2. cables
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Your homemade tweaks?

Having just read bgmyers thread on isolating cables and some of the excellent ideas our fellow audiogoners shared, I thought it would be great for us to compile a listing of all the innovative alternatives and their uses we have come up with to tweak our systems in lieu of buying them from the pricey manufacturers.

I'll start it off with having used tennis balls as isolation devices under components.
corazon
mrdecibel
3,150 posts
 
Corazon, I apply caulk to the cap and the pcb, so that they are both "attached" together. Interestingly, I learned this many many years ago from a tech I knew who worked at Nakamichi, but later found that this was done on many speaker crossover assemblies. I have been doing it ever since, and I will tell you, it has been drastic in the improvements. The caulk is removable if you ever wish to remove it. It is critical that the caulk is given enough time to dry, as to not short anything out. I did have a Citation 12 blow up on me because I lacked patience(again, a very long time ago).
mrdecibel
3,150 posts
 
I have looked at the photos, and the caulk I prefer to use is not the rope caulk, but that in the tube. My recent projects have been using GE Silicone 11, clear, available at the Depot. Rope caulk never completely dries and is harder to remove. It also will capture dust. Rope caulk is very useful in the corners and such, though, but I prefer the tubed stuff all the way. My biggest success with rope caulk(besides room air conditioner seal)was the underside of direct drive turntable platters. However I need to point out that several turntables used a magnetic tape head underneath, so caution is advised.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
That was my McCormack for sale. Please notice that the Moretite on the caps is around the bottom, where they attach to the board. This helps bond them to the board without glue and makes their physical placement firmer and more stable, resulting in less vibrational movement than without that bonding. Of course you could also use glue, but then good luck ever getting them out again.

As for the chassis, well, that's obviously a place to dampen things, expecially the top and bottom panels with the biggest surface area. If you look close you will also see a blue piece of EAR Isodamp under the transformer. Transformers are an obvious source of vibrations and damping it in any way possible should reward the effort. Some better units also use damped standoffs for their board mounting. They have little rubber-like grommets to do this. I know my Audioprism Mantissa preamp has those on it.

Is all of this audible? Individually, I doubt it, but combined all together I think you will hear an improvement.

Enjoy,
Bob
mrdecibel
3,150 posts
 
Each and every step you take is audible. I agree, the transformer is a great place to isolate vibrations, as well as the boards themselves. Years and years of trial, error (HK12)and patience have brought things to another level. Many of my friends and associates agree. These tweaks are not snake oil.......
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