What is your favorite low-tech tweek?


With all of this talk of expensive interconnects, the right plugs, etc., what have you done to your system that has been helpful but without shelling out tons of money?

In a differant thread I saw where I could use some foam insulation used for water pipes to wrap around my longer interconnects to keep them off the floor and seperated from other cables/wires. Also, I am using a pair of tall electrostatic speakers laying on their sides for audio. They are positioned at the base of my screen used in my home theatre. I didn't want the speakers flat on the hardwood floors, so I am using a couple month's supply of wine corks beneath the speakers for seperation. Finally, I got a bit tired looking at the cheap two-wire power cord that came with my Cd player and I re-wired a much better computer cord to a two-pronged plug and I do believe I have better results. That, or I should have made the best use of what the wine corks were designed to do stop with the crazy creative tinkering. So, what have you done along these lines?
unclejeff
1. Get your ears cleaned anually by your doctor.
2. Replace the mounting screws on your speaker drivers with stainless steel. Nylon screws also work on the smaller drivers (the tweeters).
3. The Cardas speaker placement formula is free and fun. I've found it amazing for soundstaging; not so much for bass.
Clean your connections, as per Albert Porter above, including the AC power. I got some extra detail and quieter background in my system by cleaning my electrical service ground. I momentarily disconnected the copper wire where it clamps to the ground rod, cleaned it with wire brush on Dremel tool, applied Pro-Gold cleaner/enhancer, and solidly reclamped it. Added some ductseal and a plastic bag to protect from future corrosion.

Has anyone played with their ground rods? Slipknot: Maybe after drinking that beer, you could enhance your ground connection. Let us know which beer works best!

Cheers
Charlie
Charlie,
good tip on the groundrod cleaning. I try to keep an eye on my mains grounds for oxidation as well as the separate grounds for my 20A audio lines. Never thought about the plastic bag though. Good idea.

as for the beer: currently Magic Hat beers hold pride of place in my 'fridge.
Ground Rod protection / cleaning: I spray the connection with Battery Protector and Sealer. It's sold for use with battery terminals, which are susceptible to corrosion. You can purchase this at an auto parts store. The plastic bag is a good idea. My rod is in a shrub bed and I cover the connection with an inverted plastic cup to protect it from moisture.