
First of all, what's wrong with "space, depth and warmth" if it's done properly. These are typically very desireable goals for audiophiles [last I checked].And your comment that tubes "lack the ability to play the tune and keep the rhythm " is utter nonsense. That isn't even worth a rebuttal.
I inserted the X-10v3 [unity gain] into my solid state CD- based system containing a Placette passive volume controller [Stereophile rated "A']. It did nothing but restore the dynamic drive of an active preamp through impedence matching, preserved the original utter clarity of the Placette, and added the most wonderful indescribeable sound denied w/o exception by solid state. I chose the latter for ease of maintenance. Now I feel that I have the best of both worlds.

ludwigvan968
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sorry I forgot to sign in.

commsysman
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"tubes not accurate???" I suggest you should audition the Audio Research LS16 mark II preamp if you want to hear the last word in musical accuracy, from the 'LIVE' sound of a tympani or bass drum or string bass to the massed sound of female voices in the Beethoven mass. No 'euphonic" or masked sound there; just absolute accuracy!!!

CECE
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Nope VanAlstine Ultra hybrid stuff and Omegastar EX, for mortal prices also.

nrchy
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I'll probably get run out of here on a $4000 pair of speaker cables, but I bought a computer a year or so ago that burned CDs. A few months ago I thought it might be fun to try burning some else.

I burned several discs, but when I tried to use them in my truck they skipped A LOT! During the Wisconsin winter the discs got cold, well below freezing. After this happened the discs stopped skipping! Why did this happen???

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