Tweaks & Mods That Don't Work

Frank Z

Grills on or off - maybe my LSi grills use good fabric and frames?

extra effort went into the design and materials used in the LSi grills to make them as acousticly transparent as possible...and it shows.

cmy330go

michael_w wrote:

For a while when I would be listening to my system I could make my music skip by sliding out of my recliner. Somehow the static created by me sliding only affected the sound when I was using the coax hookup - it didn't do it when I was using the analog outputs of my dvd player.

I used to experience the same thing at the store I used to work at. All of the receivers in our audio rooms used digital coax. In the winter when things were dry, and static electicity was a problem, I would always touch either a component or the metal strip that runs up the corner of a drywall joint before touching the selector panel. Regardless of which one I touched, the sound would always cut out for a second.

Sometimes it's amazing what stray voltage can do.

michael_w

It's weird / facinating that it'll affect it from across the room too...

heiney9

A little late....I don't read this thread as often. Stupidest thing I bought as a tweak was a Monster Product called the Discus. It was a very heavy coated metal disc the same size as a cd and was made to place on top of the cd in the tray. The extra weight was supposed to help with vibration and transport issues. What a load of crap.....I bought it at a discount at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) when only industry people could attend (late 80's). That is when my general distaste for Monster started. But to be honest if it was another manufacturer I would have been just as displeased.

Live and learn

H9

mantis

Coins on top of speakers. I tried all kinds of different ways and I didn't hear a damn thing.
Video cables, Once I owned a cable for Componet that could pass the entire signal and at the corect Ohms, adding higher quality cables didn't help anything.
Digital cables both optical and Coax. I tried different levels, different brands and I never heard a bit of differnce. the only difference I heard was when I tried a cheap optical cable that came with my HD Dss Mitsubishi receiver. It was the only digital cable that sounded different. It sucked.
Grills on Grills off. Really not much difference at all. I tried to hear a differnce but man It sounds as good on as off. I think it's the fact you can see the drivers and you now feel all warm and fuzzy.

markmarc

I bought the Discus as well. All it did was ruin the CD pickup mechanism of my HK HD500. Not a financially fun repair.

I bought Monster IC's for about $5 a pair at the same time. I've been quite happy with that investment.

steveinaz

The Lsi's do have a "smart" designed grille; it's open, no plastic dividers cutting across the tweeters. I wish more speaker builders did this, at least in front of the tweeter.

I like my Energy's with the grilles off when critically listening. There is a difference with mine, hearable on a number of discs. If you were here, I could demonstrate it on track 3 of the latest Trapt CD. It's subtle, but noticeable.

A good way to check is to place yourself ear-level about 1 ft in front of the speaker. Have your significant other hold the grill over, then remove it a number of times while your eyes are closed---see if you can guess when the grille is gone or in front of the speaker...neat test, and it works.

dorokusai

heiney9 wrote:

I bought it at a discount at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) when only industry people could attend (late 80's).

CES is still an industry only event, no general public.

Early B.

mantis wrote:

Video cables, Once I owned a cable for Componet that could pass the entire signal and at the corect Ohms, adding higher quality cables didn't help anything.

Yep, me too. Went to a supposedly higher quality Monster silver component cable. Didn't make a bit of difference. No more cable upgrades for me.

Frank Z

Bi-Wire...TTHHPPPPTTT!
Wire that cost more than a buck per foot.....TTHHPPPPTTT!
Fuel Injected, 10 Speed, Chrome-Moly, Ratcheting connectors....TTHHPPPPTTT!

heiney9

dorokusai wrote:

CES is still an industry only event, no general public.

Really....I thought several years ago they opened atleast the main floor to the general public for a fee. I've been out of audio sales for along time.

H9

dorokusai

Heiney - I can only go with information from the CES website....that may well have occurred previously.