2. misc-audio
  3. 160807-139155

Tweaks you got rid of because they were not effective (enough)?

There are some audiophiles for whom cost is no object; they buy what they wish and every single tweak and gadget which promises to improve the sound. And the industry is all too happy to produce such tweaks -- often made of expensive materials with elaborate engineering explanations. Those who question the value of these tweaks are frequently accused of being "naysayers" who are either too ignorant or insensate to realize that "everything matters."

Of course, money spent one place cannot be spent elsewhere; expenditures on tweaks take the place of other more central factors affecting the sound. In some cases, those tweaks are worth it; you can hear the difference, and that $400 (or whatever) really could not have improved your speakers or sub or amp, etc.

So, the question here is simple: Which tweak have you tried which, after some experience and reflection, you realized was either *not* effective or not the most effective way to improve your system? 
128x128hilde45
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,688 posts
 
hilde45:

Yes, sad but true...

We've been without Internet, much of the past 3 days, due to AT&T's incompetence so...

Aside from dealing with AT&T "help" who have admitted that they did not even know what a "land line" is we have been otherwise shielded from daily news.

TV-wise we limit ourselves (and rightly so) to reruns of MacGyver, Stargate SG1 and Kolchak the Night Stalker.

DeKay
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
5,167 posts
 
@duckworp, for the feet under the speakers, what worked for you? I have some spikes but have not tried them out, yet. Came with the speaker stands. 
xiang
17 posts
 
My best tweak has been fresh batteries in my hearing aids !!
tbakin63
69 posts
 
I LOVE the question from the original OP!  

Frankly, experience over years has taught me that auditory hallucinations abound, undergirded by shameful, greedy marketing.  To wit - "I know what I heard - and I promise you the $20K, 3-foot speaker cable on cryogenically frozen risers sounds better!"  Smart, sophisticated people become infantile science deniers spouting absolute alchemic bunk as if it's fact and then go on the attack towards the physics-educated "non-believers" among us who don't sign on.  Their typical narrative - our systems are substandard, our hearing is flawed, etc., etc. 

Now that my rant is out of the way, I agree that the right, complementary components are key.  Upgraded components generally upgrade the sound.  Different combinations of different components (Tube, SS, etc.) offer different "flavors" and that's all about individual tastes and preferences. Paying attention to equipment specs and that which can be objectively measured is certainly worthwhile.  Room conditions, sound dampening etc. - all sound physics and worth paying attention to.  Cleaning up some power supplies (or combinations thereof) to eliminate extraneous noise has also helped in my experience. 

I have always loved this hobby for the MUSIC. Unfortunately, so many of my audiophile (audiofool) brethren have been totally distracted from that essence by dressed up lies designed to separate one from their cash.


big_greg
6,686 posts
 
Vibrapods.  They seem to make the sound worse, not better, and leave a nasty residue.
More to discover