Tweaks! Do these work?

jb2455 · « **on:** 18 Apr 2019, 10:23 pm »

Hi my name is jb and I like trying different tweaks for my system :

has anyone tried the ‘ Dueland’ speaker clarifier? It looks like a capacitor in series connected to the speaker post. I believe Synergistic also has one that they sell. Do these work? Have you tried them?
Another is the Stein Harmonizer. Has anyone had success with this tweak? I am always curious about these tweaks and if they work or not.

Thanks, JB

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 07:40 am »

Quote from: jb2455 on 18 Apr 2019, 10:23 pm

Hi my name is jb and I like trying different tweaks for my system : has anyone tried the ‘ Dueland’ speaker clarifier? It looks like a capacitor in series connected to the speaker post. I believe Synergistic also has one that they sell. Do these work? Have you tried them?
Another is the Stein Harmonizer. Has anyone had success with this tweak? I am always curious about these tweaks and if they work or not.

Thanks, JB

Welcome JB

These devices do ''something'' with the music signal and they will interact with the xover from your speakers, if the final result will please your ears its hard to say.

If you use a direct no xover FR driver I would rec dont use it.

JLM · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 10:40 am »

In 50 years at this, have not found a single what I would call a tweak that works, but am not one to try many of them. Recommend buying from vendors that offer good products upfront, why buy stuff that needs fixes? Most tweaks are a scam, at best they do nothing, at worst they impart a coloration. If the tweak is such a good idea why wasn't it incorporated into the original design or in all similar designs?

Tweaks can be tempting, but best to focus on the essentials. A simple synergistic system consisting of solid gear that fits your tastes/room is best. Extra bits just distract and confuse. Don't ignore room effects (weird shape, too small for chosen speakers, limited access, little isolation, poor setup, etc.) as most do. By solid gear I mean that you should look into the company behind the components (service, history, deep R&D/manufacturing resources, reputation).

Elizabeth · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 11:32 am »

In the defense of tweaks... Plenty of utterly FREE tweaks around. The latest I tried was a gift from Michael Green who does 'tuning' as a professional. He suggested 'loosening the AC duplex, slightly" Holy Cow! it works! The sound became slightly less 'hard' a little softer, more natural.
Reminder FREE, Like FREE as in FREE. no cost.
The free tweaks are the best. You can try it, or not, change it back, or not. no cost except a few minutes fooling around. Like speaker placement.
Then more troubling.. footers.. There ARE dirt cheap good solutions, a buck each, even as low as fifty cents. Or you can splurge and buy $900 ones. EACH! ($900).
Most good tweaks started out as a free or nearly free IDEA. Grabbed by someone who managed to add in a profit. say 10,000%? Some folks take basic bits, claim they invented basic electronics, and then charge through the nose for it. (Bybee) when the fact is, anyone can make the SAME DEVICE for a few dollars in parts.
So IMO complaining tweaks are a 'rip off' is not fair. a lot (in fact nearly all) of them started out as an idea. a FREE or nearly free idea.

OzarkTom · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 11:47 am »

Maple Shade Audio has over 50 free tweak ideas. Tweaks do work. I have been tweaking for over 40 years. I highly recommend trying the reverse of polarity at both speakers. One way will give you the biggest soundstage.

https://mapleshadestore.com/freeupgrades.php

ric · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 01:51 pm »

Hi, there are two big areas that define the question "do these tweaks work". One is how sensitive your system is, and unfortunately has to do with how much money is spent buying sensitive equipment. The other is how sensitive your ears are.
There are many who (for them) do not care for or derive much regarding tweakdom, and see it as more snake oil. And then there are people like me who hear differences, and enjoy hearing improvements in sound whether it is a minimal cost tweak or one costing hundreds of dollars. I have played around with many low cost tweaks and eventually realized that if I really want sound improvement, spend the money (in most cases). Many sellers offer returns if you are not satisfied, and if you are not satisfied and are out the shipping cost, it's a learning experience.
If you can hear differences in speaker cables then you will hear differences in other things too. For example, Synergistic Research has their (relatively) new blue fuse. To my ears the sound difference is huge and worth the money for the sound improvement provided. Are boutique fuses tweaks? Do they improve the sound quality? Are they worth the money? All these questions YOU need to answer for yourself. Don't believe someone who says tweaks are B.S. That's his opinion and not should be kept as such. Good luck!

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 01:56 pm »

Greetings & Welcome to AC JB

timind · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 02:31 pm »

My thoughts on tweaks: do I want to spend my time listening to music, or do I want to spend my time listening for minute differences after wrapping tape around my power cord or some other such tweak?

My listening time is precious these days.

And welcome to AC

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Apr 2019, 02:35 pm »

These Mapleshade free tweaks are great, if the room have a good shape/size they worth to try.

bodhiboy · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Jan 2020, 04:05 pm »

Thanks for the Mapleshade link!

mike

Hornfidelity · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 02:15 am »

The mapleshade tweaks look fun.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 04:26 am »

Quote from: jb2455 on 18 Apr 2019, 10:23 pm

Hi my name is jb and I like trying different tweaks for my system : has anyone tried the ‘ Dueland’ speaker clarifier? It looks like a capacitor in series connected to the speaker post. I believe Synergistic also has one that they sell. Do these work? Have you tried them?

Thanks, JB

Firstly, welcome to Audiocircle.

I can't imagine what the possible benefit would be.
First off: assuming your amp has direct-coupled outputs, as most modern amps do, you would be second-guessing the amp designer and turning it into a capacitor-coupled amp. The amp will have to charge/discharge the capacitor on every +/- voltage swing, which some amps react poorly to (they oscillate). This is why many amps have difficulty driving electrostats, which are essentially giant sound-emitting capacitors. The capacitor will roll off lows at some frequency dependent on the cap value and speaker electrical characteristics. This effect can be reduced by increasing the value of the cap- but that will increase the likelihood of having the first problem.

There may be tweaks that work but throwing random parts into a circuit doesn't seem likely to work out for the best. Use a competently designed amp that mates well with your speakers of choice and connect only your speakers to it would be my recommendation.

smargo · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 05:11 am »

my experience over 30 years is that a tweak works (at least i think it does) for the first 2 months that i use it. Then i take it away

and my system sounds just as good

eichlerera1 · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 05:21 am »

I have utilized many of Dave's tweaks to my advantage over the years.....
http://www.estroarmonico.com/Tweaks.html

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 12:43 pm »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 19 Apr 2019, 11:32 am

In the defense of tweaks... Plenty of utterly FREE tweaks around.....

The best thing about free or nearly free tweeks is that they're fun! I wouldn't ever install my system without using the maple footers I made for a couple of dollars, not so much for the pumice stone footers, they're in a box somewhere. But it was a ball trying them out, next up is Elizabeth's pen blanks. My speaker cables are on homemade 2x4 risers, maybe I hear a difference, but they look cool, I just read on the Mapleshade tweak page they need to be 18", something new to play with.

On the other hand if they're asking any real money for a tweak I'm with JLM, I'm unwilling to give people money for stuff I can very likely duplicate at home and may be of dubious efficacy.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 05:17 pm »

Please, post these feature here in detail.
Gracias

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Feb 2020, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 19 Feb 2020, 12:43 pm

On the other hand if they're asking any real money for a tweak I'm with JLM, I'm unwilling to give people money for stuff I can very likely duplicate at home and may be of dubious efficacy.

There are some tweaks you can cost effectively duplicate at home but some are not so easy to duplicate at home like tube dampers. Herbie’s Halos come to mind. Money well spent because they work and there isn’t any diy alternative that I’m aware of. Speltz ZERO Autoformers is another. Medical isolation transformers another and the list goes on...

Th point is there’s nothing wrong with being frugal, however there are many great tweaks that do cost money and they do make a difference no matter how much anyone in the name of frugality objects, protests or denies the viability of them.

OldScott · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Apr 2020, 04:21 pm »

I agree with ric in that most often its a question of whether the tweek works or whether your system is sensitive to it. It may work on a very revealing system but not on a lesser, or vice versa. A further question, if the tweek has an audible effect, is it an improvement or coloration/distortion? As most of us have come to realize over the years just because something sounds different doesn't mean its better. In fact it may even take some extended listening before one determines which is the case.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Apr 2020, 05:13 pm »

A further question, if the tweek has an audible effect, is it an improvement or coloration/distortion? As most of us have come to realize over the years just because something sounds different doesn't mean its better. In fact it may even take some extended listening before one determines which is the case.
Good point, in the 90s I managed to find a shop with the well reputed Audioquest RF Stoppers, so I put two in the CD Player power cable, it was said to have a 100kHz filter point, to my dismay it had a clear bad effect on the music with less tone and life and some blur.

rollo · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Apr 2020, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: jb2455 on 18 Apr 2019, 10:23 pm

Hi my name is jb and I like trying different tweaks for my system : has anyone tried the ‘ Dueland’ speaker clarifier? It looks like a capacitor in series connected to the speaker post. I believe Synergistic also has one that they sell. Do these work? Have you tried them?
Another is the Stein Harmonizer. Has anyone had success with this tweak? I am always curious about these tweaks and if they work or not.

Thanks, JB

JB only one way to find out. Each system has its own sound. Without an audition in yours opinions just will not help. Return policy ??

charles