Simple advice you should have, but didn't follow that made a big difference.


For me, it was when I read on some thread recently that, aside from leaving your components on 24/7, the Marantz SACD player takes about a good 3 days to come into it's own. Now that I'm retired and not afraid of something going amiss when away at work, I leave everything on.

I didn't notice much of a difference until a few days or so and my system began to really sing. Yes, I adjusted my speakers to fire directly at my ears (which I've never done due to the harshness) but something more happened and continues to. There's simply more there, there. The sound goes all the way back in a most developed fashion. It seems to extract lots more info but not hype or etch. It just kind of seems more live.

Who would have thought? This one I should have had down pat but I didn't.
What have you looked over that you shouldn't have?

All the best,
Nonoise
128x128nonoise
Don't put your components between the speakers. I was stunned at the improvement in soundstage.
Don't put your components between the speakers. I was stunned at the improvement in soundstage.

Surprising how many people still do. Yes clearing that area can make a dramatic improvement. Including all opposing sides around speakers. Don't box them in, leave them adequate room to "breath". 
Only speakers and room treatment devices occupy the front wall (behind speakers) in my dedicated room.  Rack is to my side at listening position.
Rechecking all wiring connections every year or so to do good cleaning and especially make sure they're all "gas-tight". Been burned on that one probly more than once over the decades...
Deoxit D100 does a very nice job cleaning on all power cable and interconnect cables.  I just cleaned every cable connector and some easy to clean receptacles too.  After cleaning with Deoxit, I wiped each connector clean with 99% isopropyl alcohol.  The music now comes shining through.
A throw rug over hardood or worse, ceramic/stone flooring. A rug thats adequate size and catches first reflections can work wonders.  
I know I put this on another thread but it bears repeating here: if your AC is good, plug that amp (or integrated) directly into the wall. 

I had a different set of ICs and SCs and speakers when I got my PC conditioner and it was for the better. On the advice of another, I went directly into the wall and the improvement was wonderful. I went so far as to completely rearrange my PC situation and kept the conditioner for the ancillaries (TV, cable box, tuner and Blu Ray player) and the integrated and SACD player now go directly into the wall.

The performers are, at times, literally in my room, it is so believable. Again, who would have thought?

All the best,
Nonoise
Had similar results of nonoise. Was previously plugging amps and source gear into Transparent conditioners plugged into 15Amp receptacles. My local Dealer recommended I install dedicated 20amp outlets, assuming you have the space in your primary fuse box. I believe the contractor charged me $300 for the work.

Now the Amps are plugged directly into the dedicated 20Amp outlets and the 2 conditioners in the other two for all source components. The difference was significant.
Can anyone offer up the science behind the claims of superiority when there is nothing between the speakers, or more precisely to state what the problem is. If your speakers are at least a bit in front of your gear then it seems(for those with speakers that do not radiate out the back at least) that reflected sound should not be much of an issue since it would seem to have to bounce off the far wall and travel all the way back before interacting with the rack