acoustic system resonators

Let me start out by saying that I think I decided I really didn't want these to work. I would be happy to send them back and get my inordinate amount of money back. Yesterday I did a power upgrade (Oyaide receptacle and plug) feeding my main Romex extension cord from the wall, that was only about $200 and made an amazing improvement.

Okay so tonight after listening to Bill Evans at Shelly's Manne hole (jap. pressing) I pulled the 6 resonators off their bases and put them in another room under a sweatshirt.

The bass bacame woolier and more pronounced, and the drum kit/cymbols got flatter and localized to my speaker. I can't characterize the piano differences.

I put them back in and listened to the same cut. Now I could hear what the resonators were doing. Tiny details of the recording seemed to pop out, and I thought I almost heard some phasing. The bass become better integrated, the piano took on bit more of a life of it's own, and the drum kit fell a bit further back- and sounded more realistic.

I am still not getting a huge or deep soundstage from the resonators, but either with playing with position, or getting 2 more for the side walls (where I have none) maybe soundstage will come.

I feel like perhaps my ear is not fine enough to discern what the resonators are fully doing. At this point I would characterize them in the more subtle of upgrade areas, at least in my system.

I must say this though. A number of months ago I was auditioning the Tron Seven phono pre against my current GCPH phono. I had to switch back and forth a number of times (I could do this in about 20 seconds and with the record playing) before I really started to hear what the Tron was doing differently than the GCPH. At first I was shocked how similar they were (cudos to the bargain priced GCPH - the Tron at 4X the cost has been catagorized as a Steelhead beater!!), but as my ear became more refined to the differences, it became easier to hear. I truly think by the end of the session I had become a better listener. (and a bit poorer as I opened up my checkbook)

The resonators make me think that in a few months from now - I could even more clearly identify when they were in and out of the system, because I will have really "learned" what kind of contributution they make.

So that is my "still early on" response.

It will be interesting once my H-cat preamp gets here in the next 2 days (hopefully) if more or less is revealed about the resonators, and if I find Like Norm that they have to come out to set the H-cat (I have little other room treatment though - just roomtune cornertunes to tame corner loading)

I am still not 100% convinced. I want to do several more rounds of removing/replacing the resonators with different types of music, and see what occurs over the next few weeks. I'll certainly post back.

Emailists, I increasingly think great music reproduction is like pornography. I know it when I hear it but I cannot say exactly what defines it. I have had several instances where initially I love a tweak or component in my system, only to some time later give a sigh of relief on removing it.

After being somewhat uncomfortable with the new H-Cat P-12R relative to the earlier P-12B X5, last weekend I decided to remove all resonance control in my room other than the Halcyonics platforms. I also removed the Stealth Dream power cords. I was shocked at how good the system sounded after adjusting the WTC to its correct position. This was much easier with everything removed.

Then I gradually reintroduced each of the Dreams. Each improved the attach and stayed. It did require some readjustment of the WTC, but not much. Then I introduced the Brilliant Pebbles. I first put one on the floor between the speakers on 3 4x4 tiles on cones. The image dropped about three feet and I removed it. I tried it on the amp where I had also gotten a nice improvement. It now made the bass thick and boomy. Out it came. Presently I have none of the Brilliant Pebbles in my room, although in the past they greatly improved my sound.

Finally, I introduced a pair of Halographs, putting them initially behind me as they had worked well there in the past. Not this time, however. I decided to try them in the corners behind my speakers which is the first recommended position. In the past I could not use them there as they really muddied the bass. Once again I had this result initially, but I persisted and canted the array toward firing at each other, which was one position from the 45 degree center mark. Bang! Even while I was still behind the speakers, I could hear the great improvement.

So right now I have one set of Halographs and nothing else in the room dealing with resonance.

I would make several observations. One, all of these devices have an impact. And two, there are many ways to reach the best musical reproduction. Finally,
a change in your components can change what works, but it is entirely trial and error to find the best. Perhaps, I should stop this adventure and stick with what I have to avoid this lengthy readjustment needed to accommodate a changed component.

"I have had several instances where initially I love a tweak or component in my system, only to some time later give a sigh of relief on removing it." - TBG

I have trouble with the same experience. A friend of mine calls it psychoacoustics. My theory is that no reproduction system is without fault and that after we get to know a system we want to plug its specific fault or faults. So, we look for a component to plug that fault. Initially, we love it because it plugs the fault while we carry the bias of what the preceeding component did well. A month later, we hear the faults of the new component as it stands on its own.

One time I read an article that said you will statistically maximize your selection of a good mate after dating seven different women. If that applies to each component, I've got three cd players, two amps, four preamps and one set of cables to go.

Jeff

Jj2468, if you are right about maximizing your best component, I am well overdue.

In my case I often think it is the interaction of tweaks and components. If so, it certainly would discourage trying something new. I also think most components and tweaks have positives and negatives. Initially we may optimistically focus on the positives only to be later disturbed by the negatives. I think this is the same idea that you suggested. This suggests an element of psychoacoustics.

Speaking of psychoacoustics, some friends came to my apartment and saw the resonators.

I now have to sumbit to a long psychiatric evaluation.

If the true cost of the resonator package were revealed, the evaluation would be skipped in favor of of an involuntary stay at a local facility, of course only after they stopped laughing.