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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 10:27:44 GMT
Lately I've seen a few things mentioned that cost peanuts but sound pretty good. Twin and earth mains cable used as a speaker cable, for instance. Although I preferred it without stripping and the twisting it was still decent either way. I also found it good as an IEC mains cable. I figured it would be good to have a thread for things that aren't "audiophile" and therefore don't have the associated costs. Far too often, this industry had taken bog-standard items and then utilised them with a big price tag. Roksan's "blobs" retail at something like £160 a set and yet they are simple anti vibration mounts that you can buy readily at a tenth of that price. I'm surprised more people haven't used them in turntable isolation. Cables and and isolation are prime candidates, but perhaps computer audio will be another. Whatever you think is likely to yield rewards for free, cheaply, or at least free from audiophile pricing. As as a starter for ten, I will chip in with these pads from Clas Ohlson. Only bettered by Torlyte platforms, I find these do more for me than all other forms of isolation. Great with CD players of all kinds, even Naim. www.clasohlson.com/uk/Anti-Vibration-Pads/30-9687Looking forward to hearing more bargains from members.
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 9, 2015 11:10:48 GMT
I started a similar thread on TAS a while back, that didn't come to much but here's my main offering:
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 9, 2015 11:56:15 GMT
Something I started but haven't got round to doing much about, was making my own version of aerolam. The plan is to try different top and bottom layers with this stuff in between. Aluminium honeycomb sheet - 1250mm x 625mm x 10mm Available here for about 20 quid. Amusingly it arrives through the post as a 10mm x 13mm bar and you stretch it out.
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Post by jazzbones on Aug 9, 2015 12:25:36 GMT
ChrisB, I remember your squash ball + cup post. I use a similar idea but instead of the cups I use wooden curtain rings (to size) top and bottom of each squash ball footer under my 2nd system turntable. If I could fathom out how to post pics I would have shown here but I'm a right dumb dumb when it comes to all things that can be done on a pootah and me. Forgive .
Some of my system is supported on RA Torlyte platforms + oak cone feet, the old black ones, the new Torlyte ones cost too much, so I admire and support (no pun intended) research on the Al honey comb layer... why not use good old birch ply as the outer sandwhich?
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Post by John on Aug 9, 2015 12:29:20 GMT
A nice tip I picked up when I used to use standmoubts was to place a mouse pad between the speaker and stand
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 13:50:38 GMT
The aero lam interests me. Lots ofotential for experimenting on uses and "skins". It's easy to forget that the finished hifi products with big price tags usually start out as someone's tinkering. So many cables out there to experiment with too.
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Post by The Brookmeister on Aug 9, 2015 14:30:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 16:23:58 GMT
Nice one thanks, David. Given all te bits at your disposal, you will clearly have had more opportunities to try such things than most.
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Post by pinkie on Aug 9, 2015 16:51:16 GMT
The bit cut out for the sink from a kitchen worktop makes a great wall mount turntable shelf
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 17:07:10 GMT
Is that Granite or fibreboard composite? Either way, it's a neat use of what is essentially scrap material.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 17:11:30 GMT
Worth re-iterating here, but I now use the same speaker cable that Chris discovered. I tried to buy a whole reel of the stuff but the seller took the hump when I made what I thought was a decent offer for an entire reel. theaudiostandard.net/thread/1037/follow-on-anti-cables-threadI revisited all my speaker cables recently and it was consistently better than all others, so I sold them off.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 18:30:38 GMT
A Sledge hammer has to be one of the best non audiophile tweeks for many systems ive heard in the past.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 19:05:54 GMT
Haha I have to agree!
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Post by MartinT on Aug 9, 2015 19:31:59 GMT
Ferrite RingsIn order to reduce audible and inaudible system noise, filter out as much hash as you possibly can. Use them on power, interconnect and speaker cables. Also use them on noise generators such as fridges, washing machines, microwave ovens and computers. Buy them in bulk, and not from a so-called audiophile company - they're the same thing and will cost less.
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Post by Chris on Aug 9, 2015 20:51:29 GMT
The best quality Tesco continental lager. £2.85 for 4x440ml cans. Less than £6 and yer system and music sounds ace.
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 10, 2015 6:37:59 GMT
ChrisB, I remember your squash ball + cup post. I use a similar idea but instead of the cups I use wooden curtain rings (to size) top and bottom of each squash ball footer under my 2nd system turntable. That's a great bit of thinking. Did you try just one ring as well?
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 10, 2015 7:15:53 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Aug 10, 2015 8:25:24 GMT
It must be the gold plug...
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 10, 2015 9:03:00 GMT
Yes, I too find it baffling why the XO should be any different, but I tried quite a few TOSLINK cables, including some glass ones, and for me the XO came as a clear (pun intended ) winner.
I'm sure the gold plated connectors must help a lot with an optical signal.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 10, 2015 11:52:54 GMT
Indeed! I've found Stan Beresford's inexpensive optical cables to perform the best of those I have tried, and are very well made.
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