TA-102 fo.Q Product from Japan "TRY These"
Yes -- over application of fo.Q can suck the life right out of things but this is the exception rather than something that will always happen -- I found it especially to be the case on my SR ground cables (which are tiny cables anyways). Others have found that you can be very liberal, and certainly when it comes to things like outlet covers apply away! |
Joe Cohen at the Lotus Group has posted extensively on how to use fo.Q. See for example https://www.lotusgroupusa.com/blog/further-adventures-in-realms-of-bliss |
I'm happy someone brought this up. I wanted to but didn't want to preach about my near obsession with fo.Q tape. It's a great product. I have used over 50 packs of TA-102 and TA-32 on my system in all kinds of places. I know it inside out. If anyone has questions I will answer. The only place I would hesitate to use it liberally is on speaker boxes - a little goes a long way (use it liberally on driver frames though). Anywhere else - go for it! It's designed for audio, and It works by piezoelectric conversion of vibrations to electrical current, which is then dissipated into the substrate material as heat. It operates most efficiently at ultra-low amplitudes, unlike for example Sorbothane which is designed to protect objects from damage by vibration. It also absorbs a wide frequency band and does not leave random frequencies ringing, again unlike most damping materials. This is the reason you can use lots of it, because it kills vibrations dead across a wide specrum, and does not allow ringing or muddy frequency bands to remain behind. One special note - there are differing TA-102 glue qualities that you get randomly. The best quality TA-102 is the darker almost black colour. The glue on this does not generally leave a residue. The lighter mid-gray charcoal TA-102 is a problem if you ever plan to peel it off. The "booger" glue usually comes off and must be removed with solvent (or make a ball of glue and pick it off with the glue-ball). TA-32 (Thin tape) is much better in this regard because it never seems to leave a residue. Remember this point especially if you plan to use it on headphones (safer to use the thin tape TA-32 for headphones). Meanwhile heare are some spectacular uses for it : TA-102 (thick tape) - wall power outlets. Just cover the whole wall outlet except for the plug area of course. Don't underestimate this. Better than Furutech etc. - tonearm bases - tonearm headshell (or use TA-32 thin tape) - turntable chassis (somewhere hidden like underneath preferably) - amplifier chassis near the power inlet (top use!) - advanced use - cut small pieces and individually dampen the tops of internal components such as capacitors etc. It is slightly conductive, so be careful. TA-32 (thin tape) - wrap it around RCA, or XLR connectors (top use!) - wrap it around entire cable lengths - tonearm headshell (or the entire tonearm tube!) - if you dare, on the cartridge body (top use!) - headphone headband |
