Hiend001's System

Hi Hiend001

Saying I'm excited for you would be an understatement



Man, what a system

very Very VERY Happy

Hiend001 -- your system looks fantastic!

Congratulations.

Sonic has a couple of questions -- do you hear a difference in sound when you play your computer off the battery or connected to the mains? Which do you use for serious music listening?

Is there any tuning done to the Asus laptop like between it and the wooden stool you use as a support?

Sonic

Hi Sonic,

I'm using laptop mains to listen. Did not compare with battery mode.

No tuning on the laptop.

Hi Sonic and Tunees,

I thought I have experienced the ultimate soundstage but I was wrong. It went even further just a few changes I had made 2 days ago (Brazilian Boards leaned against the wall next to Speakers and LTR under DAC's adapter). Now the soundstage beyond 3D    It likes listening to a wrapped around big headphone    The music instruments and vocal coming out from the 11 ft wide front wall with some instruments even go beyond 11ft    Yes basically my 11ft front wall is my speaker. The space around the instruments were First Class. From the high to mid to bottom frequencies were so thrilling to listen to. Especially the harmonic waves and that special delayed extension tone that causing my brain and heart pumping so excitedly    The halo now sweep across from front to the back of my head  

The tension of the DAC's top tune rod was so sensitive. Just press the top tune rod a bit harder onto the PC board and the bass got more punch.

Music is all about halo, the harmonic waves and that special delayed extension tone that really the key things to listening  

Regards to Sonic's DAC setup listening experience. I have warned you guys in my previous post that the Xmos driver, sound properties of Window and Foobar2000 setting MUST BE set correctly. I discovered even the USB cable from DAC to Laptop also affected the sound reproduction. Don't believe try using other USB cable and you will know what I'm talking.

Be patient and you will be rewarded if you follow what I had been using and MOST IMPORTANTLY the configuration MUST BE CORRECT. Me too initial experienced with other DAC and apps configuration was a nightmare    It sounds so horrible like a flat liner    Thanks to my Horn Speaker friends which we exchange notes every Saturday meet-up especially Mr. Glenn who provided guidance on what DAC to use and the apps setup + configuration  

See attached setup + configuration for Sound Properties and Foobar2000.

Enjoy your experience and don't give up    

I will try to plan some time visiting Michael in Las Vegas and compare how is my system standard stands against the Designer's system..... 60% perhaps    

Your making me a very happy man Hiend001

I'm so glad you are breaking things down step by step (with pics & diagrams). This is so important and helps to build a method, which is what this hobby needs more than anything. Not that everyone will do every system exactly the same, but what you are doing is showing the expertise that is developed through connecting our minds to our system, and turning your method into a shared empirical application.

This is what I loved about Jim Bookhard, and to see you guys dive in, letting the tools do the work, while you become the master, is what allows listening to enter that deeper  state of performance.

"Thanks to my Horn Speaker friends which we exchange notes every Saturday meet-up especially Mr. Glenn who provided guidance on what DAC to use and the apps setup + configuration" Nice

H Hiend001,

I'm back I'm seeing a lot of wood blocks instead of springs or brass cones. I was thinking of getting some more brass but it looks like I should move to the blocks. I wanted to put the Chameleons on them and also the sw10 subwoofers...your thoughts ... and Michael's...and everyone else!

Chipdivot

Hi Chipdivot,

For SW10 subwoofer.... It could be Low Tone Cedars for tone and below

Hi Michael

A question from Sonic in relation to how your discoveries and thinking evolved over time.

Sonic remembers reading the early Tune-days when German Acoustic cones were spiked on to coins over sorbothane.

Then came the first cones followed by the first M Green designed MTD cones along with the Harmonic Springs and Harmonic Feet (this is where Sonic came in as a customer of the Tune).

After this we had contoured spikes, Space Cones and the AAB1x1 cones in different variants.

Sonic has to say that I am a happy customer and user of the AAB1x1s, Contoured Spikes, Harmonic Feet and Harmonic Springs in my main system and the other audio systems in other parts of my dwelling.

More recently I have been using the Low Tone Redwood blocks supplied by Michael to good effect under my Turntables, DAC, phono stage, crossover, amplifiers and the Janis W-1 subwoofer.

Now there is an evolution in thinking where we are moving to wood blocks to support equipment and apparently away from cones, spikes and springs.

Michael, can you discuss what your research and what your new observations tell you which led you to the use of wood blocks. Where do the Harmonic Springs, Cones and spikes fit into the the scheme of things? When should we use one or the other?

Sonic

Thanks Sonic....exactly what I was thinking since I have been gone for years!

Chipdivot

Hi Guys

"A question from Sonic in relation to how your discoveries and thinking evolved over time.

Sonic remembers reading the early Tune-days when German Acoustic cones were spiked on to coins over sorbothane.

Then came the first cones followed by the first M Green designed MTD cones along with the Harmonic Springs and Harmonic Feet (this is where Sonic came in as a customer of the Tune).

After this we had contoured spikes, Space Cones and the AAB1x1 cones in different variants.

Sonic has to say that I am a happy customer and user of the AAB1x1s, Contoured Spikes, Harmonic Feet and Harmonic Springs in my main system and the other audio systems in other parts of my dwelling.

More recently I have been using the Low Tone Redwood blocks supplied by Michael to good effect under my Turntables, DAC, phono stage, crossover, amplifiers and the Janis W-1 subwoofer.

Now there is an evolution in thinking where we are moving to wood blocks to support equipment and apparently away from cones, spikes and springs.

Michael, can you discuss what your research and what your new observations tell you which led you to the use of wood blocks. Where do the Harmonic Springs, Cones and spikes fit into the the scheme of things? When should we use one or the other?"

mg

Well the answer is discussed throughout the forums, but it's one that can and maybe should be repeated every now and then.

"Sonic remembers reading the early Tune-days when German Acoustic cones were spiked on to coins over sorbothane."

mg

The early days were a time that I thought other designers had the answers figured out and if I used their products combined with my own the "sound would be found", I was wrong. The high end audio industry was and is a babe in the woods. Most of these designers I found out through hanging out with them are not really serious listeners but more marketers and fun personalities. Don't get me wrong, they love music, but the audiophile world is more a place to make a living for 95% of the guys in the biz.

sonic

"Then came the first cones followed by the first M Green designed MTD cones along with the Harmonic Springs and Harmonic Feet (this is where Sonic came in as a customer of the Tune)."

mg

The Audiopoint went further than the other cones, but I did not like the sound of the coating used and so the MTD was needed. Just a note: most of the reviews on the Audiopoints were actually done with my cones. For history sake there were Michael Green's Audiopoints, Audio Points, MTD's and MGA Cones.

Harmonic Feet were actually designed for guitar amplifiers, tested with Santana's amps. However the crossover to equipment feet was an easy one.

Harmonic Springs have their own "vibe", and mated up with the right wood will do some super cool things.

sonic

"After this we had contoured spikes, Space Cones and the AAB1x1 cones in different variants."

mg

Around the time of the Spikes, things started to get pretty fun and I was able to go places the industry had never gone before with the soundstage. The spikes were actually designed in the mid 90's I just didn't want to introduce another SKU at the time cause I was about to go do studios and less audiophile systems. One thing to remember with me is I never stop finding places I want to take the music to and I never run out of different system and technical conditions and changes. Someone out there develops a different technology or part and the audio signal travels in a way it never has before. When I hear this it's time to invent. Every chance I get I try to explore the extreme of designing. The different cone variations were a result of one of those times. At the time these inventive seasons happen there are actually far more products designed, but the audiophile market isn't nearly big enough to make so many SKUs. If you guys saw how many designs I really have and have explored it would more than likely scare you, So I end up showing maybe 1/5 of them.

sonic

"Sonic has to say that I am a happy customer and user of the AAB1x1s, Contoured Spikes, Harmonic Feet and Harmonic Springs in my main system and the other audio systems in other parts of my dwelling."

mg

Yep, these are a pretty safe bet, especially when used with the correct combos of other materials.

sonic

"More recently I have been using the Low Tone Redwood blocks supplied by Michael to good effect under my Turntables, DAC, phono stage, crossover, amplifiers and the Janis W-1 subwoofer."

mg

I tried to introduce the wood products back around 04 more seriously but the timing for me was off. I'm glad that I get to work on my creative spirit more these days. My best times are when I have a place with several rooms and work stations, plus being around folks who get the "tune". Partnering up with Harold has been one of the tunes most productive chapters.

sonic

"Now there is an evolution in thinking where we are moving to wood blocks to support equipment and apparently away from cones, spikes and springs.

Michael, can you discuss what your research and what your new observations tell you which led you to the use of wood blocks. Where do the Harmonic Springs, Cones and spikes fit into the the scheme of things? When should we use one or the other?"

mg

Sure, but we should do this on a thread that doesn't get lost, cause it takes too much time and energy to walk through some of this as often it gets answered but then lost in the pages.

I do want to say this though. Even when you guys see me exploring, inventing and producing new things, don't think I stop using or replacing the old. When designing I tend to take a certain type of product or material to it's limit of use. This doesn't mean for example that the LTR Blocks have replaced the AAB1x1 or downward transfer has replaced Top Tuning. It's just the way I design. I will go through periods where I will try to make everything work with whatever it is I'm working on as if nothing else exist. I know it may look that way in my pics as well but that's all for designing purposes. I pretty much use all my designs and methods for my end game systems. Unless of course it's time to move on from certain designs. Every time I design I go back to square one and build up from scratch. So for another example: I might have one room with my cables sitting directly on the floor and the next room up on Cable Grounds. The one without is more than likely a newer setup where I'm trying to take things through stages. I know, I need 20 rooms but then you guys would never hear from me again

Hi Chip

We should update your thread sometime

Would like to see where things are, and maybe recommend things based on where you might want to go, or answer some tweak questions.

It would be great to have the Chipdivot back on TuneLand. Makes me smile to see you on Facebook and when you do visit here. Good memories

Thanks Michael....nice to be back. Sometimes life just gets crazy which can make it difficult to do some of the things I love to do...like tuning and listening! the winery is coming along slowly - had some problems with the vines but I think this year will be good. I bottled my first vintage 2014...but just 9 bottles although they did taste good for my first try

Thanks for planning on a thread to explain wood, spikes, etc...they do get lost as in who's thread is it on? I spent 2 days reading and reading trying to get caught up on what has been happening

I'll take some pics to show where I'm at now...not much has changed other than my Projector is a HD Optoma and I added a Oppo blu ray player....mainly to watch movies but the sound is only so-so. I would like to add a player just for listening or change out the Oppo for a stripped down player. I haven't done anything to the Oppo which I should try before replacing it....????