Tweaks, money pit or real value?


I’ve had my share of tweaks from isolation devices to contact enhancers. The thing that seems to always follow them is how soon I seem to not recognize the improvement anymore. Initially wow that sounds incredible and then after awhile acclimation sets in and here we go again. Maybe not quite like that, but at times yes. I’ve come to the conclusion tweaks are a money pit and my wallet is a lot less valuable than it once was. 😂 

hiendmmoe

The behavior I see with these tweaks is more more and more give me more. It sounds in a way like a junkie it’s just never enough. They’re always chasing that first big high. When I left audio in the 1980s monster cable just started out. My buddies couldn’t wait to get some of that big fat wire because it was gonna pump more sound to their speakers. They all knew better and learned it in science class in the sixth grade. But who cares it was only a few bucks nobody really knew if it worked or not. Over the past 30 years different people have a plied the same principle to every possible part they can be replaced by the consumer . It started with speakers let’s replace the speaker wire, then the connectors. Next let’s come up with better interconnects oh wait let’s sell them a better power cord. Now you can’t just have the better cord you have to have the right prongs the right outlet the right wire running from the fuse box  to the outlet. I have no doubt if audio files were allowed to climb the electric pole they would replace the wire that comes from the pole to the house. It seems like we’re finally nearing the end. We’re fighting over fuses and there’s new goop that nobody knows what it’s made of. Let’s take this goop and spread it all over our $25,000 system because some dingbat from Texas says that it’s going to make your system sound better. Does anybody see how ridiculous this is? Don’t you think that the professionals that build this equipment would have made these changes years ago if they really worked and were that simple? I’ve tried a few of these products and I’ve been let down. Sam got returned and some I just threw in the garbage. I have all of my Macintosh gear connected with normal decent average every day stuff that can be bought on the Internet. If I had a local shop I would buy it from them.

What bothers me the most is when somebody who is new to audio asked me if this stuff really works and if I believe it. I very nicely try to explain to them that I’ve met some really nice people in this hobby and I honestly can’t figure out why people fall for this stuff. my other hobby is cycling. We don’t have these kinds of products in cycling. The product either works or it doesn’t. There’s no in between. I can’t honestly think of any other hobbies that have people selling “TWEEKS’ or magical stuff like audio has. This hobby has really nice people that in my opinion other people take advantage of. Our hobby doesn’t need this kind of stuff and can do better.

Personally, I have always hoped tweaks would not work. I love the idea of buying a new better component plunking it down and getting the best sound out of it. I did many changes just to prove “this couldn’t possibly make a difference”. Like my fist digital interconnect… that failed… it was a component level increase in sound quality. I keep hoping, getting lazier, but they keep proving themselves. I had really hoped that the $3,000 SRA isolation platform would prove not worth the money… damn, once again. 

No tweaks will replace a method to adress embbedings control in the three working dimensions for any audio system : mechanical (vibrations/resonance control) electrical (noise floor level of the house and EMI and RFI ) and especially acoustical ( passive acoustic treatment+mechanical Helmholtz control)...

That being said some "tweaks" like Schumann generators (S.G.) and ionizers add something no other device will add to the acoustic impression, but the level of audible improvement will be function of your acoustic room quality to begin with ... Some will hear no improvement and no change, not because there exist none but because their system is too noisy and their room untreated and uncontrolled... the same people will laugh at "tweakers"....

No one must begin embeddings controls with "tweaks" even surprizing one like S.G. or ionizers...

ACOUSTIC is most important  key.... Nothing else....

Listening a speakers/room relation has nothing to do with cycling analogy...

I honestly can’t figure out why people fall for this stuff. my other hobby is cycling. We don’t have these kinds of products in cycling. The product either works or it doesn’t. There’s no in between.

some tweaks work great, and well worth the time and tiny expense...others are expensive and very system dependent..many you can share with friends, like the CD system discs, and many can be sold for little loss if you do not like...having fun with my Herbies Super Mat this week...if it's fun it's worth it