Tweaking,why do you do it?

rollo · « **on:** 22 Feb 2007, 01:11 am »

Do we tweak because we are not happy with what we hear[Camp A] or do you tweak to extract the last bit of? [Camp B]
Why can't we just leave it alone? How many have had a great sound and then tweaked to get even more and then,it was gone?
rollo

SET Man · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 01:44 am »

Hey!

I tweak. There for I am...

Why not? It's there.

As a DIYer I can't help it. But I like to use the word fine tuning than tweaking because I mod and even built some so it is just a process of getting it right the way I want it

I think it is in the human's nature itself to find ways to improve thing no matter how good that thing is at the beginning.

Anyway, actually I did a minor fine tuning on my speaker

But that process is slowing down and much less now.... I'm very happy with what I'm hearing now.

Take care,
Buddy

smargo · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 02:16 am »

Quote from: rollo on 22 Feb 2007, 01:11 am

Do we tweak because we are not happy with what we hear[Camp A] or do you tweak to extract the last bit of? [Camp B]
Why can't we just leave it alone? How many have had a great sound and then tweaked to get even more and then,it was gone?
rollo

That's a very good question - I want to say that i tweak to get even better sound when everything sounds good - but when i do this i start to dislike what i am hearing - strange? - excessive tweaking often leads to my system sounding bad - and i also tweak when i think the sound is off to get the good sound back again.

In general though - the less i tweak the better i like my system and its sound - inevitably when i find myself obssesing with tweaking it's because my system sounds lousy - i don't know what im trying to say - do you?

regards
smargo

Scotty · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 02:46 am »

I am with Buddy on this one. I look at it as a fine tuning process. My list of outright
tweaks isn't too long, consisting of Maple butcher blocks under all electronic components followed by ball-bearing isolation under the DVD player,poweramp.
My Rev III preamp has MapleShade type cork rubber footers between it and it's butcher block and a qtr.sheet of ERS paper on top. For some reason a 3.5lbs. baggie of lead shot covering a qtr. sheet of ERS paper sounds about right on the DVD player. The power amp sounds best with 5.5lbs. of lead shot on top of a qtr.sheet of ERS paper. The speakers came with ballbearing isolation built into the bottom of the enclosure.
This combination seems to produce the clearest and most dynamic window in to the music with my current lineup of gear.
Scotty

Folsom · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 03:07 am »

I tend to be really fasicnated by what effects changes can have. I also like to explore limits of my system... There are some aspects I just know can be better, so I tweak.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 03:57 am »

We tweak because we want to see just how far we can take any given piece. No matter how good it sounds, we always think it can sound a bit better. After awhile, it becomes more re-voicing rather than improving. Tweaking or modifying does not always bring improvement but more often.... change. Humans like change and audiofreaks (like us) like it consistently and often.

Tweaking is a disease with no cure........it won't kill ya' so don't fight it.

JohninCR · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 04:09 am »

Building new and improved speakers is my hobby, so tweaking is part of the process. If I ever stop building, then tweaking the room is next. If I ever get past that I'll be in big trouble, because I like knowing that a change makes a difference. It's just a matter deciding of whether or not it's for the better. Of course OB alignments are a tweaker's dream, since almost anything you do makes an audible difference.

rabpaul · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 08:35 am »

According to the dictionary one of the meanings of tweaking is fine tuning. So we all do and have done some form of tweaking. Moving your speakers an inch here or there also qualifies as tweaking. We have all been in either Camp A or B at some point and yes I am sure we all have done a little too much and lost somethings only to discover them again much later.

Imperial · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 12:01 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio on 22 Feb 2007, 03:57 am

Tweaking is a disease with no cure........it won't kill ya' so don't fight it.

So true, so very true!

Imperial

shep · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 12:32 pm »

It's like that itch up there in the middle of the back...gotta scratch!
It's what seperates the men from the boys? What a question!!
As if I had any choice in the matter...

The alternative is B and B
(Bose and Boredom)

JoshK · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Feb 2007, 03:54 pm »

Oddly enough, I am a diy'er that really doesn't care to tweak much. I like to compare different technologies and such by building different things. But once I build something, my desire to mess with it is limited. I'm not saying that I always leave things alone, I don't. But I don't have an insatiable urge to mess with it once I build it the way I wanted to in the first place. However, I do buy component that I know I am going to mod extensively from the get go. I consider these a platform or a good canvas to try out ideas.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Feb 2007, 07:36 am »

I've done my share of adjusting/tweeking over the years and have found a lot of things that do and don't work. Im happy to say that I have a couple of great systems these days that I am really happy with.

That makes it a lot easier to evaluate other gear.....

djbnh · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 Feb 2007, 01:27 pm »

I tweak sometimes. I've found I do it for the following reasons: 1) I've become aware of a potential low-/no-cost way to potentially address a particular situation (ex: improving dampening / isolation of components - a local business has leftover granite / marble pieces that one may pickup for free; placing them under / atop various components improved performance of various components. 2) My readings have brought my attention to a "moderately priced" product that may enhance the performance / my enjoyment of a component or my system in general (ex: purchase of the following for my Rega P25 TT - J A Michell Tecno Arm Stub & Counterweight, and Pete Riggle VTAF; purchase of Walker SST to treat various system RCA and speaker connectors, IEC / power cord / tube prongs, etc.). 3) Tube rolling - some may feel this is not a tweak but a necessity - I also know it can get potentially expensive depending on what / how many tubes one wants to roll.

I don't look to spend much $ tweaking, esp. with a daughter who'll be attending college starting next year. I note there have been a couple times I've experienced major surprise at what I felt was a substantive sonic improvement for no or relatively little cash outlay. Regarding tube rolling, I've experienced substantive sound improvement with laying down some cash; however, there are some times I've wondered if I should have saved the $ and moved to another component. I also note I haven't done any tweaking for about a year, for whatever that's worth. That being said, I'm going to have dedicated lines run to my audio room...

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 Feb 2007, 03:30 pm »

As I've learned that most of the benefit is electrically and otherwise matching components, with prudent upgrades to each part of the chain....I am tweeking less and less. Of course, as I age, I am probably hearing less and therefore don't care so much

Damn, I didn't know aging could be so freeing

michaelv · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Feb 2007, 10:11 pm »

When i first enter the world of hi-fi, i don't tweak...but the more i read, the more i tweak...

Some tweaks are cheap to try, but some are expensive..such as installing Bybee in the system chains.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Mar 2007, 12:08 am »

My system has evolved quite rapidly since I started a mere year and a half ago. I think of it more as a evolutionary thing than a tweaking thing. Every thing I've done had been a step towards better resolution, more neutral, and more frequency extension, and better room acoustics.

I haven't gone backwards yet. Bonus.

Cheers

Joey B · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Mar 2007, 06:06 pm »

I can't afford really sota gear , so I match the equipment I do buy to the rest of my system and then spend my money to tweak it to the max . I have about 10k in a system that sounds like 20k or more . I have lotta locals scratching their heads wondering what I've done to get the sound I get . In 1 hour easily , I could detweak my system and it would sound only 70% as good as it does now . I'll bet alot of other folks could do the same

Joe

Soundbitten · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Mar 2007, 08:28 pm »

Quote from: Joey B on 2 Mar 2007, 06:06 pm

I can't afford really sota gear , so I match the equipment I do buy to the rest of my system and then spend my money to tweak it to the max . I have about 10k in a system that sounds like 20k or more . I have lotta locals scratching their heads wondering what I've done to get the sound I get . In 1 hour easily , I could detweak my system and it would sound only 70% as good as it does now . I'll bet alot of other folks could do the same

Joe

Huh ? ... If your system is tweaked it sounds more than twice as good ( 10k in a system that sounds like 20k or more ) but detweaked you only lose 30% ????

smargo · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Mar 2007, 09:02 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 23 Feb 2007, 07:36 am

I've done my share of adjusting/tweeking over the years and have found a lot of things that do and don't work. Im happy to say that I have a couple of great systems these days that I am really happy with.

That makes it a lot easier to evaluate other gear.....

well put - most things don't work ime and if I tweak to get better sound , it almost never works

regards,
smargo