Tweaks That Don't Work

I don't understand the point here. If you try something and it doesn't work, does that mean snake oil? For example, shakti stones placed on my Levinson 20.6's do nothing but on the transformers of my SET they make a not-so-subtle positive improvement. Yet there are those who snicker at the very mention of these things. I have tried different power cords with no effect - does this mean I'm deaf or that the rest of you are crazy? Placing brass cones under solid state gear yields to me a positive - but under my tubed gear a negative. If I had just my tube gear, I would scoff at those who claim a benefit of these things. How many times have you read a review or took the advice of others and then set the thing up in your room and scratched your head wondering what the fuss was about?

The effectiveness of these tweaks are, from my experience, dependent on what gear you have. Arguing X works but Y doesn't - with only a limited frame of reference - is steering the conversation towards how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. Again, I don't see the brass point.

What has worked to some degree or another in my system, did not always produce the same result in my two other audio buddies systems. The list includes some NOS tubes, component isolation air bladders, speaker wires, etc. My buddies Richard Grey unit did not work for either of us. Differences in ICs and power cords were heard in all systems like the Elrod EPS-3 and 3 sigs.

The idea is to try different tweaks as suggested above to get you system sounding the way you like your music. There are a ton of DIY tweaks from bike inner tubes, tennis balls, etc. Some older model cables can be tried and resold for the cost of about $10 to ship them.

It is all about play time anyway. Happy Listening.

Two tweaks that did not work FOR ME (I'm sure many of you found them to work for for you, so take it easy):

1. Shakti Stones--tried them on my Forsell transport, without effect, and on the transformers of my Jadis JA 80 amplifiers, negative effect, actually made the sound a little harsher. Had the same result on the Jadis with a VPI Magic Brick, guess the Jadis doesn't like tweaks around its output tranny. At least the Brick worked positively on a solid state amp of mine, the Sonogy.

2. Shun Mook discs--a gentleman put them on my Forsell transport (which, by the way, seems to be more affected by tweaks than any piece in my system) in a number of different configurations, and was stunned when I couldn't hear any difference one way or another (for those of you who like blind testing, I wasn't watching what he was doing while listening). Guess I didn't know what to listen for.

And then there's the Shun Mook record clamp, which I can't tell you did or didn't make a sonic difference, because at the end of the first record side my cartridge (then the wide-bodied original Transfiguration) bumped against the wide clamp with such a horrible noise through my speakers that I promptly gave it back to the guy who loaned it to me with a polite no thanks.

None of these tweaks are necessarily snake oil, but in the applications I mention they just didn't seem to work for me.

Lugnut made some very relevant comments, and I'll make only one addition: I think that one's ability to judge the improvements made by tweaks decreases as one gets older, due to diminishing ability to hear high frequencies. I have noticed over the past 10 years (I'm 62 now) that some changes to my system, including tweaks, are barely noticeable, and may just be different rather than better.

That said, there are two tweaks which I have found to have made no detectable change/improvement in my system (and thus may be equipment dependent):
1. replacement Hubbell-grade electric outlets;
2. after-market power cords (AudioQuest) for my Bryston electronics.
Other forum members may have experienced different results than I, but your mileage may vary and I'm sticking to my version..

This could be an intriguing thread...

Scott C-

Jkring is right. This is a hobby for most of us. It is enjoyable and safer than sky-diving. At the end of the day, when all is said and done... it is just a stereo. A better stereo than the one from Wal-Mart or Best Buy but still just a stereo.

For those who really think jars of rocks "work" I have some really big jars and some beachfront property for sale.

Have fun and enjoy the hobby.