Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo The best speaker tweak you can do

Umm, try reading the second reply to your post. I did try replacing the straps with speaker wire. I was even expecting there to be a change (which tends to invoke the placebo effect). The fact is, I heard no change at all.

And don't knock math. The fact is, cable length is one of the most important variables when you're discussing signal integrity. Even the best cable in the world will fail to transmit a signal with integrity if it's too long.

I'm neutral here, saying that, I don't want to dismiss anything that could improve the sound quality at the same time I don’t want to waste hard earned cash either.
A lot of people get too caught up in audio occult or snake oil. I think if someone that I know and trust performed this I would have to do a blind test. Then if I noticed a difference I would try it myself. I have a degree in electrical engineering, but I don’t do it for my career, that said, I am no doubt a cut and dry personality and I can't help it.

"Flat Earth Society" "Another example of someone who wants to 'do the math'"

Yeah, math sucks. It can describe how the universe works, but not audio! And those damn people who pay attention to science are behind and also think the world is flat. Whut?

BZ, there appear to be very few members of the Flat Earth Society who frequent the Axiom forums. As you know, the FES is composed of individuals who choose to ignore well-established scientific facts and instead suggest that you should "just trust your eyes". They themselves have clearly seen that the earth is flat, have many friends who have seen this, and suggest that anyone who approaches the subject with an open mind and looks for himself will see the same thing.

The analogous belief in the audio realm is held by those who would ignore years or even decades of well-established audio engineering principles and insist "just trust your ears". Of course when actually called upon to do this for the first time(in a properly controlled blind listening test)and the nameplates and pricetags have disappeared, the differences in sound which were previously described in flowery terms have likewise disappeared.

In general I think a trial and error approach without benefit of math can get kind of expensive. The tweak you are suggesting seems harmless enough and shouldn't cost much more than a little time (always in short supply )!

Keep in mind that I don't doubt you hear a difference. However, you probably shouldn't be so sure that other people will also hear a difference unless you've used a little more rigor in your testing than just your own observations.

I don't think you will find much outrage here as you will a healthy dose of scepticism around sound 'enhancement' claims. Perhaps this is the case because there are so many science/INTJ types here.

It's all good as long as you're happy with the results.

Salut, Eric!

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However, you probably shouldn't be so sure that other people will also hear a difference...

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There! To me, there are at least four very different questions on this topic, and they are often detrimentally rolled into one.

1. Is there a difference?
2. If it exists, can *I* perceive the difference?
3. If I can perceive the difference, do I have a preference?
4. If I have a preference, is the increased cost/trouble a good *value* to me?

Obviously, I care much less about the science than about the human benefit. I'm basically a libertarian audiophile; whatever you enjoy spending your time/money on is fine with me. As long as you don't buy it at Wal-Mart.

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As long as you don't buy it at Wal-Mart.

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whats wrong with wal-mart?? we got us a real nice one on the edge of town.. sells food and everything. its gotta bank, a hair cuttin place, an optomotrist, and a mcdonalds... all under one roof.. now thats some one stop shopping if i ever seen it!!

bigjohn

Just think, you'll never be able, err want to leave.

" on the edge of town.. "

They have been accused of leading the downtown cores of many cities into virtual wastelands, and fostering the low wage segment of the population. I heard that there is a movement to unionize certain locations, paricularly in Quebec.

its definitely a monopoly, there is no doubt about that.

the 'supercenter' that opened on the edge of town is centrally located at a highway intersection that was just completed after a 20 year building project.. (NO KIDDING, 20 YEARS).. anyway, the highway has actually created a sort of building BOOM on that side of town.. just in the last 12 months we have a new home depot, circuit city, lowes, bed/bath and beyond, a new yamaha dealership, new mazda dealership, new ford dealership, and a starbucks..

in that same time, the local k-mart closed, and a local mom and pops hardware store closed.. so, it depends on what side of the fence you stand on if you see it as good or bad. ??

bigjohn