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Is it possible that my preamp and phono preamp sound better with their top covers left off? Or am I imagining it.
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Herbie, the famous and well respected purveyor of vibration control products, and I have much love for Mortite rope caulk. T456
" And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall" Robert Allen Zimmerman
or could be. though depending on the configuration of the components you could be exposing your self to more RF noise and Dust invasions with the Top Off My Boxster interior needs attention much more often than my Truck!
"The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat" - Confucius
Audio Research now supplies its top end line stages with vented acrylic covers for better sound.
The acrylic cover is just the start in ARC's herculean effort to control chassis resonances/vibration. They have been at this for a long time and the latest Reference preamps are a big step forward in this regard.
The side metal slaps are thick and heavy. This helps sink resonances/vibration. There is also strategically placed damping material that is hard to see with the acrylic cover in place. The bottom cover is also acrylic.
My Reference 2 has the metal top cover. It definitely sounds better when removed. I hear no difference with the acrylic cover removed on the Reference Phono 3.
With the covers off the electronics will run cooler. This may make a noticable change in the sound of some componets.
The reverse is about how 'clean' the environment is.
A lot of dust settling in there will be bad. Also if the RFI environment is bad, the added noise may lower the quality of the sound.
I would say the dust is the biggest factor in the long run.
This is a really good point! RFI isn't an issue but dust can be. I've done more experimentation. It's not my imagination. Sounds cleaner with the top case off.
Will keep the dust out and do no harm to the sonic consequences of removing the top.
If you do not have an RFI problem there is likely too much shielding in your systems.
If you need shielding, What else can you do? But if you do not shielding is very harmful to good sound in my experience.
AS much of it as you need and not any more than necessary.
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Available from music direct. I use them inside the chassis to great effect. Awesome when used in a cd/sacd player. Of course, the less chassis there is to vibrate-the better the sound.
If you want damping, then go to Mcmaster and order a sheet of the various damping materials they have available. I ordered one sheet of the soundproofing years ago and I still have plenty left over for whatever new components I get.There is this one
Edits: 12/01/16
I've found that the mass loaded sheets tend to over dampen the sound-which the 3M sheets do not. The best bet is to start with a little and add until the sound becomes lifeless-then pull back. BTW McMaster is a great place for useful audio stuff. I order lots of self adhesive felt for the front baffles of speakers from them.
Made from 100% Butyl Rubber.. No stinky asphalt based product...
I use this product on larger projects... Cut with exacto knife and then use a putty knife over the whole surface of the project... Stays in place very well...
I have used Fo.Q TA-102 sheets for many years with excellent results...
A small amount goes a long way to tune your audio gear...
I use a set of leather punches to cut small circles of Fo.Q TA-102...
as you have likely discovered, you can overdo it and ruin your sound, so you
certainly want something removable and pliant enough to cut.
Verastarr Starrdamp worked great for me once I got the hang of it.
That's a SMART system you have for your system!
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Looks good! How do you order products from them? I like the audio rack.
You can either support one of many USA retailers, or go on Ebay and get deep discounts...
Thanks for the link. Will have to give it a try.
Big bucks for the AR-34 audio rack...Price: $3,250.00 US...
Reminds me of an interview that I read with an audio designer. He said that it could be easy to make a good sounding circuit. Problems arose when you tried to put it in a box.
Chassis covers can be affected by vibration and electric fields ( producing eddy currents). Some designers have tried to eliminate the latter by using plastic or wood covers and the former by using damping panels or just sheer mass.
You may want to damp the panels that you removed and put them back. There are self-stick damping pads, I think, but I never tried them.
I like to put a weight on the components sometimes. Sometimes, some special footers help.
Again, I don't obsess over it. Tried many things, but now I know they all make a difference, but the interactions are complicated enough that I ask myself: "Is this a sensible thing to do? Is it bordering on OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)? Just make sure it doesn't send the wrong message to anyone you share your space with ;-)
HiFi News of UK used to sell a steel block that was to be placed on top of the amp for better fidelity. Was too expensive for me. I tried placing my Pet Rock and thought the lower registers got better definition.
Cheers
Bill
It depends on the color of your pet rock and how good it was at rolling over. Remember that? How to teach your pet rock to roll over? I still smile when I remember that.
Yep. And also the pamphlet 'How to Destroy Your Pet Rock". But that was not the end of it. "How to Put Together your Destroyed Pet Rock" came next!
Cheers
Bill
Don't know, but if they sound better to you that's all that counts.
I've had the grills off my original large Advents for years, but people say they were "voiced" for them on. ?
I prefer them off.
.
Yes, especially with your imagination.
" And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall" Robert Allen Zimmerman
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