Know of a "Dirt Cheap" tweak?

sabai
The sand has to be dry. If you are taking it off the beach on a dry day it may feel dry but it will still take some airing out to get rid of the residual moisture.

Sand is so passé. I have just one word for you: Glass microspheres. Like the ones I use in my new ISO stand. Sand is what cheap DIYers use when they can't afford the real thing. 😄

Geoff Kait
machina dynamica

geoffkait,

You stated, "Far be it from me to beat a dead horse but Franck Tchang’s diagram was designed SPECIFICALLY for HIS Special pure Gold, Silver, Platinum and Basic acoustic resonators thus are doomed to FAIL for the knock-off attempts of cheap DIYers. If a DIYer gets good result with Franck Tchang’s diagram it means you were lucky."

Frank Tchang's placements were designed for his resonators. Correct. But this does not mean, ipso facto, that other resonators will not also benefit from these carefully worked out placements. In fact, logic may lead some people to believe that because they worked so well for Franck they may also work well for others since all resonators have one thing in common -- they resonate. The speculation that they are "thus "doomed to fail for so-called knock-off resonators is a non sequitur. Simply because an application is designed for one specific product does not logically meant that it is disqualified from working with other similar products.

So, I believe this horse is far from dead. And it is obvious that others feel the same way, too. We have the examples of Synergistic Research, Zilplex and Audio-Magic following right behind Franck Tchang. And here on the forum we have the example of lexphin who tried his DIYs out using the Franck Tchang placements and got great results -- just like me. Oh, I forgot. This is all just a matter of luck. Franck Tchang was just guessing -- and the rest of us are just lucky because he guessed right.

Although sand may be considered by some (not sure how many) to be passe it works very well, which is what matters. So, cheap DIYers can take solace in the fact that sand gets the job done -- cheaply. The fact that sand is silica and that glass microspheres are also silica may be the reason why.

Sabai, I never said Franck Tchang’s diagram wouldn’t work at all. In fact I specifically said that a post or two ago. It’s because you’re close to but not exactly on the 6 dB peak, only at the 2 dB or 3 dB point or whatever. Close but no cigar.

Pop quiz: why are even tinier little bowls also a good idea. 1/2" bowls are what, 1/4 the volume of the 1" bowls?

footnote: Sabai, you forgot to mention Machina Dynamica’s Codename White Poppy acoustic resonators, which have been around for what four or five years? See if you can guess the material I use for my resonators. Betcha can’t. Hint: Machina Dynamica’s Tru Tone Wall Outlet Covers which have been around for 10 years employ the same material (and are also resonators!). There is also Golden Sound’s Acoustic Discs which are not bowls but are basically the same general idea. They’ve been around more than 10 years.

cheers, everybody

geoff kait
machina dynamica

geoffkait,

When you state that "I never said Franck Tchang’s diagram wouldn’t work at all", may I respectfully draw attention to your statement that Franck’s placements "are doomed to FAIL for the knock-off attempts of cheap DIYers ". And to your statement that " ... you’re only guessing if you don’t use a SPL meter." I do not think that Franck Tchang was just guessing. I think he went about this very methodically. Otherwise, his placements -- even for so-called "knock-off attempts of cheap DIYers" -- would not work as well as they do. In fact, if they did not work so well across the board I am sure this would have been reported a long time ago starting with Stereo Times and 6 Moons, then moving down the line to Zilplex, Synergistic Research and Audio-Magic. But such is not the case. On the contrary. So, you and I respectfully agree to disagree.

I have no experience with your resonators so I cannot comment on their effectiveness nor can I compare them to resonators made by other makers -- or my own DIY version. But may I respectfully note that you earlier mentioned that you "... started designing and selling acoustic resonators before acoustic resonators were even a gleam in Franck Tchang’s eye ...". But in a more recent post I note that you refer to your resonators being around for 4 or 5 years. Franck Tchang's resonators came out in 2004.

Would wrapping any cables with yellow Teflon plumber's tape have any effect? If so, why? I know its a strong dielectric. Does it shield cables near each other from interference. Haven't tried it, just wondering if anyone has.

Yours Aye,