View Full Version : Your most worthwhile upgrade/cost
Covenant
04-09-2009, 11:57
I was prompted to start this by DaveK's comments on his Homar cable. Rather than just a change of box lets have details of mods, cables, foo stuff that in your system have had a profound effect and not hurt your pocket too much.
For me it was changing from copper speaker cable to silver. On the Wam someone mentioned an Ebay seller of a discontinued make-I think it was called Speed of Light and I bought two 3 metre lengths for £38. They added a sparkle that simply wasn't there before, opened the soundstage and tightened the bass.
So lets have some details of your experiences.
For me it was changing from copper speaker cable to silver. On the Wam someone mentioned an Ebay seller of a discontinued make-I think it was called Speed of Light and I bought two 3 metre lengths for £38. They added a sparkle that simply wasn't there before, opened the soundstage and tightened the bass.
Hi Jerry,
Hope this is not too far off topic but do you have any opinions on the use of silver speaker cables vs copper speaker cables in general, rather than the specific cables that you swapped. I ask because, some time ago, I 'impulse' bought off eBay what I thought to be some 'bargin' silver speaker cables and never fitted them 'cos Gaz drew my attention to another eBay 'bargin' on speaker cables that he had tried and recommended (purple and green insulation). I always prefer a proven solution and, after fitting them and being happy with the improvement, I forgot the silver ones :doh: :doh: .
In your opinion does the guage of the wire contribute to any improvement? My coppere ones are considerably larger diameter than the silver ones.
Having typed all this I guess the answer I'm most likely to get is "Suck 'em and see". :) .
Cheers,
Covenant
04-09-2009, 12:53
I think there are too many variables to give a definative answer-some people think that the purity of the silver is important. In all honesty I dont know what I have got myself as the information on Ebay was sparse.
The only useful thing I have noted about silver, as opposed to copper is that when it oxidises the oxidant is also conductive. I guess this is more of an issue at the contacts.
Anyway I wont be going back to copper anytime soon.
Dave DSJR will be along shortly, I'm sure - he persuaded me to get rid of my silver anniversary qed cable last week in favour of the Mark Grant stuff... maybe a mod could move from post #2 to a separate topic?
Dave DSJR will be along shortly, I'm sure - he persuaded me to get rid of my silver anniversary qed cable last week in favour of the Mark Grant stuff...
Hi Alex,
Don't leave me hangin' in mid air :) - can I take it that you preferred the copper (?) Mark Grant stuff to the QED Anniversary silver stuff?
Cheers,
PS When are you going to formally comment on Mike's cable - it's always nice to have someone else agree with my findings, hopefully ;) .
Covenant
04-09-2009, 13:20
I think Silver Anniversary is silver coated copper but I wouldnt swear to it. I use it in my AV system and it was laid beneath laminate flooring so wont be changed anytime soon.
twelvebears
04-09-2009, 13:30
Got several pairs of Mark's cables yesterady and think they are excellent.
I think Silver Anniversary is silver coated copper but I wouldnt swear to it. I use it in my AV system and it was laid beneath laminate flooring so wont be changed anytime soon.
Sorry - yes, I didn't realise you were talking PURE silver - that would probably be very different indeed.
QED Silver Anniversary is silver coated copper - the thread is http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3560 - post 7 onwards...
Dave DSJR will be along shortly, I'm sure - he persuaded me to get rid of my silver anniversary qed cable last week
A wise move!... God awful stuff IME :steam:
I once bi-wired my system with SA and made it sound broken, people came round and completely unprompted commented along the lines of "WTF have you done? it sounds shite!"... and they were girls! :confused:
The main problem I have is that I have pretty much changed EVERYTHING between source and speakers in the last month or so - and it is getting really hard to pinpoint the biggest change... but I must say that on the day 1 evidence yesterday, I wouldn't argue with Dave about Mike's cable - it really has moved the CD replay (via Caiman) up to another level - on just about all fronts - but mainly the soundstage is just so much bigger - the bass tighter, the treble less harsh - I was using a very cheap Monster ebay special cable, because "digital cables don't matter, they're only transferring 1's and 0's"...
Pure silver cables may be one thing, but I've heard too many silver-plated wires making the sound brash and shiny for me to like it now.
Cables are a strange thing, some of the mega-strand copper speaker cables sound sludgy (Supra - but it could be copper quality) and other lower count-but-thicker-strands copper cables sound toppy (Naim A5 comes to mind).
I feel nowadays that the best cables are the simplest ones, made with decent components and sold online (to save excessive dealer slurp).
I've had so many epiphany moments in my audio life I find it difficult to pin down just one, but I suppose the Belden 8760 and 9272 cables have been a great find - good sounding to me and very cheap to buy if you know where to look...
RochaCullen
04-09-2009, 14:56
A bottle of bushmills. Get halfway through one of those of an evening and anything will sound good!
Pure Silver will cost the earth, most cables will have copper with silver coating.
I have missing link entry level Slingshot-no problems what so ever until I moved here to laminate floored property. One step up is the dual helix Slingshot and then Cryo Silver. Each step only causes about a 10% improvement with cost doubling and then more than quadrupling.
I have tried Mark Grant's 5000UP as a single cable- lacked the mid range detail of the Slingshot as well as the delicacy of treble. Biwiring was the best solution- Belden for LF and Slingshot for MF and HF.
My anxiety that placing silver in MF-HF chain will cause undue brightness was totally misplaced. The sound which was bright and lacking in weight was transformed.
Anyway- I collect my new cables with Rhodium Bananas soldered tomorrow. Silver on copper-thick cable-should work a great deal better than what I have now.
Ali Tait
04-09-2009, 16:29
Pure silver need not cost the earth if you make them yourself.See here for prices- http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/wire.html
Just buy some of this and then get some teflon tubing from ebay-I got 20m for about a tenner.Add the phonos of your choice and Bob's your relative!
EDIT-Just noticed the HGC wire (The cheapest!) is already teflon sheathed,so just add phonos.
Personally have never liked pure silver cables, if you have the right system they can be very smooth and open, and not harsh in away.
Most interesting up grade in the last 5 years, mains and room treatments, big gains from both.
Ali Tait
04-09-2009, 16:35
Yes I've found silver only really works with valve gear for me,sounds harsh with sand stuff.
Covenant
04-09-2009, 17:26
Mr C could you tell us a little about your room treament and mains conditioning?
A reasonable upgrade was a set of Nordost Pulsar points (second hand for £30) and a marble chopping board from Asda for a tenner fitted under my cd transport, lifted the top end but not in a bad way;)
Upgrades are a progressive and slow process.
I can not comment on pure silver although I have Siltech silver interconnects-I found them to be better than Kimber Silver streak and of course these siltech interconnects have WBT plugs. All Plinius products are silver wired using Siltech-hence the match. I know that Peter Thompson the owner/founder/designer had his big Shahinians tri-amped using Siltech cable (I do not know which). He did not like any silver in the treble path-so used Furukawa cable for that.
Like the owner designer of famous USA amplifiers-Audio Research, Peter Thompson also has an enormous dislike for CD sound- simply could not stand it. Mind you he started off by making the ordinary Class A/B amps, the path to Class A solid state was a rough and tough one.
In terms of sound improvement- I appreciate looking back that Pop/Rock sound has benefitted the least. Mind you I came to this realization only recently after bi-wiring. Yes there was greater info- such as more detail on the electronic bass guitar- but the big bang of the bass- the voices the transients are very much the same as they always were. In other words most of this music has not a great deal of potential to improve. I am sure many will disagree-but this is one person's observation.
This opens up another issue- what is better? and then we are down the path of how the reviewers and dealers have influenced the choice-not to speak of Linn and Naim Vs Quad and BBC monitors like Harbeth (?Rogers) and Tannoy.
My audio 'memory' is shite; I can't think back to what something sounded like once I've upgraded.
I guess the biggest recent worthwhile upgrade was getting my BP power amp back after repair. I certainly realised what I'd been missing!
The Grand Wazoo
04-09-2009, 19:01
In the right system (as with most of these things) pure silver can be great, but generally, I've found it to add too much brightness to the sound.
I'm pretty much silver plated copper all the way through - a good overall balance, I've found.
Having said that, copper can be great too!
Back to the OP, though.
Most worthwhile upgrade for the lowest cost:
Bolting 16 mm thick mild steel plates to the bases of my speakers about 15 years ago.
Cost:
£24
Improvement:
The biggest and most positive single change I've ever made to any hi-fi gear ever . Every single parameter I know to assess sound quality was improved.
Drawbacks:
Not a single one, except they're not so easy to move now.
Hi Ali,
Thanks-I have just looked up the Hi-Fi collective site-quite useful. My shallow knowldge suggests that the diameter plays a major role in 'conduction' as far as resistance and impedance are concerned. Most of the cables listed are solid core for wiring (internal or hookup). Then cable manufacturers also talk of braiding.
Maplin electronics sell Sharkwire OHFC (reels of 10M for £18) in two diameters with ratings of either 17 AWG or 12 AWG. I saw a lookalike (unmistakable-transparent pink PVC outer covering) in the local Hi-Fi shop but the reel holding the cable had Van Den Hull written on it.
Sharkwire is a very highly regarded company in the East. I was told by a friend in NZ that Sharkwire cables are used by some big names- the wire is then re-branded and sold at an enormously inflated price.
Ali Tait
04-09-2009, 21:57
Any of the cables suggested as "hookup" wire will be perfect to make an i/c.In fact I've heard speaker cables made of even thinner wire than this that sounded great.We are talking here about such low levels of current that the size of cable is really not an issue.Some equate bigger as better but is really isn't the case with audio IMO.Skin effect doesn't exist at audio frequencies.There is more crap espoused by cable manufacturers than just about anything else.Just my take on things.
What does the in-house expert Mike H have to say to Ali Ts ideas. I do believe you are quite wrong Ali!- but then so much of what we are talking about is SO SYSTEM DEPENDENT.
Ali Tait
05-09-2009, 12:04
I would also say that the dielectric used has more of an impact on the sound than whether the cable is copper or silver etc,but yes,I agree it is very system dependent.In my experience it tends to follow general trends from system to system though,it's just the magnitude of the effect varies.
As an aside I remember a vast thread a good few years ago on the WD forum about a particular DIY cable many were making and enthusing about.Some tried various gauges of silver,and the vast majority preferred the sound of the cable made with thinner wire.
Covenant
05-09-2009, 13:45
I think Silver Anniversary is silver coated copper but I wouldnt swear to it. I use it in my AV system and it was laid beneath laminate flooring so wont be changed anytime soon.
I've just checked and its not Silver Anniversary I am using in my AV system but Chord Carnival Bi-wire. Doesnt seem too bad.
Best and cheapest noticeable upgrade,would probably be Audio Origami's booster oil for the T/T.
Covenant
05-09-2009, 14:38
Best and cheapest noticeable upgrade,would probably be Audio Origami's booster oil for the T/T.
Is this like a tonic for turntables? A bit like castor oil....
Is this like a tonic for turntables? A bit like castor oil....
I found 'vinyl roar' and clicks and pops were less intrusive.
Fitting Schottky Diodes on the power supply board of my Ella PP valve amp.
The noise floor dropped into the depths and everything snapped into focus, starts/stops, vocals...the lot. Cost in 2006 for this was under $20 for 4 of 'em.
A cheap one I do is to use baby wipes on my cables after wipping there is a bit more focus and clarity. Sorry folks it is a bit wacky and perhaps taking obession to far:lolsign:
Covenant
07-09-2009, 18:15
After whipping? Have you got the right forum? :stalks:
yes i sometimes wonder
ahh miss spell at least it adds a bit of spice
:laugh:
aquapiranha
07-09-2009, 20:19
up till now it was modding the Trends TA10, made a lovely difference. Also, schottky's and some nice caps in the power supply of the alpha 5 have changed it's character for the better slightly - I still have three bags full of nice new caps to spanner in on the DAC board...and then there is the non OS mod... the list is endless! not to mention the OB's all of the drivers and wood should be here by the weekend...
Looking forwrd to how u get on with the OB what drivers are you using
aquapiranha
07-09-2009, 20:34
Hi John. I have 4 X Alpha 15's and 2 X Visaton B200's will be driven actively via a Rane AC22B x-over. Although mine will be quite basic and in oak, they will look a little like this...
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z72/widhibrata/audio/1.jpg
Thet will look much 'thinner' though and not be painted, lots of work went into those above, I am far too lazy for that!
They should sound awesome and no issues with bass either
aquapiranha
07-09-2009, 20:40
Thats the plan John, and the reason I am using 4 alphas and not 2, as they should gel much better with the slightly higher sensitivity B200.
http://www.visaton.com/en/chassis_zubehoer/breitband/b200_6.html
The Grand Wazoo
07-09-2009, 20:47
Blimey!
There's not much timber between those bass drivers!
I'd be wary about handling them during a build...........and after come to that.
aquapiranha
07-09-2009, 20:55
That is why mine are made from 19MM Oak veneered MDF (both sides) and then a 19MM layer of BB ply bonded to the back to double the thickness of the baffle. I am willing to bet those in the pic are of similar battleship build.
The Grand Wazoo
07-09-2009, 21:03
That is why mine are made from 19MM Oak veneered MDF (both sides) and then a 19MM layer of BB ply bonded to the back to double the thickness of the baffle. I am willing to bet those in the pic are of similar battleship build.
Oh, OK!!
So there is a lot of timber between those bass drivers - It's just on the 'x'-axis rather than the 'y'-axis!
Hi Guys,
I'll try to get this thread back on topic :), and at the same time raise a smile on some faces, some broader than others, I suspect!! :lolsign: .
I think, ney know, that I have got both the best and the cheapest upgrade to my set up. I strongly recommend everyone (who qualifies ;) ) to get the same upgrade asap !!
I had my ears checked by an Audiologist under the NHS who found that I was suffering from typical industrial related hearing loss (loss of some sensitivity at both ends of the audible spectrum) in both ears equally. She asked me if I wanted a hearing aid and, if so, in which ear did I prefer it. Being a cheeky sod, and having my love of listening to my music in mind, I asked what the chances were of having one fitted in each ear. Much to my surprise the answer was that we are encouraged to have them fitted in pairs as they complement each other and the total benefit is greater than the sum of the parts, so now Ive got two, all for free. I only use them for serious listening to music and the improvement is immense, night and day in spades. Don't get me wrong, I am a long way from being deaf and can manage in most normal situations without great difficulty without wearing either.
I didn't think my hearing was that bad until I had it tested - it creeps up on you imperceptibly slowly - so anyone of a certain age, or who just wonders if, get yourself off to the quack's and get them to arrange a test for you - you've nothing to lose except maybe a little pride, and possibly enhanced listening pleasure to gain - a real no-brainer.
Cheers,
Covenant
08-09-2009, 13:24
[I] had some hearing loss caused by ear wax. A visit to the local clinic and ten minutes later I was sorted by having a little machine run warm water into my ear. Quite pleasant really.
Anyway the difference in hearing was amazing especially high notes. Recommended.
I had some hearing loss caused by ear wax ...... .sorted .......
Anyway the difference in hearing was amazing especially high notes.
Hi Jerry,
Interesting, that point about the high note improvement. Even though my hearing loss was said to be, and demonstated by the results graph, at both ends of the spectrum, and the hearing aids are digitally tuned to improve only the wavelengths that need it, I am not aware of better bass sounds when wearing them but I am very aware of the improvement in high notes.
Just thought I'd mention that :) .
Cheers,
Very good of you to mention it on the forum Dave.
Many people approaching retirement age are not willing to have hearing aids-you see them cupping hands behind their ears in meetings.
loss of HF is often age related- I was warned by the audiologists to protect the ears when using lawnmowers.
By the way the NHS use Siemen's aids and I think they are not the best. The best aids cost around £4000-5000 for the two ears-Phonak, Widex, Oticon are good names.
Ali Tait
09-09-2009, 21:59
Funny that-Years ago I always thought I had a bit of aural deficiency,I was always struggling to hear people right in front of me in busy or noisy environments (pubs etc.) Anywhere with a bit of background noise would cause me problems in hearing what a person right in front of me was saying.It took an audio test at work (and a side request to test me above and beyond the normal) to discover that my problem was that my hearing was in fact quite above average,especially in HF but also in LF.This was a few years ago now,so even at the relatively young age of 41,I notice a drop in the HF I can now hear.It's less of a problem these days,but I could always hear TV's on standby etc,quite annoying at the time.In fact in the past I've chosen household appliances not on their performance,but how bloody quiet they were in standby! :confused:
twelvebears
10-09-2009, 06:15
Hi Jerry,
Interesting, that point about the high note improvement. Even though my hearing loss was said to be, and demonstated by the results graph, at both ends of the spectrum, and the hearing aids are digitally tuned to improve only the wavelengths that need it, I am not aware of better bass sounds when wearing them but I am very aware of the improvement in high notes.
Just thought I'd mention that :) .
Cheers,
Our ability to hear HF and LF tails off naturally with age anyway, but the HF significantly more. Also LF hearing loss is somewhat offset by the fact that a lot of LF info is perceved via physical LF vibration. So in effect we feel LF as well as hear it and that mitigates the impact of LF hearing loss.
Interestingly, work on 'bone induction' hearing aids which transmit HF via the bones in the skull, have shown that frequences way above the normally accepted 20Hz-20kHz can be detected through this method.
This doesn't mean we should all start listening with our foreheads resting on our tweeters guys. :)
twelvebears
10-09-2009, 07:13
Getting back on-topic again, my best improvement would have to be the slate cabs and custom built x-over for my speakers.
I guess they are more like new speakers than improved versions, but there's still no way I could have got anything like the quality and performance for what they have cost me otherwise.
For me it's been the recently purchased addition of a valve amp - even tho' it's only a lowly Yaqin MC10. It's definitely yielded the most satisfying improvement for the monetary outlay, though I fear my addiction to glowing tubes has only just begun - I've already bought some to roll...:doh:
Before that though? Jumping off the Linn bandwagon. Seriously - I was very unhappy with my system, and thought the only way forward was megabucks upgrades for the fruitbox. 'Downgrading' to old kit long resigned to the loft was the best thing I did to kickstart my love of hifi again. Cheap as chips too!
Jason
Very good of you to mention it on the forum Dave.
Many people approaching retirement age are not willing to have hearing aids-you see them cupping hands behind their ears in meetings.
loss of HF is often age related- I was warned by the audiologists to protect the ears when using lawnmowers.
By the way the NHS use Siemen's aids and I think they are not the best. The best aids cost around £4000-5000 for the two ears-Phonak, Widex, Oticon are good names.
Hi Varun,
Thanks for your input and kind comment - it's a fact of life, no point in hiding it, even if it's only for the purely selfish reason that one of the reasons that I joined this forum was to seek advice. How can anybody be expected to advise me about what I am expected to hear if they don't know my hearing is less than perfect :lol: .
You seem to know a lot about the subject so this is in no way a contradiction of anything you posted. On the subject of Siemens' aids, I offer the following, not to argue with you but to contibute to the discussion/knowledge pool.
My Audiologist (NHS) appeared to me to be very knowlegeable, helpful and very willing to discuss my hearing loss with me so I asked how the aids that the NHS supplied compared with those available privately. The response, in brief was: -
The NHS struck a good deal with their hearing aid suppliers (Siemens) from day one which tied the supplier to continually make available to the NHS the product of their latest technology, year by year. I was advised that, to buy the same aid on the high street would cost £1400 to £1500 each, as a minimum. I am very happy with the improvement that mine provide but, as I have no others to compare them with I cannot comment further.
Cheers,
Best cheapo upgrade, a pound or two invested in a tin of THIS STUFF (http://www.partridges.uk.com/catalog/brasso-duraglit-p-192.html).
Try cleaning your mains plugs with it (don't forget the fuses and holders). Instant improvement although as with all mains related 'upgrades' results are unpredictable. Only problem, it's a bit like painting the Forth Bridge, that is never ending, once you start you have to keep re-doing it over and over. Can be a big improvement though.
Cheers
Covenant
10-09-2009, 15:54
Good stuff Ralph, might try Brasso meself. Tried upmarket fuses yet?
Steve Toy
11-09-2009, 10:16
Silver plated copper is generally just shite.
Anyone care to try THESE (http://www.cablezoo.eu/369/-Mains-or-Power/Furutech-Audiophile-Mains-Fuses-/10-Amp/) and let us know how they get on;)
Hi Varun,
Thanks for your input and kind comment - I was advised that, to buy the same aid on the high street would cost £1400 to £1500 each, as a minimum. I am very happy with the improvement that mine provide but, as I have no others to compare them with I cannot comment further.
Cheers,
Hi Dave,
The Siemen's aid are very good as a matter fact-and fully digital.
They do the job quite well-I have no way of knowing how your aids are programed but most audiologists focus on 'speech' in crowded places. If the audiologist is happy to oblige and then ask them about setting up another program-to cover your Hi-Fi listening-I mean the LF side as well. Unless you ask they will just do a standard set up as per your plots.
Did some one say something about bone conduction aid? Bone does not conduct to the brain- I do not know where this idea comes from? and 20 hz please see my comments elsewhere.
The point about hearing- so important to us- is that things change, mechanisms get damaged- was it Ali talking about the extra sensitivities he has. Much of this determines like and dislikes also and how people try and make their system suit their needs. So an upgrade for one may be huge downgrade for another.
A friend of mine - a surgeon-asked me to help out as he was trying a new sub-woofer but could not make the right balance (in NZ). I wearing my hearing aids arrived- and after some experimentation worked out that none of the settings he was trying were going to work in his room. He had been trying around 40 Hz and room positions, but leaving the sub-woofer in a desirable place- a setting of 90 or 100hz seemed to provide the best result for his system.
Ali Tait
11-09-2009, 17:23
Yes it was me,but perhaps it would be more accurate to say "used to have". I was in my mid twenties at the time.I do still hear a lot of things on standby,especially tv's,and my parner does make the occasional comment on my "Bionic" hearing as she calls it.:) In life it is a double-edged sword though,in any situation where there is background noise,I'm at a serious disadvantage because I find it difficult to hear what someone is saying right in front of me.I've become quite adept a lip-reading!
The biggest upgrade I made was divorcing my first wife, that hated music and marrying a girl that really enjoys music. 17 years later, I'm still happy!
The biggest upgrade I made was divorcing my first wife, that hated music and marrying a girl that really enjoys music. 17 years later, I'm still happy!
Hi,
It might have been the biggest upgrade, might even have been the most cost effective, but I'll bet it wasn't the cheapest :lolsign: .
Obviously worthwhile though, 17 years of happiness, musical and otherwise, is a result worth paying for - congratulations.
You're still only practising though, in May next year I shall have had 44 years of (mostly :) ) married bliss - and my wife and I don't totally share the same tastes in music or it's reproduction.
Cheers,
Hey, Dave, you've been married for as long as I've been born! ;)
My wife and I will celebrate our 18th anniversary this year - all very happy :)
Marco.
aquapiranha
21-09-2009, 21:13
And I thought you were younger than me Marco! And i thought Del ws younger than you, so that puts her at about 35??? I can't judge ages.
44 years, wow. That is true commitment. Well done the pair of you Dave.
Hi Steve,
LOL! Try again... I've just turned 44 (Aug 14th), Del will be 46 in December :)
We were married in 1991.
I don't think she looks anything like her age though (certainly doesn't act like it) - she's just a wee lassie. People she teaches in college think she's only about 10 years older than they are (most are 20, 21 or so) until she starts telling them that she was a punk when she was in secondary school in the late 70s! :eyebrows:
Marco.
aquapiranha
21-09-2009, 21:47
Oh right, I am a bit out there then. I hope del takes it as a compliment! for the record I will be 40 in December.
44 years, wow. That is true commitment. Well done the pair of you Dave.
Thanks Steve,
Yes, commitment is the right word, both of us think we should be committed on the evidence of that alone :lolsign: . I think having a sense of humour helps, certainly on my wife's part :lol: .
Cheers,
Oh right, I am a bit out there then. I hope del takes it as a compliment! for the record I will be 40 in December.
Oh she will do, don't worry :)
As have I when you remarked earlier that you thought I was younger than you. It's the Welsh air, you see, and Del's cooking! ;)
Marco.
Without doubt my most worthwhile upgrade (reading that as biggest sound quality improvement in a single step) was the installation of a PS Audio Powerplant Premier. I have for many years realised that mains quality is key to good sound and the PPP just does it so right. The cost (£1400) was small in the context of a >£30k system.
Covenant
28-09-2009, 14:20
Without doubt my most worthwhile upgrade (reading that as biggest sound quality improvement in a single step) was the installation of a PS Audio Powerplant Premier. I have for many years realised that mains quality is key to good sound and the PPP just does it so right. The cost (£1400) was small in the context of a >£30k system.
Sorry Martin I am not happy with that one. Your mains conditioner is worth more than my system. :lol:
£5 op-amps is the sort of thing we want on this thread!
Spectral Morn
28-09-2009, 14:41
Clearlight Audio RDC Cones and isolation tables/platforms...best I have heard in years.
Regards D S D L
HighFidelityGuy
28-09-2009, 14:46
The biggest improvement for me has to be from my speakers. Going from £350 speakers to £3500 speakers made a massive difference, although that's not hard to understand. However, as I got them for £740 3rd hand, which made the improvement all the more satisfying. :)
The best bang for buck I've had was probably using the EQ on my PC soundcard along with a cheap RTA app for my iPhone to do some rudimentary room correction. As I use my PC as my source this has allowed me to achieve a fairly flat frequency response for about £5. The improvement to the sound is immense. I used to get lots of bass boom and an overly warm sound. Now I get a much more balanced and clearer sound. The improvement was so big I'm now looking into more accurate and flexible EQ/RTA equipment to take this even further.
The next best bang for buck I've had was from upgrading my interconnects to NVA SSP's. They were a big step up in price, £35pm to £200pm but I got them half price second hand, so at £100 each I'd class them as being a fairly cheap upgrade. I got more detail and a flatter frequency response.
Next best bang for buck has to be my Beresford Caiman DAC. That just made everything gel together and really sing. The amount of extra detail being extracted over using my soundcard as a DAC was massive. Excellent value at £230.
After that my NVA LS5 speaker cable and Musical Fidelity mono-blocks gave the next biggest improvement. They boosted all the other improvements by making everything sound bigger with better dynamics. They should have been £3000 for the pair, I paid £600 new. I feel really sorry for the early adopters that paid full whack. :lol:
Spectral Morn
28-09-2009, 14:48
Oh yes I forgot............. Single biggest improvement anyone can make to their system.......FOR FREE....is to set it up properly. Costs time and effort, but boy is it worth it.
Regards D S D L
HighFidelityGuy
28-09-2009, 15:04
Good call Neil. It's amazing how much of a difference small free tweaks can make.
I'd been putting up with a slight mains hum from my right speaker for a few weeks that seemed to appear after I'd tidied up my wiring. I decided to try and track down the problem this weekend and I noticed that my source equipment was plugged into a socket on the right hand wall and my amps were plugged into a socket on the left hand wall. So I simply re-jigged the power extension blocks so they were both plugged into the same double socket on the left hand wall to see if that helped. No more hum! So that proves it's best to keep all your system connected to the same ground point, which I'd forgotten about.
£5 op-amps is the sort of thing we want on this thread!
Well, I did interpret the wording accurately :)
Spectral Morn
28-09-2009, 15:27
Good call Neil. It's amazing how much of a difference small free tweaks can make.
I'd been putting up with a slight mains hum from my right speaker for a few weeks that seemed to appear after I'd tidied up my wiring. I decided to try and track down the problem this weekend and I noticed that my source equipment was plugged into a socket on the right hand wall and my amps were plugged into a socket on the left hand wall. So I simply re-jigged the power extension blocks so they were both plugged into the same double socket on the left hand wall to see if that helped. No more hum! So that proves it's best to keep all your system connected to the same ground point, which I'd forgotten about.
Yes, attention to detail. No matter how small or large if you do it right, you will maximise your systems performance and get every once of sound you have worked so hard for over the years. It is a scary thought, at all the money spent on systems that are never realized fully sound wise, because the system is set up badly or not at all why bother :doh:?
Regards D S D L
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