Systems:some tweek responsive,some not?


Some particular systems (all being unique) are more responsive to minor tweeks, and some are not moved at all.
I wonder if some of the debate over tweeks (like power cords) is due to trial and error testing: One Audiophile tries a little tweek, being skeptical, but descovers that the thing works, and is encouraged to explore further!... Another Audiophile tries the SAME tweek and finds nothing, and feels he's been made a fool of for wasting the money. They meet on a board such as this and call each other bad things.. When in reality they each tried it, and <> one noticed something and the other didn't, but they assumed the "tweek" was the key element, and missed that each ones system may have been so different that the tweek behaved as each sensed it.
Aside from the theoretical group who spout dogma (flames!!)and don't care about trying stuff out.
I wonder how many realize that the system that responds to a power cord is sort of on a knife edge, so to speak, and the system that is not just isn't in that particular sort of balance? (not to say a non-responsive system is "less" than one that bounces all around if you look at it funny.)
I would like to see some comments about the SYSTEM variables that seem to make it possible to begin to get the experiences found in tweeking, vs the things that suddenly nothing seems to change anything since you "X"....
FOR EXAMPLE: My system has gone from general non responsiveness to noticable since I got the Adcom 750 preamp..... and... blah blah blah. (I'm burn out thinking these big thoughts so I'll turn this over to anyone else to continue:
elizabeth
Agreed. These things are all cumulative, and we're so used to changing an interconnect cable and hearing an immediate difference that it seems like power cords should do the same, or there's something wrong. Over the past year I've added a PS Audio 300 power plant, a Richard Gray Power Co. device, and a half dozen Bybee power line filters. A dealer recently offered me an astounding deal on a megabuck power cord and told me to try it first on the power supply that feeds my phono and head amps instead of the $500 cord that I have there. Result--nothing I could hear. His answer--replace all 8 cords in the system and you will, at a mere cost of 5 figures plus. At some point this all becomes too much.
It is not always a matter of balance or "on the edge". A very revealing and transparent preamp and amplifier are more tweekable simply because small changes can be reproduced by the equipment. Also some people have better hearing than others.
I completely agree. Each time I've upgraded my system the importance of footers (not only type but placement location on the equipment), shelf material, power cords and interconnects has gone up with the upgrade. I try all these different products, ie "quite line" filters on the noisest outlets and I'll test it on my friends. I'll leave the room, unplug a filter and go back in. They will explain that something just happened, a film of noise of something. I do this with as many things as possible with the ones that work for me . I've had them try it on there much less revealing systems and they don't get the same benifit. Power cords are the easiest to try, and blind switch or fake switch. Again on mine it's so obviouse, but not on theres.
This is why IMO a percentage of system cost is a valid method of budgeting cords and tweeks. A $3000 cord on a $50,000 system will make a proportional effect as a $300 on a $5,000. {of course this is an generalization, not a fact} I think it would be very valuable if tweeks were talked about with the system so people could understand if the discussion is relavent to them. It may well explain the strong opposing views. Good thoughts Elizabeth.
Using a good revealing system I have heard various improvements in sound depending upon what I change. The most significant change was when I installed dedicated AC power from a sub circuit panel. Of course different interconnects, speaker cables, digital cable, power cords, isolation cones, (etc) change the entire chemistry of everything, as does changing tubes on a preamp or amp. My bottom line is experiment, and be your own independent listener. Make changes based upon what sound you perfer. I think everything colors sound (some more than others). What you like is what you should strive for (in my opinion).
My rig is pretty darned revealing (a little too much so) which seems to make it more responsive to tweaks, as-said above. I'm actually trying to tone it down a bit now, somewhat less resolution = greater musicality, to my ears anyway.