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Feeling Tweaky

I recently tried my first system tweak, purchasing IsoAcoustic Orea isolation footers for my Luxman 507uX Mk2 integrated amp, Marantz Ruby CD/SACD player, and Shunyate Hydra Denali 6000S power conditioner. I liked the improvement in sound quality so much I’ve gone ahead and ordered IsoAcoustic Gaia feet for my VPI Classic 2 turntable and Magico A3 speakers. I never expected a tweak to make such an improvement, not just a change, in sound quality. By the way, my cables are Audioquest Rocket 88 speaker cables, Audioquest Colorado cables from the CD/SACD player, and VPI phono cables. The Shunyata Hydra Denali has a Venom power cable. All the other power cords are what came with each component.

Acoustic room treatments that would affect room decor are unfortunately out of the equation and I’ve already tried my best to design component shelving to be a vibration free as I could. I’ve thought about are redoing the house wiring to create a dedicated circuit, and making an ultrasonic record cleaner.

So my question to you all is, what tweaks have had the most positive impact on your own system, that you could you recommend for the above described system? There seems to be a lot of tweaks out there that range from the sublime to the ridiculous in both performance and price. I’d like to know what tweaks of the many out there have worked best for you so I can make a list and prioritize each in terms of performance and budget. Please share your favorites and I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks,


Mike



skyscraper
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
skyscraper
Geoffkait, following your suggestion I considered taking all my books
outside and starting a good-sized bonfire with them. I bet you nobody’s ever thought of doing that before.

👍 You’ve already read them all, right? 
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
He wrote the book on reading books! 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
If these tweaks are additive as Millercarbon pointed out in another thread, this could be a fun ride..

You have no idea. Most of those who try tweaks at all will do one or two say that's nice and then they are done and go back to running the component upgrade treadmill. I call it a treadmill because you do a lot of work but don't really go anywhere. Because ultimately all it does is get you by until the next component upgrade. A set of BDR Cones however, HFT, ECT, acoustic panel, AC line or outlet, whatever tweak you care to name, is forever. Elevates your game from now on. Actually gets you somewhere. 

Any one individual tweak on its own may not seem like all that much. Do enough though and at some point it begins to dawn on you there is no way any amount of money spent on any components ever made will ever be enough. 

I'm not the only one saying this either.They do all add together and that is why the few of us who have taken it far enough all agree you cannot get here any other way. In other words tweaks are way more cost effective than components.
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
  • "... the few of us who have taken it far enough all agree you cannot get here any other way."

There is no doubt that each tweak adds to the effect of prior tweaks. Done properly and with a lot of experimentation, a Magical Music Machine will emerge that will astound the listener.

Frank
sgordon1
447 posts
 
If "each tweak adds to the effect of prior tweaks"...
beware, they might not, when taken as a whole,
be contributing to better sound.  

For example, have you ever subtracted some HFTs that were too close together (horizontally or vertically) only to hear an improvement?  Or, replaced or subtracted vibration control products,
and concluded that "less is better?"

I like to pause, periodically, and evaluate the changes, just to "keep myself honest."  I would give more weight to experimentation,
than addition, in our quest for better sound.  Anyone agree?
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