I look at a tweek as something I can do to improve my audio system that lies 'outside' the source to speaker chain. Some think tweeking is foolishness but then, I'm an audiophile (or is it fool?) By this def cables and cords don't count (they are as important as component selection IMHO). Neither does capacitor changing or tube rolling - these are component improvements. Just my way of organising the universe.
Some of my comments have already been noted but i'll repeat just to add another viewpoint. However I do want to comment on the alcohol (or cannabis) tweek. This can blow both ways - you might find yourself 'fixing' your system only to discover later that you were inebriated! : ) Enjoy the music anyway you like but avoid messing with the system when you are tired, irritible, upset or chemically enhanced.
In no real order and not meant to be exhaustive - just off the top:
1. Position speakers carefully in room with respect to the listening postion and reflection points: a 'free' tweek that pays big dividends
2. Vibration control in general. What's best here is highly system specific. This weekend I've been listening to CDs using Herbies Audio Lab's new Black Hole. I'm blow away by them. As has been said - Herbies stuff is very good. With a 90 day return policy plus great pricing an easy recommendation.
3. Contact cleaning and enhancement: Walkers contact enhancer is great, others might be also. Craigs DeOxit and Kontac for cleaning have worked for me.
4. Dedicated lines and/or power conditioning/regeneration. OK, by my above def this is borderline. But important and highly system dependent as to what will work best. YMMV
5. Echo Busters have really helped me, particularly corner and bass busters. Put this in the category of room treatment. Essential tweaking.
6. Clean - I mean really clean - LPs. I've not had the same experience with CDs: perhaps better but I would not stake my life on a blind choice. But for vinyl if you don't clean well you won't hear well.
7. I concur with cleaning your ears. And I would add protect your hearing.
8. Wires off the carpet: I've not subjected this to any extensive a/b testing but my subjective impression is improvement, perhaps due to vibration control.
I could likely come up with more if I thought about it longer. But off the top these are the areas of "tweeking" that have help my system move ever closer to peak performance.
Some of my comments have already been noted but i'll repeat just to add another viewpoint. However I do want to comment on the alcohol (or cannabis) tweek. This can blow both ways - you might find yourself 'fixing' your system only to discover later that you were inebriated! : ) Enjoy the music anyway you like but avoid messing with the system when you are tired, irritible, upset or chemically enhanced.
In no real order and not meant to be exhaustive - just off the top:
1. Position speakers carefully in room with respect to the listening postion and reflection points: a 'free' tweek that pays big dividends
2. Vibration control in general. What's best here is highly system specific. This weekend I've been listening to CDs using Herbies Audio Lab's new Black Hole. I'm blow away by them. As has been said - Herbies stuff is very good. With a 90 day return policy plus great pricing an easy recommendation.
3. Contact cleaning and enhancement: Walkers contact enhancer is great, others might be also. Craigs DeOxit and Kontac for cleaning have worked for me.
4. Dedicated lines and/or power conditioning/regeneration. OK, by my above def this is borderline. But important and highly system dependent as to what will work best. YMMV
5. Echo Busters have really helped me, particularly corner and bass busters. Put this in the category of room treatment. Essential tweaking.
6. Clean - I mean really clean - LPs. I've not had the same experience with CDs: perhaps better but I would not stake my life on a blind choice. But for vinyl if you don't clean well you won't hear well.
7. I concur with cleaning your ears. And I would add protect your hearing.
8. Wires off the carpet: I've not subjected this to any extensive a/b testing but my subjective impression is improvement, perhaps due to vibration control.
I could likely come up with more if I thought about it longer. But off the top these are the areas of "tweeking" that have help my system move ever closer to peak performance.