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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
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@duckworp -- thanks. If I’m understanding, from the top down it’s:

  • speaker
  • granite chopping boards
  • Gaia feet
  • top of the speaker stand
then....what underneath the speaker stand?
Spikes, feet?
Or perhaps it doesn’t matter much given how effective the above things were?
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Plane and simple.  Better equipment will give you better sound quality.
BETTER, MORE GOOD. Has nothing to do with cost.. BUT GREAT equipment will cost you more.. Unless you have a rich uncle, that gives it to you..

First rule... The best equipment you can afford. Don't start at the bottom and work up. Start at the top and work down. This includes cabling.
Everything I use in my systems require NO cable upgrades, factory will work fine.. Speaker IC, XLR, RCA, good will work. Nothing too fancy..

First rule... As much room treatment as you can afford, or tolerate (if your gonna use a room)

First rule...Protect your expensive equipment, maintain 120 VAC and a FAST acting surge suppressor. (Clean the AC source...Maintain the source)

First rule...place you equipment and measure with a tape measure, then make MINOR adjustments.

TWEAKS, what's left? Most of it sounds good one day and not the next to me... WHY?  Well, the ol mechanic comes out in me... "That was BS",
Cable risers work though.... Easy to clean under, and they do actually work, just takes a couple hours for me to hear the difference.. I knock a block over and don't see it, then stand up the riser.  After a settling time.
I hear the difference..

ANY vibration control is good.

Over dampen a room.. A problem in a LOT of rooms...

Regards

Ag insider logo xs@2x
jdl57
37 posts
 
Almost all tweaks have been abandoned. What has worked for me: Funk Firm turntable mat. OCC single crystal cable, van den Hul carbon is just as good, also no crystal structure. I have had a very positive result from a better than cheap power cord on one and only one piece of equipment. I use it on everything now but it only made a difference, but it was immediately obvious, on my preamp. I use no other tweaks now.
mdiaz
60 posts
 
What I got absolutely no effect from, except for a lighter wallet, were the Shakti Electromagnetic Stabilizer Stone... No further comment needed from me.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,826 posts
 
As for cable lifters, there are some who've taken measurements and reported it. Roger Skoff explains it here: 
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/bunking-cable-lifters/

He noted that the measured capacitance changed every time a speaker cable was lifted, foot by foot, until the entire cable was off the floor. He goes onto explaining why a floor becomes part of the capacitance equation and needs to be addressed.

All the best,
Nonoise
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