It's been an interesting voyage of discovery. I'm pretty new to this process of 'tweaking' and I've found some of the improvements quite astonishing.
To the uninitiated (ie me), discovering the best set up is a bit like climbing a mountain for the first time in thick mists without experience, a map or compass and only a vague conviction of 'up' being the best way forward on a path that seems to throw up apparently identical alternatives at each step. Every now and then the mists clear to reveal a stunning vista that offers the promise of greater things higher up.
Changes to the set up have not been commutative: it seems they have to be done in the correct order. For example, before I added my brothers' bases, I had been unable to hear any difference between speaker cables. Once the bases were attached I soon discovered that my cables caused enough harshness to be unpleasant (I was using a mix of QED and Linn cables: now replaced with K400 all round). Having changed the cables, I found it easier to tune speaker positions. A hunch made me try switching the spikes, and the improvements these brought required further positioning changes.
So it seems that once a genuine improvement has settled in, revisiting previous tweaks (like the speaker positions and the spikes) can bring further improvements that did not seem available previously. This is all made more challenging if (like me) you don't know what to expect from each change.
It is fair to say that the net result of adding these bases, switching cables and refining the speaker positions (over a period of a couple of months) has transformed the sound of the system out of all proportion to my expectations. It has also (this may not be a good thing) given me an appetite for improvements: if my ancient LP12 can be made to sound this good, how much better can it sound?
DIY Espek Bases - How do upgraded speaker bases really work?
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I think that's a very good description of what it feels like!springwood64 wrote:discovering the best set up is a bit like climbing a mountain for the first time in thick mists without experience, a map or compass and only a vague conviction of 'up' being the best way forward on a path that seems to throw up apparently identical alternatives at each step.
I recently answered a question (regarding how to develop HiFi equipment) with a similar description. I said that developing a HiFi product feels like being a very nearsighted animal, who is trying to reach the highest point on a gigantic tree. Every now and then, a junction appears and the decision must be made which branch appears to be most promising. Maybe the thickest? Or perhaps the one pointing straight up?
Gradually, the branches turn into twigs. And finally you see the leaf at the very end. Then it's time to look around: How high did I get? Am I alone up here? If you're still surrounded by other twigs, you have to back down and carefully consider your choice at each of the previous junctions.
Linn Espek base upgrade
Hi,
I'm really interested in modifying my standard bases too. I have been looking for a resin which is a relatively low viscosity liquid and has a long pot life. My plan was to pour in some of the resin and then add steel shot compacting the shot as i go. The resin I have found is,
http://www.resin-supplies.co.uk/help%20 ... 20Data.pdf
It's a polyurethane resin. Any thoughts on how this would perform regarding rigidity. Also any idea of the quantities of shot and resin I would need?
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
I'm really interested in modifying my standard bases too. I have been looking for a resin which is a relatively low viscosity liquid and has a long pot life. My plan was to pour in some of the resin and then add steel shot compacting the shot as i go. The resin I have found is,
http://www.resin-supplies.co.uk/help%20 ... 20Data.pdf
It's a polyurethane resin. Any thoughts on how this would perform regarding rigidity. Also any idea of the quantities of shot and resin I would need?
Any advice would be very much appreciated.