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Open-Minded or Gullible?

Since recently joining this discussion group I have learned a few interesting things, reevaluated some of my opinions (biwireing), and marveled at a most astonishing collection of quasi-scientific mumbo jumbo. (Sorry about that).

Because I really would like to pick up some useful information, I need to have a feel for the degree of credibility to be given to comments made here. Should I really run out and spend $2000 on speaker cables because someone says they sound good?

I have suggested that we all have a limit to what we think might be true, or at least worth a try. Some, like me, are conservative: for example I believe that loudspeakers and phono pickups improve with initial use, but not wires. Others are more open-minded/gullible (you pick the word). I made an attempt to determine how "far out" the Audiogon opinion spectrum extends by asking a question that I thought would be near the limit.
"Do you think that reversing the direction of a cartridge fuse can affect sound quality?" Apparently not far enough!

8 of 17 people who responded to this question (some made other comments) think that reversing a fuse would (or could) make a difference.

What question should I ask next. Do granite shelves of equipment racks need breakin? I already know that some say yes. Does the air in the listening room need breakin? I don't dare ask. Instead why not have you guys tell me (us) where you draw the line, with a few examples near that line which you accept and reject.

Please no one take offense. I don't care what you choose to believe, and you ought to be proud to state your position.
eldartford
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Eldarford,

Here's a list of what I believe will make sonic changes:

Dedicated AC
Power cords
Interconnects
Cryogenics
Isolation
Absorption
Coupling
Racks
Lead vs. sand vs. other weighting products
Shelf materials
Room treatments
Dust cover off vs. on
Tube rolling
Impedance matching
Cleaning
Alcohol
Weed

There are more. The obvious are speaker placement and equipment location. Looking at the list I guess I'm a believer to a certain extent. The fuse thing...NOT.
jax2
3,031 posts
 
Wstritt - That's the beauty of these babies, you don't need no stinkin' 'lectricity! Just some baked beans, dried fruit, and your favorite carbonated beveredge and you will not believe how those cheeks will vibrate! Those Radio Shack sound level meters don't even go that low (though down in that range everything is pretty loose...as advertised, it'll stay tight down to 35hz, but watch out when they get down below that...things get messy). When I was doing some testing I actually melted my sound meter, but that's not a pretty story! You won't make any new friends using these wonders, but, hey, it's a lonely hobby as we all know.

Marco
danlib1
819 posts
 
I was quite sceptical about the Aurios Media isolation bearing "thingys" until I popped a trio of 1.2's under my Sony SCD-1. I heard a very different presentation...I was pulled into a much more believable soundstage. I concluded I was a victim of "tweaker's disease", so I removed them and tried again. No doubt about it, the grunge was back, with a noticeable reduction in depth and realism. Popped the Aurios back under the SCD-1, and concluded that there's something to this isolation thing.

I'm a rather logical guy with a decent education, and I'm not quite sure why placing that 65 lb. player on bearings yielded the effect it did. Truth is, now the SCD-1 wobbles around a bit when the top door opens or you push the power button when it's on the Aurios, and this type of "instability" strikes me as a bad thing, yet, I heard what I heard.

What the hell? I've bought more to place under my ECD-1 Dac!

Crazy Tweak? I dunno....
rlxl
92 posts
 
Marco,
The Ultimate Tweak---a superb piece of writing!!!! Well done!! Thanks.
slappy
903 posts
 
I noticed when i set my Star Wars Boba-Fett action figure on the amplifier with his arms down, it produces no noticable effect, however, when i raise his arms up, it made some improvement. Then i decided to give him his Pistol and Rifle, and noticed a strengthening of the bass with tighter punch, but the mids seemed thin, but when i took replaced his rifle with his other pistol and everything sounded smooth, clean, and tight.

I've been messing around with a dead raccoon as well, what i did was lay it over the speaker cables and it seemed to bring out a little more warmth. Of course, this tweak is only lasts as long as the carcass. And sometimes the smell started to get to me, so i tweaked my nose with some vix vaper-rub and it seemed to lessen the burden of the stench.
My current raccoon set is almost used up, i need to go get some fresh ones here soon.

I also have been experimenting with a tweak that might seem a little strange. I replaced the fuses with carrots with a copper wire fed through them. I then removed all the internal circut boards from the chassis and hung them up with fishing twine. That seemed to result in a little broader soundstage and the highs seemed a little bit more refined.

Well, thats my tweaks. I'd like to hear some more of yours! :)
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