Let’s do the math. Assume for the moment a good fuse like the Black fuse can double the performance of a well tuned system. Let’s also assume a good fuse might only provide a 10% improvement in a system that is not tweaked and tuned! but right out of the box. This is representative of what I like to call the Last Tweak Syndrome, why folks who have been tuning and tweaking a long time experience much greater results with fuses or any new tweak than those who might be trying a tweak for the first time, or may only have a limited number of tweaks in the system.
The Last Tweak Syndrome explains why audiophiles frequently get absolutely off the scale results with the latest thing they do. But the reason is not necessarily that the thing is that much better than an earlier tweak from many years before but because the system is now at a much higher level of performance. Thus the latest tweak is much more audible and much more effective. Because many of the problems with the system - problem that are inherent in any system - that were holding it back had been solved by all the tuning and tweaking that went before.
The Last Tweak Syndrome, however, can give the false impression that this is about as good as it’s going to get. What can possibly outdo the Latest Tweak? Have users of Black Fuse felt inclined to try the next big tweak? Probably not. That overwhelming feeling that there’s only 3-5% left until perfection is reached looms large with the last big tweak. Of course that’s not true, it’s only a psychological ceiling. Thus, if one had put in a good fuse BEFORE another tweak, say Shakti Hallographs, he might very well have reached a different conclusion. He might declare Shakti Hallographs the greatest thing ever. The Last Tweak Syndrome also explains why some folks have less than stellar results with fuses or any tweak; there are still too many problems in the system for the device under test to be effective, relatively speaking. It’s swamped out or masked by the noise and distortion.
Do the math. No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had started out with more in the beginning. If you were striving to DOUBLE the performance wouldn’t it be better to double the performance of a system that was at 90% of it’s PEAK performance than if it was only at say 80% of it’s PEAK performance?
Geoff Kait
machina dynamica
advanced audio concepts
The Last Tweak Syndrome explains why audiophiles frequently get absolutely off the scale results with the latest thing they do. But the reason is not necessarily that the thing is that much better than an earlier tweak from many years before but because the system is now at a much higher level of performance. Thus the latest tweak is much more audible and much more effective. Because many of the problems with the system - problem that are inherent in any system - that were holding it back had been solved by all the tuning and tweaking that went before.
The Last Tweak Syndrome, however, can give the false impression that this is about as good as it’s going to get. What can possibly outdo the Latest Tweak? Have users of Black Fuse felt inclined to try the next big tweak? Probably not. That overwhelming feeling that there’s only 3-5% left until perfection is reached looms large with the last big tweak. Of course that’s not true, it’s only a psychological ceiling. Thus, if one had put in a good fuse BEFORE another tweak, say Shakti Hallographs, he might very well have reached a different conclusion. He might declare Shakti Hallographs the greatest thing ever. The Last Tweak Syndrome also explains why some folks have less than stellar results with fuses or any tweak; there are still too many problems in the system for the device under test to be effective, relatively speaking. It’s swamped out or masked by the noise and distortion.
Do the math. No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had started out with more in the beginning. If you were striving to DOUBLE the performance wouldn’t it be better to double the performance of a system that was at 90% of it’s PEAK performance than if it was only at say 80% of it’s PEAK performance?
Geoff Kait
machina dynamica
advanced audio concepts