Snake oil and tweaks that work!


This is in no way intended to bring out argument but discussion of tweaks people have tried and have found success with. I know there are at least 50% of you out there that think everything in audio is snake oil, and you are initialed to those opinions. Please don't make this your battle field! If you want to start an opposing thread calling us nuts and getting in arguments please do, it might be fun to have both going. I want this one to be an informational for people who want to try things. I for one have tried a lot of the recommendations in Stereophile each month, most don't work for me, but I have found a few things that do work. #1 tweak: Speaker location. Even a 1/16" can make all the difference. I try to play with this about every six months. A dedicated circuit from the panel with 10ga. wire had a very noticeable improvement. Cables and wires matter, some have been good for my system, some real bad. We have plenty of threads covering this so lets no go there. The "Bedini Ultra Clarifier" works amazingly well for me, I know it's crazy but it works! The Cardas caps I got for X-mas really worked, they produced a more quite background, go figure. Black Diamond Racing "the Puck and the Shelf " have been great improvements, all the different cones I've tried change the sound, I haven't found one I would recommend. The Audio Prism Quiteline filters work great, but power conditioners and RFI/EMI ferrets did nothing. The last thing that has helped me is furniture location, I find if I move something only an inch it can help or hurt. I look forward to hearing others experiences.
128x128jadem6

Showing 2 responses by megasam

I like the Auric Illuminator treatment for Cds, which I apply to any CD that I detect treble grain/hardness, which is over half my Rock/alt music section. Will give a slightly smoother cleaner sound without detail loss. Also like Kontak connector cleaner/enhancer. BTW I have both Bedini II and radio shack demag unit, but I have become less convinced of their positive effect as time goes by.
Retro is being very serious, this hard freeze concept has been around for years. The theory I have heard is the hard freeze and slow thaw releases impurities introduced during CD manufacturing process, which can then be cleaned away. Also supposed to positively effect CD disc pastic/metal properties. This is too extreme for me even if it does have some benefit, I generally will not apply a tweak that cannot be removed or reversed, in case you later change your mind about the changed sound.