Tweaks

On a more productive note to the OP's query. I recently did a test of isolation products a few months back. I can't recall the name of the product I was trying as it was supplied by a friend, but it was a rubber-based isolation product. I compared it on my front-end digital components comparing it to my favored Sistrum stands, which are metallic cone-based systems. I could certainly hear a difference between the two options. The Sistrum sounded more focused and clearly etched. There was a particularly muted vocal passage in one cut that became much more easy to hear and understand. The rubber based isolation product (It was not Vibrapods, which I have also used) sounded a bit softer and less focused, and the particular vocal passage was nearly impossible to make out. Just my .02 Lincoln's but this says to me that isolation products can sound differently and it would be worth trying out various products yourself. I had a similar experience with Vibrapods as one poster already noted; they made marks on a component that were not removable by any means I tried. They also marked up wood. I would not use them myself, simply for that reason. This speaks nothing at all to their effectiveness, and I think the manufacturer is aware of the issue because they did assist me in trying to find a product to remove the marks (not successful).

Damn, Albert. You swore to me you wouldn't tell anyone!!!! That's the last time I buy the drinks!!!!

Semi: What about XLR shorting plug? you solder both "+" and "-" to GND?

That's a good question, and I'm not sure whether it would be more optimal to just short pins 2 and 3 to each other, or to also short them to ground (pin 1). A theoretical argument could probably be conjured up to support either approach. In practice, my guess would be that generally there would not be a perceivable difference between the two alternatives.

Regards,
-- Al

Jax2 , were cool. I know that the Machina Dynamica items seem like wild unbelievable stuff.
Albertporter, perhaps Jax2 could have his dog sit in the center of the room for better imaging.
Enough said about this on my part.

Here are a couple more tweaks that I have found to be worth while.

1.Apply Quicksilver Gold at the ends of the copper wire at the dedicated circuit breaker , also apply it on the ends of the wire at the dedicated outlet.. Funny, I did not like the Quicksilver Gold on my speaker spades, power cords, or interconnects. It might be that the wire used in home wiring is a much lower grade to start with and the Quicksilver Gold improves on that connection.

2.I have also been using the new Alan Maher CBF items, and again, they do something positive to the openness of the soundstage.

Audio Desk Systeme, a machine that shaves the edges of a cd at a certain angle. The improvement is quite obvious - better dynamics and clarity. I don't have to turn up the volume as much at night to hear the music. Well worth it...