# Biggest bang-for-the-buck tweaks!!!



## Turnaround

What are some absurdly cheap or easy tweaks that give good results in spades?? That I should try out??

 I'll start with two:

 - using spikes under my speakers. Holy moly, everything took better shape in the soundstage.

 - getting rid of the TV between my speakers. It was like someone opened up a door in the middle of the soundstage.


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## SayNoToPistons

Speaker placement and evironment change.


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## jp11801

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Turnaround* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_- getting rid of the TV between my speakers. It was like someone opened up a door in the middle of the soundstage._

 

this is huge I recently went from 2 racks between my speakers to on tall one and what a huge change for the better. I would advise anyone to to the same try to keep the space between speakers as empty as possible.

 Also treating the room to cut down on echo and reflections, while I used auralex corner traps and wall treatments you can make your own on the cheap. here is a great site to get you started
http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/index2.htm


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## Patrick82

ERS Paper, Magix levitation feet and Nordost Valhalla cables are the tweaks I like the most. It's not that good for the price if you only add a few. But the more you add the bigger the improvements get! 


 PS Audio MultiWaveII (*MWave4*) is the greatest tweak ever for Toroidal transformers. The MWave4 function is only in the older Power Plants, not with the new Premier.

 The CleanSweep function of MultiWaveII+ is the greatest tweak for all gear, without it I can't listen to music, it's only hundred bucks. Premier Power Plant has a similar function called CleanWave, but I haven't tested it much. It seems like the older CleanSweep makes it smoother with more transparency and the new CleanWave makes it brighter and more detailed.

 PS Audio Noise Harvester is also a hundred bucks but I didn't like it much, it made bass too big and heavy.


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## eyeteeth

Two free tweaks

 Loudspeaker listeners remove the terminations from your speaker cables.

 Remove your power conditioner and plug things directly into the wall. You may find, as I did, that despite conventional audiophile wisdom your AC is perfectly fine.


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## Thelonious Monk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Turnaround* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_- using spikes under my speakers. Holy moly, everything took better shape in the soundstage._

 


 amen. spikes are much more effective than edit: acoustically treated material, ie SoundQuest Isol-Pads

 with headphone, just fooling around with the pads works wonders! reversed bowls for grado owners...


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## yo2tup2

not absurdly cheap, but maple cutting boards under components work extremely well.


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## swmtnbiker

Cheapest tweak I've ever found: stop reading Head-Fi and Audioholics and just listen to your rig. It'll sound tons better.


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## yo2tup2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dpippel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheapest tweak I've ever found: stop reading Head-Fi and Audioholics and just listen to your rig. It'll sound tons better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

maybe...but where's the fun in that


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## recstar24

Next doctor visit or physical - get your ears checked for wax, and if needed, have the doc flush them out with the little syringe thing and shoots water and flushes it out. Man was I surprised by how much crap was in there. But the hearing really goes up another level, more clarity and focus with everything, almost had a similar feeling when I got glasses/contacts for the 1st time and everything just snapped into focus.

 Question for everyone - I never received the tip toe spikes that normally come with my speakers, and I have been informed that they are practically impossible to source. However, he did tell me that marbles can be used in place. Does anyone know where I can get some sets of marbles to use as tiptoes for my speaker bases?


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## bigshot

Speaker placement and graphic equalizer

 See ya
 Steve


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## markmaxx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *recstar24* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Next doctor visit or physical - get your ears checked for wax, and if needed, have the doc flush them out with the little syringe thing and shoots water and flushes it out. Man was I surprised by how much crap was in there. But the hearing really goes up another level, more clarity and focus with everything, almost had a similar feeling when I got glasses/contacts for the 1st time and everything just snapped into focus.

 Question for everyone - I never received the tip toe spikes that normally come with my speakers, and I have been informed that they are practically impossible to source. However, he did tell me that marbles can be used in place. Does anyone know where I can get some sets of marbles to use as tiptoes for my speaker bases?_

 

Ryan your regular doctor did this? MD?


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## brianth

Depending on your speakers, bring them out from the back wall a couple feet and toe them in slightly. I remember one day messing with my PSB Silver i's and suddenly feeling like they were perfectly locked in. Cool feeling!


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## markmaxx

Read the directions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My new speakers Polk Audio Lsi 15s can be bi-amped. I was using them with my Pioneer elite receiver with just the front L and R hooked up.

 The bass was not well defined at all it was some what smeared. I was reading the Receiver manual and found out it has extra l and R for bi amping it uses the back speaker amp! Who knew. I got some speaker wire, and proceded to wired them up. I turned the amp on and presed play on the Meridian 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hotel California by the Eagles never sounded so good in my living room.

 Moral is read the directions. After 40 plus hours of break in and the bi-amping the bass is much more well defined and has a density I have never felt before in my home speaker system.


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## Copperjacket

For floor standing speakers on wooden floors - place them on concrete paving slabs. Standmounted speakers - 3 blobs of blue-tac between the speaker and the stand, then place stands on slabs.

 Try to adjust speaker height or listening position so that the speaker drivers are at eye i.e. ear level


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## Old Pa

Murine Ear Wax Removal Kit - DIYers rejoice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Clean all electromechanical connections with the appropriate CAIG solvent/conditioner (DeOxit or ProGold)

 Isolate electrically and mechanically all electronic components.


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## markmaxx

Old Pa;2745038 said:
			
		

> Murine Ear Wax Removal Kit - DIYers rejoice!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Dan Millheim

I am more a lurker here but "tweaking" is my new obsession, ha. The opportunity to draw more and more out of my music listening has been so entertaining and fun to research!

 Best Tweaks.

 1.Dakiom fm203 running out of my Benchmark Dac 1 (cryo'ed fuses). Wow! My all time favorite "Tweaks" for now!
 2. Running FLAC on a RWA Modded Olive. Pure Listening Pleasure-off the grid dead quiet!
 3. Moon Audio Black Dragons for my Senn 650's, Cable Cryo'd by Cryoparts. Very nice paring.
 4. Stillpoint Paper but not to Patrick82 extreams . Raised the blackness factor!
 5. SC Magic Reference Power Cords- My entrance into: "Do power cords really matter"? YES! But that's as far as my wallet will allow and I am very, very pleased!
 6. Quick Silver on all contacts and connectors. Nice but not overwhelming.
 7. Permatex Dielectric Tune Up grease on my Power Cords and Line conditioner. Takes out some of the digital harshness and it's so cheap!
 8. Building my own isolation plateforms and dampening feet for componants. Fun to design and build.
 9. Radio Shack Ferrites for power cords. Not sure of impact but they look cool and were cheap.
 10. Powerwraps for my Line Conditioner power cord. Nothing special.

 Two more I am working on to finish my tweaking:

 Monarcy Upsampler.- For improved detail and weight on an all digital BNC connected system.
 Quantum Symphony EMF stabilizer with Quantum Resonance Technology. The idea of total coverage against EMF noise using ONE passive line conditioner with my other line conditioners for both my listening station and media room is appealing. 

 Now back to listening to great music and lurking!


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## Old Pa

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *markmaxx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_[What is a ear candle for?LOL_

 






 Thank you for reminding me of this unholy practice. LOL The Murine product is slightly less draconian and still quite effective.


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## Uncle Erik

Best tweaks:

 1. Clean out your ears or have the doctor do it.
 2. Quiet your mind. Don't worry about the problems of the day, just enjoy the music.
 3. Speaker placement. Keep moving them until they sound the best to you. It's a pain and takes time, but when you get good placement, it's worth it.


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## Hoppergrass

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *markmaxx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Read the directions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My new speakers Polk Audio Lsi 15s can be bi-amped. I was using them with my Pioneer elite receiver with just the front L and R hooked up.

 The bass was not well defined at all it was some what smeared. I was reading the Receiver manual and found out it has extra l and R for bi amping it uses the back speaker amp! Who knew. I got some speaker wire, and proceded to wired them up. I turned the amp on and presed play on the Meridian 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hotel California by the Eagles never sounded so good in my living room.

 Moral is read the directions. After 40 plus hours of break in and the bi-amping the bass is much more well defined and has a density I have never felt before in my home speaker system._

 

maybe i'm mis-reading something but that sounds like bi-wiring. do you have
 them hooked up to two amps?


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## recstar24

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *markmaxx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ryan your regular doctor did this? MD?_

 

Yup, I asked him to check, and he said no problem, and recommended to flush them out. Stuck this huge syringe looking thing that had a rubber tip at the end in my canals, and flushed water into, releasing all this nasty wax I had no idea was in there. Hearing instantly up 3 db


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## markmaxx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hoppergrass* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_maybe i'm mis-reading something but that sounds like bi-wiring. do you have
 them hooked up to two amps?_

 

No but:....... Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pioneer website* 
_The VSX-74TXVi was designed to do just that and more. Building on a long history of innovations in amplifier designs the VSX-74TXVi's new Direct Energy Bipolar 7-Channel powerplant delivers 140 Watts to all 7 channels with absolute detail, power, and efficiency._

 

So in my manual "Bi-amping your front speakers" 

 Bi-amping is when you connect the high frequency driver and low frequency driver of your speakers to different amplifers.(in my case the front and surround back terminals)

 I was reading the Specifations per channel:..Front 140w at 8ohms. 

 Rear surrounds 140w per channel at 8ohms.

 I do have a question. My speakers are 4 ohm. The specifations for 6ohms are 180w per channel.(I assume 4 ohms would be ever higher) do I now have well over 200 w per channel?


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## paulllaser

Best tweaks to enhance sound:

 1. For speaker systems, 50% of the ultimate dound will be due to your listening enviornment acoustics. Devote effort to improving room acoustics. Doesn't have to be very expensive. Has to be something. Here's a good start: http://www.realtraps.com/

 2. Vibration isolation under just about everything you can get it under. K Works Iso Feet are the most cost effective solution: Call Igor at K Works: 973-334-2908.

 3. Clean power. What you get from the outlet is definately NOT clean. Many to choose from. My choices are PS Audio PS 300 and K Works Power Station. Couldn't listen without them now. Makes speed control with vinyl a snap!

 4. Clean contacts. 

 5. Good quality interconnects and cables.

 I used to be a skeptic until our New Jersey Audio Society had various demonstrations to show the differences with various implementations of the above. They make an audible difference.


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## Pm@c

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thelonious Monk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_amen. spikes are much more effective than edit: acoustically treated material, ie SoundQuest Isol-Pads

 with headphone, just fooling around with the pads works wonders! reversed bowls for grado owners... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I dont like using spikes with my sub because I love the feeling of the floor shaking, although my landlord does not... all the better...

 PS: This thread is making me anxious to get back home (in Toronto for coop right now) so I can enjoy my Z5500's again. Man I miss hearing music through a pumping bass unit instead of headphones... sigh...


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## gevorg




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## recstar24

Hey guys,

 I think I mentioned this before, does anyone know where I can get a set of marbles? I need to find some to use as replacements for the tip toes which were supposed to come with the cicadas. A set came with every pair, but if lost, are impossible to source. Hence I am looking for a place to get a set of marbles that will rest right underneath where the tip toes should be inserted in the bases.


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## Copperjacket

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *recstar24* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey guys,

 I think I mentioned this before, does anyone know where I can get a set of marbles? I need to find some to use as replacements for the tip toes which were supposed to come with the cicadas. A set came with every pair, but if lost, are impossible to source. Hence I am looking for a place to get a set of marbles that will rest right underneath where the tip toes should be inserted in the bases._

 

Try a toy shop - childrens marbles come in two standard sizes. Alternatively try a bearing factor, machine shop or similar and find steel bearings from a ball bearing race of the right size. If you want wood what about the cedar balls sold by Orvis?


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## MaN227

not a tweak I guess, but I felt compelled to add something on the ears and cleaning them. there is no need to pay a doctor to do it and/or buy those cleaning kits. here is why , and I swear by this. 

 My "DOC" on my first ship, passed on this tidbit to me and you'll be amazed how simple it is to do and how well it works. Don't believe me try it yourself. You will be thanking me for it. 

 When taking a shower, simply turn your head so to angle your ear up, to face the direct stream of water so u can feel it inside your canal, for .... oh, 30 seconds or so for each ear. Q-tips filled with... er wax will be a thing of the past. lol its like Q-tips are more for ear drying then cleaning. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Free
 Fast
 Feels Good

 The only other thing that comes to my mind is STOP analyzing so much and GROOVE to your music more. Benefits of high dollar cables are overrated. Case in point I just bought to compare a 1

 00$ 18G Monster cable HDMI cable with a 3 ft length, 
 and a MonoPrice 22$ 28G HDMI cable . 
 IF there is ANY difference the MonoPrice cable is better, oh and its 12 ft long. 

 from dirt cheap lamp cord type cable to decent cable there is a big difference, from decent to high dollar I feel the improvments are minimal at best. I feel it safe to say that this applies to any and all cables. 

 THE SOURCE is what matters a bunch in any sort of setup, crap in, through your expensive interconnects still come out crap.


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## ken36

Only read your own posts.


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## GreatDane

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MaN227* 
_


 When taking a shower, simply turn your head so to angle your ear up, to face the direct stream of water so u can feel it inside your canal, for .... oh, 30 seconds or so for each ear. Q-tips filled with... er wax will be a thing of the past. lol its like Q-tips are more for ear drying then cleaning. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Free
 Fast
 Feels Good_

 

That's what I've been doing for years. I sometimes have water stay in one ear for a few minutes until I tilt my head but no big deal most times. I never see wax and I use Q-tips to dry them and I insert them as deep as possible into the outer canal.


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## Listens2tubes

Question for everyone - I never received the tip toe spikes that normally come with my speakers said:
			
		

> Brass balls also work well, I use 1" polished brass balls that thread onto the bottom of my speakers in place of the feet/spikes. I like my oak floors. Found many to choose from at: http://www.mouser.com they've really got balls!


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## Brian_the_King

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MaN227* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_not a tweak I guess, but I felt compelled to add something on the ears and cleaning them. there is no need to pay a doctor to do it and/or buy those cleaning kits. here is why , and I swear by this. 

 My "DOC" on my first ship, passed on this tidbit to me and you'll be amazed how simple it is to do and how well it works. Don't believe me try it yourself. You will be thanking me for it. 

 When taking a shower, simply turn your head so to angle your ear up, to face the direct stream of water so u can feel it inside your canal, for .... oh, 30 seconds or so for each ear. Q-tips filled with... er wax will be a thing of the past. lol its like Q-tips are more for ear drying then cleaning. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Free
 Fast
 Feels Good_

 

Oh cool, I am definitely trying that.


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## Listens2tubes

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *paulllaser* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Best tweaks to enhance sound:

 1. For speaker systems, 50% of the ultimate dound will be due to your listening enviornment acoustics. Devote effort to improving room acoustics. Doesn't have to be very expensive. Has to be something. Here's a good start: http://www.realtraps.com/

 2. Vibration isolation under just about everything you can get it under. K Works Iso Feet are the most cost effective solution: Call Igor at K Works: 973-334-2908.

 3. Clean power. What you get from the outlet is definately NOT clean. Many to choose from. My choices are PS Audio PS 300 and K Works Power Station. Couldn't listen without them now. Makes speed control with vinyl a snap!

 4. Clean contacts. 

 5. Good quality interconnects and cables.

 I used to be a skeptic until our New Jersey Audio Society had various demonstrations to show the differences with various implementations of the above. They make an audible difference.




_

 

I too can't say enough about K Works Isofeet, they have transformed both my own and a friends system, adding detail and focus and in the case of one turntable-smoothness. Igor can be emailed at: gorkuz@yahoo.com


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## kontai69

I replaced the cheap and loose wall outlet that that my system was plugged into with a high-quality hospital grade wall outlet. 




 It grips the power cable plug blades VERY tightly, resulting in optimal contact and current flow. I got mine at Home Depot for around $10. Do a Google search on how to do it. It is quite easy. Call an electrician if you are not comfortable. 


 I put around 2 pounds of Dynamat Xtreme on all the inside surfaces of my CD player. This greatly increases the mass damping the chassis. The Dynamat was left over from a car stereo install I did.


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## recstar24

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Listens2tubes* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Brass balls also work well, I use 1" polished brass balls that thread onto the bottom of my speakers in place of the feet/spikes. I like my oak floors. Found many to choose from at: http://www.mouser.com they've really got balls! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks for the tip! Do you have a part number or what are they officially called, I can't seem to find it on their site


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## Fitz

Here's the only tweaks I use anymore:

 1) Speaker placement

 2) Graphic & parametric equalizer

 3) Measurement microphone for setting up said equalizer (either on the equalizer itself for initial auto-adjustments, or through the PC for frequency response plots)

 I'm not big into "room treatments", and in fact actually moved my listening position further back to get more reflections, not less.


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## DarkAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Listens2tubes* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I too can't say enough about K Works Isofeet, they have transformed both my own and a friends system, adding detail and focus and in the case of one turntable-smoothness. Igor can be emailed at: gorkuz@yahoo.com_

 

Can you describe basically what these are and what price range?

 Cones, roller bearings, air suspension, soft rubber etc????


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