Is there anyone interested in here in sound voodoo-placement of components,why your cd sounds better after you shook it as if there was dirt on it,why cables sound different when you switch them around and so on?Just post me and we do some experiments,there seem to be very few people who care about this.Have fun,Karl.
sound voodoo
- Thread starter Karl
- Start date
I know a guy who will do whatever any expert tells him to do. He purchased these speaker cables from Mapleshade that are essentially 14 guage magnet wire twisted together. for about a ten foot pair he paid $85. He also has wis wires coiled around cardboard pyramids and elevated exactly 8" off of the floor. Personally, I can't tell the difference, but he thinks he can.
I've also heard of showing a CD different colored cards will improve the sound; however, you must pay for a specific color from another audio sage to have any effect. Seems like stimulating the brain to me.
Maybe you should stop by the Tweaker's Asylum sometime when Steve Eddy gets started on tweak bashing. You can get quite an education.
The answer to your question: PLACEBO EFFECT!
Here's those cables I was talking about. I'm sorry if you spent $1K on Audioquest because these are supposedly better (for motors)
http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/tweaks/speakercable.html
I've also heard of showing a CD different colored cards will improve the sound; however, you must pay for a specific color from another audio sage to have any effect. Seems like stimulating the brain to me.
Maybe you should stop by the Tweaker's Asylum sometime when Steve Eddy gets started on tweak bashing. You can get quite an education.
The answer to your question: PLACEBO EFFECT!
Here's those cables I was talking about. I'm sorry if you spent $1K on Audioquest because these are supposedly better (for motors)
http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/tweaks/speakercable.html
VODOO TWEAKING
I believe if someone just thinks he/she hears an improvement or actually in fact does hear an improvement in the sound of their system by whatever means is irrelevant. The name of the game is to enjoy the musical experience. If sitting in the Lotus position with the gear under a pyramid enhances the experience for someone, then who am I to say why it sounds better to them.
Some of the tweaks do sound a little far fetched, but not long ago I thought firmly that cables didn't make a difference as long as the wire is of sufficient diameter, and made of a decent metal.
I was totally wrong.
When I changed from rat shack mega cable to Cardas, the difference was apparent to all who listened to the system. It definately was not a figment of my imagination, or a "wish" on my part to justify the added cost.
Anyone who owns tube equipment can hear the difference in using rubber or cone feet under the equipment, or putting tube "dampers" on some tubes. Damping vibration in equipment is a real tweak. Tap a tube during a quiet passage, or no music playing, you'll hear the tap amplified through the system. Vibrations in the room from music playing does the same thing and obscures detail in the soundstage. Called "microphonics.
Don't knock "tweaks" till you try em.
I believe if someone just thinks he/she hears an improvement or actually in fact does hear an improvement in the sound of their system by whatever means is irrelevant. The name of the game is to enjoy the musical experience. If sitting in the Lotus position with the gear under a pyramid enhances the experience for someone, then who am I to say why it sounds better to them.
Some of the tweaks do sound a little far fetched, but not long ago I thought firmly that cables didn't make a difference as long as the wire is of sufficient diameter, and made of a decent metal.
I was totally wrong.
When I changed from rat shack mega cable to Cardas, the difference was apparent to all who listened to the system. It definately was not a figment of my imagination, or a "wish" on my part to justify the added cost.
Anyone who owns tube equipment can hear the difference in using rubber or cone feet under the equipment, or putting tube "dampers" on some tubes. Damping vibration in equipment is a real tweak. Tap a tube during a quiet passage, or no music playing, you'll hear the tap amplified through the system. Vibrations in the room from music playing does the same thing and obscures detail in the soundstage. Called "microphonics.
Don't knock "tweaks" till you try em.
Out of curiosity, has anyone here built their own suspension rack for any piece of their equipment? I had an idea using some heavy rubber bands and some MDF...
By the way, if your looking for some cheap, good, adjustable spikes, try the practice point arrowheads! The ones I got were very heavy and had a light teflon coating on them. They worked wonderfully.
By the way, if your looking for some cheap, good, adjustable spikes, try the practice point arrowheads! The ones I got were very heavy and had a light teflon coating on them. They worked wonderfully.
my 2 cents (or should I say 200pF ?)
Hello tweakers,
back in the days when I used 2 or 3 way speakers, I used to shunt XO caps with tiny micas.
The cap parallel to the woofer cap was not more than1nF and the cap in series to the tweeter usually had 200pF of single-plate silver mica. This cap was audible, tellya!
Once I demonstrated my 2way speaker to a friend, a hobby musician but not anything near to an audiophile. I had the 200pF soldered off at one leg. then I changed the musci and pushed the unsoldered leg with the finger in its solder joint. Then I let the music play for a while and released the unsoldered leg.
Immediate remark from my friend "what went broke, sounds so different".
Now you all tell me that 200pF || to 4.7µF of superior quality is not voodoo from the engineer's point of view.
Greets,
Hello tweakers,
back in the days when I used 2 or 3 way speakers, I used to shunt XO caps with tiny micas.
The cap parallel to the woofer cap was not more than1nF and the cap in series to the tweeter usually had 200pF of single-plate silver mica. This cap was audible, tellya!
Once I demonstrated my 2way speaker to a friend, a hobby musician but not anything near to an audiophile. I had the 200pF soldered off at one leg. then I changed the musci and pushed the unsoldered leg with the finger in its solder joint. Then I let the music play for a while and released the unsoldered leg.
Immediate remark from my friend "what went broke, sounds so different".
Now you all tell me that 200pF || to 4.7µF of superior quality is not voodoo from the engineer's point of view
. Greets,
tennis balls
A good, Frugal-phile (tm) anti-resonance tweak is to place half-tennis balls (3 for $2 CAD) under your electronics. I'm sure squash balls or any number of similar half-spheres will work -- probably not golf balls. And they would be a bitch to cut in half.
An example can be seen here.
dave
A good, Frugal-phile (tm) anti-resonance tweak is to place half-tennis balls (3 for $2 CAD) under your electronics. I'm sure squash balls or any number of similar half-spheres will work -- probably not golf balls. And they would be a bitch to cut in half.
An example can be seen here.
dave
no, William,
not me, CDs not being important enough for me. Maybe i'll do it after i copied Manfred's or Thomas' DIY CAD/CD player. My current CDP is not good enough.
But i do know from a listening test at a buddy's place that the green paint has to be green etching ink like used for technical drawings on mylar foil. The ink has to etch itself into the CD's edge, getting it to be as optically rough as possible.
Hi Bernhard, good to see you.
Could someone explain again to me why the paint has to be green? I've read that it's a complimentary color to the laser wavelength and thus absorbs all the stray light. But black absorbs all wavelengths and should be even better shouldn't it?
Okay. I confess I did this to a couple of CDs and "thought" I heard an improvement. No it wasn't a rigid scientific testing, but heck, it's cheap and takes my mind off spending more on equipment. Besides, it amuses the wife to watch me.
Could someone explain again to me why the paint has to be green? I've read that it's a complimentary color to the laser wavelength and thus absorbs all the stray light. But black absorbs all wavelengths and should be even better shouldn't it?
Okay. I confess I did this to a couple of CDs and "thought" I heard an improvement. No it wasn't a rigid scientific testing, but heck, it's cheap and takes my mind off spending more on equipment. Besides, it amuses the wife to watch me.
