What commerical audio system tweaks provide sound quality improvement??

This hobby bears a lot of resemblance to the early settlers in America who traveled across this land. A great many grew tired and settled in the Midwest and the Southwest. Those who were braver and more curious made it all the way to the West Coast. 

J Edgar Hoover: Do you go all the way?

Shirley Temple: No.

J Edgar Hoover: I don't either.

Let’s not forget to clean all non-audio connections and outlets, too. In every room, too. You know, computer, fridge, TV, floor lamps, you name it. Good Housekeeping 101.

 
terry9
@geoffkait

Make sure you turn off the power at the breaker box before you clean the outlets. PLEASE !

I never turned off the power prior to cleaning outlets and am fine. I mean except for a slight twitch. :-) Do not clean both HOT and NEUTRAL simultaneously. PLEASE !

 
toddverrone
Physics definitely supports vibration control. Particularly for tube components and turntables.

Physics also supports vibration control for solid state components.

toddverrone
Some tweaks, though.. Jeez. I can’t believe people purchase these things. They make some of the stuff the new agers buy look like quantum physics.

Care to give some examples of these tweaks you can't believe people purchase?

perfectpathtech wrote,

"Buy a bag of child proof outlet plugs roughly $5 for a big bag. Plug every unused outlet opening through out the house, not just your sound room. This prevents EMI, RFI from entering the electrical system, the reduction in back round noise is anything but subtle."

The last time I checked RFI/EMI can pass quite freely through plastic and glass, which is actually why your cell phone works inside your house. I guess this is probably the placebo effect that’s anything but subtle in this case.

perfectpathtech wrote,

"One more cheap but highly effective tweak suspend all cabling with fish line from the ceiling, most effective in minimizing cable vibration, cable risers do not even come close in performance!"

Gosh, has someone actually been paying attention to my posts? Heavens to Murgatroyd!

Actually you would have to touch both Hot and Neutral at the same time with a CONDUCTOR. That would be pretty stupid, no? Audiophiles aren’t that stupid, are they?

@geoffkait I was thinking of the pebbles with the 'special crystal structure' that you tape or place on cables and components. It's a bag of rocks from a roadside attraction anywhere in the southwest...

You were thinking? I thought I smelled something burning.

Nitwit convention in progress. Please stand by. Randi is apparently applying the conductive fluid with his fingers.

Terry9
"One does NOT need to touch both hot and neutral to get a shock. All that is required is an electrical path from hot to ground. That can happen innumerable ways: damp floor, kid spilling his drink, or any other innocent means of being in contact with a grounded object while cleaning."

You would have to be cleaning the outlets with a conductive material to get shocked. Hint: do not use a coat hanger or similar item to clean your contacts. Tell your kid not to stick his fingers in both holes at the same time.

Now you're being ridiculous. And argumentative.

No audiophile has ever been electrocuted whilst cleaning outlets, even those who employed Brillo pads, coat hangers, conductive grease or silver paste, even those who declined or overlooked turning off the power at the breaker box a priori. Even when slopping the goop on in globs. The hand-wringing is touching but save the drama for yo mama. I hate to judge too hastily but I suspect none of the hand-wringers has ever cleaned his wall outlets.

A shout out for PWB Electronics, you know, all those things that go bump in the night and give audiophiles the heebie jeebies. The unspeakables. Peter Belt RIP.