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Your Best Tweak Lately

My latest, and perhaps best tweak, is a continuation of fuse upgrades, first using HiFi Tuning, two types, then Furutech, and finally, Synergistic Research Reds. Now, you may not believe in fuses, and that's ok---not here to convert anyone, just to report that these SR Reds are so far ahead of the others listed--to my ears, at least. If you have Maggies that you want to easily improve, put these in. I also have them as the mains fuses in ARC 210s and 861GNSC. If you have confidence in your power supply as stable and plentiful--another tweak in itself--no worries about the safety of these fuses--I even push the ratings a bit to match my big-gauge power cord capabilities. In the Maggies, I push them to 8A and 16A (stock is 2.5A and 5A) for a more "straight wire" effect by way of the bigger elements--incredible upgrade without molesting the speakers. With potentials in power supply, cords, cables, isolation schemes, room tricks, etc, this is a tweaker's paradise--I'm stealing the term back--just for audio.
128x128jafreeman
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abucktwoeighty
1,079 posts
 
Essence of Music
lak's avatar
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lak
4,528 posts
 
Jafreeman,
Did you find the Synergistic Research Reds to be directional?
I ask because I have read in other forums here on Audiogon that they were directional when used in VAC Sigma 160i / Sigma 160i SE Integrated Amp.
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bdp24
9,395 posts
 
Glenfarclas? That's a new one to me. When I'm playing a gig with an open bar (my favorite kind), I'm happy drinking Johnnie Walker Black free (all bar's have JWB). Hey, if it's good enough for Van Morrison and Richard Manuel (4% Pantomime ;-), it's good enough for me.
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mapman
21,823 posts
 
isolating speakers from floor interactions in my second level rooms with acoustically active suspended plywood floors.

Accomplished with Auralex subdude platforms under OHM Walsh speakers and Isoacoustic speaker stands under Triangle Titus monitors.

Cost of each: ~ $100.

Best investment ever!!! My advice is if your speakers are not sitting at ground level on a solid concrete foundation, try stands or platforms like these designed specifically for acoustic isolation from the floor before changing another thing. The difference is true hi fi sound in all regards versus something more mid-fi and muddled.
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bdp24
9,395 posts
 
For fans of roller bearing isolators, there is great news. Ingress Audio Engineering in Canada is making them to Barry Diament's exact specs. They are machined in 7075 aluminum, are 1.5" in diameter and 0.5" tall, and have a 2" diameter "bowl" machined into them. The 2" diameter bowl is larger than that in the Symposium Acoustics Rollerblocks, with a shallower depth and less steep walls, which provides a lower resonant frequency and less damping, resulting in greater isolation to any component placed on them. They are priced at $90 for a set of three with 3/8" chrome steel ball bearings, plus shipping.
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