2. misc-audio
  3. 128728-1324

A Big DIY Bang for Your Buck?

I believe in getting the biggest bang out of my audio buck that I can. I don't know about you but my audio budget is actually limited. I find it interesting when I hear about folks spending a zillion on the best magnetic cables and then someone comes along with some new cable technology like new liquid-infused cables that equal or best the magnetic cables at a fraction of the price. Some makers of magnetic and other cables may want you to believe that a patent pending means there must be something there that ordinary Joe Audio could never make himself. My experience leads me to say -- don't believe it.

I have been using neodymium magnets for years in my cables and around my system to improve SQ -- at a fraction of the cost that makers of magnet-containing products charge. OK, mine may not be at the very top of the performance chain when compared to those expensive products, but who cares? I have managed to get stunning returns for a pittance. It would have cost thousands, or tens of thousands, to obtain similar results from various makers.

The same applies to audio makers with a patent pending (or an actual patent) who market little aluminum audio resonators the size of pimples. I make my own resonator pimples for about a buck apiece -- with stunning results. I saved over $4,000 making 70 of my own. Maybe they are not at the very top of the performance chain compared to those expensive products, but who cares? I am very happy with results that are far beyond what I expected when I started out.

I am having a lot of fun doing DIY projects at home that reap wonderful results at a small fraction of the cost charged by audio makers for their similar products. Have others had similar experiences making their own audio products at home? Can you share your DIY experiences with us?
sabai
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
I'm in the same bowl.
I save on DIY. I save more though on auto and truck DIY and still service my whole commercial fleet of vehicles including heavier duty diesel trucks.
As to audio-DIY it's great fun. I like to work on vintage SS receivers.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
rhyno,

I use mostly 1/2" by 1/8" neodymium disc magnets -- sometimes in multiples. I also have used neodymium cylindrical magnets. I source them from Amazon and Ebay. There is a lot you can do with these little fellows. The results are often quite amazing. Before thinking of sending a large wad of cash to cable companies that sell magnetic cables I would strongly suggest experimenting with your own magnets first to see how far you can go. Once I started on this journey -- and this was before cable companies started offering magnetic cables -- the cumulative results were so spectacular that I had no desire to even consider expensive magnetic cables when they came on the market. If money is no object, well that's another matter. But money is very much an object in my case.
toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
840 posts
 
I’ve never thought of magnets.. I’ll has be to give it a try.

I just disassembled my rega p3 and put the motor on a maple plinth with the turntable over it, but physically separated. I also put some wooden balls in place of feet.

I’m a bit addicted to making my own cables. I’ve done 3 or 4 different types of power cables, speaker cables, 3 different interconnect types and a power distributor.

My latest messing about has focused on various vibration isolation tweaks which seem to always be ongoing..


sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
toddverrone,

I also make some of my own cables. I use pure silver as well as top-of-the-line Furutech products. For vibration control I use sand boxes -- very effective.
toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
840 posts
 
I also used pure silver wire, but I used klei connectors. They sound incredible.

One tweak I forgot: I lined the lower, woofer portion of my speaker cabinets with dynamat, which is sound deadening for cars.. It made a significant improvement in bass quality
More to discover