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Tweaks - An Honest Discussion

I know there is a lot of talk about performance tweaks in this forum and the value that can be realized.  I've started this thread because it seems that folks tend towards believing they are either the silver bullet to sonic bliss or conversely simply snake oil.  I believe tweaks are somewhere in between and in most cases, worth about what you pay for (crazy  I know).

I'm open minded to tweaks and have employed many in my system over the years including isolation, fuses, footers, HFTs, cabling, cable risers and attempts at reducing RFI (among others).  While I believe that many of these tweaks incrementally helped me get better performance out of my system I never for a second found any tweak make a transformational difference the way that a significantly upgraded piece of gear brings to the table.  I think many of us have been quite happy with our systems over the years but that doesn't mean implementing a tweak can possibly compete with the benefit of replacing a piece of gear that is well matched to elevate your system. Just because you're happy with your setup doesn't mean a major gear change can't really elevate the experience - surely well beyond any form of tweakery.  

As an example, I've been very happy with a Hana ML cart and how it's performed in my system.  I recently decided to acquire a Lyra Kleos cart - for a $2K increase the change has been transformational in terms of dynamic range and ability to convey detail and imaging.  There has never been a dot I've placed on a wall, carbon platform placed under gear, or RFI shielding device I've ever used that could possibly come close to this equipment upgrade.  Same goes for upgrades to my system over the years in terms of amps, pre's, and speakers.  For anyone to suggest that through tweaks alone you can elevate your system to a level that only gear changes can achieve simply falls flat in my experience.  Some may be shocked to hear that most of the time a $200 tweak truly only gets you about $200 worth of improvement (if any) and not the equivalent of a $5000 gear upgrade. I know there is a certain allure that by simply being smart and applying elbow grease that we can extend the sonic limits of our system well beyond it's design, parts, and capabilities but that's just not true IMO.

What's your experience been?   
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three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments OP
2,097 posts
 
@tooblue Thanks...and I agree there are many analogies outside of audio that apply to tweaking in terms of realistic costs/benefits/value.

w/r/t to the Hana ML I see Fremer posted a recent review here: https://www.analogplanet.com/content/high-performance-high-value-hana-ml-and-mh-cartridges

Fast, timbrally neutral, non-mechanical-sounding, transparent and delivering levels of detail usually heard from more costly cartridges, the Hana ML is in every way an impressive sounding and performing cartridge.

 


mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,011 posts
 
1- What people call "tweaks" are only one by one, each of them, some elements of some set of parameters in one of the 4 dimensions of the embeddings of any audio system... ( mechanical resonance, electrical grid, passive and active acoustical fields)

2- Sometimes not knowing these 4 dimensions of the embeddings, people call "tweaks" some crazy or less crazy inventions, simple or less simple device, most of the time not so cheap device, even costly...


3- Not knowing these 4 dimensions people dont work systematically in function of them and dont experiment the powerful transformation of their audio system linked to each of them...


4-Unconscious of the power of this 4 embeddings, people act and work on their system erratically and very approximatively and without being conscious of the powerful potential linked to these "tweaks" or various parameters of the embeddings ...People dont realize that these dimensions are complementary and works together toward the peak potential S. Q. of any system...


5- These dimensions I worked on them always with some homemade and very cheap materials... No "tweaks" I use were bought, except I use some cheap materials and electronic components I modified myself(10 bucks each for example for Chinese Schuman Generator) to linked all 4 embeddings...
Dont buy tweaks, replicate them , retro engineer them, invent your own....It is more simple than you imagine... I am in no way a very gifted manual worker....

6- The results is not a more or less slightly modified audible sound mostly but a complete transformation.... Calling that "tweaks" dont do any justice to the works and dont describe at all the way and method each one of us must takes to embed any audio system....

7- Experimenting and playing with these 4 dimensions is more fun than buying finished products and way more self gratifying....

8- No audio system sound at his top level out of the box and located in a non treated room... NONE...

9- Most people has never listen to their own system at all.... They dont know what their own system can deliver in quality....

10- 90% of any electronic component upgrading is not necessary, and if necessary is not made in a rational way or in a judicious way....It takes me 7 years to learn that and I pay the price.... My best to all....
tooblue
1,927 posts
 
@three_easy_payments, thanks for taking the time.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,198 posts
 
Like everything else some are good some are useless. Some are free  and some are expensive. Some are real and some are fake. Some make sense and some don’t.




tt1man
66 posts
 
@millercarbon
In the mid 90's I made an arrangement with the late D.J. Kasser (great guy) to bulk purchase and include sets of his BDR cones with my Timbre Technology TT-1 D/A converters.  They were quite good and good looking (believe there were two types #3 & #4--buyers could try and choose which worked best in their systems)--still have a few sets tucked away somewhere. Even showed with him once in Vegas using his nice Carbon Fiber rack. The company has been continued by a relative.  My new company manufactures pneumatic isolation footers, totally different principle and pricing, showing there is room for improvement and multiple technologies at all levels to solve vibration issues.
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