Tuning Tips from A to D

Acrylic

Acrylic is simply a fantastic material for audio applications because it effectively damps vibration energy. A number of manufacturers have recognised this and use it for turntables, loudspeaker enclosures, equipment and accessories, including Acapella, ASR, Scheu, Euphya and Progressive Audio. Yet many superb audio designs are still installed in sheet-metal boxes. Audio Research is one example and the reason for this entry. I made an acrylic cover for my LS17 preamplifier, and it works so well that I would be pleased to quote for an acrylic equipment cover for your component.
Its damping properties are not the only reason for the sonic improvement. Every audio component with a closed metal enclosure on which I have tried this - in other words, 99.9% of the market - has sounded better simply with its cover removed, regardless of how little the cover itself resonates. The only explanation I have is that the cover acts as a conductor loop. Do not believe me? Try it.


Aspirin and Vitamins

This story is as unbelievable as it is amusing and was sent to me by a customer:

Hi ...,
It has been a long time since I mentioned that some audiophiles take aspirin before an intensive listening session because it thins the blood and improves the supply to the auditory system. In other words, they then hear better and perceive more.
You know that I am very involved with alternative medicine. I do not usually talk about it because I assume you are not interested and tend more towards conventional medicine. Today I will make an exception. This is about vitamin D3. A year ago I raised my blood level from 10 ng/ml to 50, which did me a great deal of good. Three days ago, after reading about the subject, I decided to raise it to 100. When I passed 60 ng/ml, something strange happened: from one hour to the next, I could hear much better. The next morning my blood level was lower again. I took another high dose of D3 and, after an hour, my hearing was excellent again. Since then I have been enjoying my records at an entirely unexpected level.
Amazing, shocking and superb. I raise my D3 level for perhaps 50 euros, and my system sounds as though it cost several thousand more. Unbelievable. The more I know, the more I realise how little I know.

I think this tuning tip should be treated with caution. From my own experience, I know that vitamin D3 can lift one's mood; I compare it a little to soaking up sunshine. If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.



Belt, Peter

Peter Belt was probably one of the most unconventional figures imaginable in the tuning scene. He turned the subject around and concerned himself not with sound reproduction, but with sound perception. If I understand his work correctly, a large part of audiophile listening is also about feeling comfortable while listening to music.

An English summary of his work is available at Stereophile.
His website, PWB Electronics, also appears still to be active.


CD Tweaks

Some ideas stay with you. In high-end audio, as elsewhere in life, that is a strong indication that something works. Here are a few CD tweaks that, in my opinion, clearly improve the sound:

CD Washer

CDs are clean when newly purchased ... or are they? I have used the Hydrobath 1120 CD washer for years. Here is a short YouTube video showing how it works.

Blackening the CD Edge

All you need is a black Edding 500 or a similar waterproof marker. For a thorough job, blacken not only the edge but also the unused outer area of the CD. This area is easy to identify under an LED lamp.

CD Mat

A CD mat is placed on top of the disc. I use the one shown here.

Cryogenic Treatment

Cryogenic treatment does not work only on metal. Other materials also relax during treatment at very low temperatures. With a CD, which is read optically and for which refraction within the material is therefore relevant, the results are clearly reproducible. If you are sceptical, George Forester will cryogenically treat a test CD. Simply burn two identical discs and send one of them in.

Bevelling the CD Edge

The idea is an old one: because CD information is read by laser and interference, as little stray light as possible should disturb the reading process. Audiodesksysteme Gläss once offered a CD edge lathe that cut the edge at a specific angle. An additional benefit was that the CD was balanced afterwards.

During my research, I found another, less expensive method of post-processing. As far as I know, the suggestion originally came from Volker Bajorat of Clockwork Audio. Here are the instructions.


Contact Care

Contact care is essential for a high-quality hi-fi system. You can use expensive miracle treatments or Ballistol, itself a remarkably versatile product. It cleans contacts and leaves a protective film against fresh contamination. The manufacturer advises against using it on copper materials, although I have never experienced any problems.
Clean not only the signal contacts but also those of the power supply, especially the protective-earth contacts. If your valuable plugs and sockets use silver contact surfaces, start with a thorough cleaning using a silver-polishing cloth.


Contact Enhancer

The idea is simple: the lower the contact resistance between two surfaces, the less can be lost. Many contact enhancers are available. One person took the trouble to measure the effect: Contact improvement? It works! I have also measured Furutech Nano Liquid myself and can recommend it. The effect is immediately audible. However, I think lowering contact resistance is only part of the story. The other part is the oil in which the nanoparticles are suspended. Oil, despite being highly insulating, has real advantages on contacts: it protects against dirt and corrosion and also suppresses micro-discharges.


Demagnetising

About 25 years ago, a curious CD came with a CD player I bought. It contains a sine sweep that starts at 5 Hz and ends at 20 kHz. The CD is simply played at a moderate volume; it includes a short 60-second version and a long five-minute version. Be careful the first time you play it, because 5 Hz at 0 dB produces considerable woofer excursion.

It works very well. Afterwards the system sounds more open, with more air between voices and instruments. Its creators claim that the sine sweep demagnetises the playback chain or removes residual magnetic fields. To me, the effect resembles that of a system that is left switched on. I therefore suspect that the sweep also helps form the electrolytic capacitors in the equipment.
If you are interested, I will be happy to send you a CD or an audio file.


(Rectifier-) Diode

A completely underrated component.