I watched with interest Axiom's latest video ref Port Plugs.
One of my 'audio only' systems (2 x M3s) suffered from ridiculous bass reinforcement due to their placement in corners. This was the case with any brand or model of speakers that I placed there so it is not just an M3 phenomena. To compensate, I had to EQ the bass down on my receiver from '0' to '-6' (out of 10) to try to tame the bloated bass response. It sounded quite good that way; however, I was concerned with what lowering the receiver's bass level was doing to the overall FR of the system.
Hmmmm, says me after watching Andrew's Port Plug explanation so I decided to experiment a little. Being a pack-rat, I found in my stash of 'stuff' in my workshop, some quite dense, but also flexible packing foam (1/2" thick) that had thin cardboard backing glued on. I easily cut with scissors a couple plugs a little bigger than the port diameter & press-fit them firmly into the ports.
I set the receiver back to 'flat' & played some quality CDs. What a difference - any remaining muddiness completely disappeared & overall sound balance morphed from good to superb. Higher volume levels are far more forgiving as well. Rest assured, there was no placebo effect here - the difference was dramatic.
This experiment was so successful, I just may purchase a couple of the 'official' plugs when they become available. Thanks to Axiom for this great tip...
TAM
