Tweakdom

[Werd]

Did you try loosening the screws attaching the tweeter?  Also the transformer screws on a dac. I liked the pre amp screws too. I have only tried it with a passive but the screws dedicated to holding the volume control relaxed the tension.

  OK loosened all the tweeter screws and then retightened to have  firm fit. To my surprise the top just became more natural. Added more decay of notes producing harmonice not heard before.
   Good one Werd.


charles

That's MGA, It feels like tension is gone. There are 3 consideration I listen for. Prat, resolution and tension. Go into the dac and loosen all the screws mounting the PCB and transformer for some real interesting results.

Manufacturers send out there gear with everything screwed down too tight imo. It needs to be loosened up at home. That's how i look at it now.

[Werd]

I recall on AC how MGA asserted that a bad recording is repairable. He took a lot of flak but he is right. Much of the sound attributed to bad playback is a result of too much tension. He tried to pass it on but no one would have it. Which is sad but -par for the course - on AC.

His first advice was to loosen up the outlets. I did that and it changed but it wasn't enough to see the big picture. When he mentioned the tweeter screws thats what nailed it. I was completely on board with this as a viable system adjustment.

[DaveC]

The fasteners holding your speaker drivers in place also make a difference.

Some years ago someone on the Omega circle on AC recommended using brass screws, so I bought them and changed out the steel screws and it did make a noticeable improvement. Now Louis uses brass...

I haven't played with tension on the brass screws but I'd bet it would make a difference if changing from steel to brass makes a difference.

[richidoo]

A dealer demoing Aerial speakers for me was embarrassed to find the tweeter screws loose when I asked him what was wrong with the speakers. I was just a newbie, didn't know shit about crystalline shimmering treble, but I could hear something was wrong. A quick tightening cleaned it all up. This is one of the many reasons not to use MDF for building speakers. It flows, like liquid. There is no wood grain to resist flowing, so the threads cannot resist the pulling tension of a tightened screw. Soon the screw is not tight. After a couple tightenings the threads turn to dust. This is one of the reasons Magico, Krell and other super speakers use solid machined aluminum baffles and steel machine screws on the drivers. The steel screws can hold tension. Sheet metal screws in baltic birch also holds well.

[DaveC]

/\ You can use threaded inserts, Omega switched to using machine screws with threaded inserts instead of wood screws.

[jimbones]

/\ You can use threaded inserts, Omega switched to using machine screws with threaded inserts instead of wood screws.

I use threaded insert on everything