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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?   
128x128three_easy_payments
french_fries
815 posts
 
If YOU like it (tweaks that is), then I couldn't be happier for you, whoever you may be.
I have one personal tweak that makes my system sound better "to me".
Dusting. I hate dust accumulation on the surfaces of my stereo components. And for those hard to reach places, I frequently nick up the back of my hands trying to extend the cloth far enough to get to those difficult spots. But afterwards the improvements are remarkable. This most likely stems from my mother telling me from an early age that she wanted the floors of the entire house dusted before dinner. Since dinner was usually an outstanding experience, I would set aside my annoyance at being asked this all the time. Only AFTER dinner, it was THEN time to wash and dry the dishes as well. Of course all these awful chores did help towards getting my allowance- which came in handy when buying vinyl at the (many) record stores in town. Then I had to (naturally) dust off the records as well...
danvignau's avatar
danvignau
935 posts
 
I have a pal who spent at least hundreds on turntable tweaks.  His TT and cartridge are crap, IMHO.  In fact, the very prominent piano intro at the beginning of Zappa's Uncle Remus, nearly disappears on his system.  No tweak helps.  DOH!
jg2077
159 posts
 
Recently,  I took many components both ss and tube, for repair, checking, cleaning to Pyramid audio in Austin.  To date,  I have picked up 6 pieces; all of which, sound better than I remember prior to repairing.   I wonder if what we are listening to,  may be in need of a simple repair and thus, may not sound optimal.   Once replaced,  the difference is "night and day ".

I've been trying different tweaks lately, with both positive and NO effect.   Keep trying,  you never know. 

Best,
Jose
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,196 posts
 
Instead of speaking of "tweaks" like some improvised, trying, costly, improving miracles incomprehensible solutions; I speak about 3 embeddings( or 4 the acoustical problem being double side) for an audio system, and of the way to systematically, experiments with ears, a continuous improving increased with only low cost materials and homemade solutions...

Never mind any tweaks.... No tweak by itself will resolve the embeddings problem...

How do we insert an audio system in an electrical grid ? How do we transform the acoustics of the room where it will be playing ?How do we controls the internal resonance of each piece of gear and mechanical vibrations of the street, the house, the desk etc. where this system is?


ALL this 3 problems are so connected to one another that NO isolate tweak will do the job alone and be optimal by itself alone...


The implementation must be step by step, and the ears must use each tweak against other tweak, in an improving and compensatory process where each solution complement another, for an optimal solution in the 3 dimensions (mechanical, electrical, acoustical)...


And you know this cost almost NOTHING.... I bought anything except cheap materials...


This is the basic audiophile problem....The embeddings dimension...

Forget costly tweaks …. Remember that most of the times your system is already very good but badly embedded...


This is my experience...


The S. Q. /price ratio is not linear.... The embeddings solutions made the difference and narrow the gap between low cost system and costly one most of the times....Engineering design, if we stay and compare products on the same rung of the scale, cannot give an improvement comparable in each of the 3 rungs scale, low Hi-Fi, mid, and high costs, to a rightfully embed audio system compared to one that is not in the same rung.... Engineering so good be it cannot make miracles and replace the 3 optimal embeddings audible qualitative powerful effect.... In the future with A.I. probably.... But we are not there....
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
One pill makes you larger,
and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you,
don’t do anything at all
Go ask Alice, when she’s ten feet tall
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