Spock system (the importance of fine tuning)

[Spock]

Probably you allready notice that i have a stone base under each component.

The stone is granite and there are two pieces of dfiferent dimensions. As i learn with a great Brasilian audiophile, Jorge Knirsh. The different dimensions assure they vibrate at different frequencies.
Between the two pieces is a thin strip of silicone

Under the two stones there´s a rubber composite. The best i found till now.

In the supermarket they sell this rubber to put under the washing machines. Be sure that the material between the rack and the base is really important. I try so many other materials like felt or cork (horrible), and so many kinds of rubber. If the rubber is to soft or to stuff the result is not good. This composite gave me the best results after a long tryal and error experience. In my opinion, and this is fundamental when we talk about the speakers, you must create a “second floor” where you can dissipate the vibrations of the equipment when is working. To do so you need a stuff base like stone. But you need also to separate this “second floor” from the floor himself to prevent the vibrations to go up to the gear and make influence into the sound.
Everything matters, every different materials have their own influence. Whatever you try, certainly you go notice in the sound. After that, try and try again untill you find the best solution to your ears.

Now a new vídeo with a new and cheap subwoofer cable (Audioquest Black Label - 2 m)
Do the cables make a difference?
Not on a wireless system.

https://vimeo.com/287333047

 

[Kingrex]

You are making a speaker stand, correct. Why a ringing stone like granite? Why not something more Inert like sandstone, corian or acrylic. Maybe even plywood. I have not put up my speakers yet, but all my other equipment has gone through various bases and granite was too hard and bright. What other materials have you tried.

I'm sorry, I could probably look and find it, but my phone is not showing what equipment you have in your signature. Are you a boy box speaker? Would you say your system is bright, neutral or warm?

 

[Spock]

Hi Kingrex

Thanks for your questions. They are like a warning to me, a signal that i should keep on trying other solutions. I´ve been long time curious about corian. Your question tell me it is probably the right time to go for it.
What other materials did i tried? Well, i tried solid wood and didn´t liked. The sound was too much on the warm side. I also tried glass (not bad) and 2 kinds of stone: marble and granite. I saw lots of systems using granite so i decided to try. And never noticed the bright sound you talk about. Perhaps because i always used the rock with some kind of rubber or silicone. Even with the granite my sound is neutral. I can´t live, nether with a bright / harsh sound, nether with a warm or "closed" sound too. But is not perfect of course. I´m looking hard for a full bodied sound. I´m searching for more bass, more groove. But it must be always clean. That´s why in the last times i´ve been thinking in a new amplification. On the other hand, i wonder if i would need a 3 way speaker to achieve this goal. My speakers are the Usher Mini Dancer 2 DMD.

 

[Kingrex]

I guess I can try granite. Did you use a piece of 2cm and 3cm. Is your stone on a wood block or stand, or did the grain of your wood floor change. I see the change in the photo. Was it polished both sides. Did you put the mat sides together or polished to mat.

As I noted, for me, I have only messed around with materials under my equipment. My digital and phono pre are on Corian with my custom feet of corian and a bead on top. My preamp is on plywood with its own feet. My amps on 2" acrylic with beads on spike bases. My preamp was fatiguing on corian. Confused on just the stand. More clear and neutral on the plywood.

I tried 1/ 4" plywood under my Sonus Faber but have tried nothing so far under my PAP Trio 10. I should probably change the feet too. They are a bolt with a plastic cup on the bottom on felt. I'm sure the are vibrating and moving back and forth. The feet just seem a weak link. Not sure. I use them as I have a good $80k into my wood floors. I will not tolerate spike holes in the floor.

Thanks for the motivation to try something.

 

[Spock]

Nothing scientific here about dimensions. :scholar:Just Intuition!
I think the more mass /weight the better. One thing is clear to me: two stones with some silicone or thin rubber between them are better than one.
Only pay attention on the height of the tweeter.


The stone that is on top is polished both sides. The stone underneath is polished on the top side and it is mat finish on the underside. But is just my perfectionism…
If it´s easy to you to try granite, go for it. You know they say that quartz is a good thing to audio performance. But i have a good feeling now about corian !!

 

[Spock]

Not over yet :entertaining:


Me too, I can´t tolerate holes in the floor, so I made some brass shoes that I removed when I started to use the granite bases.
One day I decided to try the shoes again, this time between the spikes and the stone.
And my clear advice is not to directly support the spikes in the stone. More complicated but even better, is if you use a thin silicone strip like you can see in the photo.

 

[Spock]

My new spikes.

Yes, the design is mine :yahoo1:
Bigger and wider soundstage.
No signal of compression, but...
I need to listen a little more.

I love this wonderful world of the tweaks. It is amazing. Everything makes difference.

https://vimeo.com/309010109

 

[Spock]

With a little help of the magic silicone (*), and everything got better. :celebrate008_2:
My idea was to transfer the energy in one single point, and yet having a good area of contact in both sides (the floor and the speakers).
Worth the money (was not so cheap as you can imagine). opcorn:

(*)

https://vimeo.com/309366140

 

[Spock]

Well, back to this topic ...
My preamplifier went to repair the volume control. It went up and down alone…

Since it had to go to the surgery room, i asked for the remove of the original footers.
I no longer used the originals, but sometimes was difficult to find the right place for the alternative ones. Of course, it will now be easier to experiment with several other footers (especially with wider bases).

But there was another change. This gear is relatively well built but it is not high end. Since the RCA inputs are too close, it has always been very difficult to connect my Ortofon cables. Sometimes, even bad contact occurred on the channel that did not give such a good grip. Thus, an XLR input was eliminated and a new RCA input was created in its place, also using better quality jacks (Furutech).

And I dare to say that this greater space between the right and left channel, better grip and superior quality contacts have resulted.

https://vimeo.com/349239270

 

[Spock]

Now it would be the turn of the speaker cables, but I'll come back to them later.
The speakers are the Usher Audio Mini Dancer 2 DMD

A second-hand purchase that I could not lose the opportunity. I always thought that when I replaced the Sonus Faber I couldn't miss the excellent reproduction of the human voice (and obviously the violin ). The human voice would have to sound ... human. I still think that the reproduction of the human voice is a strong point of the SF. So I could not accept to go back. Neither nasal nor synthetic. Just natural. The Usher gave me this but simultaneously more frequency extension on top and bottom.

But I've already made a small / great upgrade. Once again I used the silicone to decouple the speakers from the box. And what a difference, especially in the treble. It has become much cleaner and more extensive. A difference so strong and so obvious that I dare to speak of gross mistake / construction failure. Something so simple that can make so much difference…

https://vimeo.com/349547512

https://vimeo.com/349551403

 

[bluedoor]

Sr. Fernando, sempre na procura do Santo Graal ��
Então e esses tweeters (os seus) já estão operacionais?
Presumo que sim, excelentes notícias portanto.
Um abraço
Vitor

 

[Spock]

Olá Vitor,

Sim, já está tudo bem obrigado. Daí andar novamente activo nestas coisas do áudio.
O sistema é que é sempre o mesmo. Mas mexendo aqui e ali o desempenho lá vai melhorando.

Grande abraço

 

[Music Fiend]

Great news!

Fico genuinamente satisfeito de saber!

Um abraço grande

 

[Spock]

:thumbsup:

 

[Spock]

Ok, I think this is the end of presentation…

FUSES :shocking:

I tried several as you can see. Bussman; AMR, AHP; Hifi Tuning; Synergistic Research; Audiofidem (*) and Audio Magic (**)

And my option was… Audio Magic!

Audiofidem (made by a friend of mine) are wonderful too. They are absolutely neutral. But Audio Magic, in my system, have a more bodied sound. Lyngdorf sound is a little cold so they match perfectly. I guess Audiofidem will be perfect in those systems with lots a bass and even a little dark sound.

(*) http://allforhifi.com/index.php?id_category=13&controller=category

(**) https://store.jaguaraudiodesign.com/audio-magic-premium-super-premier-beeswax-liquid-fuses/

Best fuses: Audio Magic (Super) and Audiofidem (Blackfidem). Both brands are way ahead of others.

Best Buy: AMR (a bargain). AHP has a close sound but a little more expensive.

Hifi Tuning and Synergistic Research – don´t work on my system.

Bussman – a little better than the regular ones.

… yes, lots of audiophiles just don´t believe in fuses! Each one makes their choices!

Live!

https://vimeo.com/352582839

 

[UltraFast69]

Fuses are the one thing I have not played just because then I talked to Nordost in regards to the fuse in the QB MK II power distribution.

They indicated I was already set on the high quality spec’d fuse they incorporate and don’t need to worry about it and also include a spare which I find odd they didn’t charge for like everything else.


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[Spock]

I already had the opportunity to try the Quantum (QRT4) in my system and just loved the effect. Probably this results from the use of a good fuse.


As for those, I changed one in the CD player, one in the pre and two in the power (one in the power zone and another in the capacitors zone).


Note:
After answering I saw this in the QRTBASE features

Dimensions (WxHxD): 460 x 63 x 120mm
Input: 15A IEC
Output: US, Schuko or 13A UK
Fuse: None

 

[UltraFast69]

I already had the opportunity to try the Quantum (QRT4) in my system and just loved the effect. Probably this results from the use of a good fuse.


As for those, I changed one in the CD player, one in the pre and two in the power (one in the power zone and another in the capacitors zone).


Note:
After answering I saw this in the QRTBASE features

Dimensions (WxHxD): 460 x 63 x 120mm
Input: 15A IEC
Output: US, Schuko or 13A UK
Fuse: None

Maybe Version 1 has no fuse, mine does and this is from their site;

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions (WxHxD):


QB4 (US, EU and AUS) – 234 x 67 x 120mm
QB6 (UK ) – 460 x 67 x 120mm
QB8 (US, EU and AUS) – 460 x 67 x 120mm
Input:

C-14 IEC (15/10amp)
C-20 IEC (20/16amp) (QB8 and QB6 Only)
Output: US, EU (Schuko), Australian or 13A UK
Fuse: Yes

And a picture of mine

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[Spock]

I saw on the website of the portuguese dealer. The information is probably out of date. :thumbsup:

 

[UltraFast69]

I saw on the website of the portuguese dealer. The information is probably out of date. :thumbsup:

No problem, that’s why we are all here to learn, and share [emoji851]


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