That thread was pretty much useless. Only one or two users had actual experience then the thread degenerated into a discussion of automobiles, ice cream, and personalities.

I followed a link there to the Asylum and also found next to zero useful information. It turned into a metric conversion lesson. Oh, how our high schools have failed.

There is another Stereophile thread under tweaks that talks about famous tweaks that disappeared because they did not live up to their hype. $25 fuses --- another candidate for the "Tweaks Hall of Shame"???

Quote:
I have a thread on another forum about the IsoClean fuses... http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=21347

I'm not sure this would qualify as a "tweak", but I swear my system sounds better after playing tracks 16-27 on Stereophile's Test CD 3 before sitting down for a listening session. My system just seems to have better focus, imaging and a greater spatial quality that continues for the duration of the session.

Call me crazy, but putting the electronics under the stress seems to wake up my gear.

Reading and posting anywhere is crazy ... like, I know

I have been building amps from scratch and buying amps and buying speakers and building speakers and it is all wonderful fun.

Music can take the sting out of even the most wretched failure

Music cannot teach simple humility to the egomaniacs, True Knowledge cannot be taught - anything 8^0

DANGER: DIY heresy! I replaced the coupling capacitors of an old Conair 300 integrated tube amp. Sound cleared up, less congestion. Then ,I bypassed the tone controls ... do I want to play mixing genius or hear the music? I can't do both, well, well, not cheaply ...

The cable isolators or their equivalent are mandatory for a fine system. I've used these for years . I can't imagine any audiophile laying the speaker cables on carpet.

Sounds interesting. I will definitely try it and let you know.

http://signalcable.com/cableriser.html

A most obvious tweak of sorts is to leave your system on. If your listening habits are usually limited to an hour or so and you leave your gear off until you are ready to listen, you aren't hearing the systems full potential.

The tube guys have to compromise and usually power up well in advance of listening. Like before going to work so they can listen that afternoon.

Replacing those old leaky electrolytic capacitors in the crossovrers of one's loudspeakers can help. Using top grade Mundorf, ClarityCap, or Solen can make quite the improvement, especially to the tweeters.

http://www.mundorf.com/english/bauteile/kondensatoren/mcap-suprechts.htm
http://www.claritycap.co.uk/APW.html
http://www.solen.ca/caps/mkp.htm

Hope this helps.

Here's a tweak that costs nothing but your time and energy yet can dramatically affect a system's performance. Check your listening room's primary equipment electrical outlet for a solid mechanical connection. To save time many electrical contractors use the outlet's push-on connection when wiring homes and apartments. Over time these connections can loosen and introduce noise, or at the very least, contribute to less than optimum current transfer and intermittant anomalies with primary system power.

When I moved into my latest home, constructed in the late 70's, I discovered that several of the electrical outlets in various rooms had loose connections. To be safe, more than anything else, I replaced every outlet in my house with new standard grounded outlets. Unlike with the original installation, I mechanicaly formed and reconnected the solid core Romex wire to each outlet's appropriate screwed terminals.

In the case of my primary audio system and secondary HT system, I used dedicated hospital grade outlets which cost a whopping 10 bucks each but are electrically and mechanically superior to generic outlets. I've also got to say that I'm very amused by the vendor ads purporting sonic "improvements" through the use of esorteric metal formulations used in the manufacture of "audio grade" outlets. You've all seen the hype - pullease!

Anyhow, with minimal effort I now not only have safety of mind but enjoy a much improved interface for my systems primary power.

Quote:

Call me crazy, but putting the electronics under the stress seems to wake up my gear.

I agree with you but, I wonder if this has to do with our perception, putting our own hearing under stress or a combination of all three (system, our perception, and our hearing).

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The Best Tweak I have ever tried is Two Clever Little Clocks $255.00 shiped www.machinadynamica.com WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm pretty open to trying tweaks and stuff, but this one really stretches even my limits.

I suspect the guy at Machina Dynamica is having a good laugh at a lot of people...

Post deleted by Stephen_Mejias

Regarding the Clever Little Clock:

What seperates this type of tweak from most of the hundreds of other somewhat crazy tweaks out there (and some are really quite "out there") is that as wild as some of those other tweaks may appear to be at least they make some attempt to tie the proposed improvement back into hard science.

Powered audio cables - alignment of electrons and elimination of interference
Spikes, record mats, weights, etc. - vibration control
Cable lifts - elimination of interference
Green pens - jitter control (I think)
Power cords - cleaner power

There are others but I think you can get my point. The CLC makes no such claim, they just want my money. I refer you to my post of 2/12/06 Jazzfan's Speaker Tuning Devices for my version of the "Little Clock". If there is an interest I'm sure I could work out some sort of deal to market my tuning devices to the audiophile community.

Hey Monty and Jeff,

This is a first, even for Jazzfan! A deleted post! Boy, oh boy! Made my day. Now that's what I call laying down the law around here. I sure told that snake charmer a thing or two, well at least I tired to but I got deleted!!! And I didn't even use no bad words or nothin'.

The guys in the California Raisins Band are going to go nuts (raisins and nuts what a good combination) when they hear about this.

Showoff!

In regards to the Clever little Clock, and jar of pebbles and others from the PWB linup of tweaks

WOW! I had no idea this level of "tweaking" went on to any serious degree.

http://www.stereophile.com/news/10415/

Has a nice take on these PWB electronics.

At least now I feel comfortable about the time I spent debating what amount spent on cables would be a wise investment.

I will say that selling clock or rock innovations at 200 bucks a pop has convinced me that the inventor may well be a genious, though not the kind asserted in the newsletters.

Then again, I could be completely behind the times, and this tweaked out Timex is the greatest thing since rock and roll.

Caveat emptor

Windzilla

Yup, a Rolex will get you a nice little diffuser/absorber to sit next to you naked while you dig your tunes and show off your etchings.

A clever little clock will get you up in time for work.

Which would YOU prefer?

That clever clock thing is hawt!!!

I'm going to start carrying one in my pocket when I'm walking in the park by that guy with the boombox... he'll be like "whoa, what happened, this sounds GREAT all of the sudden!!!".

At the airport, I'll be the pied piper of Ipod users...

It's all I can do to keep from filing a complaint with the State Attorney General's Office. Hell, I might do it anyway.

Is this humor or trolling?

You're actually making me miss the pokercasino569 posts.

Ah, so trolling it is.

Costs will vary, based on location and DIY ability, but I replaced the breakers, wire and outlets for all of my system. I did all the work myself. If I was smarter I would have shut the power off coming into the box, but it's hard to work in the dark. I have three seperate circuits, two for the amp, and one for the front end.

I used the best breakers I could find for the type of box in my house. The cables are 10ga romex, but I ran a seperate 10 ga wire for the ground and didn't use the ground wire in the romex. The outlets are PS Audio, but if I had it to do again, I would buy Porter Ports.

People will say this was a waste of money and makes no difference since NEMA doesn't know what an Audiophile grade outlet is, but for the money I spent, I'd do it again.

This provided a blacker background and tighter bass, and more isloation within the soundstage. Total cost was about $200-250. Not free, but not expensive either.

Dup, Dup, Dup...you know you can't hide behind "anonymous." The bad spelling gives you away. More name dropping, obscure number-mongering, and fumbling with pseudo-esoteric references to higher authority. Nrchy's rewired AC is certainly the envy of ME. I wish I could do that stuff...if I tried, tomorrow's headline in the LA Times would read, "Idiot Tweaker Crucifies Self on Power Transformer, Knocks out Major Grid." Or some such. Hey, Nrchy, which end of this *&%#!>$ screwdriver do I hold? Can I hire somebody to do the stuff you describe?...I'll pay him an extra $500 just to keep from turnin' meself into a Clifton-kabob. You're my hero. As for YOU, DUP, you can run, but not hide. Cheers and happy tunes, Clifton.

Quote:
Regarding the Clever Little Clock:

What seperates this type of tweak from most of the hundreds of other somewhat crazy tweaks out there (and some are really quite "out there") is that as wild as some of those other tweaks may appear to be at least they make some attempt to tie the proposed improvement back into hard science.

Powered audio cables - alignment of electrons and elimination of interference
Spikes, record mats, weights, etc. - vibration control
Cable lifts - elimination of interference
Green pens - jitter control (I think)
Power cords - cleaner power

There are others but I think you can get my point. The CLC makes no such claim, they just want my money. I refer you to my post of 2/12/06 Jazzfan's Speaker Tuning Devices for my version of the "Little Clock". If there is an interest I'm sure I could work out some sort of deal to market my tuning devices to the audiophile community.

Alignment of electrons!? Why don't you get a whistle and teach them to march? That should keep them lined up.
Are you for real?

This guy gets around. He's posted to just about every audio site on the planet. I wouldn't take one of those clocks for free.

In one of his 'disclaimers,' he states that he can't guaranty the clock will be the same as pictured in his advertisements, but assures the buyer that the circuitry will be similar. I took that to mean that Wal Mart may run short every now and again and a substitution has to be found...perhaps at Target.

Wasn't hiding, FORGOT to login. If you do not know what NEMA is, or UL listings etc for a purpose, etc etc. If you do not know what NM is, or Romex, or wiring devices etc don't argue. There is no such NEMA listing or UL listing for "audio" grade wiring devices. Matt o' fact go to teh NEMA website or UL and see what you find for "audio" grade wiring devices, I don't think it will be wall outlets or cord caps or other power devices. I could be wrong but see what you find. If you do not know the difference between THHN or TXWN or UL LISTED or the non exixtent UL "APPROVED" like I seen in a recent full page colorful fancy impressive ad for some magic wire. UL doesn't "aprrove" anything. Does ETL?

Clifton the general rule of thumb is, point the sharp end away from you

Nothing I did was very difficult. 10ga wire can be hard to run, but being in the basement, and temporarily between ceilings took some of the sting out of that.

If you own your home and are fairly certain that the system is going to stay where it is for a a while, I would strongly suggest getting this simple project done.

I was initially very hostile to the idea of aftermarket PCs or outlets making any difference, but it is so easy to hear the improvement (notice I didn't say difference) that wisdom precludes arguement.

I'm not sure if you were kidding, but for $500 you should be able to get the job done. There are companies who make better cable for this purpose. I would have like to try some of it but the opportunity was not there for me. $$$ Buy me a $300 ticket to LA and I will do it for you. BUT i'll be gone by the time the place burns to the ground!!!

DUP - It's ironic that you're like a broken record, since you hate LPs so much. I'm beginning to think DUP is short for DUPLICATE. Do you ever have anything to say other than your usual tiresome rants?

Hi Joe,

Sorry, I may have misspoke when I wrote "Powered audio cables - alignment of electrons and elimination of interference", but not by much since the information on the Audioquest web site claims that "AudioQuest Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) causes the molecules of a cable

I tend to believe the benefits of DBS in the Audioquest cables. I've not tried it so I'm basing this somewhat in 'faith.'

The reason I lean that direction comes from my experience with very real and profound changes that occur in the new cables I have used. I've tried new cables that completely collapse the soundstage and destroy the lower octave...in the cables new condition. These same cables, after about 200 hours, opened the soundstage up and dug deeper in the lower register than the cables they replaced. A person would never know that if they didn't allow the cables time to settle.

Anyway, this 'burn-in' or settling condition seems to always be attributed to the dielectric and its absorption and subsequent release of energy. The DBS system is specifically designed to address this 'settling' condition and the nasties that it produces.

Absolute nonsense

I imagine at 100db+ average SPL it's difficult to hear any kind of change of any thing at any time.

I was looking over on audio asylum forum and some of the forum members there are going to test these Clever Little Clocks out. http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/general/bbs.html