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A Big DIY Bang for Your Buck?

I believe in getting the biggest bang out of my audio buck that I can. I don't know about you but my audio budget is actually limited. I find it interesting when I hear about folks spending a zillion on the best magnetic cables and then someone comes along with some new cable technology like new liquid-infused cables that equal or best the magnetic cables at a fraction of the price. Some makers of magnetic and other cables may want you to believe that a patent pending means there must be something there that ordinary Joe Audio could never make himself. My experience leads me to say -- don't believe it.

I have been using neodymium magnets for years in my cables and around my system to improve SQ -- at a fraction of the cost that makers of magnet-containing products charge. OK, mine may not be at the very top of the performance chain when compared to those expensive products, but who cares? I have managed to get stunning returns for a pittance. It would have cost thousands, or tens of thousands, to obtain similar results from various makers.

The same applies to audio makers with a patent pending (or an actual patent) who market little aluminum audio resonators the size of pimples. I make my own resonator pimples for about a buck apiece -- with stunning results. I saved over $4,000 making 70 of my own. Maybe they are not at the very top of the performance chain compared to those expensive products, but who cares? I am very happy with results that are far beyond what I expected when I started out.

I am having a lot of fun doing DIY projects at home that reap wonderful results at a small fraction of the cost charged by audio makers for their similar products. Have others had similar experiences making their own audio products at home? Can you share your DIY experiences with us?
sabai
uberdine
100 posts
 
I'm instinctively wary of audiophile nonsense but have enough time on my hands (I'm a writer...) that I've tried most of the tweaks that Geoff specialises in. For what it's worth I've discovered the following three things: 

1. Turns out you absolutely have to spend $500-$700 bucks on speaker cable, but no more. In fact I made the TNT cable out of cat5 for around $50 and that was superb, although I can no longer use it with my current amp. 

2. Don't bother with fuses or clocks or coloured marker pens, let alone fuse directionality; it's all expectation bias. Although...

3. Get this: I put a chunk of iron-rich basalt on top of my preamp's transformer and it cleaned up some system noise. Go figure, but it totally works. Sabai, I imagine something similar is going on with your magnets. It's not subtle, which is the acid test for tweaks. If you're thinking, "Yeah, yeah, wait, that does have a darker background/better PRAT/sounds more like live music," then, it doesn't. Expectation bias. If a tweak isn't jaw-dropping, it's not a tweak, it's nonsense.


jeffrey75's avatar
jeffrey75
107 posts
 
sabai,

You have asked for DIY "bang for the buck" experiences , I have one simple
suggestion. If there is a modem in the house use ethernet cord(s) and shut
off WiFi at the modem lessening the effect of RF pollution.



sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
uberdine,

Basalt? I will see if I can get hold of some. How heavy is the chunk?

You stated, " If a tweak isn't jaw-dropping, it's not a tweak, it's nonsense." I tend to agree. I agree with you about expectation bias.

You stated, "Turns out you absolutely have to spend $500-$700 bucks on speaker cable, but no more." It was less than $300 for my pure silver speaker wires.

jeffrey75,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will do some A/B-ing with this.


sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
geoffkait,

I see. Your comment that seemed very clear needed some explaining.
uberdine
100 posts
 
Sabai, I live on an ancient volcano so there's basalt everywhere, but I imagine any rock with iron in it will do the trick?
(Geoff I can sell you basalt rock at $500 a chip...)
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