Which DS Tweaks Work? And which do not?

In another thread, one of our astute colleagues notes that multi-wave is particularly effective improving the sound of the DS.

What other tweaks have you found to routinely improve the sound?

Discuss.

For us newcomers what’s a multiwave?

Except for putting my DS on the good old Yamamura Churchill supports I haven’t done anything to tweak my DS. I’m up for suggestions, though.

In the realm of system maintenance, I cant remember the last time I dressed my speaker cables and ic ends! I should take care of that.

My P5 is on MW.

alcarp said For us newcomers what's a multiwave?
Multiwave (or MW) is function of PS Audio PowerPlants when the PowerPlant outgoing AC power sinusoid shape is modified to improve charging of capacitors in power supplies connected to the same powerplant (like in this case the DirectStream described).
alcarp said For us newcomers what's a multiwave?
I was never a big advocate of "Power Line Conditioning" but I wouldn't be without my P5. My one regret is that I didn't get a P10. As PSA will tell you it's a regenerator and not a conditioner. All I know is it makes a significant improvement to the sound plus lazy people, like me, can turn everything on and off in the order they want with a touch of a button.

If you’re in the market, it’s a great buy.

Thanks for the explanation.

I live in a semi-rural Australian town where the voltage is fairly steady and I think the power quite clean as there are no major industrial/commercial users nearby.

I was told that generally the power supply in this country is clean compared to the situation in the US.

Will the P5 or P10 still be of benefit? Any other Aussie users with these units?

It has benefits beyond cleaning the power, including substantially reducing output impedance compared to the wall (or, worse, a filter-type conditioner). Mutliwave can also improve the sound as noted above. All of the above varies with particular circumstances, of course.

I have my own power transformer, perhaps 100 feet from the house, and am spoiled with fairly steady voltage and relatively steady voltage. I am certain I receive less benefit from a Power Plant than others, but it is still an appreciable improvement.

alcarp said Thanks for the explanation.

I live in a semi-rural Australian town where the voltage is fairly steady and I think the power quite clean as there are no major industrial/commercial users nearby.

I was told that generally the power supply in this country is clean compared to the situation in the US.

Will the P5 or P10 still be of benefit? Any other Aussie users with these units?

100% alcarp. Im on the south coast NSW so Im semi rural as well. I have used a number of power line products over the years. Nothing has come close to the P5/10. Some products, you have to tell yourself you are hearing a difference. Not so with my P5.

Cross my heart…!

Looking at these posts, I was wondering, do only the P5 and P10 have the multiwave, or also the P3?

I utilise several tweaks or fiddles in my system. I do like to fiddle because you never know until you try. Some definitely work whilst others are questionable. Those that are questionable such as better fuses, quantum chips or ball bearings in the rubber feet of the DS may provide a marginal improvement but they are nothing to get excited about.

I will comment on three that for me definitely have made a noticeable impact on the SQ of my system over and above what the DS brought to my listening. My DS has over 700 hours of running

My DS sits on a spring mounted platform. The platform is a composition of 12mm steel plate, 20mm granite slab, 30mm hardwood board and 12mm mdf board all stuck together with blutack. The platform weighs about 35 kgs. Sitting on the platform is a Synergistic Tranquility bāsik with the DS sitting on Migs. As well sitting on top of the DS on sorbothane pads is a sand stone slab. I could feel very minor resonance/vibration in the top of the DS before the sandstone was installed. Now this may seem extreme but I could hear an improvement with the platform and the springs as could the person who tuned the placing of the springs with the platform. I cannot accurately say in relative terms which bits make the improvement. I don’t care because something is working.

I have two Schumann resonators. They are the Acoustic Revive RR777 and the new RR888. The RR777 is impressive whereas the RR888 is just another level again. Some people in some forums have questioned the benefit of Schumann resonators but for me in my system they bring an absolute definite improvement to what I hear.

Like a couple of posters in this thread I live in rural Australia and I cannot comment whether our power is generally cleaner than elsewhere. Nevertheless I am sure our power is not perfect and can be improved. I have trialled various ‘noise harvesters’ but I was not impressed until now. I have just purchased a Telos Quantum Noise Resonator. It works!!! The difference was immediately noticeable when I first plugged it in.

I’m skeptical of the Acoustic Revive stuff, but for the price of the RR777 I could give it a try in my room if I can find a good return policy. Wow, it looks like even Amazon has them in stock.

Your platform setup is impressive. It seems like I might needs to step up my DIY platform setup. LOL

I was going to ask if anyone has had any improvement with feet, cones, platforms and the like.

I wish I knew of an easy way to measure vibration in my gear to try to figure out frequency of the problem, and document improvement. I’ve even through of trying to rig something up with a laser pointer on a stand, and taking a long shutter exposure of the laser wiggling on the ceiling (for example) as an attempt at “seeing” the vibrations - but I’m not sure I’ll get the resolution I need. Might as well just use my hand at that point.

Anyone know of any gear to help me measure vibrations to help build my DIY platforms, shelves, and racks?

A glass of water is a good vibrometer. Careful though!

Ah hoc ideas:

Shine the laser at a small angle onto the device to be measured - this will magnify any movement.

Check out solid state accelerometers

Pour some salt or sugar crystals on the top of the device and see how high they bounce or what patterns they make.

Fun ideas as always, Ted. I knew there was a reason why I liked you! :slight_smile:

I’m going to try some of those and see what I come up with.

Speaking of solid state accelerometers, there are some apps that use phone’s and tablet’s accelerometers to try and measure vibration, and I’ve tried those…but the readings are so wild and don’t make much sense that it simply wasn’t working for me. However, I do have a new phone, so maybe I’ll revisit the vibration recording apps and see what happens.

For some reason, I like to document things - though in the end I find I usually just use my senses for best results.

Anyone tried these in their DS?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e-wLEtX86Y#t=413

Lonely Raven said I'm skeptical of the Acoustic Revive stuff,
I know that some are people are sceptical and some say they hear no change at all. Some people say that they can feel tingling in their fingers when a resonator is working. Strange but that maybe a good thing as it may indicate a movement of energy in the body. My understanding is that the resonator impacts on how we hear and not the equipment and the actual production of the sound. Height positioning of the unit may be critical. I am not sure that the RR888 is available in some countries yet. It may only be a 230/240V version at this time. Its impact is more significant than the RR777. For me they work. Besides the DS they are one of the best hifi investments I have made in the last two years.

I did not mention that I also use the the Acoustic Revive LAN filter on the LAN connection to the bridge. It has a benefit but nothing like the resonators for me.

If Schumann’s Resonance interests any one an interesting film to watch is “Resonance: Beings of Frequency” It was on Youtube but has been removed for copyright reasons. It was available at this link

http://www.smh.com.au/tv/Documentary/Resonance-Beings-of-Frequency-4321309.html

assisi said For me they work.
Which is all that matters. Placebos are as real as any physical phenomena.

I did not mention the many other tweaks that I have tried because of the potential for the placebo to be present. Interestingly I wonder whether some tweaks may of its self not provide a noticeable outcome but inconjuction with some thing else there may be a synergistic outcome. Then life becomes very complicated as to what is doing what to what. As long as things sound right life is fine.

I have just realised that my comment above about the resonator and 230/240 volts is total nonsense. The units are 12 volt DC. I use a linear power supply. Another tweak. I do not know whether the RR888 is universally available at the moment

Actually, Paul’s explanations from Munich is the best one so far, describing a plausable cause for operation.