My list of tweaks and the verdict


As metro NY has been pretty much shut down for the past 11 months and counting, I get so bored sometimes that I find experimenting by buying tweaky audio products to be a helpful reprieve and keeps me from spiraling into the abyss.
So this is what I have purchased in the past 6 months and my quick verdict on sonic impact — what I hear or perceive to hear using my brain and ears in my 2 channel all analog all tube setup:

Not in any particular order and using baseball terms:

1. Walker Audio Talisman. Strikeout. A big swing and miss. The silliest purchase for sure.

2. Copper ankle socks. Home run. No more shocks when I touch my tonearm. Just wow. Least expensive tweak to date that works.

3. Symposium Segue amp shelves. Strikeout. Heard no difference in noise floor, bass, etc. But looks really nice.

4. Symposium Segue ISO Stealth turntable shelf with Rollerblocks Series 2. Home run. Out of the park. Really hear and SEE a significant improvement in everything - clarity, bass, soundstage. Took the performance of 2 very different turntables up a lot. “See” because my needle would jump sometimes and now you can actually see the rollerblocks doing their job swaying back and forth with no impact on the music like a building a Japan. Disclaimer: Room suffers from significant footfall.

5. Townshend Seismic Isolation Platform under my Harbeth 40.2 Ton Trager stands. Home Run. Further improvement due probably to serious footfall in my room. My most expensive tweak but worth it to me.

6. Stein Music Carbon Edition Perfect Interface. Another big swing and miss. Strikeout. Zero diff perceived vs no mat or stock mat. Most expensive swing and miss.

7. Yellow bird Hexmat. A solid double. First time I’ve heard a mat make a noticeable improvement. Probably cause this mat is a record isolator/decoupler and again reduces impact from vibrations.

8. Stillpoint Ultra LPI ver2. A solid double. This one is so easy to A/B and hear a noticeable improvement on some songs vs using no record weight or even the stock record weight. Basically things got quieter enabling me to turn up the volume which increased the perceived dynamics. Plus it looks really cool.

9. Symposium rollerblock jr. Under my phonostage or preamp. Strikeout. I don’t hear any impact on the noise floor but theoretically it’s there.

10. Isoacoustics Gaia tried under preamp, phonostage, amp. Strikeout. Didn’t hear anything noticeably different but again theoretically it’s doing something.

11. Assorted tube rolling. NOS, new new etc. Not sure if this is a tweak but I didn’t really hear any discernible difference to my memory. But it was fun to learn and do it.

Well there you have it! Anyone have similar experiences?


aj523
You have psychic abilities now too? You have no idea how my room sounds.
You are right i dont know HOW your room sound and i apologize ...

But the problem is not how your room sound, probably good, but how much it can be improved...

I dont understand why no audible effect were perceptible with the S.G in your room. ...

Except for the room ...

We are not the only one who tried S.G. most people who use them hear an audible effect....

Then my post is a deduction not and arrogant affirmation born from psychic abilities i dont have....And certainly not a rebuke of your truthful and direct experience...

We must not confuse the fact that a room may seems to sound "good" enough, without being at the same times at his best acoustical greatest potential at all ...

Most people confuse the 2 and try for decade costly upgrading of electronic design gear instead of improving the acoustic potential of their room....

This DEDUCTION was only my point.... Not arrogant psychic abilities i dont have...

I am perhaps faulty in this deduction but then why there is no audible effect in your room and there is effects in many owners of S.G. ? There is other possibilities than the room but i dont want to create useless arguments...

S.G. is not a new "tweak" in town waiting to be evaluated....It is a very well known fact in audiophile circle for decades and easy to verify in the right environment...

Anyway i apologize for the discomfort i have created with my post....

My best to you....


 P.S. This is the reason why i never recommend S.G.  in the first stage of room treatment.... The effect could be inaudible....
@turnbowm- I said for ALL cables other than power, shorter is better. For power cords, it is better to have slack so there is no risk of them unplugging due to tension and getting them a few feet longer, nothing extreme. 
@mahgister- as you say - it helps in the right environment- for @redwoodaudio, the Schumann Generator did nothing to improve the sound for him. That’s all that matters. There is little that all agree on here on Audiogon. Measurable improvements are not always audible.
I just bought 2 Schumann generators ......I made sure they are returnable if needed....we'll hear.
@stringreen , watch the news first to get yourself really pissed off. Then if they sound better you are more likely to be onto something.